[King's Ransom]

I'm trying to figure out a good way to add some insulation to my small metal barn. It's a six-stall barn with a center aisle. Attached to a very big, insulated barn. The big barn stays so nice and cool in the summertime ... but the little barn is where the horses stay.

I have a BIG fan for general ventilation and a small fan at each stall. But, I'm thinking that if I could insulate at least the roof and the west wall (no shade), I could keep the building much cooler.

There is a ridge vent, so I would want to be careful not to cover that. Any thoughts / suggestions?

Someone recommended having a guy come and spray-on insulation. Has anyone done this?

[Bluey]

Spray insulation is what most horse barns and garages use around here and it is very nice and not that costly.

That is what we used in our well house, but we made it, hauled it to the fellow that insulates and he sprayed it, called us and we went to pick it up and bolted it on our concrete pad.

I don't know what they would charge to come do it.

[King's Ransom]

Bluey -- something like this? http://www.sprayfoamdirect.com/video...ad_project.php

We could buy the kits from these folks and have a couple of strong young men (aka sons) do this for us?

[BasqueMom]

I'd get a quote or two from the pros. Your project is pretty good sized. A large vet clinic near us has the spray foam on all their ceilings. It's a pretty open air facility but it makes a tremendous difference.

So hot here, the boys are avoiding the barn even with their fans. It's the trees
in the front they are camping out under. So they are getting breakfast there these days. The heat is just radiating off the metal buildings...arrgh!

[Bluey]

Bluey -- something like this? http://www.sprayfoamdirect.com/video...ad_project.php

We could buy the kits from these folks and have a couple of strong young men (aka sons) do this for us?

Yes, it does look like that very faint greenish/yellowish white foam, except ours is smoother, I think.

I know of two places, a garage and the local town club, where people exercise on machines, that put that on and painted over it with a very thick, shiny slick paint, so they can wash it down regularly with hoses.

[2DogsFarm]

My small (36X36) center-aisle pole barn is insulated with foam panels in the roof only.
Even with the 16" high sliders & stall doors open to the outdoors it is at least 10 degrees cooler inside the barn.

Still warmer in Winter too even with stall doors open 24/7/365.

The only problem I've had is birds (starlings ) pecking out the insulation in the corners where they chose to nest. That problem was solved with hardware cloth stapled there.

[King's Ransom]

2dogs -- did you put the foam panels in yourself? If so, was it a big job?

[2DogsFarm]

Sorry, not a DIY job for me - the Princess of Contractor-skills Challenged Handywomen.

But I imagine it would be no harder than installing drywall on a ceiling.
Probably easier, as the foam panels weigh a lot less than drywall.