Blow-in Insulation Question - Can I do this?

[steveessie]

Is it possible to use blow-in insulation using hand application?

I am looking to insulate my drop ceiling in my pole barn, the cheapest way. I would be putting up 2x4 nailers between the bottom cord of my trusses at 24"OC. I would then put material up along the 2x4's and then fill the cavity with the insulation. I would do this for each and every cavity, moving along my ceiling as I go. (put up 2x4, material, insulation - then start all over at next spot, etc, etc...)

I know there is a "shake and rake" insulation material but it is 3x as expensive as the blow-in cellulose insulation. I have never handled blow-in insulation so I don't know if this is possible. This might be a little more time consuming but it's what is the cheapest for my application (blowing it like an attic won't work for my application).

Is it possible?

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[Soundguy]

possible? sure... just more hand work.

my ex used to work for an insulation co.

their blow truck was nothing mor ethan a big box truck as a hopper and a blower tube essentially.

if you don't mind using some sort of scoop or other container to manhandle the loose fill.. it's no issue.

I'd suggest getting some sort of tyvek disposable painters suit and hoodie and masy and goggles and rubber gloves..

i know hwent hey had leftover batting insulation from a job, they would run it thru a shredder and put it in the blow trucks

 

[srs]

I am looking to insulate my drop ceiling in my pole barn

Not exactly sure what type of "drop" ceiling you will have but will it be able to hold the weight of blown-in insulation?

 

[SSdoxie]

It can be doen this way, but you won't get the R rating for the thickness that's listed on the bag. Blown insulation needs to be fluffed with the blower, mixing air with it to created "dead air" space in it to achieve the rated R factor. Why not fit fiberglass bats inbetween your 2X4s? Would be less mess and give better insulation value.

 

[steveessie]

Not exactly sure what type of "drop" ceiling you will have but will it be able to hold the weight of blown-in insulation?

Yes, it will be studed with 2x4's, and will finish it with either drywall or foam board.

 

[steveessie]

It can be doen this way, but you won't get the R rating for the thickness that's listed on the bag. Blown insulation needs to be fluffed with the blower, mixing air with it to created "dead air" space in it to achieve the rated R factor. Why not fit fiberglass bats inbetween your 2X4s? Would be less mess and give better insulation value.

I've done half of the area with fiberglass bats but I was trying to save on money and 2x4's if possible.

 

[Soundguy]

use the batting around the edges/sides and the blow fill in the middle areas where you can get away with less R value and weight too..

if the foam baord you are using is rmax with a foil liner vs the unlind blue / pink board or the thick styrofoam.. you will have decent r value with some flow and rmax. heck.. doubleing up on anything helps... some fill.. some type of foam.. etc... all better than wind blowing thru and metal panels..

 

[Gunny]

I'd also be worried that the foam board on 24" centers wouldn't do very well holding the weight, though if the insulation will only be 3 1/2 deep, it may. As mentioned above, the cellulose has to be 'lofted' to get a decent R value. If there anyway you could perhaps do 1/2 of the ceiling at a time? Most places will loan you the blower if you buy 'X' number of bags, and you can blow the stuff a pretty good way. Using a blower would be one heck of a lot faster than trying to do it by hand

 

[fordoutback]

Is it possible to use blow-in insulation using hand application?

I am looking to insulate my drop ceiling in my pole barn, the cheapest way. I would be putting up 2x4 nailers between the bottom cord of my trusses at 24"OC. I would then put material up along the 2x4's and then fill the cavity with the insulation. I would do this for each and every cavity, moving along my ceiling as I go. (put up 2x4, material, insulation - then start all over at next spot, etc, etc...)

I know there is a "shake and rake" insulation material but it is 3x as expensive as the blow-in cellulose insulation. I have never handled blow-in insulation so I don't know if this is possible. This might be a little more time consuming but it's what is the cheapest for my application (blowing it like an attic won't work for my application).

Is it possible?

Thanks for all your help guys.

It might be worth it to make a couple phone calls to the stores that carry the blown-in insulation. Some places have a portable insulation blowing machine that they let customers use for a day or two if they buy the insultion there.

 

[fordoutback]

It might be worth it to make a couple phone calls to the stores that carry the blown-in insulation. Some places have a portable insulation blowing machine that they let customers use for a day or two if they buy the insultion there.

Meant "insulation" , not insultion, lol. These machines usually have a remote on-off switch so you can start and stop at will. That way you could do one row at a time without much of a mess.

 

[KennyG]

When I did my attic I finished the ceiling and left two access holes. The cellulose blower will blow 10+ feet with no problem and I used a 10 foot conduit to position the end of the hose, giving me about a 20 foot reach. I would suggest trying to do it this way rather than a bit at a time. I closed the access holes with a piece of plywood with insulation glued to the top of it.

Cellulose is better insulation, inch for inch, than fiberglass, especially in cold climates. The structure of fiberglass allows air movement and this increases as the temperature difference increases. That makes it less effective when it gets colder. Cellulose pretty much stops air movement, giving better cold weather performance.

 

[rwork]

I've added to my insulation several years back, and most of the big box stores will give you free use of the machine with the purchase of 5+ bags.
They even provided a couple of large garbage cans to break the cellulose up in. It is a two man job, though. One in the attic, and someone to load the hopper. Use a little hand held garden grubber to break the stuff up. It tends to stay "clumpy" when you dump it out of the bag. Dump into garbage can, break it up, then dump into hopper. I goes quick!

 

[aczlan]

It might be worth it to make a couple phone calls to the stores that carry the blown-in insulation. Some places have a portable insulation blowing machine that they let customers use for a day or two if they buy the insultion there.

Lowes does that around here. Buy 10 bags and you get the machine for 24 hours. If you don't buy enough its $20ish per day (and well worth it IMO).

Aaron Z

 

[BHD]

NOT VERY WELL

if you use cellulose you need a special insulation, the standard is corrosive to galvanized steel, the flame retardants and vermin retardant)

and now day it is so densely packed you need the blower to tear it apart, (some even say one needs x number of feet of hose so it will tumble and break apart)

and most places will let you use the machine for free to sell the insulation,

the blowing in fiberglass you might get by with it, (you need a air lock machine with fiberglass) Celisse one can use a through the blower machine,

but fiberglass if there are animals up on top (like a cat) it will be packed down to two inches in a short time, and not insulate, and heat and cold will conduct/migrate through the fiberglass, when really cold and it R value will drop,

but use the machine first it will save you much headache, and be easer, and most likely much quicker,

regardless of the choice of insulation you choose, (less dust with the fiberglass, but it has nastier dust for your lungs),

 

[radioman]

If you are already buying blown in insulation - you might as well buy enough bags for a free rental. lowes and home depot does this. I done it with home depot attic cat stuff and I didnt need a tyvek suit or anything. It blows nice and easy and its no problem to do yourself. You will figure things out within the first 20 mins after you start blowing it in how to do it right.