Livestock
Poultry houses, cowsheds, piggeries, dairies. Sandwich panels with a special internal coating (NH3, pressure washing) or termPIR® AGRO.
Livestock architecture — sandwich panel + special internal coating
Livestock buildings: the surface on the animal side = sandwich panel with a special coating (e.g. Granite® Farm, HDX, HPS200 Ultra, Prisma) or INOX sheet
Structurally, livestock buildings use the same systems as industrial construction — sandwich panels (insPIRe® S / U / D) on a steel structure. There is only one difference, but it is crucial: the steel facing on the interior side (the animal side) must have a special coating resistant to ammonia, pressure washing and the aggressive farming environment.
A standard 25 µm polyester paint — used in storage halls — breaks down in a cowshed within 2-5 years (ammonia from manure, acidic NH₃ concentration, 100-bar washing with detergents). That is why we use specialist coil-coated coatings applied at the factory by the steel sheet manufacturer (ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel) onto steel strips, which then go into the production of sandwich panels.
Special coatings for livestock buildings
Granite® Farm (ArcelorMittal)
Dedicated agricultural coating — designed specifically for cowsheds, piggeries, poultry houses and dairies:
- NH₃ (ammonia) resistance — tested in environments with concentrations exceeding industrial norms.
- Resistance to high-pressure washing with alkaline and acidic detergents (hygiene procedures).
- 35-50 µm PVDF/PU coating on galvanised steel sheet.
- Corrosion warranty 20-25 years in an agricultural atmosphere (for comparison: standard 5-10 years).
- Application: cowsheds, piggeries, dairies, feed storage, poultry farms.
Granite® HDX (ArcelorMittal)
High Demanding Environments — improved version of Granite® for the toughest conditions:
- Broader chemical resistance than Granite® Farm — disinfectants, fertilisers, organic acids from silage.
- High UV resistance — light strips, poultry houses with high natural light access.
- Application: slaughterhouses, dairies with production lines, farms with aggressive hygiene procedures, fertiliser storage.
Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra (Tata Steel)
Premium 200 µm coating with a 40-year Confidex® warranty in an agricultural atmosphere:
- 200 µm plastisol coating — the thickest available on the market, high mechanical resistance.
- Confidex® 40 years — free panel replacement in case of loss of coating integrity before 40 years (standard conditions).
- Application: premium livestock buildings with a long-term amortisation plan, model dairies, eco-buildings.
Colorcoat Prisma (Tata Steel)
Premium composite coating with stable colour:
- Colour stability class RUV4 — does not fade under UV light for decades.
- 50 µm PVDF coating with an additional protective layer.
- Application: facades of livestock buildings requiring an aesthetic appearance long-term (e.g. near residential areas, agritourism farms).
INOX sheet (stainless steel)
Stainless steel AISI 304 / 316 — the highest hygiene standard:
- Direct food contact — PZH certificate, compliance with HACCP, ISO 22000.
- Chlorine resistance (AISI 316) — chlorine-based disinfectants, technological pool.
- No organic coating — there is nothing to “scrape off”, the surface lasts 30-50 years.
- Price 3-5× higher than Granite® Farm.
- Application: dairies with direct contact with milk, slaughterhouses with direct contact with meat, pharmaceutical industry in farm buildings.
Partition architecture
External walls — S/U sandwich panel with special internal coating
Structurally identical to a storage hall wall (insPIRe® S visible fixing panel or insPIRe® U hidden fixing), the difference being only in the internal facing:
- Outside: 25 µm RAL paint (standard, as in halls).
- Inside: Granite® Farm / HDX / HPS200 Ultra / Prisma or INOX (on request).
- Typical thicknesses: 80-120 mm (U = 0.28-0.19 W/m²·K).
- Modularity: 1000 or 1140 mm width, length up to 16 m.
Partition walls — sandwich panel with special coating on BOTH sides
In a livestock building, partition walls (between cowshed sections, between the dairy and the milk cooling chamber) require a special coating on both sides, because animals are on both sides:
- External and internal facing identical: Granite® Farm / HDX or INOX on both sides.
