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insights for - Insulate exterior walls in garage room

insights for - Insulate exterior walls in garage room


  #1  
Old 01-19-21, 09:30 PM
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insights for - Insulate exterior walls in garage room

Hey there,

Background- Portland, Oregon

I have a 1955 ranch with a 8"X 8" work room with one exterior door that opens on to the back porch and one framed door way (no door yet) into the interior garage. Given our current work from home state this "gear room" is going to become the home office. Currently I have one issue- it has no insulation on the exterior walls except for something called FIR-Tex and then wood exterior. 2x4 studs- see PICS.

Help needed-
Looking to install insulation in the room and then drywall. I'll add a window too, but that's not my biggest issue at this point.
I've looked at youtube/online and initial thoughts are to create a barrier for air/vapor (a 1x1 and some sort of foam board and then add insulation with the understanding that 2" of additional space would/could be needed on the framing 2X4 studs before drywall.

Please let me know if you have any other thoughts that would lead to success of keeping moisture lower then is currently and a insulated room. Thanks!


pic of mentioned FIR-TEX that you can see the back of in the other two pics.

Bottom of external wall.

top of same wall
 
  #2  
Old 01-19-21, 10:01 PM
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Kraft faced insulation and drywall would be adequate. As far as moisture and temperature are concerned, you need a source of conditioned air if you expect to see any difference there. Insulation won't make it warmer without heat. Is the ceiling insulated? The floor will be cold too.
 
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Old 01-20-21, 10:08 AM
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Thanks for your reply,
I agree and understand the conditioned air aspect. Long term- We'll add a vent from the HVAC (one wall is 8ft from HVAC). Short term- use a Dyson pure hot/cool, with humidity monitoring. The concrete floors are a concern as well. We were thinking an area rug as a solution unless there's another reasonable option I'm unaware of.
Ceiling is insulated the same as the main house. It's old, whatever it is.
If you have any other thoughts, send it.

 
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Old 01-20-21, 10:15 AM
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The Kraft faced insulation gets stapled to the warm (heated) side of the wall.
 
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Old 01-20-21, 10:26 AM
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an area rug as a solution
Carpet squares are an alternative solution and might work better for an office environment. In an 8X8 room commercial grade squares with heavy rubber backing would not have to be glued down.
 
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Old 01-20-21, 10:43 AM
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As to floor insulation- for an 8' x 8' room, you SHOULD be able to get carpet and padding scraps-
I've got a workshop with a concrete floor, I put down some scrap padding & carpeting directly on the concrete, then covered it with thin 4x8 plywood, then a salvaged commercial style black floor mat.

Sandwiching the scrap carpet between floor & plywood gives you a sort of "spring effect" the softens walking on the floor, AND keeps it warmer. The floor mat keeps the workbench & stool from sliding like they would on plywood.

For a small office, I'd get a worn pile carpet, 2 sheets of plywood and an area rug.
 
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Old 01-20-21, 10:57 AM
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Carpet squares are pretty DIY friendly as well.
 
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Old 01-20-21, 11:17 AM
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I won't argue with Hal's suggestion but I would be concerned about possible moisture coming up through the concrete. A sheet of poly on the concrete first would be a good idea.

The backing on carpet squares eliminates my concern about moisture.
 
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Old 01-20-21, 11:33 AM
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Thanks for the reply's. Good points to consider that I hadn't before about the floor.

Anything else I should consider with the wall insulation? Am I being overly concerned about moisture given I live in the Pacific Northwest?
 
 

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