Question about insullation

[AK Michelle]

I just got my shed hauled home yesterday and set in place. It's just an 8 X 8 saltbox shed. Pretty basic. I live in Alaska, last winter we had 3 months of less than 20 below and about 2 weeks of less than 30 below. Insullation is a must!!

I was thinking since the floor is just sheets of plywood that I can lay the styrofoam type insullation sheets down and then a 2nd layer of plywood with vinyl or linolium on top.

For the walls I was going to either staple vapor barier to the inside edge of the studs and pour in the loose stuff (recycled "stuff" that has been processed for insullation) or I could use the batting type... either way I will hang some sheets of plywood on the inside so the chicks can't get to the insullation.

I don't know much about construction so I am just guessing this will work... I'd love some input from anyone in the know.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[ducks4you]

WOW! I was gonna say "fur," but instead, I did a search and found this:

http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/DOD/UFC/ufc_3_130_07.pdf

I scanned chapter 2 and saw some places to start reading, pages 2-3 and 2-4, look at 2-9--definitely read the whole document.

Hope this helps! Where I live, we sometimes don't get a real winter. Today's in the 70's.

 

[realmofthewoodsranch]

Hi Michelle,
I thought about doing that for the floor of my coop, too. I didn't try it cause I thought that me walking on the insulation would crush it. But if you do try it, will you let me know how it goes?
On the vapor barrier and loose fill, I wouldn't recommend the loose fill beacuse it tends to settle over time. Also, the vapor barrier is good and all, but not necessary. If you go with some backed batting, that has a vapor barrier by using the backing as a vapor barrier. plus it's super easy to install, just stick it in between the studs and staple the backing to the studs on either side of it. Presto!
If you want, I have a "shed" in progress right now, you can come over and have a look on how to install insulation in the walls. I have another that I used styrofoam boards instead of batting, and you can see that, too. It's missing one sheet of plywood so you'll be able to see how we installed that one.
You're right about insulation, it makes a world of difference up here!
Krystal in Wasilla

 

[hippie]

the bats of insulation will work if the shed was framed for it. it comes in 16 and 24 inch widths. i would guess that it isn't so i'd go with the 4x8 sheets of foam and then plywood or osb over the top of it. i think the sheets will give you the most airtight fit.

 

[lunkerchicken]

I will be doing the sheets of insulation in the door, nesting box and perhaps underneath. The walls and roof with get the batting, probably either R11 or R13.

 

[chickon]

You people are FAR more knowledgeable than I am.... I wasn't in charge of the insulation around here and I don't even know how to tell you what kind we used! The pink fluffy kind

What I DO know is that our chickens found gaps between the plywood over the insulation during the winter, and pulled it out by huge tufts. And ate it.

So my two cents is, cover that stuff up good!

Kate

 

[AK Michelle]

Quote:
I guess I have a reading assignment for the weekend!

Thanks! I really appreciate the effort, can't wait to see what it says so I can move everyone out of my bathroom!

Michelle

 

[AkTomboy]

I live up here in Delta Junction and our winters last longer and get colder than yours. Ooofta this winter the coldest we had here was -68 not a fun days for the critters or me doing chores lol, but I have 3 coops with a 4th I hope to have done this week. I have used board, batting and by far my fav spray in insulation.
For the flooring on all but one I did by using insulation between studs then wood over the top on under with Linoleum not vinyl.
I can honestly say I dont know what one I like the best being that I tend to build it over the top to make sure I dont have to do it again. The only big notice is how many bulbs each gets to heat the whole thing and my max is the on the dirt floor with 3. All are either 8x10 or 8x12.
I will second the wood over the top or I like to use the plastic roofing for sheds or green houses I dont know what its called ya know the wavey stuff. I wait till fall and buy it on the sale rack like its going out of style. Then I can just wash the walls with a spray of a hose.

I hope this helps atleast a bit. Congrats on gettin your new coop and chickens

 

[AK Michelle]

hadn't thought about the corrugated fiberglass for the walls, I bet that is easy to clean.

I got enough heat in there now to move the babies out of the bathroom (yeah!!!) but it will be a couple weeks before I have time to do the insulation. In the meantime a small space heater (a very fireproof kind that is locked in a cage so no one can touch it) and a couple heat lamps are keeping the temp up enough for the young birds. Plus a couple dozen 4-6 week old chicks should generate a little body heat too.

I have a thermometer out ther that reads on my one in the house so I can keep tabs on it. They are going to be so excited to be out of the brooder boxes.

Michelle

 

[cobrien]

Excuse my engineering nerdiness, but many styrofoam insulations will crush under your feet. I have a lot of experience with a particular kind of Styrofoam that had a compressive strength of 30 psi (long story don't ask me why!). You could walk on this stuff with minimal damage, but since you will be walking on it repeatedly I think you want something with a higher compressive strength, maybe 40psi? You should be able to find this number in product literature for the insulation.

I think you should find stuff that could work and then test it by walking on it, and remember that if you jump on it, acceleration gets involved and it could double, triple, quadruple your weight! No jumping jacks in the coop!

Better yet, put something rigid on top of the insulation to not have to worry about this! It might be cheaper. The 30psi styrofoam was more expensive than the beaded stuff, like the kind styrofoam cups are made of.

Good luck.