How to Insulate Concrete Walls
Concrete walls, such as those found in a basement, may need to have insulation added if you plan to finish the basement and cover the walls. Adding insulation to concrete walls will help to prevent heat from escaping from your basement. The most common type of insulation that is used on concrete walls is rigid one-inch-thick sheets. You can insulate concrete walls by first determining how much insulation you will need. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Painters tape
- Power actuated nail gun or ram set
- 2x4 pieces of lumber
- Circular saw
- Construction adhesive
Instructions
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1
Measure the length of each wall with a tape measure to determine how many sheets of rigid insulation you will need. Each sheet of rigid insulation measures four by eight feet and the typical ceiling in a basement is eight feet high.
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2
Divide the length of each wall by four to determine how many sheets you will need per wall.
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3
Make a mark for the furring strips every four feet along each wall. Measure out four feet with the tape measure and make a mark on the wall with a felt tip marker or place painter's tape on the floor.
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4
Place a 2x4 piece of lumber or furring strip flat against the wall over the mark you made with the marker or painters tape.
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5
Secure the furring strip to the wall by using a ram set or power actuated nail gun.
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6
Apply construction adhesive to the back of a sheet of rigid insulation.
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Place the sheet of insulation between the furring strips and press against it lightly to make sure the adhesive makes contact with the wall.
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Repeat this process along the length of each wall.
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Tips & Warnings
Round up to the next number if measurements do not come out even.
Cut sections of the rigid insulation to fit using a circular saw.
Your ears will ring after using the ram set or power actuated nail gun if ear protection is not used.
