Best foam for a pole building | Insulation/Energy/Building Envelope Q&A | Spray Foam Technical Questions and Answers | SprayFoam Magazine Q&A Forums

Q&A Forums

Author	Comments
Posted: Feb 17, 2009 11:48 AM	Best foam for a pole building I'm doing a project in Maryland to build a low cost building that is as energy effiecnet as possible with the lowest cost possible. We built a ploe barn structure with an isulated slab with pex tubing for heat. The original spec called for 2" of closed cell foam for air seal and insulation, covering the entire interror of the structure. Now that we are getting real price quotes for the CC foam, I'm wondering if the closed cell is the most cost effective way to go. My questions are, can we achive a long term air seal with the open cell foam? The walls and lid are metal, what concerns are we looking at in reguards to vapor migration? The building will be used as a work shop, if it were your shop, what would you use. Thanks, Ron Camerata
SprayFoamSupply.com Posted: Feb 17, 2009 08:35 PM	Hi Ron, It all depends on what you mean by cost effective. Closed cell foam will be, by far, the best long term investment. I would not advise using open cell foam on the metal. If it is not sprayed well and there are voids in the foam, you could get condensation on the metal when it is cold outside. If it is a shop, there shouldn't be too much moisture inside, but I wouldn't risk it. I will be building a shop this summer and it will have only closed cell foam in it. George
Posted: Feb 18, 2009 09:07 PM	Thanks George, I'm very concerned about the foam adhering to the metal. There are areas on the walls that are 2' high by 8' wide that are bare metal. So far, none of the appliators that have looked at the building, have recomended any priming.
Dan Beecher Posted: Feb 19, 2009 11:05 AM	The only time I would be worried about a primer on the strait wall metal is if it is galvalume or unpainted steel. If you run your finger on it and get an oily residue on your finger it should be degreased with a hot water pressure washer and rinsed at the least. Or if it is a round roof quonset we wash and prime them no matter what. Cheap insurance.
Posted: Feb 19, 2009 12:09 PM	The steel is factory painted. It came that way with something like a 20 year finsh.
Posted: Feb 21, 2009 04:40 AM	i will spray open cell foam to a pole barn only if the shop/shed is to be lined...oc will not stand up to the rigors of a shop/shed,,,in a post framed or pole type building you will have enough room to apply at least 5" of oc,,i dont see much for those "pockets/voids anymore and am a firm believer they are applicator borne in most instances,,unless the stuff is way to hot chemically,,anyway,,, i demand 50 degree minimum for metal substrate with either foam... i prefer a 2" sidwall minimum and a 3" lid minimum CC here in the cornfield...this allows you to bury the ribs,,,and provides adequate thermal performance to warrant the application... we have many heated shops with 1" CC that do not condensate,,,, ever,,,even in the dog days of winter with the lb whites runnin,,, the lp dealer says they heat cheaper than the shops he services with the big white filterglass filled bags,,,
Greg Pruitt Posted: Mar 09, 2009 05:30 AM	I have used both foams, the main advantage for the closed cell is at the bottom where you will be working. If you will be laying tool on it and the like, then theclosed cell would be tougher. We have sprayed closed cell on the bottom 6 feet and then go with open cell. Have had no problems. Even did two machine shops will open cell. We are in Texas.

Author

Comments

Posted: Feb 17, 2009 11:48 AM

Best foam for a pole building

I'm doing a project in Maryland to build a low cost building that is as energy effiecnet as possible with the lowest cost possible. We built a ploe barn structure with an isulated slab with pex tubing for heat. The original spec called for 2" of closed cell foam for air seal and insulation, covering the entire interror of the structure.

Now that we are getting real price quotes for the CC foam, I'm wondering if the closed cell is the most cost effective way to go.

My questions are, can we achive a long term air seal with the open cell foam? The walls and lid are metal, what concerns are we looking at in reguards to vapor migration?

The building will be used as a work shop, if it were your shop, what would you use.

Thanks,
Ron Camerata

SprayFoamSupply.com

Posted: Feb 17, 2009 08:35 PM

Hi Ron,

It all depends on what you mean by cost effective. Closed cell foam will be, by far, the best long term investment. I would not advise using open cell foam on the metal. If it is not sprayed well and there are voids in the foam, you could get condensation on the metal when it is cold outside. If it is a shop, there shouldn't be too much moisture inside, but I wouldn't risk it. I will be building a shop this summer and it will have only closed cell foam in it.

George

Posted: Feb 18, 2009 09:07 PM

Thanks George,

I'm very concerned about the foam adhering to the metal. There are areas on the walls that are 2' high by 8' wide that are bare metal.

So far, none of the appliators that have looked at the building, have recomended any priming.

Dan Beecher

Posted: Feb 19, 2009 11:05 AM

The only time I would be worried about a primer on the strait wall metal is if it is galvalume or unpainted steel. If you run your finger on it and get an oily residue on your finger it should be degreased with a hot water pressure washer and rinsed at the least. Or if it is a round roof quonset we wash and prime them no matter what. Cheap insurance.

Posted: Feb 19, 2009 12:09 PM

The steel is factory painted. It came that way with something like a 20 year finsh.

Posted: Feb 21, 2009 04:40 AM

i will spray open cell foam
to a pole barn only if the shop/shed is to be lined...oc will not stand up to the rigors of a shop/shed,,,in a post framed or pole type building you will have enough room to apply at least 5" of oc,,i dont see much for those "pockets/voids anymore and am a firm believer they are applicator borne in most instances,,unless the stuff is way to hot chemically,,anyway,,,
i demand 50 degree minimum for metal substrate with either foam...
i prefer a 2" sidwall minimum and a 3" lid minimum CC here in the cornfield...this allows you to bury the ribs,,,and provides adequate thermal performance to warrant the application...

we have many heated shops with 1" CC that do not condensate,,,, ever,,,even in the dog days of winter with the lb whites runnin,,, the lp dealer says they heat cheaper than the shops he services with the big white filterglass filled bags,,,

Greg Pruitt

Posted: Mar 09, 2009 05:30 AM

I have used both foams, the main advantage for the closed cell is at the bottom where you will be working. If you will be laying tool on it and the like, then theclosed cell would be tougher. We have sprayed closed cell on the bottom 6 feet and then go with open cell. Have had no problems. Even did two machine shops will open cell. We are in Texas.

You need to login to reply to this topic. Please click here to login.