Board logo

WTD: Foil Insulation
omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 06:52 PM

Evening all,

before i spend £80 on 50m2 of 4mm foil insulation, does/can anyone get it any cheaper?

Thanks in Advance

Alex

balidey - 4/1/11 at 07:05 PM

cheapest I have seen are Toolstation and Screwfix.

omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 07:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by balidey
cheapest I have seen are Toolstation and Screwfix.


toolstation one is only single sided with aliminium, not double sided, in all honesty does double side make much difference?

mangogrooveworkshop - 4/1/11 at 07:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by omega0684
quote:
Originally posted by balidey
cheapest I have seen are Toolstation and Screwfix.


toolstation one is only single sided with aliminium, not double sided, in all honesty does double side make much difference?




Depends what your using it for specs @ http://www.insulation-online.co.uk/airtec-bubble-foil.html

omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 07:20 PM

in fact would it not be better to but 2 lots of the the single sided (which would cost the same amount and teh double it up facing each other (bubble side facing each other) they you would have

aliminium sheet - bubble - bubble - aliminium sheet, as opposed to, aliminium sheet - bubble - aliminium sheet?

would you get a better insulating effect?

omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 07:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
Depends what your using it for specs @ http://www.insulation-online.co.uk/airtec-bubble-foil.html


i want to insulated the garage

MikeR - 4/1/11 at 07:25 PM

What is it for?

You can get double insulated bubble wrap 'radiator' foil.

(well i've got a roll of something like that in my garage if you can't)

balidey - 4/1/11 at 07:34 PM

I can honestly say you will not tell the difference between single and double sided foil.
Thats kind of an expert opinion from me as I am currently designing refrigerated vehicles and cold store buildings, and the difference between material layers and thickness in the real world is not as great as you would think. In a garage application, any insulation is a benefit, yet single versus double alloy skin is not a real issue. You would be better finding and eliminating any drafts as they are the real problem. On our fridge vehicles and buildings the build up of ice happens where there is the smallest air passage.

clairetoo - 4/1/11 at 07:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by omega0684


i want to insulated the garage

Wherever did you get that daft idea from

omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 07:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by balidey
I can honestly say you will not tell the difference between single and double sided foil.


ok cool, so based on a semi expert opinion, which side to i put to the wall surface the bubble side (si the foil points into the garage) or visa versa?

BigLee - 4/1/11 at 08:18 PM

I bought this the thin foil insulation and can honestly say it made no difference what so ever.
I'm thinking of removing it and sticking 2 inch ploystyrene on instead.
Drafts are the biggest problem, and cold concrete floors.

prawnabie - 4/1/11 at 08:20 PM

There is a cheaper option Alex....


MAN UP

omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 08:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by prawnabie
There is a cheaper option Alex....

MAN UP


its about 3 degrees in my garage mate, i would like to see anyone in there for more than an hour and we'll all stand and watch him shivering his nuts off!

I have got rid of virtually all the drafts etc sealed around every window, cracks, the works but its still freezing in there!

loggyboy - 4/1/11 at 08:44 PM

Foil insulation isnt all its cracked up to be, its hasnt got many approvals for use on its own (from a building regs point of you, not that you need that ).
Not sure on cost, but you would probly be better of with some plasterboard backed celotex/kingspan or similar PUR insulation.

balidey - 4/1/11 at 09:27 PM

Yep, the best stuff is the solid foam. We mainly use that, the rockwool type stuff and expanding PU foam is then used to fill any voids and cavities.
Although the absolute best stuff we ever used was a very thin panel, it was very fine carbon powder vacuum packed into a foil parcel. Incredibly expensive but they said 15mm thick panel of this stuff was equivalent to 125mm of PU foam. But as it was vac packed you couldn't cut it, or it would leak air in and carbon dust out.

omega0684 - 4/1/11 at 09:58 PM

the pack of foil lined bubble wrap quotes that its equivalent to 65mm polystyrene

snapper - 5/1/11 at 11:21 AM

Works like a thermos flask, air in the insulation holds the heat, foil side relects heat back into the room.
For Walls of a garage I would look for the thick expanded foam silver topped board used in new buildings under the floor.

cliftyhanger - 5/1/11 at 01:58 PM

I have bben insulating under the floors of my house with plain bubble-wrap. I did check to make sure it isn't biodegradable first though. Otherwise polystyrene is about as cheap as you will get for insulation. I am uncertain how the foil helps to any great degree, apart from reflecting radiated heat, but I am not sure if there is much if it is covered with a board of any description, though will help if left exposed.
As other have said, the biggest problem is gaughts, if you have got "most" sorted you need to get the rset, that will make the biggest difference, However, the garage needs to be vented when you are not there or everything will get damp, especially as most garages don't appear to be damp-proofed. Flooring can help too, old carpets etc though they get ruined and nasty fast.
If you really want insulation I would use 1" polystyrene, with 1" battens and covered in sterlingboard for a tough finish. plasterboard elsewhere. Ceiling obviously the first thing to do, but you must get it totally draughtproof first.