My new barn / shop build

MRollins10 · Dec 12, 2019

Imold said:
Looking real nice, gives a person shop envy.

Thanks! I have increased the size of it twice since i started. Originally, it was just a plain 30x30 shop. Now its 70x30 with shop, stalls, and a mother in law unit!

MRollins10 · Dec 18, 2019

Well, the trim and rollup doors went on today. Spray foam is coming friday. The black trim really makes the colors stand out.

EddieWalker · Dec 18, 2019

How thick are you spraying the foam? Are you spraying the walls and the ceiling?

MRollins10 · Dec 18, 2019

EddieWalker said:
How thick are you spraying the foam? Are you spraying the walls and the ceiling?

Yes, we are spraying the walls and ceiling. 2" spray foam i believe.

cjoffutt · Dec 19, 2019

MRollins10 said:
Yes, we are spraying the walls and ceiling. 2" spray foam i believe.

Sure is nice having spray foam in a building/house, but when I was quoted $3500 & $3900 for my 36x48x14 barn for 2" coverage just for the walls, it made my quickly decide to just use a layer of 1.5" foam board between the wall purlins and a layer of 1" foam board on top of that. Then the 6" thick 8 foot wide fiberglass insulation. Won't be as air tight (but darn near), but the foam board was a grand total of $875.00 for reclaimed product.

And you are correct MR, that black trim certainly makes the color combo stand out and pop. Building is looking really nice. Hope the weather holds out so you and the crew can get it wrapped up.

MRollins10 · Dec 19, 2019

Yeah it was a bit spendy on the spray foam, but i decided to just do it and be done.

cjoffutt said:
Sure is nice having spray foam in a building/house, but when I was quoted $3500 & $3900 for my 36x48x14 barn for 2" coverage just for the walls, it made my quickly decide to just use a layer of 1.5" foam board between the wall purlins and a layer of 1" foam board on top of that. Then the 6" thick 8 foot wide fiberglass insulation. Won't be as air tight (but darn near), but the foam board was a grand total of $875.00 for reclaimed product.

And you are correct MR, that black trim certainly makes the color combo stand out and pop. Building is looking really nice. Hope the weather holds out so you and the crew can get it wrapped up.

ovrszd · Dec 19, 2019

cjoffutt said:
Sure is nice having spray foam in a building/house, but when I was quoted $3500 & $3900 for my 36x48x14 barn for 2" coverage just for the walls, it made my quickly decide to just use a layer of 1.5" foam board between the wall purlins and a layer of 1" foam board on top of that. Then the 6" thick 8 foot wide fiberglass insulation. Won't be as air tight (but darn near), but the foam board was a grand total of $875.00 for reclaimed product.

And you are correct MR, that black trim certainly makes the color combo stand out and pop. Building is looking really nice. Hope the weather holds out so you and the crew can get it wrapped up.

Spray Foam's primary mission is restricting air flow. Secondary is R value.

Then the discussion gets very complex. All insulation's R value is determined with zero air movement thru the insulation. If there is the slightest amount of air movement the R value plummets. Well insulated structures that have cold air drafts thru the electrical outlet boxes would be a good example. Or on a frosty morning, look at the roof. Very common to see melted areas over the wall top sill plates. Structures with these issues have very low R value, regardless of type of insulation used.

Your solution is very cost effective, no doubt about that. If you Zip Taped all the seams including the edges against wood you probably have a decent R value.

How important all that is would be based on your location. Since you don't list a location it's hard for anyone to know.

EddieWalker · Dec 19, 2019

Are you going to add fiberglass over the foam? From what I understand, 2 inches of closed cell foam will give you around R13, or about the same as a 2x4 wall with fiberglass. Having the 2 inches of foam AND fiberglass doubles your R value to R26 in a 2x6 wall for the best bang for your buck. And you can really max it out in the ceiling where it's the most important by adding fiberglass bats, but that's kind of tricky to do. Or you can spray open cell over the closed cell for less money to get R30 or better. I have R60 blown in insulation in my house because of the heat in summer and how much it costs to run the AC.

ovrszd · Dec 19, 2019

EddieWalker said:
Are you going to add fiberglass over the foam? From what I understand, 2 inches of closed cell foam will give you around R13, or about the same as a 2x4 wall with fiberglass. Having the 2 inches of foam AND fiberglass doubles your R value to R26 in a 2x6 wall for the best bang for your buck. And you can really max it out in the ceiling where it's the most important by adding fiberglass bats, but that's kind of tricky to do. Or you can spray open cell over the closed cell for less money to get R30 or better. I have R60 blown in insulation in my house because of the heat in summer and how much it costs to run the AC.

Good stuff Eddie. Reinforces everything I could find when trying to educate myself regarding insulation.

cjoffutt · Dec 19, 2019

MRollins10 said:
Yeah it was a bit spendy on the spray foam, but i decided to just do it and be done.

I don't blame you one bit. I wanted to, but the wallet dictated otherwise.

Out of curiosity, what were you quoted to have it all foamed?

ovrszd said:
Spray Foam's primary mission is restricting air flow. Secondary is R value.

Then the discussion gets very complex. All insulation's R value is determined with zero air movement thru the insulation. If there is the slightest amount of air movement the R value plummets. Well insulated structures that have cold air drafts thru the electrical outlet boxes would be a good example. Or on a frosty morning, look at the roof. Very common to see melted areas over the wall top sill plates. Structures with these issues have very low R value, regardless of type of insulation used.

Your solution is very cost effective, no doubt about that. If you Zip Taped all the seams including the edges against wood you probably have a decent R value.

How important all that is would be based on your location. Since you don't list a location it's hard for anyone to know.

As to my location, North Central IN. So decently cold winters but not extreme by any measures; was 8 on the drive into work this morning. I know the primary purpose of spray foam (no snarkyness intended). Have it in the house walls, rim board down onto the ICF basement walls, and above the drywall on the second floor to make a complete envelope for the place. It's about as air tight as it can be.

With regards to the barn installation, I foamed the sheets against the purlins as well as against the posts. The seams are also foam sealed/glued. They'll be vapor barrier over the final layer of fiberglass as well as under the ceiling metal/blown in fiberglass to further restrict/block airflow from entering the main portion of the building. While the barn is strictly for storage, I still wanted it well insulated and capable of being 'warm' without having to pump a ton of heat into it. Honestly hoping that once the radiant floor gets the cement heated up that mass keeps it's in the 50s.

The barn builder put up house wrap under the metal as I was originally intending to do spray foam (was under the presumption the price had not more than doubled in the 7 year span from doing my house). This would have resulted in easily being able to replace a panel when I run into it, or the darn hooligan kids of mine do, lol.