Insulation

[PurpleCatMan]

I want to insulate the walls of my garage. It is an attached garage that is 43 deep by 23 wide and 9ft ceilings.

The "firewall" is alread finished with sheet rock, but I plan to do the other walles with OSB.

What is the best insulation method to keep it warm?

Fiberglass batts/rolls

Blow in

Closed Cell Spary foam

Other...

Thanks,

kent

[WallEYES]

Kent....closed cell spray foam

[CAMAN]

If you can afford it, spray foam all the way.

[nobody05]

+1

[RoosterR]

Foam or BIB

[amateurfishing]

spray foam always the best just not always affordable

any insulation is better than none though

[K_Josh87]

best would be closed cell foam. a properly done fiberglass job is good as well

[hunt fish repeat]

Closed cell foam in a garage is completely overkill. You don't have the moisture problems that you do in the house and you have huge air leakage around the overhead doors. Not to mention the fact that everytime the door opens you get a 50% air exchange. Standard batts with a blown in attic is more than adequate at 1/4 of the cost.

[Tom7227]

These types of questions always end up the same and it is seldom that anyone asks the correct question or gives a sensible answer.

How often do you intend to heat the garage to 65+? I suspect that most often it is maybe a couple nights a week for a couple hours and weekends. So what is the return on the investment? IMO you have to consider that you may spend a few more dollars a month to heat a moderately insulated garage than you would if you went full bore. Fiberglass works in what, about 98% of current homes and costs 50%, 25%, 15% of foam?

If I were building a garage that was going to be used 24/7 for a variety of things that would raise the moisture I may consider foam, but otherwise glass is good enough IMO.

[PurpleCatMan]

Thanks guys. Sorry if I didn't ask a good question, I just have no idea about this stuff. I looked into the spray foam and it is real expensive as you all mentioned, so I'll probably settle for puttin up fiberglass.

Thanks,

Kent

[BoxMN]

PurpleCM,

The question was good one, just I think that he meant giving some additional info on how you would use it would help for those who know to give you the best advice.

I learned from this as well, as I am wondering similar for an unfinished basement and attached garage, and eventual additional detached garage/bunkhouse/party spot . Good info here

[Tom7227]

Kent,

Not my intent to criticize you. My comment was aimed at the folks who seem to want to quickly spend other people's money. People seem to want to overdo the garage thing and I have seen post after post about what all needs to be done and it ends up being a bit crazy. My advice was meant to suggest that there has to be some cost/benefit to the project.

Tom

[upnorth]

We did ours with fiberglass with sheet rock and peg board over it. We have yet to do the ceiling but even doing the walls keeps it warmer than not insulated.

[CAMAN]

Kent,

My comment was aimed at the folks who seem to want to quickly spend other people's money. People seem to want to overdo the garage thing and I have seen post after post about what all needs to be done and it ends up being a bit crazy.

Nobody is spending other peoples money, he asked what the BEST insulation for his garage was. No matter how you look at it spray foam is still going to be the best insulation. Is it overkill? Maybe, but that only depends on how he is going to use it. If he is only insulating it to keep it slightly warmer than the outside then yes it may be overkill. If he is going to spend most of his time out there and have it at comfortable temps then it is perfect. We never told him he HAS to go with spray foam, it was a suggestion/opinion.

[kerryd15]

Would the type of insulation matter as much as the type of heater he uses? Convection vs Radiant tube? Where does reflective insulation fit, should be more for radiant but has less R value. Whats your thought on fiberglass with 1/4 in fanfold over the studs. Don't mean to hijack. My thought is if running a regular furnace, fiberglass with fanfold over the studs. Then the inside finish. I did this in an old house- well worth it in my opinion. If you ever get the chance to use a thermal imaging camera you will get what I mean. From the outside in winter every stud is warm. From the inside every stud is cold. Break the contact that is sucking the heat out.

[WallEYES]

Every one has their own opinion....go with the closed cell spray foam...no vapor barrier required....if you are heating the garage don't forget blown in insulation in the attic and ventilate every 300 square feet of roof area otherwise your going to have issues.

[LightningBG]

For a garage, I wouldn't even consider spray foam unless I had money burning a hole in my pocket.

And... fiberglass is on sale and the M store right now for VERY cheap. under $7 (after rebate) for a 39 foot role of 6.25 thick, 14.5 wide. (unfaced). About $10 for kraft faced.

I wouldn't want my garage too tight anyways. I want to have a little venting for any fumes or exhaust.

[Stick in Mud]

We did ours with fiberglass with sheet rock and peg board over it. We have yet to do the ceiling but even doing the walls keeps it warmer than not insulated.

I've been following this thread with interest because, well, we/I just bought our/my first house.

Anyways, our garage is completely uninsulated. I'm wondering if it's worth insulating the walls without (at this point) doing anything anything with the ceiling....how much of a difference does it make to just insulate (with fiberglass) the walls?

[BoxMN]

I personally would do the ceiling first. Biggest decision is whether you plan to store anything up there. If not, blow it all in, cheap and easy. If you do plan to store and you only have 2x4 trusses, you can get at best R15 batts that fit 3.5", that is what I have. Still haven't rocked the ceiling, but I did the walls. Wish I would have done ceiling first, but at least it is poly'ed and insulated.

Good luck, you will be amazed at how much only insulation will help, either walls or ceiling or both, but I would do ceiling first, and then do walls as you get time or $$, as you can do that easily without any help.

[K_Josh87]

keep in mind your trussed are not designed to carry more than a ceiling load. So, Storing some things up there without a finished ceiling, finish it and rock it, I would be looking elsewhere to store things. Also, do not for get abut vent shuts and a vent of some sort in the roof...