This New Metal Building in Walling Started With Closed-Cell Spray Foam

There’s something nice about getting called into a building while it’s still new.

Nothing to tear out. Nothing to work around from a bad insulation job 20 years ago. You get a clean space and a chance to do it right from the beginning.

That’s what we had with this new metal building in Walling, TN.

The owner wanted it insulated, and our crew at Koala Insulation of Upper Cumberland came in with closed-cell spray foam.

Metal Buildings Are a Different Animal

Anyone who’s spent time inside an uninsulated metal building knows what we’re talking about.

When it’s hot outside, that metal heats up fast.

When it’s cold, you feel that too.

There also aren’t a lot of places for traditional insulation to hide in a building like this. Everything is pretty much right there in front of you.

Closed-cell spray foam works really well for these jobs because we can spray it directly onto the metal and get insulation and air sealing at the same time.

That’s what we did here.

We Sprayed the Building From the Inside

With the building still open, our crew had good access to the areas that needed foam.

We sprayed closed-cell spray foam insulation directly against the metal panels between the framing.

As the foam goes on, you can watch the building change.

You start with bare metal walls and roof panels. Then section by section, the foam starts covering everything.

By the time we’re finished, it looks like a completely different building inside.

And that’s before anybody has even started using the space.

Why Closed-Cell Made Sense Here

Closed-cell spray foam is dense and creates a pretty tough finished surface compared with some other insulation products.

It also helps control air movement through the building envelope.

That’s important with a metal building because you’re not just trying to add an R-value. You’re trying to keep outside conditions from having such a direct effect on what’s happening inside.

Another thing we think about with metal is condensation.

Warm, moisture-filled air meeting a cold metal surface can create condensation. Applying closed-cell spray foam directly to the metal helps separate that interior air from the metal surface.

It’s one of the reasons we do quite a few metal buildings with this type of foam.

Much Easier to Do It Now

Could this building have been insulated later?

Sure.

But we’d much rather get in while it’s still new and open.

Once people start adding shelving, equipment, walls, electrical and everything else that eventually finds its way into a metal building, there’s simply more stuff to work around.

This Walling owner got ahead of that.

The building was new. We came in, sprayed the closed-cell foam and got the insulation handled before the space filled up.

Simple enough.

Now whatever this building ends up being used for, the insulation is already there.

If you’re putting up a new metal building in Walling or anywhere around the Upper Cumberland, insulation is worth thinking about before everything else goes in.

Call Koala Insulation of Upper Cumberland or visit our website for a FREE evaluation!