Pole Building Insulation Cost

Pole buildings are an inexpensive and effective option for constructing a garage or workspace. However, there are some “hidden costs” when putting up a pole building. One cost not included in construction is the price of insulation. How expensive will it be to add insulation to your pole building?

South Central Services has insulated hundreds of new and existing structures with spray foam. The cost to insulate a pole building depends on the product you use. How much you spend on your insulation will also determine how energy-efficient your pole building is.

By the end of this article, you will know:

• The cost per square foot of several insulation options
• Why the least expensive insulation won’t work for your pole building

How Much Will It Cost To Insulate My Pole Building?

Pole buildings have a variety of options for insulation. These options include closed cell spray foam, dense pack cellulose, and blown-in insulations.

Depending on which you choose, insulating your pole building could cost anywhere between $1.00 and $6.00 per square foot.

Premium Pole Building Insulation: Closed Cell Spray Foam.

Spray foam is the most expensive insulation option for pole buildings. Only closed cell spray foam can be used since the product is spray-applied directly to the metal pole building.

Our rates for closed cell spray foam range between $1.15 and $1.75 per board foot. The cost per square foot depends on where in the pole building you are insulating.

Spray foam can be installed on the pole building walls at any depth between 2 to 4 inches. Most commonly, 2 inches of closed cell are sprayed on the walls. This would mean a cost per square foot between $2.30 and $3.50 for closed cell spray foam.

When installed on the roof, spray foam is most commonly at a depth of 3 inches. The cost per square foot for closed cell on the roof is higher, between $3.45 and $5.25.

Another area where closed cell spray foam can be installed is the underslab of the pole building. As long as the pole building foundation hasn’t been poured yet, the underslab can be insulated. Underslab insulation is popularly paired with in-floor heating, so the heating coils direct heat toward your feet rather than into the ground. Underslab is installed at a depth of 2 inches, meaning a cost per square foot between $2.30 and $3.50.

Will Spray Foam Be Cheaper If I Install It In My Pole Building Myself?

Spray foam insulation is not DIY-friendly. While you may be able to purchase DIY closed cell spray foam kits, you won’t save any money on materials by installing the spray foam yourself.

Effective Pole Building Wall Insulation: Dense Pack Cellulose.

If you aren’t interested in spray foam insulation for your walls, your next best option is dense pack cellulose insulation. Our team likes dense pack as an alternative to spray foam because it is slightly more affordable, while still providing an air barrier.

Dense pack cellulose generally costs between $2.00 and $4.00 per square foot. The rate you’ll be charged depends on many factors, including labor costs and travel time.

Dense pack cellulose is sometimes confused with blown-in cellulose. While blown-in insulations can be installed as a DIY, dense pack cellulose can only be installed by professionals.

Effective Pole Building Ceiling Insulation: Blown-In Products.

If you plan to put a ceiling in your pole building, the most cost-effective insulation available is a blown-in product. Roof insulation requires the airtight seal and vapor barrier of closed cell spray foam. However, ceiling insulation doesn’t come into direct contact with the metal like a roof insulation product.

There are two common types of blown-in insulation: cellulose and fiberglass. Fiberglass is generally less expensive than cellulose, but cellulose is a denser material with better performance.

When working with a professional contractor, blown-in insulations generally cost between $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot.

Unlike spray foam and dense pack insulations, blown-in can be installed as a DIY. However, many homeowners find the process of installing blown-in insulations to be tedious. Installing blown-in insulation yourself will require renting a blower machine from a home improvement store. These household rentals are less efficient than professional equipment, so insulating the ceiling could take a significant amount of time.

We Do Not Recommend Fiberglass Batts For Pole Buildings.

Fiberglass batts are often installed in pole building walls and roofs. If the walls are framed, batt insulation can be placed in the framing.

Many people gravitate towards fiberglass batts due to their low cost. Fiberglass batts usually cost between $1.00 and $2.00 per square foot. Despite this low investment price, our team does not recommend fiberglass for pole building applications.

The main problem with fiberglass is its inability to manage air transfer. When warm air in your building bypasses batt insulation and comes in contact with the metal siding, we see condensation form.

Other insulations can stop vapor transfer or allow vapor to pass through safely. With fiberglass, vapor is trapped and condenses into liquid water. Given enough time, the wet fiberglass material can rust out the metal of a pole building.

If spray foam insulation is too expensive to invest in, we recommend choosing dense pack cellulose for your walls and a blown-in product for your ceiling. Otherwise, closed cell spray foam is the premier choice for pole building insulation.

The Bottom Line About How Much Pole Building Insulation Costs

Depending on the insulation you choose, pole building insulation can be pricey. The least expensive effective insulators cost between $2.00 and $4.00 per square foot. The more expensive insulations, like closed cell spray foam, can run anywhere between $2.25 to $7.00 per square foot. The cost of closed cell foam depends on the application area and the necessary thickness.

Even though fiberglass batts are half the cost of other insulations, they do not offer the performance your pole building will need. Determining what you can afford between spray foam, blown-in, and dense pack insulations is best.

Now that you know how much pole building insulation costs, your next step is to:

• Learn if your pole building really needs to be insulated
• Discover why it is best to spray directly against the metal
• See why others choose our team for their pole building insulation