Insulating current garage door or replace with an insulated one?

[Scooter70]

We bought a new house recently with a completely unfinished 2 car garage. I'm planning to insulate, sheetrock, and install a natural gas heater for the winter. It currently has an insulated metal door, which seems to get very hot in the summer as it faces west and has the sun on it all afternoon. I can only imagine how much heat will escape in the winter.

My question is: Should I use one of those Owens Corning type of insulation kits and insulate this one or should I bite the bullet and replace the door (16x7) with a factory insulated door? I had a nice one on my last garage and it did a good job of keeping in the heat. I'm not sure of the R-value of the insulated door vs the after-the-fact insulation kits (and the fact that the seal around the door is so flimsy) so I'm looking for guidance. Is it worth spending $1500-2k for a new door considering the heat can just go around the door anyway?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Alexbn921]

Don't do the Owens kit. Foam is not the right material. If you have a metal door use the reflective bubble wrap glued on with polyseamseal. Cheap, easy and very effective.
My Insulation
Garage door with radiant barrier bubble insulation. (must be done with an air gap!)


Super light and easy. The afternoon sun hits the door and it was 130+ on an average day. This made the garage unbearably hot. Afterwards it much cooler and quitter too.
R-13 on all walls and in the roof. Went from +20 to less the outside. This made such a huge difference, I wish I had done it sooner.

 

[txbonds]

Where did you find that kit? I had mine done a few years ago with what looks like large styrofoam panel inserts. I can tell it made a huge difference when standing next to the door but I can also tell it added a lot of weight to the door. The material you used looks interesting and similar to the foil used under my roof minus the bubbles.

Don't do the Owens kit. Foam is not the right material. If you have a metal door use the reflective bubble wrap glued on with polyseamseal. Cheap, easy and very effective.
My Insulation
Garage door with radiant barrier bubble insulation. (must be done with an air gap!)


Super light and easy. The afternoon sun hits the door and it was 130+ on an average day. This made the garage unbearably hot. Afterwards it much cooler and quitter too.
R-13 on all walls and in the roof. Went from +20 to less the outside. This made such a huge difference, I wish I had done it sooner.

 

[Alexbn921]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflecti...ive-Insulation-BP24025/100318553?N=5yc1vZbedf
$25 a roll and I need 3 roles. They sell a 100 footer too.
Plus 2 tubes of poliseam seal at $4.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-...-All-Purpose-Adhesive-Caulk-1675282/202595594
Total setup was $85-90 with tax and added about 5-7 lbs to the door.
I used a 4ft level and a sharp utility knife to cut it to the correct height on plywood. The nice part is that one strip covers a whole panel. I did have to use two pieces on the top overlapped at a seam and bolted down.
After you cut them to size and clean the door, run a bead of sealant along the edge of panel and stick it on. Helps to have 2 people, but I did it alone. I sealed every cross brace too.
It was been two years and held up very well.

Must have an air gap. If you put foam or anything else behind it it will not work as well.