Insulating Pole Barn Walls
Insulation blankets are typically installed from top to bottom in pole barns and pole building walls. (Installing from bottom to top can create unattractive wrinkles) Generally, posts are placed 8′ on center with 7 1/2′ between posts. Blankets are cut to fit snug between the post. Tabs are then nailed to the posts and trimmings can be stuffed into the gap between the post and exterior wall panel. A plastic washer can be used with the nail to give the walls a finished look.
Many pole building / post frame building owners choose to leave the vapor barrier on the fiberglass exposed. In this case the fiberglass blankets are cut to fit between the posts, giving the building a clean finished look. White plastic washers can be added to give the walls an additional finished look.
There are several facings available in both standard and heavy duty. Heavy duty facing is a great alternative to finishing the wall. It offers a cleaned finished look at a fraction of the cost of finishing the walls.
Insulating Pole Barn Ceilings
The most common way to insulate the roof of a pole barn or pole building is to place the insulation blankets at the bottom of the truss. This is typically done by placing metal banding 30” apart down the length of the pole building. The insulation blankets are laid over the top of the banding or liner panel between the rafters of the pole building. If steel liner panel is used, the insulation can be unfaced. If steel bands are used, a vinyl facing is used as a vapor barrier and adds a finished look to your pole barn or pole building.
A second method is to install following the roof pitch. If you use wide blankets and install from the peak to the eave, banding can be applied. Any blanket thickness can be used, however, an airspace may be created between the roof panels and insulation creating condensation. Another method is to install the blankets typically between the roof purlins supported with banding. The blanket thickness is usually determined and limited by the depth of the roof purlins. For High R-Value insulation (up to R-49) both methods can be combined.
