Rigid Foam Insulation

[buckeye]

Has anyone every used rigid foam board insulation to insulate their pole building? I was at a builder's supply today and they had stacks of this stuff for sale. Basically they were 4x8 sheets and 3 inches thick. The R-value was in the low 20s and they were manufactured by Johns Manville. They had a paper type facing, but were tagged as "Roof Insulation."

I was thinking that these boards might be a good way to insulate the walls of my pole building before I put some inside sheeting on. Anybody have any comments or concerns? The sheets were about $8.50/each and I would need around 36 sheets for my building. I'd have to think how I would attach this stuff, but it seems to be a potentially neat way of insulating the building.

 

[tc35dforme]

I have two concerns...one kind of trivial...one pretty major.

The trivial concern....rodents love foam insulation. They can chew condos into the stuff and will make your pole barn a city of vermin.

The major. Watch flammability. Many types of foam are not to be used for exposed installations. What you describe sounds like polyisocyanurate which will burn nasty and creates nasty inhalation issues. It needs to be covered with sheetrock to be safe.

Just my thoughts.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Ken_f]

I used this type of insulation in my 30x40 ft. garage with excellent results. It was very easy to work with and I mounted it with the aluminum foil side down so it helps make the garage much brighter by reflection.

I used 4 inch drywall type screws with large washers. One screw would hold it up while I attached 9 screws total per sheet into the bottom of the trusses.

I was really amazed at how well it worked. Before I installed this I could not heat the garage. Now with this as well as the walls insulated I can make it 75 on a cold mid 20 day.

Its been in close to a year now with no problems.

Ken

 

[Ken_f]

Another photo. All done on the trusses.

Ken

 

[SPIKER]

the price for that suff around here is closer to 20 a sheet. they have 1" for 12, and some plane ole white styro sheeting for 8 at 1.5"

I'm planning on using it UNDER the slab on my barn for heating of slab...

also between the stringers on the walls 1.5" and then using 6" wall studs and fiberglass batting with drywall over it. should be nice & warm year long. and cool in summer with running cold water through the slab PEX. also I'll have to run a de humidifer or else the floor will get damp in summer...

anyhow what company is selling it at that price?

Lowes & HD are high here...

Mark M

 

[bebster]

You can use construction adhesive to glue it to the plywood sheathing. This will hold it pretty well. You might consider sealing the top and bottom with a trim board to prevent rodents getting at it.

 

[Molerj]

I used the 1" foam board on my pole barn walls. I cut the sheet so it would fit snuggly between the stringers. I then covered the walls with OSB.

 

[L3710GV]

Sounds like a very good price for 3" thick, If it's the foil faced "R Max" type it is used for built up roofs and is meant to be sandwiched in between sheeting, probably to stop flame spread. I installed some of this on my shop doors years ago useing subfloor construction adhesive and found out later that the adhesive lost bond with the plywood, ended up driveing air staples at an angle at the edges to hold it in. Also you could greatly improve the insulation by cutting up some 1" foam into strips to hold out the insulation, creating an air gap thermal break.

 

[buckeye]

Thanks for all the input from everyone. I'll let you all know what we end up doing.

 

[SPIKER]

Hey Buck:

I'm in north cent ohio. what store has the ridgid styro so cheap there?

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif