Absolutely! Many customers opt to install BlueTex™ metal building insulation on the roof portion only, and it's a great option, especially if your main goal is to control condensation.
Why Focus on the Roof First?
Condensation tends to form primarily on the roof of a metal building, though you can find condensation on the walls too. Condensation forms due to the temperature differences between the outside and the inside of the building. When warm, moist air comes into contact with a cool roof surface, condensation occurs. By installing BlueTex™ on the roof, you're addressing the main area where moisture can accumulate. BlueTex™ helps to keep the roof relatively warmer than the metal without BlueTex™ and this helps reduce the chance of moisture forming. The BlueTex™ 6mm Supreme is the best product for moisture control, so we recommend that for a roof-only application.
Benefits of Roof-Only Installation:
Condensation Control: Since the roof is the primary area where condensation forms, insulating it can significantly reduce moisture buildup. This is especially important in metal buildings, carports, and garages where condensation can cause rust or damage.
Instant Shade: Insulating your roof with BlueTex™ also helps to create an “instant shade” effect, significantly reducing heat gain during hot summer months because of the radiant barrier layer. You’ll notice cooler temperatures inside, even without cooling equipment, making the space more comfortable to use.
Efficient for Non-Conditioned Spaces: If your building is rarely or never heated or cooled, focusing on the roofline is an efficient solution to cut back on the heat gain. You'll get the most benefit from reduced heat transfer without the need to fully insulate the entire structure.
When to Consider Fully Insulating
If you plan on regularly heating or cooling your building (creating an office space, an apartment, or a full-time home), insulating your building with radiant barrier and R-value insulation is usually the best choice. For these applications you should plan to insulate both the walls and the roofline for maximum comfort and efficiency. We cover the basics of this type of application here: Insulating a Fully Conditioned Building.
In conclusion, installing BlueTex™ insulation on the roof portion only is an excellent way to control condensation and reduce heat gain, especially in spaces that aren’t regularly climate-controlled. It's a simple, effective solution to improve the comfort and longevity of your structure!
***THIS IS A NEWER INSTALL METHOD - This page is still being refined and edited so please CALL US if you have any questions about this install method.***
This page shows you how to add BlueTex™ garage door insulation to a residential, panel-style garage door with panels that are no taller than 21" from center to center. These doors roll up on tracks and have individual panels instead of one singular sheet of metal like a roll up garage door.
Most doors will have either 4-panel rows or 5-panel rows, the residential garage door kits are customized to the number of panels you have but the install process is the same for both.
BlueTex™ Residential Garage Door Insulation Kit
Each panel style garage door insulation kit includes:
22" wide BlueTex™ 2mm Pro insulation rolls
180' long roll of 3M® double-sided tape (to attach the insulation to the metal panels)
196' long roll of 2" wide white seam tape )to seal the edges of the insulation onto the door)
screws/washers (option if you want to screw the insulation into the door)
How To Install BlueTex™ on a Panel Style Garage Door
Step 1: Prep the door & add a row of double-sided tape
You want to start by making sure the door is wiped clean and dry. No need to use chemicals, just some water and a rag to clean off dust/dirt. If you have old residue on the door, you can remove that too.
Start with the door closed and start at the bottom of the door. Apply your 3M® double-sided tape and apply it across the seam where the panels meet, for the full width of the door. This means your tape will go across the seam between the 2 panels - that's OK for now. Cover evenly and do NOT take the paper back off yet. Just apply one sticky side to the door panel and press firmly along the bottom lip and hinge.
Add double-sided tape on the vertical sides of each panel along the bottom row too. Do not remove the liner yet, just one side of the tape on the door for now.
Step 2: Start along the top edge of the bottom row of panels on the door
Starting with the bottom panel, measure a piece of BlueTex™ 2" - 3" wider than the door and cut it off the roll and set it aside.
Now, come in with your knife and slit the seam on the double sided tape between the panels. Remove the paper liner from the bottom panel only (this will run along the top of the lower panel).
Open the door about 12"-18" just enough that the seam between the bottom panel and the next one is opened up.
