This Wednesday readers “Ask the Guru” about costs of a metal “welded” sliding barn door frame, insulating a building with double bubble insulation to avoid condensation, and a question about our sealed plans for a new building.
DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Double sliding metal barn doors, 10′ wide by 12′ height. Metal welded frame. Appropriate cost please. TIMOTHY in CAT SPRING
DEAR TIMOTHY: Thank you for your interest. Our sliding metal barn doors are screwed together, rather than welded, as this makes for ease of shipping. We do only provide them with an investment in a complete building package – as shipment of only sliding door components would be cost prohibitive.
DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Recently purchased a property with a 24′ x 32′ pole barn. Has a steel roof and walls. Girts and purlins are covered with double bubble. I plan on using this as a workshop with heat and air conditioning to make it more comfortable. The concrete slab has 6 mil poly under it. The interior is completely unfinished. I plan on installing OSB and painting it. But prior to that I would like to add insulation. My concern is condensation. Do I use a vapor barrier, vapor membrane (like CertainTeed), or no vapor barrier on the walls? What about the ceiling? Building has soffit vent and a ridge vent. MICHAEL in LEWISBERRY
DEAR MICHAEL: Control of condensation should always be taken quite seriously.
Provided your building’s double bubble has been properly installed and all seams are sealed, it is a vapor barrier (and a minute insulation, under R-1). In order for your walls to properly dry to building interior, use an unfaced insulation like Rockwool (as it is unaffected by moisture) with no interior vapor barrier. Painting interior of OSB may create an unintended vapor barrier surface.
For your ceiling, once interior finish has been installed, blow in insulation, taking care to leave no less than an inch of continuous air space above it and below any roof purlins or underside of double bubble.
Keep an eye on interior humidity levels, as you may need to mechanically dehumidify.
DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am building a 40’W X 60’L pole barn with treated 8″ X 8″ posts. I need a design approved with a Pennsylvania seal on it. Do your plans have seal on them? JAMES in McKEAN
DEAR JAMES: Every building Hansen Pole Buildings provides includes site specific structural plans sealed by a engineer registered in the state building will be constructed in and comes with sealed verifying calculations. Our engineers will only seal plans when we are providing materials, this assures materials as specified are actually being provided.
