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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / DIY spray foam insulation
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WY_mark
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2013 14:15
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curious if any of you have used any of the various DIY sprayfoam insulation kits available? We built with 2x6 walls to allow extra insulation since we get pretty freezing in the winter. I'd love to know your experiences if you've tried. so far online searches look like some people aren't getting the fq feet promised and it looks like user error/learning curve. anything to add first hand?
thanks!

Fusil62
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2013 15:07
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We have been going slow and doing the same searching. This summer we are going to use foampower.com product to insulate our shed ceiling. We are using our process as learning and just one step at a time. I figure what I learn in the process and the mistakes made will be "all" fixed when we do a real house. I anticipate some issues with the foaming but I would rather do my own and learn how. It should still be cheaper than hiring someone.

MJW
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2013 21:10
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We priced foam insulation for the walls and ceiling and it was just so much more expensive than the batts we couldn't justify the cost difference so we went with the batts.

We are probably still going to go with the foam for the underside of the cabin next fall, however.

SubArcticGuy
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2013 23:11
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I used some to patch up where I pulled out the chimney and it worked pretty well. It did definitely generate a lot of heat in a confined space. Now I am looking at using to fix my entire roof...although it is about $1500 worth of foam.

Steve961
Member
# Posted: 19 Apr 2013 17:32
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Considering that closed cell spray foam insulation has an R-value of 6.0 per inch, your 2x6 walls are probably overkill. A standard 2x4 stud wall with spray foam would allow for an R-value of 21, which is the highest the US Dept. of Energy recommends for wall cavities - even in Alaska.

One option would be to spray an inch or so of foam to seal all the cracks, then fill the rest of the space in with cheaper fiberglass or blown cellulose. I have 2" of spray foam in my 450 sq ft cabin in northern Wisconsin, and I've been comfortable down to -10F with my Jotul 602 - I'm sure it could go even lower. If I was going to live there full time, I'd probably add some blown cellulose into the extra space though.

When I was researching spray foam I found that DIY was almost as much as hiring it out. I'd get a couple of quotes along with your DIY pricing just to be sure.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 20 Apr 2013 12:04
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One trick a lot of people have used to cut costs with diy foam is to put foam boards between the joists with a bit of a gap and then spray foam the gap. this is faster and cheaper then all spray foam. You can also introduce reflective insulation this way (ie. tinfoil coated polyiso etc).

One thing to watch for is your vapour barrier. With a foam insulated floor or walls the foam may act as a vapour barrier so plan accordingly.

WY_mark
Member
# Posted: 20 Apr 2013 12:24
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For our space quotes are looking like $6k to have 4" in the roof and 3" in the walls. To do 2" in the walls it knocks off a grand. DIY getting 2" everywhere will be $3k for closed cell foam. Probably $900is to add batt insulation over that. Could be a substantial savings DIY. Have only been looking at closed cell foam.

Curious if anyone has DIY foam brands to look at or avoid?

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