Hold your pre-cut piece of BlueTex™ level and press the top edge to the double sided tape, keeping level. Cut a small slit where the hinges are and place your run across the entire panel, pressing firmly on the tape edge.
When you're done you should have a piece of BlueTex™ going the whole width of the door, kind of like a mudflap (bottom edge not secured to the door yet).
Step 3: Secure the bottom edge across the bottom row of the door
Have one person lift up the panel of BlueTex™ so you can remove the paper liner from the bottom strip of double-sided tape. BE CAREFUL to prevent the foil side from sticking to double-sided tape before you want it to - once it grabs on, it's very sticky and tough to re-position!
Press onto the bottom strip of tape and on the vertical sides of the panels, moving from one side to the other, removing the paper off the double-sided tape as you go. Press firmly onto your double-sided tape.
At this point, the bottom of the door should still be off the ground and your piece should be firmly stuck to the bottom panel. Use a sharp knife to trim BlueTex™ flush with the bottom of the metal door.
Close the door and DO NOT OPEN AGAIN until you get to the later steps when all the panels are installed.
Step 4: Move to the next row of panels up from the bottom of the door
Measure a piece of BlueTex™ 2" - 3" wider than the door and cut it off the roll and set it aside.
Install double-sided tape on this hinge the full width of the door. At this point you can go ahead and install your tape on the rest of the door covering hinges and vertical bracing.
Super important: DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR once your double-sided tape is applied!!
Install your second row across the panels just like the first one - slice your double-sided tape on the seams first, then align the top edge first and stick your BlueTex™ to the tape, letting the bottom flap hang down until the entire top flap is done.
Come back through and do the bottom of the second row of just like the one above except this time you have an overlap. The bottom of the BlueTex™ SHOULD go past the double-sided tape a couple inches. This is OK and will be trimmed later.
Continue installing the BlueTex™ on the panels until the whole door is covered. Don't worry about seams as you go - we'll do this all at the end in the next step.
Step 5: Open seams and add tape to finish
Use a knife and cut through both layers of the BlueTex™ and double sided tape on each hinge for the whole door.
Now you can open the door at intervals, stopping when the panel you're working on is opened and accessible.
Use our 2" or 3" white tape to tape on top/bottom/sides of each panel, allowing half of the tape to be on the BlueTex™ and the other half on the metal door.
Continue this until all panels are seamed on all edges with tape.
If you have a building with old insulation up in the roofline and you're looking for a way to cover it up or repair it without starting all the way over, we have two great options for achieving this.
Two Systems to Cover Old Insulation on the Roofline
The BlueTex™ EasyClip™ system uses custom designed, injection molded, polypropylene clips with protruding pins that fit snugly onto the bottom of a C-purlin or a Z-purlin along the roofline. The BlueTex™ insulation is then "stabbed" onto the bottom of the pin and a washer is added to secure the BlueTex™ permanently onto the pin/clip.
The BlueTex™ Roof Cover System that uses metal screws and locking washers to secure the BlueTex™ directly onto the metal purlins.
Below we will cover the Pros and Cons of each system so you can decide which approach is best for your application.
The Pros
The EasyClip™ System Pros:
Hides rusty, dirty metal purlins by creating a new interior finish across the roof.
A dead air space between BlueTex™ and the roof adds additional r-value.
Save energy and improve comfort!
Foil side is a radiant barrier, reflect 97% of radiant heat and create an instant shade effect.
Get better condensation control on the bottom of the purlins - no more dripping!
This install method can easily be modified for wood framing.
Gain the ability to MAXIMIZE additional insulation (r-value) between the BlueTex™ layer and the old insulation.
This is the best way to convert a bare metal roof from a “non-conditioned” to “conditioned” building.
The Roof Cover System Pros:
Easy to handle smaller pieces of insulation
Great for smaller damaged areas
Perfect for “patch” jobs
Blends in with the old insulation
Installed above lights, conduit, sprinkler systems, etc.
Can easily be applied to a wood roof
The Cons
The EasyClip™ System Cons:
Works best for doing full roof area (not as good for smaller areas).
