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Fiberglass panels for shop walls

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Steve U.S. Allo

02-23-2001 13:28:55




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In our monthly co-op magazine someone advertises fiberglass roofing panels for $4.00 each. What would the drawbacks be to using those on inside shop walls in lieu of metal? I imagine I might need to predrill. I think I can cut them fairly easily. They would be fire retardant. No U/V concerns inside the building. I thought even if they were clear I could paint them amd still save quite a bit of the green. Is there some obvious reason not to use these that doesn't occur to me? Thanks for any replies or ideas.

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wrenchman

02-24-2001 00:44:28




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
we built a new machine shop year before last.looked at many inside wall materials,ended up using 1/2"waferboard.(it's made of wood chips).seemed to be the most cost effective for the area covered.100'x200'shop.fiberglass panels are quite fragile.it all depends on how often you are willing to replace them.



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Steve U.S. Alloys

02-24-2001 07:11:42




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 Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to wrenchman, 02-24-2001 00:44:28  
Thank you sir. Like I told Steve, I could trash that stuff out in short order if its brittle. I'll do a little test on that too.



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VaTom

02-24-2001 07:30:31




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 Re: Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-24-2001 07:11:42  
Hey, Steve, sounds like you'd better consider reinforced concrete. Or practice steering that forklift. ;-)

VaTom



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Steve U.S. Alloys

02-24-2001 08:05:29




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to VaTom, 02-24-2001 07:30:31  
My wife says I need to think about what I'm doing or else do what I'm thinking about.:^)}



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Kimk

02-23-2001 19:16:55




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
The fire issue is not one to take litely (and it seems you are not). You could flame test a piece, hold a torch to it untill it flames, remove the torch and see if it continues to support a flame or self extinguishes. At one time many products were tested this way, unfortunatly it does not replicate the dynamics of a real fire. Modern testing methods , such as the "tunnel test" try to reproduce these dynamics. For instance, even if your panels will not SUPPORT flame they will burn when exposed to the heat of other burning materials. The heat causes outgassing of combustible products, the results can be spectacular,( if these panels are not formulated to resist this). The manufacturer of these panels will have passed testing ( Factory mutual, etc.) if they are certified for unprotected ( by sheet rock) interior exposure. Note many products may be approved for limited use such as less than 10% of surface area. Approved or not you can probably bet this stuff will produce LARGE amts of realy nasty heavy smoke when it burns. Bottom line --- check w/ manufacturer and install as/if directed. Sorry if I have gone off on a rant here, but I am a Volunteer firefighter/fire investigator and I've seen a lot.

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Steve U.S. Alloys

02-24-2001 07:08:45




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 Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Kimk, 02-23-2001 19:16:55  
I know you guys see everything. That's why I thought I'd talk to my Friend who is a fire Captain here. Fire may be the main reason not to use these panels inside. When I originally got this idea I had to wonder why I hadn't seen it done before. Usually some reason for that. Thanks for your professional and competent input Kim.



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Steve from Tn

02-23-2001 18:54:45




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
My shed has fiberglass panels. I think it is 25 years old. The roof was once fiberglass. We had a pretty good hail storm. It was amazing. My biggest objection to the walls is how easy it is to punch a hole in the wall. The smallest little mistake and I have a little hole in the wall.



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Steve U.S. Alloys

02-24-2001 07:02:53




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 Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve from Tn, 02-23-2001 18:54:45  
Thanks Steve. That's good to know. The way I'm wrapped, I go in a dead run all the time. Wouldn't be unusual for me to bang something into the wall frequently.



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For Al and T-Bone

02-23-2001 15:14:17




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
I apologize to you both for not expressing myself accurately. I am considering placing the panels on the inside walls of a pole building. I have inside purlins in place now and was originally contemplating metal for the inside until the only 2nd's dealer I know of close-by lost his source for metal.

Just for curiosity I'll tell you about something different I tried on the poles. We made them from treated lumber on the bottom and used untreated above grade. (Glued and nailed.) Just as an experiment, I arc sprayed the treated material with .015" of zinc. A coating like that is gauranteed 20 years on a bridge. Nobody gaurantees it 'under' water but lot's of ships hulls and lock/dam gates are sprayed with zinc or aluminum below the water line. The Navy uses it extensively. Should improve the lifespan of the building considerably I think.

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T_Bone

02-23-2001 17:07:16




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 Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to For Al and T-Bone, 02-23-2001 15:14:17  
Hi Steve, No I didn't read your post correctly as you said inside but I missed it. Inside I don't think it would be a problem even with fire from welding, unless the building caught fire but then anything is going to cause alot damnage. I've welded and cut around fiberglass and it's pretty tuff to catch on fire. Try a piece with a direct flame from a torch and see what I mean.

I'm not one for using treated lumber (have you ever read the tag!) and your zinc idea sounds great. The low humidity and high heat in Arizona just doesn't make building with lumber a good option so everything I build is with steel.

T_Bone

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BFO

02-23-2001 14:15:27




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
Steve, the only concern I would have would be to keep the heat away. I wouldn't grind into them or weld/cut too close, might give off some fumes.



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Steve U.S. Alloys

02-23-2001 14:46:15




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 Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to BFO, 02-23-2001 14:15:27  
That's a good point Bill. I don't really know how much heat those things will take. I used some on the roof for skylights and I know I'll eventually have to replace those from U/V damage if nothing else. I could just put up metal around the welding area inside though. Do the rest with the fiberglass. Might also test out a scrap and see what happens.



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BFO

02-23-2001 16:32:54




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 Re: Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 14:46:15  
That might be a good idea, I've done quite a bit of work around FRP on van bodies and trailers, and it's nasty stuff to breath.



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Al English

02-23-2001 15:12:55




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 Re: Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 14:46:15  
Steve, I don't know if this would be an issue for you, but I know at least some areas have building codes prohibiting welding in a combustable structure. Even if you're satisfied the material is fire resistant, getting a building inspector to agree might be a problem...Al English



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Steve U.S. Alloys

02-23-2001 15:21:15




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Al English, 02-23-2001 15:12:55  
Very good point Al. I need to test a piece or research this material thru a manufacturer to see what they have to say about the fire resistance or lack thereof. On 2nd thought, I've got a good friend that's a fire Captain. He probably knows.



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Al English

02-23-2001 13:59:34




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
Hi Steve, I appreciate your posts here. My neighbor has a pole building that is about 6 years old. A small portion of it is sided with the wavy corrigated kind of fiberglass panels. He did it to let in light. So far there have been no problems. However, if a large area were done this way you would have nothing less than greenhouse. Also, I've seen old pieces of this material that have deteriorated from sunlight exposure. So, your idea of painting it sounds like the plan for both of the potential problems I mentioned...Al English

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T_Bone

02-23-2001 13:47:41




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 Re: Fiberglass panels for shop walls in reply to Steve U.S. Alloys, 02-23-2001 13:28:55  
Hi Steve, We use them in Arizona with soso results. They won't last as long as steel. The UV and wind will break them down. You have to use #10 screws with a neophrene washer about .20 each in 1k quanity, drill heads. Without these screws & washers the pannels pull right thru screws in a short time. The milked colored is enough to let lite in for general use but lites are still required for close work. Use silicon calking or Butyl for joint seams no matter what you go with. Not required but it keeps the pannels down longer.

Steel is forever where fiberglass needs to be replaced at some point.

T_Bone

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