How to Insulate a Field & Stone Foundation

Fieldstone foundation walls requires monitoring on a regular basis. This helps ensure large cracks between the mortar and field stone are addressed quickly before they become big problems. One way to help protect your field stone foundation, and save some money on energy costs, is to insulate the interior wall. Insulating a fieldstone foundation is much like insulating any other type of crawl space foundation wall. Check with a local building inspector for the proper R-value of insulation for the foundation walls for your climate zone. Building supply houses and home improvement centers carry batt insulation and plastic sheeting to complete the project.

Spray foam insulation
Furring strips
Handsaw or circular saw
Tape measure
Batt insulation
Utility knife
Hammer
Finishing nails
6-mil plastic sheeting
Staple gun with staples
2-by-4-inch boards (8 foot long)

Instructions

- 1
  Go into the crawl space and look for light coming through the fieldstone foundation walls. Apply spray foam insulation into all cracks, crevices and holes where light shines through the foundation wall.
- 2
  Cut furring strips to 24 inches with a hand saw or circular saw. Measure the height of the fieldstone foundation walls from the ground to the mud sill with a tape measure. The mud sill plate is the board running along the top of the foundation wall under the house. Add 24 inches to the measurement.
- 3
  Unroll the batt insulation and cut it to the measurement with a utility knife. Place one end of the insulation onto the top of the mud sill, with the paper backing side against the fieldstone foundation wall. Place a furring strips over the end of the insulation and nail it into the mud sill with finishing nails and a hammer. Push the bottom of the insulation against the foundation with the remaining 24 inches draping across the ground.
- 4
  Continue measuring, cutting and installing the insulation in the same manner around the entire fieldstone foundation. Once you install all of the insulation, cut strips of 6-mil plastic sheeting in the same manner as you did the insulation. Staple one end of the plastic to the furring strips with a staple gun.
- 5
  Lay 8-foot lengths of 2-by-4-inch boards across the plastic and insulation where the foundation wall meets the ground. Cut lengths of board as necessary to fit along the entire length of each foundation wall.

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