Advice on insulating garage door

[Jaymac7]

Hello,
I want to insulate my garage door but I can't decide what will be the best way to do it. Unfortunately I have the type of steel (I believe) door that is flat and frameless on the inside. The pre-fabbed foam insulation kits therefore won't fit. I was planning on buying 4x8 sheets of foam board insulation and using a liquid nails adhesive designed for foam.
My main question is: 1" or 2"? The 1" is only rated R-6. Not much, but better than I have now! I don't know what the 2" is rated at, but higher than 6 anyway!
The concern I have is the weight difference of the 1" vs 2" and the adhesives ability to hold the 2" in place, day in, day out, through all the temperature extremes, especially when the garage door stays open for hours at a time!

Can anyone share thoughts/experiences/advice on the subject? Including the best tools & techniques to cut the corners down at then proper angle so the panels don't hit each other as the door opens?

thanks,
Jeremy

 

[Stuff]

If the door stays open for hours at a time why are you concerned with the R value?

First - proper weatherstripping / stopping leaks does more than insulation.

 

[Radix2]

you can screw the insulation to the door with the large foam panel washers as a additions to the glue, maybe one each corner plus the middle. http://www.menards.com/main/tools-h...r/p-2022456-c-8945.htm?tid=628171726245544528

Stuff is on point too.

 

[Jaymac7]

I should've been more specific; the door stays open under very specific conditions;when it's nice outside/someone's home/workin in on the car in nice weather,etc. Never during the winter.
The house is a new construction, so the door is properly weatherstripped. No leaks, no discernible gaps. Hope this helps paint a better picture.

 

[DC73]

My main question is: 1" or 2"? The 1" is only rated R-6. Not much, but better than I have now! I don't know what the 2" is rated at, but higher than 6 anyway!

I'd go with 2". Use polyiso foam which has an r-value of 6.5 per inch so 2" would get you R13 - typical of the insulation inside most walls. In your cold weather climate, it would probably work best to put the foil side to the interior of your garage.

DC

 

[Jaymac7]

Sounds good. Thanks. Any thoughts on how to attach?

 

[Bigfork G]

I think silicone would work and not eat the insulation, and pretty easy to remove if you need to replace a panel.

 

[DC73]

Sounds good. Thanks. Any thoughts on how to attach?

You might consider 3M High Strength 90 spray adhesive. It works like a contact cement so you'll have to be careful to put the foam in the right place the first time. But, double check to make sure it is compatible with the foam you end up using.

DC

 

[67CarGuy]

I'm in a similar spot, insulation-wise. I like the polyiso / foil-faced idea. I don't think you'd have to worry about the panels falling off when the door is open if you used a foam-specific adhesive (PL250? I'm not sure of the number). But I guess using the screw/washer method or a spray adhesive would work too.

I agree on the need to eliminate drafts first, which is where I'm at, but it sounds like you've got that part covered. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[haugy]

Which is better? The pre-fabbed insulation kits that have insulation covered in white plastic? Or the hard foam with foil?

I'm doing mine this year, and I do have the garage door framework. But I want to make sure I get my value. I've thought about putting 1" foam against the door, and then covering it with the insulation kits for good measure.

 

[Brian_WK]

This stuff holds foam and one can will do all the panels.
http://greatstuff.dow.com/products/pro/wall-and-floor/
I have had good luck with it holding a variety of materials surfaces.

Brian

 

[haugy]

This stuff holds foam and one can will do all the panels.
http://greatstuff.dow.com/products/pro/wall-and-floor/
I have had good luck with it holding a variety of materials surfaces.

Brian

Have you used this before on foam panels with temp changes?

 

[miketyler]

I used the thinner foil backed stuff from Home Depot for a radiant barrier. Worked out pretty well, screwed with the sheet metal TEK screws and actually seemed to quieten down the door during operation. I always wondered if it was better to cut them down and attach directly to the inside door wall or do like I did and attach to the frame leaving a 2-3" dead air space in between.

You do want to be mindful of additional weight you add to the door for the increased load on the motor. In the case of foam board, I'd guess even the added weight of 2" is probably negligible.