- insPIRe® S or U panel in special double-sided execution (individual order, lead time 4-8 weeks).
Roofs — D sandwich panel with special lower coating
Livestock buildings do not have flat roofs (gravity ventilation requires a slope, snow in a continental climate produces loads impossible to maintain on large agricultural surfaces). The standard is a pitched roof with insPIRe® D sandwich panel:
- Upper facing: trapezoidal, 25 µm paint.
- Lower facing: Granite® Farm / HDX (on the animal side).
- Typical slope: 7-15° (8-25%).
- Thicknesses: 100-150 mm (U = 0.22-0.15 W/m²·K).
Suspended ceilings — termPIR® AGRO AL CEIL
When the building has a roof without sandwich panels (e.g. a timber roof structure, suspended ceiling under a hall with a large volume) — we use termPIR® AGRO AL CEIL:
- PIR board with washable 50 µm Al foil + additional B-s2,d0 classification in final ceiling application (a requirement for livestock buildings with a heating system).
- Fixing: on CD/UD profiles or steel trusses, gluing + fasteners.
- Thicknesses: 80-150 mm.
- Application: suspended ceilings in livestock halls, air volume separation, insulation of unused attic space above a cowshed.
Budget constructions — termPIR® AGRO AL on a structure
For smaller buildings (up to 200-500 m²) or renovations of existing ones (preserving the existing masonry or timber structure) — an alternative to sandwich panels:
- termPIR® AGRO AL — board with washable, gas-tight 50 µm aluminium foil, λD = 0.022 W/(m·K), NH₃ resistant.
- Own load-bearing structure: steel or timber profiles.
- Internal finish: HACCP sheet, laminated panel or Granite® Farm/INOX (for higher hygiene requirements).
- Cheaper than sandwich panels for small chambers, but requires a 2-stage installation (insulation + facing).
Key technical requirements
| Parameter | Requirement | BOKKA realisation |
|---|---|---|
| NH₃ (ammonia) resistance | mandatory | Granite® Farm/HDX/HPS200 Ultra/Prisma/INOX inside |
| Pressure washing (100 bar) | mandatory | all the above coatings |
| Wall fire classification | B-s2,d0 or better | insPIRe® S/U/D (B-s1,d0), termPIR AGRO AL CEIL (B-s2,d0 ceiling) |
| PZH certificate | for dairies, slaughterhouses | INOX with certificate; Granite® Farm without direct food contact |
| Rodent resistance | mandatory | PIR core is not a food substrate (vs mineral wool/polystyrene) |
| Insulation λD | ≤ 0.025 W/(m·K) | termPIR AGRO AL: 0.022; PIR: 0.022 |
Coating selection — quick guide
| Building type | BOKKA recommendation |
|---|---|
| Broiler / layer poultry house | sandwich panel + Granite® Farm (price/quality optimum) |
| Piggery | sandwich panel + Granite® HDX (strongly aggressive NH₃) |
| Free-stall cowshed | sandwich panel + Granite® Farm |
| Dairy with production line | sandwich panel + HPS200 Ultra or INOX for the milk contact zone |
| Slaughterhouse / meat processing | sandwich panel + INOX (food contact, HACCP) |
| Feed storage | sandwich panel + Granite® Farm or HDX (VOC from silage) |
| Suspended ceiling in an existing building | termPIR® AGRO AL CEIL |
Technical consultation
The choice of coating, panel thickness and load-bearing structure depends on the type of farming, climate, amortisation plan and veterinary requirements. BOKKA advisors will prepare an individual proposal for your project — from U-value analysis, through coating selection, to execution support. Contact form or email to the sales department.
Lead time for panels with special coatings: standard Granite® Farm — 3-5 weeks, HDX/HPS200 Ultra/Prisma — 4-8 weeks (steel strip order from the manufacturer), INOX — 6-10 weeks. Plan ahead.
