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Send Us Your Blueprints

Building a new home or barndominium? Email your blueprints to dalton@insulationsystemsok.com, and we can review the plans and put together a spray foam insulation proposal.

Spray foam is a high-performance insulation option for new construction because it can provide both insulation and air sealing as part of the same system. Instead of simply filling a wall or ceiling cavity, spray foam adheres to the building assembly and expands to fill the space.

For new construction, spray foam can be used in traditional stick-built homes and barndominiums. The right foam type, thickness, and application depend on the construction method, the location of the insulation, the building plans, and the performance goals for the project.

Traditional Stick-Built Homes

In a traditional wood-framed home, spray foam can be installed in exterior wall cavities, roof assemblies, and other areas where a continuous insulation and air-sealing system is desired

• Seals gaps and cracks around framing and penetrations
• Fills wall cavities around wiring, plumbing, and other obstructions
• Can be used at the roof deck to create an insulated, air-sealed roof assembly
• Can help reduce uncontrolled air movement through the building envelope
• Can be selected as open-cell or closed-cell foam depending on the application and design

Barndominiums

Barndominiums require a different approach because much of the structure may be built around a steel frame and metal roof and wall assemblies. Spray foam is particularly useful in these buildings because it can adhere directly to properly prepared building surfaces and help address the air movement and thermal transfer associated with large metal surfaces.

Closed-cell spray foam is commonly used in metal building applications because it provides a higher R-value per inch and has much lower vapor permeability than open-cell foam. The specific assembly should be evaluated before installation, especially where spray foam will be applied directly to metal roofing or siding.

• Roof decks and underside of metal roof assemblies
• Metal-framed exterior walls
• Transitions between living areas and attached garages or Other non-conditioned areas
• Areas with numerous seams, penetrations and difficult-to-insulate surfaces

Open Cell vs. Closed Cell

Open-cell and closed-cell spray foam are both used in new construction, but they are not interchangeable. Open-cell foam is lower density and expands significantly, making it useful for many wood-framed wall and roof applications. Closed-cell foam is denser, provides more R-value per inch and has substantially lower vapor permeability.

For traditional stick-built homes, the appropriate foam can depend on the wall or roof assembly and the desired performance. For barndominiums and other metal-building applications, closed-cell foam is often the preferred choice where the foam is being applied directly to metal.

Roof Deck Spray Foam

One Of the major applications for spray foam in new construction is insulating the underside of the roof deck. This moves the insulation and air barrier from the attic floor to the roof assembly and can create an indirectly conditioned attic space when the overall assembly is designed and completed correctly. 

This approach can be especially valuable when HVAC equipment or ductwork is located in the attic because the insulation follows the roofline rather than separating the equipment from the conditioned space below.

New construction gives the insulation contractor access to the building before drywall, finished flooring, and other materials are installed. That makes it possible to inspect the framing, identify penetrations and transitions, and install the insulation as part of the overall building-envelope construction.

• Open wall cavities provide direct access for installation
• Roof-deck applications can be completed before the attic is finished
• Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC penetrations can be addressed as part of the insulation installation
• The insulation system can be planned from the blueprints instead of being added after the building is complete

Spray foam should be selected based on the actual construction assembly, not simply by choosing a foam because it has a higher R-value. Wall construction, roof construction, metal versus wood framing, moisture exposure, required thickness, and applicable code requirements all matter.

ISO can review the plans before construction begins and help determine where spray foam makes sense, which type is appropriate for each application, and how the insulation should be installed.

Email your blueprints to dalton@insulationsystemsok.com and let us put together an insulation proposal for your new construction project.