I am going to insulate my basement and looking for the best way. Iam going to build a 2×4 wall and not sure what type af insulation to use Rigid or batt or both?
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Rigid. Never use batts below grade, if the basement floods the batts will soak up water and you'll have to replace it.
We did a basement a few years ago that did flood. The clean up crew liked what we did for two reasons. First, we used rigid ins that doesnt soak up water, second, we left a little gap between the studs and the ins. This allowed a path for air movement when they turned the fans on.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
When I do a basement, I glue 1-1/2" or 2" rigid foam right to the foundation walls, then frame in front of that. I seal any gaps with spray foam.
I also like to use steel studs in basemants, for 2 reasons. First, they're much lighter and easier to carry down, which is getting more and more important at my age. Second, steel studs won't grow mold. Wood can.
This is the great debate. I say unfaced batts so moisture can move in and out thru the walls.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
Why would you want moisture moving through your walls? I'd rather be able to control where it is and how it gets there. Saturated fiberglass is good for growing mold but not for insulating.
My views were stated a few weeks ago in 116837. Many people are not using vapor barriers.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
Guess I missed that one. I don't use vapor barriers in regular walls but basement walls are not regular walls.
Basic question - what adhesive do you use to glue the foam panels to concrete walls?
Spray foam in the cans at HD
117973.5 in reply to 117973.3
Basic question - what adhesive do you use to glue the foam panels to concrete walls
Edited 3/19/2009 3:48 pm ET by frammer52
frammer
Do you have a link.
Is this like expanding foam that you can spray on the walls?
Great stuff in a garden sprayer? LOL
Might be useful for my old foundation walls.
I have an old stone foundation with a inner brick wall and sometimes a ledge.
Rich
I just use the expanding foan in a can from HD. Works grest, in fact that is what it is called, Great Stuff!
frammer
I though you were talking about this stuff, and that they carried at HD.
I didn't see a price on this site but other sites I have seen a price like $1/SF per inch.
Great Stuff is the name brand of expanding foam we use for air sealing too.
Rich
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2 Formulas - Fast Rise E-84 Fire-Rated Surface Spray and Slow Rise, Low-Pressure Cavity Fill Formula
Closed Cell Polyurethane Foam Insulation - Expands 8 to 1 for better control and less waste.
R-7 Per Inch - Low perm rating makes it practically waterproof
Easy to use, portable and disposable - Completely self-contained kits. No power supply or additional machinery required!
Toll-Free Technical Support - 100% guarantee against defect
Air Seals, insulates, soundproofs, water resistant, 1000's of uses!
I was thinking about buying some to seal my rim joists.
PL makes a foamboard adhesive, so do lots of others.http://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
thanks - haven't seen it anywhere
A water base construction adhesive.
You gotta read the tube to see if its compatible with foam. If not, it'll eat the foam, and won't work.
there is a special glue pl 800 its blue works great check with your supplier
Lowe's has it, too.http://www.tvwsolar.com
I went down to the lobby
To make a small call out.
A pretty dancing girl was there,
And she began to shout,
"Go on back to see the gypsy.
He can move you from the rear,
Drive you from your fear,
Bring you through the mirror.
He did it in Las Vegas,
And he can do it here."
someone here once showed me this link - might be useful to 'ya http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/reports/rr-0509c-renovating-existing-basements
That link is exactly what I needed. Thanks X100
Rigid. Expanded polystyrene - the white beadboard stuff - if you can get it. No vapor retarder.
Check out buildingscience.com for more than you ever wanted to know about basement insulation.
Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein (or maybe Mark Twain)
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
"Everything not forbidden is compulsory." T.H. White, The Once and Future King
The Building Science articles are the bomb. They say you can use either XPS or EPS foam panels. Some say to use borate treated foam such as Performguard for insurance against termites and carpenter ants, which is available only as EPS.
The latest FHB had this product below, which seems like it might work well. It's new though, and I don't know if anyone here has tried it.
http://www.insofast.com/Home_Page.html
Billy