Arch buildings get bought second-hand, taken apart, moved and put back up, and a fair number of the quonsets around Spruce Grove arrived that way. Quonset spray foam insulation in Spruce Grove has to start with that history, because a re-erected building is not the same proposition as one that has stood where it was built.
A re-erected arch rarely goes back together as tightly
The panels were formed and bolted once, then unbolted, transported and bolted again, often into holes that no longer line up perfectly. The result is a shell with more movement at the seams and more gaps than the original had. That is not necessarily a problem - it is arguably the building that benefits most from a bonded air seal - but it does mean the seams need looking at rather than assuming.
Check the fasteners before anything is sprayed
Foam bonds to the shell and moves with it, which is an advantage on a building that flexes. What it cannot do is hold a panel that is no longer properly fastened. Where bolts are missing, holes are elongated, or a seam is working visibly, that is a repair to make first. Spraying over it buries the evidence and makes the eventual fix considerably more expensive.
The base is where a moved building most often sits badly
A relocated arch may be on a new footing, a new knee wall, or in some cases on ground prepared in a hurry. The junction where the steel meets whatever it lands on is the hardest detail to get right on a re-erection, and it is also where all the condensation running down the curve ends up. It is worth a proper look before the insulation is scoped, because the termination detail depends on what is actually there.
Old holes and old penetrations
A building that had a door, a vent or a service run in its previous life often still carries the openings, patched or not. Those are straightforward to deal with while the shell is bare and awkward to find once it is covered. Going round the building and closing what should be closed is part of the preparation rather than an extra.
No stud bays, no flat planes
No stud bays, no flat planes. Batt has nothing to sit in and rigid board cannot lie against the curve without leaving voids that condense out of sight. Foam bonds to the shell, follows its shape, and is the insulation and the air barrier at once - which is exactly what a re-erected building with imperfect seams needs. It requires clean, dry steel, and any active rust dealt with rather than covered.
Quonset Spray Foam Insulation Spruce Grove: Common Questions
Our quonset was moved here - does that matter? It does. Re-erected shells are usually looser at the seams, which makes the air seal more valuable and the preparation more important.
Will foam hold a loose panel? No. It bonds to the shell and moves with it, but a panel that is not properly fastened is a repair to make before spraying, not something to cover.
What about old holes from its previous life? Close them while the shell is bare. They are easy to deal with now and hard to find once the building is covered.
Estimate the thickness with the R-value calculator, then get a free Spruce Grove quote. More on Quonset Spray Foam Insulation Alberta province-wide.