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.

That s how the barrier is made effective. Whether you choose faced or unfaced insulation for the attic depends on the. When to use faced or unfaced attic insulation attic insulation is available with and without a paper facing. Like blanket or batt insulation foam board comes in faced and unfaced varieties.

More often than not faced insulation is made out fiberglass. 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. The same is true for an attic floor.

Facing is a thin layer of paper or plastic attached to one side of batting insulation which is sold in a roll. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the 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. 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.

In other words the facing usually faces in toward the living space or into the attic or basement area in unfinished attics and basements. The primary function of the vapor retarder is to keep moisture from spreading within the walls and throughout the house. The facing should aim down toward the living space. Faced insulation is a familiar type of insulation that often comes in rolls or batts and gets stapled to joists or other beams.

Experts refer to insulation as faced or unfaced basically faced insulation has a vapor barrier and unfaced insulation does not. Any potential changes can be secured by asking your local insulation dealer. 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. Paper faced insulation means that one side of the insulation material comes lined with paper. So in an attic the paper faces downward and in a crawl space it faces upward. The facing contains a thin layer of asphalt which acts as a vapor barrier to block moisture.