Who works in construction?

[Boricua SS]

Anybody here a general contractor, or work in construction in general? reason i ask is I'm going to be insulated my detached garage when the weather gets a little bit nicer and i have a few questions before i go and buy all that i need...

here's a little about my detached garage...
1) 20 x 20
2) no plans of heating or cooling the garage
3) built with 2x4's that are 16" on center
4) no drywall on the walls.. i guess they call it "unfinished"
5) 1 side access door, one electrical outlet, one light on the rafters, then the genie garage door opening unit w/outlet on rafters too...
6) ceiling is open and all rafters are exposed and i have no plans of sealing up the ceiling as i use it for storage of tires, spare truck parts, etc...

so is it really that simple to add say R13 rolled fiberglass insulation (fiberglass facing the outter wall, and the paper side facing the inside of the garage, so it doesnt get into the air while we're in the garage)? Do i need vapor barriors anywhere? Should i seal up or caulk the 2x4 beams where they meet the outside wall of the garage? Once insulated, should i just put plywood to seal up the walls? Or is all of this just a waste, and just put plywood up and call it a day...

thx for any help and advice...

 

[Sir ffeJ]

Just one question.

If your not heating it and it's detached from the home, why insulate it?
NO value there.

 

[DucatiSS]

The paper on the fiberglass is your vapor barrier, but why bother. Install the plywood and be done with it. Make sure you use thick enough plywood so you can mount shelves anywhere you want. I would suggest slatwall, except that is generally made of MDF and without heat or A/C you may end up with a moisture issue that swells the MDF. I would also suggest that you place blocks or shims under the plywood also to keep it from drawing moisture.

you never said, is the floor all concrete?

 

[Boricua SS]

Just one question.

If your not heating it and it's detached from the home, why insulate it?
NO value there.

Figured it keeps cold air out (some not all) as we work in it sometimes... or wouod make things a little cooler in the summer months...

The paper on the fiberglass is your vapor barrier, but why bother. Install the plywood and be done with it. Make sure you use thick enough plywood so you can mount shelves anywhere you want. I would suggest slatwall, except that is generally made of MDF and without heat or A/C you may end up with a moisture issue that swells the MDF. I would also suggest that you place blocks or shims under the plywood also to keep it from drawing moisture.

you never said, is the floor all concrete?

Yes the bottom floor is concrete.. I park my car and truck in there... but logically going off the replies, it sounds like jus slapping some plywood on the walls and calling it a day is the best way to go.. there will be shelves and peg boards hung as well so I can start creating my garage for easier use, organizatiin etc... since i let other people use it on rainy or snowy days...

 

[DucatiSS]

Figured it keeps cold air out (some not all) as we work in it sometimes... or wouod make things a little cooler in the summer months...

With an open rafter ceiling you may be better off to put in a couple of roof turbines to let out the heat in the summer.

 

[Busterbrown]

With an open rafter ceiling you may be better off to put in a couple of roof turbines to let out the heat in the summer.

I agree. Just make sure the roof has both adequate intake and exhaust ventilation. Static ridge, soffit, and/or gable vents may be another inexpensive but practical way to go. As far as insulation, there wouldn't be any tangible benefit as you garage is not climate controlled. Even with the highest R value on your walls, a forecast of 5 below outside your structure will equate to 5 below inside your structure. As you suggested, install plywood on the walls and go have a beer.

 

[Wooluf1952]

I would also use treated plywood for the bottom row.
Also there is a vapor barrier that goes between the bottom sill plate and the concrete. It's about 1/8" thick of a Styrofoam type of material. Most lumber yards carry it.

 

[meerschm]

if it were me, I would put unfaced fiberglass in the walls (unless faced is cheaper) and put an inch of foil faced foam on the bottom of your roof rafters, and make a door or drop in section to get stuff in and out of the top, then put four inches of fiberglass bats or blown in on the new floor of your rafters. (put a few more boards down for good measure) then vapor barrier on the inside walls, and cover up with OSB. that is what your walls look like anyway. (from the photo) I would not worry about the bottom layer being treated, just space it a quarter inch or so above the cement block bottom layer and you should be good to go. (you can put some foam backer rod and caulk to complete the seal) or run the vapor barrier a bit long and under the bottom of the OSB.

make sure the roof is vented, and you will have great comfort in winter and summer. (and you might want to put in a heater some day when you get old)

I would also put more lights in and a few more outlets.

if you do not do the ceiling, I would not insulate the walls. you could also just go with a layer of 6 mil vapor barrier and OSB to cut the wind if you do not want to insulate. this would cut the wind, but again , if you leave the roof open, kind of a moot point.

 

[willn513]

if it were me, I would put unfaced fiberglass in the walls (unless faced is cheaper) and put an inch of foil faced foam on the bottom of your roof rafters, and make a door or drop in section to get stuff in and out of the top, then put four inches of fiberglass bats or blown in on the new floor of your rafters. (put a few more boards down for good measure) then vapor barrier on the inside walls, and cover up with OSB. that is what your walls look like anyway. (from the photo) I would not worry about the bottom layer being treated, just space it a quarter inch or so above the cement block bottom layer and you should be good to go. (you can put some foam backer rod and caulk to complete the seal) or run the vapor barrier a bit long and under the bottom of the OSB.

make sure the roof is vented, and you will have great comfort in winter and summer. (and you might want to put in a heater some day when you get old)

I would also put more lights in and a few more outlets.

if you do not do the ceiling, I would not insulate the walls. you could also just go with a layer of 6 mil vapor barrier and OSB to cut the wind if you do not want to insulate. this would cut the wind, but again , if you leave the roof open, kind of a moot point.

