Insulating garage doors?

[johno]

Got an question re above.


I'm trying to get thing ready for winter here.One of the things i need to do is insulate my metal garage doors. I figured styrofoam, about 1.5 inches,cut to fit between door ribs, and use glue or expanding foam to hold it in place.

I might cover that with some sort of cheap paneling.

Here's the question.

Do i need to install plastic sheating over styrofoam before panelling, or even if I don't panel do I need to install plastic.

Thanks

 

[Blue Gator Six]

I thought about doing the same thing. My door is so called insulated. It has a very thin piece of insulation in each panel. I want to use the foam as well. I dont think you would need to use plastic because there should be no air coming thru the inside of the panel. Just around the edges. So I think putting a piece of luan or paneling up would work well.

 

[Jeff]

I have a standard metal door that I insulated last year. I used 1-1/2" foam board for the panel areas and then covered that with the foil covered bubble wrap stuff from Lowe's. The difference is amazing plus the noise level outside has dropped.

 

[sixball]

I did the same thing last year. I used 1 1/2 inch thick foil faced insualtion sold in 4X8 sheets. I didn't want to use glue, so I measured carefully and got it to fit real tight. I had to flex it a bit to get it inside the rails, but what I found was that the screws that go thru the rails of the non-insualted door acted as a "biting" point. Meaning, when I forced the insulation sheet in, the screws bit into the insulation and held them in place.

I then used the foil tape to go over all the metal ribs and joints of the door and that added some extra insurance that the panels wouldn't come out. It made a HUGE difference in both the winter and summer.



Sixball

 

[sikopal]

Just did my doors, got 2" blueboard and cut a 1/2" channel on both top and bottom to slip into my door. Used 3M pro grade adhesive on both door and board to adhere. Sprayed in insulation in the side gaps which was almost 2.5" all the way down the sides. Plan to top with reflective bubble insulation later but the change is huge in rooms ability to hold heat + noise reduction is HUGE!
Well worth the cost!

 

[johno]

Thanks guys, sounds like I'm on the right track.

No one is using plastic over the insulation??

 

[Falcon67]

On my 8 x 7 shop overhead, I just cut 2" pink foam board to fit the openings and jammed it in there. Friction fit - no tape, no plastic, no seam seal, etc. 10x better than a bare metal door. Note that 2" doesn't flex to fit the holes - it breaks LOL. So there is a little tape on the panel that I broke.

I did have to take the springs up one notch to handle the bit of extra weight. Take note if you have a big 16' door.

FWIW - looking at the sheets in HD recently - the 2" and the 1" are not that much different in R factor, so with a big door the 1" blue or foil backed foam might be just as good. The next house will have a 16' door that faces south, so I may try the foil backed foam on that one.

I've been eyeballing the pink stuff - not that I don't like pink or anything - and thinking that maybe rolling it with some cheap white house paint might brighten it. If it would stick, that is.

 

[JC23]

Just watch your glues. Some will disintergrete the insulation. Ever put gasoline in a styrofoam cup?

Also watch your weight. All that stuff adds up. You may have to adjust the spring tensions. If you have a overhead spring you can just dial it up if needed. If you have striahgt springs, you may have to preload them a bit.

 

[sixball]

Yeah, the blue / pink board will break if bent too far, but the foil faced stuff allows you to bend it alittle more. I went with the foil faced for the refelective factor, and it has served it's purpose. I covered it up with the foil tape so any worries of a a spark hitting it and catching fire is gone.

As far as putting plastic over insulation, I would think that after afew opening and clossings of the door the plastic would wear. It wouldn't be very durable. With the sheet insulation, you can just install and not have to worry about it tearing, or wind/vacume sucking the plastic off/loose.

Sixball

 

[NUTTSGT]

On my old wood doors ( notice I get to say "old" ) I screwed 1/2" foil backed right into the wood. Over the windows, I placed the foil out to make it look like frosted glass from the road.

 

[stellar91]

Well like most places in the northern hemisphere winter is approaching and insulating my 16' door will soon become a necessity, thanks for looking for advice for us all.

 

[mad1stgen]

This was the last wall to insulate in my garage. The door is a 16x8 2" thick. I bought 8 sheets of foil faced expanded polystyrene, 4 in 1", and 4 in 3/4" thickness. I cut them to perfect fit, and squeezed in the openings. I found that cutting the boards 1/2" smaller than the door panel height, and just slightly over the door panel width makes for a very nice, and tight fit. I asked some friends of mine to look at the finished product, and they couldn't tell a difference from factory Total cost just about $80.

 

[Interex]

This was the last wall to insulate in my garage. The door is a 16x8 2" thick. I bought 8 sheets of foil faced expanded polystyrene, 4 in 1", and 4 in 3/4" thickness. I cut them to perfect fit, and squeezed in the openings. I found that cutting the boards 1/2" smaller than the door panel height, and just slightly over the door panel width makes for a very nice, and tight fit. I asked some friends of mine to look at the finished product, and they couldn't tell a difference from factory Total cost just about $80.

