Here are four mistakes to look out for and avoid at all costs if you decide to diy your cathedral ceiling insulation.
Easiest way to insulate cathedral ceiling.
Seal the insulation or the ceiling surface below against air leakage.
Beadboard panels are an efficient economical way to get that popular tongue and groove porchy look to cover up an unattractive ceiling.
The reason spray foam like icynene makes the most sense for your home s cathedral ceilings is that spray foam is able to expand up to 100 times its original size within second of application.
Icynene spray foam insulation and cathedral ceilings are the ideal combination.
Use closed cell spray foam closed cell foam board extruded polystyrene such as dow styrofoam or foil faced iso board.
Nail 1 furring along every rafter side against the roof deck.
The foam can then expand into tiny cracks and holes that traditional insulation might not fit into thereby effectively air sealing your cathedral ceiling.
Insulating an unvented cathedral ceiling.
It s therefore time to pull together as much information on the topic as possible and publish it in one place to clarify the building science issues and code requirements.
One of the best options would be spray foam insulation here s why.
In a correctly insulated cathedral ceiling using the tight fill moisture elimination method the high density of cellulose reduces moisture penetration to the point that no vapor retarder barrier is needed.
One of our favorite ideas for this material is covering popcorn ceiling with beadboard.
A cathedral ceiling is often difficult to insulate as they leave very little room for ventilation which is needed to keep the insulation dry.
When fitting your cathedral ceiling insulation many people don t realize that you have to install a moisture control system.
Place the insulation between the rafters or below them.
As mentioned earlier cellulose has a natural density that is usually two to four times that of fiberglass.
Compare wood and vinyl options and choose the one that best suits your budget and diy aspirations.
Put the baffle between the joists starting where they join at the exterior wall plate.