Anyone have any experience with any of the solid foam boards for basement wall insulation on the inside of the wall? Corning makes pink boards, and Dow has a blue board called WallMate. One of these sounds like the way to go. I'd like to hear from folks who've done it. Thanks.

 

Im using "Cellofoam" Poly Panels 3/4"x14 5/8"x 48" package says R2.9 @ 75..r value.not much but its insulation. Got at Home Depot Approx a buck a sheet in a 6 pack...fits nice between my 1x2 grid and bening used as a backer for thin paneling.....might not be right or the best but itt'l work

 

I don't think you are allowed to use a foam board for interior use due to the fire and smoke hazard.Check with the manufacturer and the local building codes.Most foam insulations burn with a heavy toxic smoke that will overcome you in seconds.

 

If my basement wall which has this material is on fire and producing these fumes....Im in BIG TROUBLE!
And im sure somewhere in the house is pretty toxic something that will overcome me also....Best Idea. Keep Smoke detector batteries new and have a way to get the heck outta dodge!

 

Stay away from the blue stuff, it is made for exterior use and has a moisture barrier. I used the Corning 1.5 in basement wall insulation, this will insulate at r7.5 and let the wall breath. Again you have to cover with a fire barrior, they recommend 1/2 inch paperless sheet rock.

If you use a vapor or moisture barrior on a basement wall you will eventually trap moisture between it and the wall and mold will develop. That is what the previous homeowner did to me.

 

Stickman, you sure? I've been reading up on this stuff, and am convinced that extruded poly styrene is the way to go (without internal vapor or moisture barrier). You're right, you need to be able to breathe to the inside, so the concrete can dry, but I thought the DOW (blue) and Owens Corning (Pink) products were similar as far as extruded goes. The only big difference, I thought, was if you went to expanded poly styrene (typically white) which breathes better, but much less R value (3.2 per inch, vs 5).

I have a new house, and planning to finish the basement this winter. Or, at least insulate and drywall the concrete. It's been -15 to -25 C for about a week and a half now, and I have frost inside my concrete walls above grade!

I've found really good refererence material at Dow Canada's residential building site: http://www.dow.com/styrofoam/na/res-canada/index.htm
but have not yet found similar data at Owens Cornings. I think it's "perm" values you want to compare.

Best paper was at Building Sciences Corporation: Basement Insulation Systems. Explains the whole moisture thing, and why 2x4 vapor and moisture barrier walls should be outlawed. It's being revised (back soon), but have a copy I can send you.