Central Florida Spray Foam Helps Turn Steel Storage Units Into Entertainment Mecca With Spray Foam

WINTER GARDEN, FL – December 21, 2012 – What would you do with two non-descript steel storage buildings taking up space on your residential property? Turn them into an entertainment mecca, of course! While some people may see these bare-boned structures as nothing more than a place to house an excess of belongings, a Winter Garden homeowner saw them as an opportunity to add a valued expansion of living space to his 10 acre property. The once-empty structures now house a movie theater with a projection booth and full-scale walls, a disco, a recording studio, a full kitchen, an arcade, a dance hall, and several other amenities.

"If I was 16, I'd never leave the place," said Christopher Paoli, Co-Owner of Central Florida Spray Foam (CFSF). "I've sprayed some pretty strange things like bomb shelters and fall-out shelters, but this really takes the cake. It's an eclectic use of a giant building."

The homeowners contacted CFSF about four years ago when they decided to convert the buildings.The company had already applied spray foam insulation to their main residence, which is also located on the property.

"We've been foaming silly since then," added Paoli.

The metal structures, one 5,000 sq. ft. and the other 4,000 sq. ft., have corrugated roof decks supported by 6- and 7-inch steel purlins. The roofs would creak when the metal expanded in the hot Florida sun, so the homeowner opted for spray foam to help soundproof the buildings. Prior to application, "It sounded like it was raining because it was making the metal expand," said Paoli. "It popped like crazy."

Soundproofing was not the only benefit spray foam provided for these metal structures. The buildings are particularly susceptible to strong winds and hurricanes common to Florida. Spray foam can provide structural benefits by essentially gluing the metal assembly together, decreasing the possibility of wind damage and creating a seamless seal barrier in which water cannot easily penetrate.

Since the owners wanted to keep the indoor temperature in the mid-70s, especially in rooms like the upstairs lounge, CFSF coated the purlins with an additional three inches of foam in order to eliminate thermal bridging by providing a continuous, fully adhered layer of insulation over existing hot beams in the assembly.

Crewmembers applied Demilec 0.5 lb. Sealection 500 open-cell spray foam directly to the exterior metal shell of the building and to some interior walls for soundproofing purposes. Demilec 2 lb. closed-cell Heatlok Soy-200 was also applied to the arcade and dance hall walls. Paoli said the acoustics of the building are abnormal due to open-trussed ceilings, so CFSF utilized different forms of sound control throughout the structure.

The crew was able to use 6 ft. scaffolding and ladders to spray most of the ceilings. However, a scissor lift was necessary to spray the movie theater's 25 ft. ceiling.

According to Paoli, CFSF needed to soundproof some rooms after the surrounding rooms were already completed. "We had to use ram fans with flexible exhaust ducts to pipe out the created odor and air," he said. "We also used the Tennessee Chill Box to feed us fresh refrigerated air into the plastic quarantined rooms."

CFSF used plastic sheeting to cover items, walls, and floors during application. They were particularly careful with overspray protection in the lounge since it was carpeted and contained several couches, game machines, and paintings. "So many things were added and changed during construction that protecting things from overspray was a must," said Paoli.

The total spray area of the exterior shell was 30,500 sq. ft., and the interior soundproofing spray area was 4,000 sq. ft. Paoli and his partner used a Graco E20 to get the job done.

The homeowners were very pleased with the outcome of the application. "They were really happy and understand there really was no other option for this project," said Paoli. "They understand the benefits of using spray foam and realize that paying more up front will save them more in the long run."

About Central Florida Spray Foam, LLC: Central Florida Spray Foam, LLC serves Orlando and the surrounding areas. It is an owner-operated local business doing their part to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign energy, improve indoor air quality, and provide the most professional insulation services in the area. Central Florida Spray Foam uses the latest products and techniques to ensure superior energy performance and chooses the safest, healthiest and highest performing insulation systems available today. For more information about Central Florida Spray Foam, please use the contact details and links provided below.