Condensation question ?

[Arky217]

Does anyone have a garage or storage building that has metal siding
directly over the studs ?

If so, do you ever get condensation on the inside of the metal siding ?

I'm building a small garage. I will have plywood and metal on the roof.
But on the walls, I'm considering just diagonal braces on the inside
and metal directly over the studs.

The garage will not be insulated or heated/cooled; just a place to
park one vehicle and a small workshop area.

On this foggy morning, I noticed that I had condensation on the
inner surfaces of not only the ceiling but also the walls of my carport.

Now I'm wondering if the inside walls of the garage will do the
same even though, unlike the carport, it will be closed in.

What think ye ?

Arky

 

[heehaw]

i think you will have condensation: they sell some bubble wrap looking stuff to put under metal roofs, you might put that on, it might stop the condensation??? good luck:

 

[oosik]

Since the humidity/temps inside the small garage is likely to be the same as it is in your carport - yes, you are very likely to see condensation.

 

[davesl708]

Condensation will occur anytime you have sudden temp changes and humidity. Ventilation will be your best defense. It will keep the temp inside closer to the temp outside and keep things dry. Condensation can collect between what ever you place between the steel and the wood.

Use treated lumber where it will come in contact with the metal or treat the wood with a wood sealer.

 

[Arky217]

Thanks for the replies.

I just remembered that I previously had an uninsulated, unheated garage with 2 uninsulated steel garage doors and I never had condensation on the inside of the garage doors.

Also, if it matters, the slab for the garage has poly under it and sealer on top.

With the garage being closed up, I'm wondering if that would make a difference.

I guess I could spend a few hundred dollars more and sheath the walls with osb before the metal.

Or maybe if I just put a thin layer of foam sheeting over the studs before the metal ?

 

[pappy60]

If you keep the doors closed, doubt if you will have any condensation....

 

[Arky217]

Another question: since the inside will be all open (no ceiling, no insulation), I hadn't planned on venting the roof.

I wonder, however, if I should have a ridge vent even though there will be no soffit vents.

Only reason I can think of is when working inside in the summer with the garage door open,
it might let out some of the hot air under the roof.

Or I could put in soffit vents along with the ridge vent, but would that increase the possibility
of wall condensation in the winter ?

 

[EddieWalker]

Condensation is very common on all metal buildings, or buildings with a metal roof. The metal transfers the temperature from both sides so well that it happens almost every day to some degree. You just notice it on the more extreme days. The best way to deal with it is proper ventilation. Air flow gets rid of most of it before it's even noticeable. Remember, hot air rises, and it only takes a degree of temperature increase to move air under your metal panels.

If you lay sheathing down, like plywood or OSB under the metal, then you have to have a protective membrane between the metal and the wood. Most common is just regular roofing felt paper. You don't need sheathing under your metal unless you are installing hidden fastener metal roofing. Then there is no air flow, and if any condensation forms, it needs to be kept away from the wood.

Insulation words too, but if you use fiberglass, it is better to put the paper facing out instead of the normal way of having it face in. Closed cell spray foam is by far the best way to insulate metal because it is the only way that stops all condensation. Every other form cuts it down to a certain degree and then deals with what it misses with a water proof membrane like the paper on the fiberglass insulation, or the plastic on the bubble wrap or foil wrap insulation.

 

[Arky217]

Condensation is very common on all metal buildings, or buildings with a metal roof. The metal transfers the temperature from both sides so well that it happens almost every day to some degree. You just notice it on the more extreme days. The best way to deal with it is proper ventilation. Air flow gets rid of most of it before it's even noticeable. Remember, hot air rises, and it only takes a degree of temperature increase to move air under your metal panels.

If you lay sheathing down, like plywood or OSB under the metal, then you have to have a protective membrane between the metal and the wood. Most common is just regular roofing felt paper. You don't need sheathing under your metal unless you are installing hidden fastener metal roofing. Then there is no air flow, and if any condensation forms, it needs to be kept away from the wood.

Insulation words too, but if you use fiberglass, it is better to put the paper facing out instead of the normal way of having it face in. Closed cell spray foam is by far the best way to insulate metal because it is the only way that stops all condensation. Every other form cuts it down to a certain degree and then deals with what it misses with a water proof membrane like the paper on the fiberglass insulation, or the plastic on the bubble wrap or foil wrap insulation.

Thanks Eddie for the reply.

I think I'm ok on the roof; it will be 5/8" plywood over the trusses, synthetic felt over the plywood and hidden fastener metal panels over the felt.

The inside will be open (no ceiling, no inner walls, no insulation). So, with that in mind, and with it being closed up all the time,
except for driving in and out, I'm not sure if ridge/soffit vents would contribute to or help prevent any possible inner wall condensation.

Also, with poly under the slab and a sealer on top, I shouldn't get any moisture from the ground.

Another thought just came to mind; I could cover the studs with Tyvek before attaching the metal.
That would cost about $112.

Or I could just sheath with 7/16" osb under the metal; that would be about $215;
but with osb I probably should cover it with Tyvek anyway.

If I went with just the Tyvek, do you think I would get any condensation between it and the metal and
if so, would that present a problem ?

 

[bigtiller]

Tin sheds in the sun, in the summertime, work similar to your little sisters easy-back oven. I would put in as much ventilation as possible.