You may need to work around lights, conduit, sprinkler systems, skylights, etc., since you're attaching the product to the bottom of the purlins.
This method involves handling longer pieces at a time.
TheRoof Cover System Cons:
The purlins may still get cold, which can lead to condensation on the bottom of the purlins
You'll just have the existing r-value based on what's already on the roofline and there's not a good way to add more r-value with this method.
Covering Old Insulation on the Roofline
Both methods are good options to cover up unsightly insulation along the roofline but one may be a better fit that the other.
We have the supplies you need to do either method right here on our website and we provide live technical support to answer any follow up questions you have about either of these methods. For more info, see:
The simplest and fastest way to cool the garage area in your metal building is to add radiant barrier to the metal roll up garage door using the BlueTex™ Roll Up Garage Door Kits.
If your roll up door is catching direct sunlight, then you definitely should add a metal building insulation radiant barrier to the door and/or any other walls that are catching direct sunlight from the exterior. It will act almost as though the door is in the shade, or like it’s a cloudy day.
"I installed the BlueTex™ on my south-facing metal roll up door inside my metal building. During installation I could tell a huge difference in heat coming off the door behind the part finished with BlueTex™ versus the uncompleted part. It made a noticeable difference." - BlueTex™ Insulation Customer
For roll up metal garage doors we recommend the BlueTex™ 50" Wide 2mm Pro product or the foil only radiant barrier. Both of these materials are thin enough to install and not interrupt the mechanism that rolls the door up. The BlueTex™ 6mm Supreme products will NOT WORK on a roll up style garage door - the 6mm is too thick and will interfere with the door being able to roll up.
Step 1: Prep Door
For the best adhesion, if your door is dirty or dusty, wipe it clean and allow it to fully dry.
You'll start by using the 3M® double-sided tape* to permanently attach the insulation directly to the metal every 12"-18". Peel the liner off the tape and press it firmly onto the door. Wait to remove the second side of the liner until you're about to hang the insulation.
Step 2: Add the BlueTex™ insulation, starting at the bottom of the door
You can either run the BlueTex™ horizontally or vertically, depending on the size of your door; the direction you go won't change how the product works. Measure the width of the door and trim your first piece.
For most applications you can install the BlueTex™ insulation so that the white surface faces inside the garage/shop. This is because the valleys of the corrugations create a small air gaps between the foil surface and the door, so the foil is able to reflect back the heat on about 60% or more of the door area.
Line it up so the top edge is on your double-sided tape and press firmly. Then move down to the next row of double-sided tape and press again. Continue moving down to the floor, pressing the tape areas firmly to secure the bond.
Step 3: Overlap & trim seal your seams/edges
Your consecutive pieces of BlueTex™ will be added so that you have at least 1" overlap of the top piece over the bottom one. You can peel the liner off the BlueTex™ and use that to stick the top piece to the bottom one, but it's not required.
Press the BlueTex™ overlap firmly to get it to seal and stick to the bottom piece.
Continuing this until you get to the top of the door and it's all covered.
*Tip* Toward the end of the roll, the material may not immediately lay flat off the roll. The final edge may also be bent due to how it's rolled during production. We recommend laying this last piece out flat and letting it relax back to a flat layer, just like you would do with a new rug. You can stack some stuff on the edges to hold it down and let it flatten out before installing it on the door.
Step 4: Seal Your Seams with White Seam Tape
Use the 3" white seam tape to keep the insulation overlap smooth and create a clean, more polished interior look.
You can also seal the edges of the insulation on the left and right side if wanted, but it's not required.
Looking for a way to seal up the gap at the top of the door? BlueTex™ Roll Up Garage Door Insulation Kits are not really designed for this use, but foam board, a roll up door brush kit, or even some pool noodles may work.
Pre-Made Roll Up Garage Door Insulation Kits
For your convenience and easy installation, we have 3 pre-made kit sizes: A Single Roll Up Garage Door Insulation Kit (covers up to a 12' x 12' size door), a Double Roll Up Garage Door Insulation Kit (covers two 10' x 10' doors or a single larger door up to 200 sq ft), and an Oversize Roll Up Garage Door Insulation Kit (covers up to 300 sq ft). The BlueTex™ 6mm Supreme products will NOT WORK on a roll up style garage door - the 6mm is too thick and will interfere with the door being able to roll up.
