Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Gonna Build a Walk-in Cooler...Ideas?

If you use sheet foam the iso-thermal or "I" foam is about three times more efficient than the standard foam. The cost difference is minimal and will be off set by the energy efficiency savings the first year. Even if you use spray foam or panels each inch of the I foam will add an R-15 value so good to add a layer inside and out, one inch would be enough to cut down any convection from the studs.

Go bigger than you think you need on the cooling unit as the larger unit will have to work less. Get a unit that is also a dehumidifier or you will have problems. The prefab insulated panels with either the metal/vinyl or fiberglass facings look like the way to go. A foam interior would be easy to damage.

Also add a radiant barrier to the roof. This is just a layer of mylar and an air gap but it will add another 10-15% efficiency depending on your climate. Also bump up the R value for the cieling.

If possible insulate under your slab and put a moisture barrier down or sometimes odd things will happen like gas or water intrusion. If you can't insulate those rubber mats will help but one more thing to clean up. There are more thermally efficient concrete mixes with vermiculite or other air trapping material but I am not up on these products, something to look into.

The ICF foam building panels are really easy to build with and eliminate most of the framing. They already have an R value of R-25+ when finished and are almost monolithic. Then add whatever paneling you want inside and out and your done except for the roof. One friend built this way and it is so efficient we have to open the windows to have a fire inside or it gets too hot.

Post photos of the build, please.

Has anyone done a cooler/smoke house or is this a bad idea?

My sister and BIL have a small walk-in cooler. Paper specific questions I can maybe get you an answer from them. They bought theirs at a sale from some small grocery store going out of business and got it that way and reassembled and put it back together so to speak at home

My dad and I are building one right now. We are using the last 10 feet of an insulated Conex box. He bought a special compressor unit and the fan assembly sits up against the ceiling with 2 large fans to circulate the air. We plan to keep it about 35 F.

The panels you want to use inside are called FRP panels (fiberglass reinforced plastic). They are bonded to a substrate and they come with special trim that goes between and along corners. The door is the toughest thing. I'm not sure what we are doing for a door yet. Will probably fab one and spray foam it about 5" thick.

A regular wall unit AC will probably not do what you want- too much heat loss through the unit when not running.

Yes it will and it will do it well. If it's going to be off for a while in the winter, just hang something over it a/c unit to block heat loss.

Not in my climate it won't been there and tried it.

I didn't read the whole thread and somebody might have suggested this.
Get a "reefer box" off of a straight truck. They are about 10-20' long x 8- 8,5 wide x 7.5' hi. I can see the height being a problem if you want to hang an elk w/o it touching the floor. The floors are S/S with drain holes in the corners. You can plug the drain holes until washout. The reefer unit will maintain any temp from -10 to 80. It burns diesel and will make noise, if your neighbors are close. Once set ( at a slight angle to allow drainage), you will need to call out a service truck if it needs on the spot maintenance. You'll need access for a service truck and it can get spendy if you lose a compressor.

Chem-lite is the poly dimpled material you are looking for if you go stick built. It is spendy as I priced it for a chicken coup. I ended up getting large remnants of linoleum and covered the coup walls with it. It is peck proof and hoses out nicely.

Dennis, Appreciate the confirmation on the wall panels being FRP.

As some have pointed out the door can be a challenge...I working with design ideas now, since I’m in the middle of Coastal Storm season for the next several weeks.

😎

If you want to go Diesel this might be a reasonable priced unit-
https://billings.craigslist.org/grd/d/laurel-thermoking-reefer-deisal-motor/7063977797.html

Use Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP). If you don't pull a permit you can make the panels yourself. Use milk house 4x8 panels with seams and corners covered for interior walls. Outside can be any covering you need to match other buildings. SIPs have a very high R value and very easy to build with for even amateurs.