Many facilities in the mushroom growing industry such as tunnels in compost yards, growing halls, and cold rooms are built from sandwich panels. Often, these were constructed many years ago. Over time, leaks and other problems can show up.

The 7th Edition of Polish Mushroom News (27/04/2025) says that adding protective coatings to these panels is very important. From the experience of RibbStyle B.V. – a company making coatings for mushroom farms since the 1980s – there are a few places that need special care. These are the joints between panels, where walls meet floors, where walls meet ceilings, around gates and doors, and in compost tunnels. If these places are not coated properly, the building can start leaking and get damaged faster.

Specifics of different types of facilities

Compost yards

The environment in composting facilities is very aggressive. High humidity, extreme temperatures, and high concentrations of ammonia quickly destroy surfaces that are not properly protected. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly secure the walls, floors, and ceilings to stop moisture, heat, and ammonia from penetrating the building structure.

A practical example: in a new composting tunnel, one of the panels collapsed after just one year of use. The cause was unprotected technological openings — through these gaps, aggressive ammonia-laden steam entered the wall. When winter came, the moisture froze, and the structure cracked. Experts emphasize that properly securing the openings would have been enough to avoid the disaster.

Mushroom farms

RibbStyle Polska has painted hundreds of mushroom growing halls. In the case of mushroom farms, resistance to high temperatures and humidity inside is key. Careful sealing of panel joints, corners, and areas around doors should be done. The coating must be vapor-tight. High temperature and humidity can quickly damage a poorly applied coating.

Precision during application is also very important, as even the smallest gap can become a weak point for the facility.

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