If you have a door larger than 300 sq ft or if you have multiple metal roll up garage doors, these are the basic supplies needed to insulate them properly:
BlueTex™ Insulation: Pro 2mm 50" Wide, Pro 2mm 62" Wide, or the Foil Only product (available in 48" wide and 60" wide). *Note: the Supreme 6mm is too thick to fit on the door and will not work for a roll up garage door application.
Double-Sided Tape (to stick the BlueTex™ to the door without piercing the door)
Vapor Barrier 3" Wide Finishing Seam Tape (to seal the overlapping seams of insulation): White Color or Foil Color
Remember, the foil side of the product MUST face an air gap to work and reflect heat, so keep this in mind during your installation.
Trying to Mostly Keep Heat Inside?
If your doors don't have the corrugation pattern or your primary goal is to keep heat in, then flip the product so the foil surface faces inside the building/garage/shop. The open garage space is the airspace, and the foil will still work of the reflectivity/emissivity quality and it works a little better than having the white facing inside.
Note: Having the foil facing inside is a good option to reflect heat back into the building if you have a heat source. However, it should only be applied on doors that have minimal use, since the foil side isn't as durable as the white side of the product.
The main problem with heat gain in a metal building is that it will absorb so much radiant heat that the inside temperatures will far exceed the outside temperatures. The simple solution to this is a radiant barrier; it will essentially act like shade. Reflecting 97% of that radiant heat out of the structure is the key to a comfortable space, even without conditioning it.
We have many customers who have used radiant barrier on garages, barns, carports, airplane hangars, work sheds, warehouses etc. with great results in comfort. It's important to remind yourself that structures under this category are just that: structures. This means they will not feel or operate like conditioned or living structures; they will be hotter/cooler than a home/office space and they'll also likely be wetter, and that's ok. That being said, the goal for these types of buildings is to take the edge off the continual heat gain in the hot months and to help temper the chill in the colder months.
No Need for Traditional Insulation
On a non-conditioned building, there really is nothing better than a radiant barrier to control the heat gain. Structures like sheds, carports and barns can all benefit greatly by adding a layer of radiant barrier near the roof line and any sun-catching walls to keep the heat out. On a non-conditioned building, traditional r-value insulation is not necessary since you're goal is NOT to keep conditioned air (cold or hot) inside of it, but rather just trying to keep it comfortable when in use. Therefore, the most realistic expectations you can have for a building that you are not heating or cooling, is to get it at (or close to), outside air temperature (also known as ambient air temperature). Getting the air temperature lowered is largely relative to the amount of ventilation you have going through the structure. However, keeping the inside of a metal structure at or near ambient temperature is practically impossible if you do not have a radiant barrier. The radiant barrier will work to reduce the surface temperatures, and the ventilation to help bring the air temperatures down.
How to Install
Like most installs of this nature, getting the BlueTex™ closest to the exterior of the building will bring about the best overall results, specifically for hot climates.
If you're doing new construction, you can wrap the outside of the frame with BlueTex™ too, just make sure the FOIL SIDE of the product has at least ¼" to ½" of an air space between it and the exterior/interior sheathing. You can see more info on how to install here: Install BlueTex™ in Your Metal Building
What About Moisture?
Interior moisture (condensation) is created when relatively warm-moist air hits a cold surface (usually the metal of the building). One of the biggest issues we hear of with metal buildings are customers trying to find a solution to "sweating buildings" and we get it! We've written an extensive guide to teach you (1) what causes moisture in your metal building and (2) how to stop it.
Did you know? The problem itself may be what you're using the building for! Livestock, agriculture products, grain etc. are all commonly stored inside barns and sheds. These items will produce high levels of moisture & sometimes there's not much you can do about that. The best way to protect yourself against moisture forming inside a structure like that is to have plenty of ventilation to keep moisture from sticking, and pair it with a radiant barrier to stop the huge swings in temperature inside the building.
