Blog du Wren

DIY Recycled Cardboard Insultation

How do you build on a big old warehouse on a budget? Well, first step is to get a bunch of generous friends to help pour the foundation. Then you take 6 months of inexpert yet can-do spirited labor to erect the thing. Then, when it comes time to insulate, you get creative with a bunch of used cardboard and styrofoam.

Since the warehouse has* radiant heat floors, code says we've gotta have some heavy duty insulation on the walls and ceiling. It turns out insulating a big old 2 story, 50x30 warehouse can get expensive. Then someone came up with a great idea: use cardboard!

The process is basically this:

Cut and sandwich 6-8 layers of cardboard in manageable regular size (ours were approximately 2'x6') chunks combined with tape (chunks are 2-3 inches thick)
Sprayfoam a thin coat on the inside of the metal siding to create a vapor barrier
Sprayfoam just a couple squirts and quickly stick cardboard in place and hold it there until sprayfoam sets
Seal edges with sprayfoam, again for adhesion
Sprayfoam over cardboard so it appears you have 4 inches of sprayfoam insulation

You may notice liberal use of sprayfoam in this scheme. It just so happens that we have a sprayfoam trailer on premise that makes it all feasible. But that doesn't mean that you too couldn't save some money (and save the environment) next time you have the need to insulate something.

Wednesday July 13 2011

File under: quarry

Toggle Comments (1)

comment?

on Thu 14th Jul, 2011 06:38 am PDT Horge said:
Just wondering, does step six in the process involve keeping it a secret from the inspector that it's cardboard under the sprayfoam? If so, crossing my fingers they don't read BdW... :-)
************************

<<FC 142 - View from the Top

FC 141 - Modern Day Indulgences>>

Name:
URL: (optional)
Comment:
speak yer peace