Wow, that looks great! Very clean!

 

[mgilde13]

I just insulated my garage door a couple of nights ago. I was originally going to go with the rigid foam boards but I went with this kit instead. The reason I went this route is because it has a higher R value (R-9) as opposed to the styrofoam which were between R-4 to R-6.5. The before and after differences are amazing. Start to finish it took me less than 45 minutes They're normally $70 but they're on sale at Menards this week for $50 per kit.

I hope the links work.

Mike

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/mgilde13/Garage door/?action=view&current=CIMG2511.jpg

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/mgilde13/Garage door/?action=view&current=CIMG2510.jpg

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k299/mgilde13/Garage door/?action=view&current=CIMG2508.jpg

 

[sixball]

I did mine last year with foil faced sheets and foil tape over that, but I had priced the "kit" from Menards before going the foil face route.

What holds the "kit" insulation in? I visited a shop that had that kind of insulation in the door, and the edges were comming out and flapping in the wind. I don't know if it was old, or a bad install job, but I just wonder how it's held in place ?

Sixball

 

[stellar91]

They're normally $70 but they're on sale at Menards this week for $50 per kit.

I wish there was a Menards near me 143 Miles to the nearest one apparently like most smarter retailers they stay far away from Detroit all together

 

[autobon7]

What holds the "kit" insulation in? I visited a shop that had that kind of insulation in the door, and the edges were comming out and flapping in the wind. I don't know if it was old, or a bad install job, but I just wonder how it's held in place ?

Sixball[/QUOTE]

I am also curious, what holds the kit in?

 

[LEVE]

Is anyone doing anything to insulate the joints between panels? That seems a place where wind would whip in and cause drafts.

 

[Grumpy365]

I am planning on insulating mine with 1" Rubatex insulation (that comes with adhesive on one side). It comes in sheets. I think it will be cool.

 

[mgilde13]

The far left section has channels on all four sides of each panel and the insuluation tucks into each of the four channels. The other three sections only have channels on three sides and the insulation tucks into those three channels and the forth side is held in with plastic "L" brackets that simulate the forth channel. I hope that makes sense.

 

[sixball]

Is anyone doing anything to insulate the joints between panels? That seems a place where wind would whip in and cause drafts.

I used the heavy foil tape over all joints in between the panels. It's not much, but atleast all the holes are covered. I don't really know what else could be done other than using the spray foam in there. But with that stuff expanding like it does, I don't know how well that would work out.

Sixball

 

[vtx531]

This was the last wall to insulate in my garage. The door is a 16x8 2" thick. I bought 8 sheets of foil faced expanded polystyrene, 4 in 1", and 4 in 3/4" thickness. I cut them to perfect fit, and squeezed in the openings. I found that cutting the boards 1/2" smaller than the door panel height, and just slightly over the door panel width makes for a very nice, and tight fit. I asked some friends of mine to look at the finished product, and they couldn't tell a difference from factory Total cost just about $80.

Looks great - where did you purchase the materials? Why did you buy 2 different sizes?

 

[mad1stgen]

Looks great - where did you purchase the materials? Why did you buy 2 different sizes?

I purchased all the materials from Lowes. Only one store in Metro Detroit had the specified sizes. Expanded Poly is not as stiff as foam, and therefore installs easier. The foil facing helps lighting and heat reflection as well.

The panel openings are approx 1.5 deep if you measure against the raised panel. The poly panels are not measuring exactly 1" or 3/4" for that matter, so I bought them to fit tight. Two 3/4" panels would be too thin, and two 1" panels would be too thick. For a regular 2" door with a raised panel design the two sizes were perfect. I need to take better quality pics, it really looks awesome, and beats the look and the price of the fiberglass kit by far IMO. The R value of those two panels is somewhere in the R-8 range. Not perfect, but works for me.

 

[akjason]

I used aluminum flashing over foam boards, since the foam is flammable.

I don't want to hijack, so details can be found in my thread here
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1178337#post1178337

 

[vtx531]

I purchased all the materials from Lowes. Only one store in Metro Detroit had the specified sizes. Expanded Poly is not as stiff as foam, and therefore installs easier. The foil facing helps lighting and heat reflection as well.

The panel openings are approx 1.5 deep if you measure against the raised panel. The poly panels are not measuring exactly 1" or 3/4" for that matter, so I bought them to fit tight. Two 3/4" panels would be too thin, and two 1" panels would be too thick. For a regular 2" door with a raised panel design the two sizes were perfect. I need to take better quality pics, it really looks awesome, and beats the look and the price of the fiberglass kit by far IMO. The R value of those two panels is somewhere in the R-8 range. Not perfect, but works for me.

So you did two layers to get the proper thickness? Is there anything holding them in? Thanks. Looks very clean and professional. Also, how did you cut it?

 

[magnusrx7]

Good inspiration for fixing the cheap doors I got with my garage!
Have not got the heating installed yet.

// Magnus

 

[mad1stgen]

I finally had time to snap few extra pictures of the 1" + 3/4" expanded foil faced poly installed in a regular 2" door.