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Foam over "bubble wrap" insulation? Post New Topic | Post Reply

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quentin Posted: Jan 04, 2011 07:01 PM	Foam over "bubble wrap" insulation? Ok, I do not think it is a good idea but I figured it would be best to double check and be sure, client has a pole barn with the bubble wrap silver insulation that the builders installed. Since it was put down with the roof laid on top of it and the joists meaning just taking it down and putting it back up is not going to happen. I am worried foam would not adhear to the insulation and that the heat of it could also be an issue with this stuff. Just being too cautious or am I correct since I have never personally had anything to do with this insulation before.
Craig Gifford Posted: Jan 05, 2011 07:06 AM	According to specs on some of the foil bubble wrap insulation the "contact temperature" is good up to 180 degrees F.
steven argus Posted: Jan 05, 2011 09:59 AM	We spray quite a few pole barns. Some we spray directly against the metal, some we spray against Tyvek. We have sprayed the bubble wrap with success. Of course the foam is only as good as the substrate it is sprayed to. But it will adhere to the perlins/ girts and trusses. And, keep in mind, we spray a light weight, self adhering insulation. One benefit of not spraying directly to the metal is that you can remove the metal siding/ roof if you need to. Another benefit is not worrying about warping the metal. We like to do a quick field adhesion test before we really get into it. Spray a small area, let it cool and see if it sticks. Good luck.
quentin Posted: Jan 05, 2011 10:23 AM	Thanks! The job is pretty far away so I may get a small piece and do a test here first then.
jimcoler I have over 10 years of experience specifying and installing open and closed cell spray foam. I've sold my business but I'm still selling for the new owners and consulting on large and custom specific jobs. I've expanded my knowledge into t Posted: Jan 07, 2011 06:55 AM	Quentin, We sell some of it, but it's not the bubble wrap type of stuff, it's better. It's a closed cell poly ethylene foam with aluminum foil facing. We recommend using it to spray to on metal pole barns because it allows you to remove a panel and it won't suck in the panel causing it to telegraph the perlins on the outside. We recommend using something that allows the building to release moisture which is an insulating housewrap - Low-E Housewrap. This has many other advantages over Tyvek or other housewraps as it provides a continuous insulation (R-3-4) over the entire building. I'm inlcuding the URL of our distributor below. I would suggest letting them know of this post when/if you call them. But we've also used this type of product for roof baffles in some cases where the customer insists on having ventilation. We will use the housewrap material and staple it directly to the underside of the roof with two pockets for the airflow. This works great with the foam and the foam will stick to it. You might need to turn your temps down a slight bit or flash over the surface to make sure it sticks, but it should work great. Jim

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quentin

Posted: Jan 04, 2011 07:01 PM

Foam over "bubble wrap" insulation?

Ok, I do not think it is a good idea but I figured it would be best to double check and be sure, client has a pole barn with the bubble wrap silver insulation that the builders installed. Since it was put down with the roof laid on top of it and the joists meaning just taking it down and putting it back up is not going to happen.

I am worried foam would not adhear to the insulation and that the heat of it could also be an issue with this stuff. Just being too cautious or am I correct since I have never personally had anything to do with this insulation before.

Craig Gifford

Posted: Jan 05, 2011 07:06 AM

According to specs on some of the foil bubble wrap insulation the "contact temperature" is good up to 180 degrees F.

steven argus

Posted: Jan 05, 2011 09:59 AM

We spray quite a few pole barns. Some we spray directly against the metal, some we spray against Tyvek. We have sprayed the bubble wrap with success. Of course the foam is only as good as the substrate it is sprayed to. But it will adhere to the perlins/ girts and trusses. And, keep in mind, we spray a light weight, self adhering insulation.

One benefit of not spraying directly to the metal is that you can remove the metal siding/ roof if you need to. Another benefit is not worrying about warping the metal.

We like to do a quick field adhesion test before we really get into it. Spray a small area, let it cool and see if it sticks. Good luck.

quentin

Posted: Jan 05, 2011 10:23 AM

Thanks! The job is pretty far away so I may get a small piece and do a test here first then.

jimcoler

I have over 10 years of experience specifying and installing open and closed cell spray foam. I've sold my business but I'm still selling for the new owners and consulting on large and custom specific jobs.

I've expanded my knowledge into t

Posted: Jan 07, 2011 06:55 AM

Quentin,
We sell some of it, but it's not the bubble wrap type of stuff, it's better. It's a closed cell poly ethylene foam with aluminum foil facing. We recommend using it to spray to on metal pole barns because it allows you to remove a panel and it won't suck in the panel causing it to telegraph the perlins on the outside. We recommend using something that allows the building to release moisture which is an insulating housewrap - Low-E Housewrap. This has many other advantages over Tyvek or other housewraps as it provides a continuous insulation (R-3-4) over the entire building.

I'm inlcuding the URL of our distributor below. I would suggest letting them know of this post when/if you call them.

But we've also used this type of product for roof baffles in some cases where the customer insists on having ventilation. We will use the housewrap material and staple it directly to the underside of the roof with two pockets for the airflow. This works great with the foam and the foam will stick to it. You might need to turn your temps down a slight bit or flash over the surface to make sure it sticks, but it should work great.
Jim

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