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How to Install Batt Insulation (1): Eight Tips

May 30, 2015

Batt insulation is by far the easiest insulation to install — poorly

Corey Binford is not a professional insulation contractor, he is just a guy who insulated the heck out of his old house. Corey does a good job of explaining how to install batts right.

The goal is to achieve a continuous layer of fluffy insulation because this type of insulation works by trapping air. If you compress the insulation or leave gaps on the edges, you could sacrifice a significant amount of the R-value that you paid for.

You have one chance to insulate right. If you do it wrong, you’re going to have a cold room, your wife is going to be mad at you, and you’re going to waste money — all bad things.

Insulation installation tips:
  1. Measure each stud bay individually.
  2. Create a cut station where you can do multiple cuts.
  3. Add 1/2 in. to each piece’s length o — this makes sure the fit is snug.
  4. Use a 1x board as a straight edge
  5. Corey likes the FAT MAX knife. It has a long blade which cuts through thick insulation and the dull segments snap off ($12, #WorthIt)
  6. For narrow cavities use a long straightedge, like a level, to make sure the cavity is full. Don’t cut it freehand by holding the batt to the wall and cutting in place, and don’t just stuff a full-width batt in there either.
  7. Fluff up the face before stapling.
  8. Staple on the face of the stud, not the side.

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