smdl
Member
Hi, folks.
First of all, apologies for the long first post! I have been a long-term lurker on this forum, visiting periodically to admire the amazing garages that so many have put together. However, I'm at the point where I want to make some significant changes to my garage, and would appreciate some advice in relation to insulation. I did try searching extensively, but so many factors seem to be application- or region-specific that I couldn't really get to the answer that I was seeking. Here's the background:
I have a reasonably good-sized attached garage (27' x 29'), and I like to do various restoration projects there. However, I am limited in what I can accomplish as a result of the long Ontario winters. The garage currently has an open ceiling with no insulation, and I would like to add some insulation to make the space usable in the winter. While I really appreciate the beautiful spaces others have created, this is really a practical upgrade for me, which is my way of saying that I don't really care what it looks like. I just want to do it the simplest/cheapest way possible, as I prefer to invest in what goes inside the garage rather than the environment itself.
The simplest way to insulate would be to install a ceiling, but I want to retain the height in the space for a soon-to-be-acquired lift. Also, I would prefer to avoid the cost of installing the ceiling, even though I recognize that there could be additional value, such as attic storage, etc. Again, I want to do this as simply and inexpensively as possible. I'm actually quite satisfied with the appearance of the unfinished garage -- the only reason I am doing this is to keep it reasonably warm in winter.
Now, to the issue and question: Given that I want to retain the open ceiling, it seems that I have two potential insulation options:
First, I could install a ridge vent in the roof, baffles between the rafters, and use batt insulation. Unfortunately the design of the roof creates angles that would result in trapped air in many places, as there is no clear path up to the peak. So, this doesn't seem to be a viable option.
Second option would be to use spray foam on the whole ceiling area, and batts on the walls with a vapor barrier. Here is where I hit my dilemma:
What makes the spray foam attractive is that the effort to do the work is less (even though I know spray foam is more costly). However, I am getting contradictory advice about whether or not the spray foam must be covered by drywall, which I realize might differ depending upon local building codes. If it must be drywalled, this adds significant cost/effort, and I might want to go back to considering installing a ceiling.
Talking to a few insulation contractors, some seem to feel that it is required in Ontario to drywall over spray foam as this is an attached garage, but others say that because this is a not a livable space, that it is not necessary. Has anyone here been through this, and confirmed whether or not drywall is required?
Final note is that I would like to heat the space to some extent (just so it is above freezing), and it seems that this might be a variable that impacts the situation. If there is a flame source in the space, it might need to be drywalled, but if not, them this might not be required. One said that if only electric heat was used, that this it would not be required.
Thanks in advance for any input/feedback!
Cheers,
Shaun
First of all, apologies for the long first post! I have been a long-term lurker on this forum, visiting periodically to admire the amazing garages that so many have put together. However, I'm at the point where I want to make some significant changes to my garage, and would appreciate some advice in relation to insulation. I did try searching extensively, but so many factors seem to be application- or region-specific that I couldn't really get to the answer that I was seeking. Here's the background:
I have a reasonably good-sized attached garage (27' x 29'), and I like to do various restoration projects there. However, I am limited in what I can accomplish as a result of the long Ontario winters. The garage currently has an open ceiling with no insulation, and I would like to add some insulation to make the space usable in the winter. While I really appreciate the beautiful spaces others have created, this is really a practical upgrade for me, which is my way of saying that I don't really care what it looks like. I just want to do it the simplest/cheapest way possible, as I prefer to invest in what goes inside the garage rather than the environment itself.
The simplest way to insulate would be to install a ceiling, but I want to retain the height in the space for a soon-to-be-acquired lift. Also, I would prefer to avoid the cost of installing the ceiling, even though I recognize that there could be additional value, such as attic storage, etc. Again, I want to do this as simply and inexpensively as possible. I'm actually quite satisfied with the appearance of the unfinished garage -- the only reason I am doing this is to keep it reasonably warm in winter.
Now, to the issue and question: Given that I want to retain the open ceiling, it seems that I have two potential insulation options:
First, I could install a ridge vent in the roof, baffles between the rafters, and use batt insulation. Unfortunately the design of the roof creates angles that would result in trapped air in many places, as there is no clear path up to the peak. So, this doesn't seem to be a viable option.
Second option would be to use spray foam on the whole ceiling area, and batts on the walls with a vapor barrier. Here is where I hit my dilemma:
What makes the spray foam attractive is that the effort to do the work is less (even though I know spray foam is more costly). However, I am getting contradictory advice about whether or not the spray foam must be covered by drywall, which I realize might differ depending upon local building codes. If it must be drywalled, this adds significant cost/effort, and I might want to go back to considering installing a ceiling.
Talking to a few insulation contractors, some seem to feel that it is required in Ontario to drywall over spray foam as this is an attached garage, but others say that because this is a not a livable space, that it is not necessary. Has anyone here been through this, and confirmed whether or not drywall is required?
Final note is that I would like to heat the space to some extent (just so it is above freezing), and it seems that this might be a variable that impacts the situation. If there is a flame source in the space, it might need to be drywalled, but if not, them this might not be required. One said that if only electric heat was used, that this it would not be required.
Thanks in advance for any input/feedback!
Cheers,
Shaun
