Lesson Learned - Insulating a Vaulted Ceiling
So our goal has been to install beadboard on the vaulted dormer ceiling in the master bedroom. My father and I have been working on the room for the past few weekends and had made quite a bit of progress. As an important first step, we identified an Owens Corning product specially designed for insulating vaulted or "close" ceilings:
Bottom line? We picked the right insulating solution but should have read the fine print a bit more closely once work on the master bedroom had begun.
Here are the specs on the insulation from the Owens Corning website that I found in my initial research...
| Application(s): Cathedral ceilings | Length: Width: Thickness: Sq. ft.: Product options: | 48" 15 1/2" or 23 3/4" 8 1/4" 56.8 or 79.2 Unfaced Kraft faced |
Or at least that's how I remember it. So, my Dad and I set about to sister all the rafters to allow us to use this new insulation. (The original boards are 2 x 4's!) We picked up 20 2x8x8s at the nearby Lowe's, did some quick work with the chopsaw and we were done!
About that time Jeannie wandered up to admire our work. As she was admiring it (she really was being supportive!), she asked about the insulation again. Specifically, she wanted to make sure that we had allowed enough space for air to circulate between the insulation and the roof as it traveled from the intake to the exhaust ventilation. After assuring her that everything was just fine, she went downstairs to "check something."
A minute later she was back upstairs with the laptop showing us that very same Owens Corning webpage I'd originally read through. Lo and behold, there was the same table. But what was that subtle difference in the specs she pointed out...?
| Application(s): Cathedral ceilings 2 x 10 | Length: Width: Thickness: Sq. ft.: Product options: | 48" 15 1/2" or 23 3/4" 8 1/4" 56.8 or 79.2 Unfaced Kraft faced |
2x10. 2x10!? Where did that come from!? Yes, either I'd missed that detail the first time around or Owens Corning had gone and changed their website (and product specifications).
Anyway, some quick thinking (on my Dad's part) and another quick trip to Lowe's and we were back in business! We ended up toenailing an additional 2x4 on the end of each 2x8. The resulting 2x12 will insure that we now exceed Owens Corning's minimum requirements for insulating a vaulted ceiling. And here we are:
So the lesson? It isn't just about picking the right product of good quality--you have to pay attention and install it correctly, too. Or wait, was the actual lesson learned always listen to Jeannie...
Hmm, can there really be two lessons learned on one project? ;-)
(3)
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Comments
And many years from now, when someone decides to renovate the house, they'll come across this bit of handiwork and say...
"What the hell were they thinking?"
:-)
Posted by: David | July 25, 2004 2:20 PM
I think we should write, "Whoops! Out of 2 x 12's! Sorry!" on one of them with red magic marker and sign and date it...just so they aren't confused.
Or for when THEY have a weblog...you know?
Posted by: jm | July 25, 2004 11:53 PM
arent 2X4s actually 1 1/2 by 3 1/2s? how did you account for the extra 1/2 inch or was it important? sometimes a 1/2 inch is just gravy. :)
Posted by: bcRichmond | July 29, 2004 6:37 PM