 

[Brian_WK]

Have you used this before on foam panels with temp changes?

Foam Panels on concrete on the inside of a occasionally heated garage and on the inside of a steel storage container, but not on a garage door. The Steel storage container would be similar except that it doesn't move but after 2 years they are still firmly in-place that is with a temp swing of -20F to +90F with heat running occasionally on the inside when it was very cold outside. We pulled one panel off this summer and it ruined the foam taking it off as it had not released from either the foam or the steel. We pulled it off so that we could mount a heavy duty shelf for an engine and needed to weld straight to the steel.

Brian

 

[haugy]

I used the thinner foil backed stuff from Home Depot for a radiant barrier. Worked out pretty well, screwed with the sheet metal TEK screws and actually seemed to quieten down the door during operation. I always wondered if it was better to cut them down and attach directly to the inside door wall or do like I did and attach to the frame leaving a 2-3" dead air space in between.

You do want to be mindful of additional weight you add to the door for the increased load on the motor. In the case of foam board, I'd guess even the added weight of 2" is probably negligible.

Yeah, I've read that the air space can be beneficial, but if I do foam, and then insulation I would think that would suffice.

Definitely on the weight, I already need my springs adjusted as they are out of weight balance, so I figured I would do this, and then have them adjusted. These are big shop doors, no power lifts on them. Just good ole arm strength.

Foam Panels on concrete on the inside of a occasionally heated garage and on the inside of a steel storage container, but not on a garage door. The Steel storage container would be similar except that it doesn't move but after 2 years they are still firmly in-place that is with a temp swing of -20F to +90F with heat running occasionally on the inside when it was very cold outside. We pulled one panel off this summer and it ruined the foam taking it off as it had not released from either the foam or the steel. We pulled it off so that we could mount a heavy duty shelf for an engine and needed to weld straight to the steel.

Brian

Cool, thanks for the info. I think I'll give them a try. Can you get that at HD or Lowes? I know they sell the insulating foam from Great Stuff, but I don't think I've ever seen this.

 

[Brian_WK]

I get it at Menards it is used through the pro contractor gun ($54). The gun is an investment as you can store a partially used can for up to 3 months on it. You do have to use a cleaner through it if you are planning on disconnecting the can or storing longer than 3 months. Unlike just the cans where if you don't use it all it goes in the garbage because it is plugged.

On the garage door you will have to use something to hold the sheets in place until the foam cures as it has some initial grab but it would **** to have it slide down. Maybe some pieces of 1x2 between panels to create your seam gap for opening.

Brian

 

[Spudland_Dave]

What I don't get...or what I find amazing is that there are un-insulated doors installed in people's garages!
Honestly, I don't think I ever saw an un-insulated door until I joined GJ. They do have their places...I put an un-insulated door in my 12x16 junk shed..

What would a person have invested in retrofitting the doors? Assuming it was only one or two...I'd probably just sell the existing door and buy a new INSULATED door of your choice...

 

[haugy]

I have three doors, a 16x8 (house garage), a 12x12 and 16x10 (shop doors). Those would be pricey as hell insulated.

For about half of the cost of the house door ($1,000), I can put insulation in 2 of them.
I've calculated about $250 to insulate the house garage with hard foam, and soft insulation kit.

The house was built 1996 (and I'm in TN) so that's probably why. And to be honest, I needed to focus my dollars on critical items for the shop, so uninsulated doors were used.

 

[nadogail]

Here in Southern CA insulated garage doors are not that common.

 

[sharpnshine]

I used the thinner foil backed stuff from Home Depot for a radiant barrier. Worked out pretty well, screwed with the sheet metal TEK screws and actually seemed to quieten down the door during operation. I always wondered if it was better to cut them down and attach directly to the inside door wall or do like I did and attach to the frame leaving a 2-3" dead air space in between.

You do want to be mindful of additional weight you add to the door for the increased load on the motor. In the case of foam board, I'd guess even the added weight of 2" is probably negligible.

How did you attach the foam board to the frame?