How to Finish Batt Wall Insulation

Batt insulation is woolly fiberglass that's backed by a layer of heavy paper. The paper faces into the room as you install the fiberglass in your walls, and acts as a barrier to prevent fibers in the insulation from sifting through the walls and into the room. Batt insulation comes in rolls that are cut so the insulation pieces will completely fill up the spaces between wall studs, closing them off and preventing air from flowing through the walls. It has to be installed when the walls are open, for either new construction or remodeling.

Tape measure
Carpenter's square
Razor knife
Batt (paper-backed) fiberglass insulation
Stapler

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the height of the space between the first two wall studs from the top to the bottom.
- 2
  Lay out a tape measure on the floor, pulling it longer than the height of the wall. Roll out a strip of batt fiberglass insulation next to the tape measure. Flip it over so the paper side is facing up.
- 3
  Set a carpenter's square across the width of the insulation at the measurement you took in Step 1. Use a razor knife to cut alongside the square and through the insulation.
- 4
  Press the cut piece of insulation into the wall cavity between the two studs. Position it so the paper side is facing out.
- 5
  Attach the piece by shooting staples with a stapler through the strips of paper that run along the sides of the insulation, into the edges of the studs. Shoot more staples up and down the edges, along the sides of the studs, near the front edge. Put about one staple per foot onto both studs.
- 6
  Repeat the process for each space between each set of studs. Cover the whole wall with insulation. Your drywall will install directly over the insulation.

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