What a waste of time only to be cold still.

 

[Denali n DOO]

When I built my shed I wanted to have heat so it was built with that in mind. I didn't want to loose my attic storage so I made 2 big drop down doors for storage. The outside is plywood and then wrapped in construction paper and then the siding. The walls are 2x6 so I went with a r22 Roxol insulation that fills the wall cavity completely, and r14 in the ceiling. I calked all joining pieces at floor ceiling and around door and window. My plastic vapor barrier is on all surfaces and I wrapped all outlets and lights boxes with plastic prior to the covering the wall and then tuc taped all the joins. It's so airtight that if I turn on the exhaust fan it sucks the plastic from the walls. I also have foam insulation under the floor boards to help with the cold. I can run a propane heater to quickly heat it up and then maintain the temp with an electric floor heater. Since I ended up to cover the ceiling and close the attic I installed 2 lights in the attic so I can see up there. Another benefit of insulation is sound barrier, I have a stereo and big subwoofer and that helps to keep the sound in the shed. In the summer my shed stays cool until mid to late afternoon. Being able to have heat in your garage would be nice in the winter months if you work out there or just hang out n drink beers and play darts or something. If no plans for heat maybe just plywood the walls and call in a day.

 

[RedEnvoyDenali]

if it were me, I would put unfaced fiberglass in the walls (unless faced is cheaper) and put an inch of foil faced foam on the bottom of your roof rafters, and make a door or drop in section to get stuff in and out of the top, then put four inches of fiberglass bats or blown in on the new floor of your rafters. (put a few more boards down for good measure) then vapor barrier on the inside walls, and cover up with OSB. that is what your walls look like anyway. (from the photo) I would not worry about the bottom layer being treated, just space it a quarter inch or so above the cement block bottom layer and you should be good to go. (you can put some foam backer rod and caulk to complete the seal) or run the vapor barrier a bit long and under the bottom of the OSB.

make sure the roof is vented, and you will have great comfort in winter and summer. (and you might want to put in a heater some day when you get old)

I would also put more lights in and a few more outlets.

if you do not do the ceiling, I would not insulate the walls. you could also just go with a layer of 6 mil vapor barrier and OSB to cut the wind if you do not want to insulate. this would cut the wind, but again , if you leave the roof open, kind of a moot point.

What a waste of time only to be cold still.

I respectively disagree. Doing what the previous poster suggests will have benefits. Not doing the ceiling will have a dramatic effect but if you seal up the interior on the four walls and ceiling you will notice a difference.

I live where today's temp was -30C and my garage will be about 10C degrees warmer than that (not warm but not as cold so that I don't need a block heater)

Keep in mind there are several factors that effect temp. One is the warm vehicle we park in the garage. If we can keep the heat in that helps. Second is thermal gain from the sun (not going to brag about this source but it is there). Mostly it is about keeping the wind out. If you ever decide to heat the garage then all this stuff helps.

One change I would make to the suggestion (if you can get away from storing stuff in the trusses) is to Poly and sheet the ceiling then blow in insulation. Blow in is cheap and effective, you just can't go rummaging around in it after it is blown in, the fluff is what makes it insulate.

Just to clarify I don't work for a construction company I work for a company that supplies to construction companies.

 

[meerschm]

I stopped for fuel on rt 250 just north of the Ohio Turnpike this afternoon, (road to Sandusky) and standing there, the cold, damp wind was chilling. it was above freezing, but the breeze off Lake Erie can be nasty in the cooler months.

Not sure how close the the lake the garage is, or how well sealed it is already, but stopping the breeze would, in itself, make it a lot nicer if you had to do any wrench turning, even without heat. (and a kerosene heater is pretty cheap if you ever get old and want to keep the fingers warm.

anyway,

happy New Year, and if you decide to take on this project, good luck.

 

[Boricua SS]

I stopped for fuel on rt 250 just north of the Ohio Turnpike this afternoon, (road to Sandusky) and standing there, the cold, damp wind was chilling. it was above freezing, but the breeze off Lake Erie can be nasty in the cooler months.

Not sure how close the the lake the garage is, or how well sealed it is already, but stopping the breeze would, in itself, make it a lot nicer if you had to do any wrench turning, even without heat. (and a kerosene heater is pretty cheap if you ever get old and want to keep the fingers warm.

anyway,

happy New Year, and if you decide to take on this project, good luck.

yea i know where you were at... 250 leads you to Cedar Point... thats about 45 minutes away from me... and im damn near on the lake lol... turn left out of my driveway, and then cross the street, and your on the beach lol... so yea... really close... i still havent decided on what i want to do yet... i dont know whether to just insulate it anyway to prepare for the future if i stay in my house and completely seal up the garage later on down the road, or just plywood it up and call it a day... but i do know i'll be doing something this spring to it...

happy new year to you as well