Shop insulation

Not really grassroots nor off topic so I’ll put it here. I need to insulate about 200 square feet of wall in my basement shop for cheap. This is the studded part on and next to poured concrete walls. Does anyone have any inexpensive suggestions? I can put wallboard or sheet rock over it later; I just want to keep my shop warm this winter.

My father-in-law and I finished my garadge with stuff gotten out of dumpsters at a construction site. There were a bunch of condos going up behind our deveopment and I went over and talked to the forman about getting stuff out of the trash. He said OK and I got more than enough to do the job and it only cost gas to go back and forth.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=15357-10477-15357&detail=&lpage=none

R-8 Foamboard.

$24 a sheet, for 32 square feet a sheet, puts you needing at least 6, maybe 7.

soooo, you are looking at $175ish plus liquid nails to affix it to the walls.

Is that too expensive? (thats what we used, then put pink panther wall joist insulation OVER it, and then drywall...

needless to say, our garage has an average R rating of something like 12-14!

I have open studs still so Pink Panther like stuff would be the way to go. With the slow down in new construction I dont know if dumpster diving would work.

Autolex wrote: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=15357-10477-15357&detail=&lpage=none R-8 Foamboard. $24 a sheet, for 32 square feet a sheet, puts you needing at least 6, maybe 7. soooo, you are looking at $175ish plus liquid nails to affix it to the walls. Is that too expensive? (thats what we used, then put pink panther wall joist insulation OVER it, and then drywall... needless to say, our garage has an average R rating of something like 12-14!

Doesn't sound like a bargain. A bag of R-13 fiberglass batts cover about 157 square feet and cost about $50.

The building code requires R-18 in the walls, and R-10 on basement walls (which assumes the foundation walls are underground), so you're actually under-insulated.

Additionally, GA (where he lives) has a VERY SIGNIFICANT issue dealing with termites, and they love that foamboard. Gluing it to the damp concrete is ASKING FOR TROUBLE.

The dumpster diving idea is definitely the cheapest, but a bag or 2 of new insulation isn't that pricey.

SVreX wrote: Doesn't sound like a bargain. A bag of R-13 fiberglass batts cover about 157 square feet and cost about $50.

I did not realize it was that cheap. Good to know about that part of building code (what we used was surely up to code, neighbor that was a builder helped us do it).

Very few buildings are built to that code. It's new.

Old standard was R-13 in the walls.

Very old standard (for a very long time) was R-11

SVreX, you mentioned that he's putting it against damp concrete walls. I know zip about basements, should he try to water seal the wall with UGL or similar before hanging the insulation?

I saw "basement" and "liquid nails", so I made a few assumptions.

Standard technique would be to stud out the interior and install fiberglass batts. There is generally a bit or an airspace in this application, which is usually sufficient.

If they are WET, you need to do some work first.

But I noticed porksboy is from GA. In this case, the small amount of dampness that is normal for masonry walls plus foamboard glued directly to it is a recipe for termites. Lots of them.

UGL isn't a bad idea, but "budget" and "dumpster diving" were both mentioned, so I'm assuming any little extra is too much. It's not necessary for a reasonably dry wall. UGL would be good for a wall that is a bit more damp (like occassionally sweats). A wet wall needs to be dealt with before it is covered.

I'm not insulating the poured concrete walls, just the studded walls. All of the concrete is below grade or extends 8" above grade. I dont think I will have a problem with moisture on the concrete walls considering what I did to avoid just that when I built the house, or at least I hope not. Membrane water proof barier, French/ perimiter drain, gravel on top of drain.

Sounds like you did a good job waterproofing.

You've still got moisture. ALL masonry is damp. That's why the building code requires all wood in contact with masonry to be pressure treated.

But you're right, it sounds like you shouldn't have a PROBLEM with moisture.

Studded interior walls, or studs standing right next to the masonry walls? I'm assuming you are insulating the exterior walls, but there is a little space between the stud walls you are insulating and the masonry walls.

Sounds like R-13 batts should do just fine. Turn the kraft vapor barrier to the inside.