Shop Design - Interior Wall Liners

[bosco]

I'm trying to decide on what material I should use for finishing out the interior walls of a steel building. There are interior metal liners available from many of the building manufacturers that go up to a height of about 8' (2nd purlin). Has anyone had these installed and if so, what do you think about them..? What other options are available for this application and what have ya'll installed in your shops..?

[Gordon Maney]

I have seen buildings that were lined with the same material used on the outside. I have seen them both with the ribs running vertically and horizontally. The horizontal arrangement is bad, as dust settles on the ledges.

A metal skin on the inside makes it nice a bright. In a shop environment, if you did not want to use metal, I think Plywood would be good, as it would be bump resistant.

[Paul Cook]

Bosco, Howdy from Kempner, Texas...

The real choice is based on how you intend to use the walls. Will you be hanging tools and equipment? How heavy?

To mount heavy items you would want to come off the steel framing - either by mounting directly to the existing framework or to added cross frames. The horizontal purlins actually will not hold much weight without adding some bracing. They only suport the steel panels. You can hang lighter things on plywood surfaces.

If you are concerned only with appearance, I favor using the standard steel siding with the ribs vertical as Gordon discussed. That gives the longest time without requiring any maintenance.

One other issue is insulation. Down here we don't have long periods of very cold weather. It's important to prevent the sun from heating up the outside steel panels which, in turn, radiate the heat to stuff and people in the building. The Museum has a layer of insulation directly under the metal panels. It is a layer of fine plastic "bubble wrap" with aluminum foil on the outside and a layer of white plastic on the inside. It is rated "R-7" which does not do much for the occasional cold day, but it absolutely stops the sun's heat from radiating into the building. I have another storage barn without insulation and it is like an oven on a sunny day. I do not have a heating unit in the Museum and use a propane construction heater with a blower when I am working inside and need the area heated.

[bosco]

The plywood is a good idea and will not dent when bumped as would the metal liners. Most items would be on shelves, so mounting to the metal may not be an issue. Of course, I'm sure at some time the need would arise to mount something off the wall.

Paul, your right about the insulation. It does get extremly hot here and that insulation sure does help. I have a metal roof on my barn without insulation and you talk about hot, its like an oven in there.

[HWooldridge]

Bosco,

If you cover the inside of the studs, make sure all the ends are closed or the wasps and/or bees will surely get inside. I have outer metal only on most of my shop but there is one area where I built a chase to protect some wire and even though the ends were "mostly" closed in, a swarm of bees decided to live there one year. All things considered, I think the white insulation like Paul described with chicken wire holding it down works pretty well in a typical shop around here. Just my 2 cents...H