Metal Building & Shop Insulation in Lubbock, TX

Metal building and shop insulation is a big share of our work around Lubbock, because the South Plains is farm country. Wikipedia describes the Lubbock area as the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world, and the towns around it are full of steel shops, equipment barns, gin buildings and hobby garages. Bare steel is a poor place to work in either season: it soaks up summer sun and it sweats in winter.

Why steel drips

When warm, moist air inside a building touches metal that is colder than the air's dew point, water condenses on the steel. In a shop that means drips on equipment and floors, rust on fasteners and purlins, and wet insulation if there is any. Closed-cell spray foam bonds directly to the panels and keeps that warm air off the cold metal, so the condensation has nowhere to form. It also seals the seams, laps and fastener holes that let wind and dust in.

Heat in summer

Lubbock averages about 92 days a year at 90F or more and 13.3 days at 100F or more, according to the city's climate table. A metal roof in full sun gets hot enough to radiate heat into the whole building. Foam on the underside of the roof and on the walls slows that heat, which makes a fan-cooled shop more bearable and an air-conditioned one far cheaper to run.

Closed cell is usually the right foam

Closed-cell foam is the standard for steel because it slows vapor, adheres well to metal and carries R-5 to R-7 per inch in HomeGuide's figures. A couple of inches on the walls and roof adds solid insulation without taking much space. Open-cell can be used in some framed areas, such as an office or bathroom built inside the shop, but on bare steel closed-cell is what we recommend.

Rules worth checking

Rules differ between city limits and unincorporated county land, and a shop with living quarters or a business open to the public can bring permits and inspections into play. Spray foam inside occupied space also typically needs a thermal or ignition barrier, depending on how the space is used. Ask your city or county about permits before work starts, and we will tell you what covering, if any, the foam will need in your use case.

What we look at on the visit

We check the building size, wall and roof height, panel profile, purlin and girt layout, doors and how the building will be heated or cooled. We look for rust, loose fasteners and roof leaks, because those need fixing before foam goes on. Big roll-up doors are often the weak spot, so we talk about door seals and insulation too.

Send us the building's size, use and any dripping or heat problems. We will look and send a written price. Get a free estimate