How to Install Rigid Foam Insulations in the Attic Ceiling

An uninsulated attic ceiling can cause your heating and cooling bills to spike during hot summers and cold winters. Adding insulation will moderate extremes in temperatures in the attic and keep your home more comfortable. One method of improving the insulating value of your attic ceiling is to add rigid foam insulation panels to the attic ceiling. The panels are light, and easy to trim to size and install, so this is a good job for the do-it-yourself home owner.

Tape measure
Utility knife
Straightedge
Construction adhesive
Caulk gun
Vinyl tape
Acrylic caulk

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the distance between the inside edges of your attic rafter boards. This spacing should be consistent throughout the attic ceiling, with the possible exception of the rafters at either end of the attic ceiling.
- 2
  Measure and cut a 3-foot long strip of rigid foam insulation that's as wide as the distance measured in the first step. Make your cut with a utility knife, guided by a straightedge.
- 3
  Apply construction adhesive to the back side of the panel and place it between the rafters at the low side of the attic ceiling. Hold the panel until it is firmly attached.
- 4
  Cut and apply panels until you've covered the space between the rafters all the way to the crown of the ceiling. Note that the length of your last piece will need to be measured to ensure that it fits.
- 5
  Continue cutting and applying panel pieces until all the exposed ceiling board is covered.
- 6
  Place vinyl tape over the seams between the pieces of foam panel.
- 7
  Apply a bead of caulk along the edges of the foam panels to fill any space between the panels and the ceiling rafters.

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