When you are insulating two by four 2x4 and two by six 2x6 framed exterior walls and want to use fiberglass insulation what thickness is best the question becomes all more critical because of the permanent nature of wall assemblies and wall insulation.
Recommended insulation for garage walls.
You can insulate the walls ceiling and door of the garage to the highest r value possible but if you fail to fill those air gaps you ll still be wasting a lot of heat.
A contractor will come and open up a hole in the wall pump in a cellulose insulating material and then patch up the opening.
Insulating a garage door can be more involved than insulating the walls and ceiling.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.
If you didn t do that before you put the frame up you can still do it now although it s going to be.
Consider all aspects of insulating your garage not just the walls but also the garage doors and the ceiling particularly if you plan to add a heating and or cooling system.
Here s my step by step process for how i added insulation to my garage.
Recommended home insulation r values.
R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it.
For example while an epoxy coating will add a protective layer to the floor it won t necessarily add insulating.
Last chance to waterproof your wall.
These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation.
If you already have drywall installed around your garage but don t have it insulated then blown in insulation may be the answer.
How to insulate a garage step by step.
I wrote a tutorial on how to waterproof and seal your garage walls using drylok.
Insulate the garage s ceiling by using the recommended r value for your area as advised by the department of energy s oak ridge laboratory.
Insulation level are specified by r value.
If the walls and ceiling are closed in consider using loose fill insulation as this form of insulation uses a machine to get the insulation where it needs to go through a hole in the sheetrock.
Find your zone on the map and then use the above insulation r value chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.
If you d prefer to cut costs and stick to the diy option for insulating a garage door we recommend buying a garage door insulation kit.
The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
So before insulating go around the garage with a can of low expanding spray foam and seal all gaps and cracks that let in the daylight.
Once the insulation is in the wall and sealed up with drywall it is not easy to change out.