Faced Or Unfaced Insulation For Attic Floor

Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old.

Faced or unfaced insulation for attic floor.

If a moisture barrier is required or recommended in your climate zone you will want to use the faced board again reflective facing is a good choice to insulate your walls. Paper faced insulation means that one side of the insulation material comes lined with paper. The facing should aim down toward the living space. In other words the facing usually faces in toward the living space or into the attic or basement area in unfinished attics and basements.

More often than not faced insulation is made out fiberglass. Faced insulation is a familiar type of insulation that often comes in rolls or batts and gets stapled to joists or other beams. For this reason faced insulation is typically installed on the warm in winter side of the wall. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

Faced insulation has flanges on the outside of the batt that need to be stapled to the wall studs and joists. The purpose and way to apply is basically the same. Faced or the type with paper is typically used in first time applications such as in walls ceilings floors and in crawl spaces. Facing is a thin layer of paper or plastic attached to one side of batting insulation which is sold in a roll.

The primary function of the vapor retarder is to keep moisture from spreading within the walls and throughout the house. The same is true for an attic floor. This is usually kraft paper but sometimes other types of paper can be used. That s how the barrier is made effective.

The facing contains a thin layer of asphalt which acts as a vapor barrier to block moisture. Experts refer to insulation as faced or unfaced basically faced insulation has a vapor barrier and unfaced insulation does not. Whether you choose faced or unfaced insulation for the attic depends on the. Like blanket or batt insulation foam board comes in faced and unfaced varieties.

It s important to use the right type of insulation to prevent moisture problems in your attic. Unlike unfaced insulation faced insulation has a vapor retarder that keeps moisture out. Any time you use a faced insulation the paper needs to be facing toward the living space. But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates.