Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Opinions on Difficult Insulation Job
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chainsawmd
09-07-07, 12:44 PM
We recently moved into a condo in chicago - the top unit in a 100+ year old building. Part of the living room includes a 2-story peak. There is no insulation - when you look up you see the base lumber of the roof nailed to the rafters. The apearance of this all is a key feature of the place. The desired trick is to somehow preserve this "antique look", but maybe get some more R-value.
I have considered some of the new "foam" (I know there are more excat names, but don't have them on hand) boards with double sided vapor barrier, because you get some R value for not too much thickness. I am thinking of doing this:
Cut the foam to fit between the rafters (use maybe 1" thickness)
Get rough cut lumber and cut this to fit between the rafters over the foam
Hold the lumber in place with maybe some quarter round & stain dark like the other wood.
This will be a pain in the butt, as it involves a lot of cutting, but will let me preserve some of the "look" - the rafters are 6-8" deep, so after I'm done, you'll still be able to see about 4-6" of them.
It wouldn't be an ideal insulation job, but hopefully better than what I have now. Any thoughts?
I have considered some of the new "foam" (I know there are more excat names, but don't have them on hand) boards with double sided vapor barrier, because you get some R value for not too much thickness. I am thinking of doing this:
Cut the foam to fit between the rafters (use maybe 1" thickness)
Get rough cut lumber and cut this to fit between the rafters over the foam
Hold the lumber in place with maybe some quarter round & stain dark like the other wood.
This will be a pain in the butt, as it involves a lot of cutting, but will let me preserve some of the "look" - the rafters are 6-8" deep, so after I'm done, you'll still be able to see about 4-6" of them.
It wouldn't be an ideal insulation job, but hopefully better than what I have now. Any thoughts?