Faced Or Unfaced Insulation For Attic Floor

When to use faced or unfaced attic insulation attic insulation is available with and without a paper facing.

Faced or unfaced insulation for attic floor. Faced or the type with paper is typically used in first time applications such as in walls ceilings floors and in crawl spaces. 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. The primary function of the vapor retarder is to keep moisture from spreading within the walls and throughout the house. Unlike unfaced insulation faced insulation has a vapor retarder that keeps moisture out.

Any potential changes can be secured by asking your local insulation dealer. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. It s important to use the right type of insulation to prevent moisture problems in your attic. The same is true for an attic floor.

The purpose and way to apply is basically the same. Any time you use a faced insulation the paper needs to be facing toward the living space. More often than not faced insulation is made out fiberglass. Like blanket or batt insulation foam board comes in faced and unfaced varieties.

In other words the facing usually faces in toward the living space or into the attic or basement area in unfinished attics and basements. This is usually kraft paper but sometimes other types of paper can be used. Experts refer to insulation as faced or unfaced basically faced insulation has a vapor barrier and unfaced insulation does not. That s how the barrier is made effective.

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. For this reason faced insulation is typically installed on the warm in winter side of the wall. The facing should aim down toward the living space.

So in an attic the paper faces downward and in a crawl space it faces upward. Faced insulation has flanges on the outside of the batt that need to be stapled to the wall studs and joists. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old. Faced insulation is a familiar type of insulation that often comes in rolls or batts and gets stapled to joists or other beams.