Stop the summer drip. Make the shop usable.
Closed-cell foam bonded to the metal skin ends condensation, cuts radiant heat, knocks down the noise and stiffens the panels. Shops, barns, prefab buildings and warehouses across Greater Houston, done while you keep working.
The skin is a giant condenser
It rains inside
Humid air meets a cool panel and drops its water. Everything under the roof rusts, mildews or gets dripped on. Faced fiberglass just absorbs it.
The roof is a griddle
A bare metal roof radiates directly into the space. A shop can run 20 degrees hotter than outside by midafternoon.
Rain sounds like gravel
Unbraced panels drum and oil can. Foam bonded to the skin deadens the sound and adds measurable stiffness.
Closed-cell on the skin, priced to what the building is for
Closed-cell foam is sprayed directly to the inside of the roof and wall panels, bonding to the metal and sealing around purlins, girts, fasteners and laps. At about R-6 to R-7 per inch it delivers real thermal performance in a layer thin enough to clear the framing, and its Class II vapor retarder performance is what stops the condensation for good.
Typical scopes
- Shop or garage: 1 to 2 inches on roof and walls to stop sweating and cut heat. Often one day.
- Barn, arena or ag building: roof only or roof and walls, scheduled around livestock and equipment.
- Conditioned shop, office or warehouse: thickness specified by R-value, ignition or thermal barrier included as code requires.
- Cold storage and food: full closed-cell envelope with vapor control, priced by board foot against the spec.
Existing fiberglass
Faced fiberglass that is dry and intact can sometimes stay in the wall cavities. Wet, sagging or rodent damaged batts come out first, because foam sprayed over them traps the moisture. Removal is itemized in the quote.
Industrial sites
Fabrication shops, contractor yards and plant support buildings in Baytown, Pasadena, Deer Park, Channelview and Texas City are regular work. We carry contractors pollution liability, provide site specific safety plans, and handle badging and orientation time in the schedule.
Why we do not put open-cell on a metal skin
| Closed-cell | Open-cell | |
|---|---|---|
| Bond to metal | Strong, adds rigidity | Weaker, no structural benefit |
| Vapor behavior | Class II retarder; stops condensation | Vapor open; moisture reaches the panel |
| R-value per inch | About R-6 to R-7 | About R-3.5 to R-4 |
| Thickness to clear purlins | Thin layer works | Needs much more depth |
| Verdict on metal | The right product | A shortcut that comes back as a moisture problem |
Metal building questions
Why does my metal building rain on the inside?
Humid air touches the cool metal skin at night and in the morning, hits its dew point, and condenses. Fiberglass with a vinyl facing does not stop it; it just gets wet. Closed-cell foam bonded to the panel moves the dew point into the foam, so there is no cold surface for water to form on.
Open-cell or closed-cell on metal?
Closed-cell, almost always. It bonds to the panel, resists moisture, adds rigidity and delivers about R-6 to R-7 per inch in a thin layer that clears purlins and girts. Open-cell on metal is a cost shortcut that comes back as a moisture problem.
How thick?
Depends on what the building is for. A shop that just needs to stop sweating and knock down heat is often 1 to 2 inches. A conditioned space, cold storage or anything the code treats as occupied is specified by R-value, and we price to that.
Does the foam need a covering?
In most occupied buildings, code requires an ignition barrier or thermal barrier over exposed foam. Some agricultural and storage uses are exempt. We tell you which applies and include the coating in the scope where it is required.
Can you do it while the shop is running?
Yes. We phase by bay, protect equipment that stays, establish an exclusion zone with ventilation, and post the reentry time. Most shops keep working around us.
Metal building insulation near you
Make the shop usable in August
Send a photo and the dimensions, or fill in the form. We call back the same business day.