Insulation Question

[MotherOfChickens]

Two years ago, I built an 8 ft x 20 ft run. It is enclosed on 2 sides and has a tin roof. Well, something I did not think about was the radiant heat off that tin roof. There is no wood under it. So the only thing I can try to do is put insulating boards between the rafters. So my question is, what would be the best kind to use? The roll kind or the boards and what R-factor would be best? I live in Middle Tennessee and it can get up to 120° here with the heat index.

TIA

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Any suggestions????

 

[blackdog043]

How tall is your run and why do you have solid walls on it? Normally a run is wire, so they can get fresh air. Is it possible to take the walls down and put wire up? If you did want to insulate, I would use some kind of solid insulation, not rolled. Do you have a picture of your run?

 

[CatWhisperer]

We insulated our entire coop with 1/2” styrofoam sign board that has plastic laminated on both sides. It’s a sign board product. We taped the seams. It is easy to clean. We also have 2 hardware screened windows from Habitat for Humanity for summer ventilation and can remove the soiid floorboard under the poopboard (which is half the coop floor area) so there is airflow from the 2 foot space under the coop. Clean out shavings under poopboard, lift out insulated foam board and hardware cloth floor underneath.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

How tall is your run and why do you have solid walls on it? Normally a run is wire, so they can get fresh air. Is it possible to take the walls down and put wire up? If you did want to insulate, I would use some kind of solid insulation, not rolled. Do you have a picture of your run?

2 walls are solid bc it is part of the fence. My run is 6 ft tall.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

How tall is your run and why do you have solid walls on it? Normally a run is wire, so they can get fresh air. Is it possible to take the walls down and put wire up? If you did want to insulate, I would use some kind of solid insulation, not rolled. Do you have a picture of your run?

Sorry I sent post before I was finished. Here is a photo:

 

[MotherOfChickens]

We insulated our entire coop with 1/2” styrofoam sign board that has plastic laminated on both sides. It’s a sign board product. We taped the seams. It is easy to clean. We also have 2 hardware screened windows from Habitat for Humanity for summer ventilation and can remove the soiid floorboard under the poopboard (which is half the coop floor area) so there is airflow from the 2 foot space under the coop. Clean out shavings under poopboard, lift out insulated foam board and hardware cloth floor underneath.

I just want to insulate under the tin roof, between the rafters to stop the radiant heat... will insulation board work?

 

[archeryrob]

I assume there is a high side to the roof? Also your 2x4's are 24" on center?

Foam board could bow under the heat. Plywood could just bow under moisture and gravity, depending on the stiffness. They sell Radiant heat reflectors you nail to the rafters and it keeps the heat between the roof and it. This is a $1 a foot though. Or you can install plywood or anything.

The one thing you need to add are soffit vents on the outer 2x4's They are installed like blocking between the rafters to prevent critters from crawling in and killing yours chickens. You'll have to drill a bunch of holes in all these and install hardware cloth over the holes. This will let the heat you trapped find a way out. Higher to the tin ins better. If you have a high side and a low side the heat will flow out the top better.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I assume there is a high side to the roof? Also your 2x4's are 24" on center?

Foam board could bow under the heat. Plywood could just bow under moisture and gravity, depending on the stiffness. They sell Radiant heat reflectors you nail to the rafters and it keeps the heat between the roof and it. This is a $1 a foot though. Or you can install plywood or anything.

The one thing you need to add are soffit vents on the outer 2x4's They are installed like blocking between the rafters to prevent critters from crawling in and killing yours chickens. You'll have to drill a bunch of holes in all these and install hardware cloth over the holes. This will let the heat you trapped find a way out. Higher to the tin ins better. If you have a high side and a low side the heat will flow out the top better.

Thank you for the info! There is just enough slop in the roof for rain to run off. They rafters are about 24" apart.

So I do not butt the insulation up against the tin roof but rather have a gap between the tin and the insulation and then drill vent holes in that gap area for heat to escape?

 

[archeryrob]

You are making a radiant barrier. Some have insulation qualities and they just staple up. Or you install plywood or other solid material to the bottom of the 2x4's. Something with insulation qualities would be better. But plywood will get warm to hot, but not radiate like the tin will. You will still feel it though. I have a vented gable roof over out patio and R13 insulation with plastic solid soffit covering it. When its really hot and the sun is beating you can still feel a slight radiation, but i not like it could be.

If you installed a hard roof like plywood I would remove those blocking boards and just put hardware cloth over it to get more air flow to remove the heat. The plywood would act as the new ceiling to keep predators out and hardware cloth keeps birds from nesting and predators investigating.