pole barn insulation

[metweldeng]

Greetings
Was hoping for alittle feedback but nothing so far. I really looking for the least expensive way to insulate my building. This is what I come up with and would enjoy hearing what others have done. If thier is a problem doing it this way I would like to hear about it or if there is a cheaper way im all ears. Have looked through many of the posting on this forum but really didnt find what im looking for.
I live in Northern Indiana and would like to insulate my pole barn by using paper (cellulose) insulation. I plan on finishing the inside with steel siding and hanging it off 2x4’s spaced every 2 feet just like it was done on the outside. This will give me approximately 9 inches of cavity to fill with the paper insulation. Considering this, I have the following questions:

1) vapor barrier: After I hang the inside 2x4’s should I cover it with plastic for a vapor barrier? Or can I get by with calking the outside edges of the inside steel, since the steel is not permeable. The stackup would be: inside steel, plastic VB, insulation then outside steel.
2) Should anything be done at the bottom of the cavity to keep moisture from wicking up into the cavity through the concrete?
3) Would it be wise to seal all of the holes created by the outside siding at the point where the siding meets the greenboard?

Thanks

Metweldeng

[tomia99]

I dont have a good answer for you but I feel your pain, I am in the same predicament. I live in northern MN and want to use my pole building for a shop. I am thinking of insulating the inside with unfaced glass and using a combo of wainscotting/pegboard/somekind of cheap panneling to finish the inside. I am unsure what to do about the questions you are asking, but if you find any answers post them back in this thread, I would appreciate it.

[Konrad Fischer]

way to insulate will be the insulation by wood boards or other solid materials like brick.

We did experiments and have results from real houses, that 'normal' insulation of fiberglass, polystrene etc. is not able to hinder the transportation of warmth, because about 99% of the transports are done by IR radiation. And radiation will come through non solid materials very easily. Besides I know a lot of moistured and molded blown in paper insulation and others. Despite of vapour barrieres, which will not work for long time because of movements of wooden parts of the wall.

So it would be enough with a paper sheet wind barrier and solid wooden filling. That will keep in summer hot air outside and in winter warmed air inside, as all experiences will prove. Our tests in lab and in house reality had shown, that the R values are a fake referring thermal insulation.

Detailed and completely free technical info you can get here: www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.de/7mold.htm

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[tomia99]

a....hmmmm...aaa. ..what?

[Konrad Fischer]

But I am not joking this time.

[IHI]

A few ways to insulate.

1. is to use the pre packaged poly encapsulated insulation-like what they use in the roofs of many steel buildings-your just using them in the walls-they come typically 8' wide.

Sprayed on foam-the best and also the most expensive since it seals every gap.

a great DIY is to use 2x6's and essentially make "book shelves" in between the main posts, then install normal paper faced insulation in between the shelves (shelves and batts will run parallel to floor) and the shelving will also act as interior batton boards for you to fasten the interior steel panels to.

[Konrad Fischer]

but will it really insulate against thermal losses? Due to my experience it will not, because IR radiation will come through in short time. And they will store condensed water, because they are colder than the air from inside which must go in in every case.

If condensated water is in, it will never come out, because thus materials have no capillar activity. Then mold follows.

In the 'Lichtenfelser Experiment' (german, means experiment done in Lichtenfels city) we found out, that only solid materials with good capillar activity will give quite good thermal insulation, without any risk of moisturing and mold.

Lightweight 'insulation' may be more or less cheap first - but with bad results. Is this a cheap or expensive way?

You have to decide by yourself.