Proper Installation of Fiberglass Insulation

If you're building or remodeling a home and you're at the stage where the exterior walls are open to studs, this is the time to insulate. Insulation, installed in the spaces between the wall studs, prevents air movement through the walls, making both heating and cooling more efficient. The fiberglass insulation strips are made to fit snugly between standard wall studs. Installation isn't complicated, but it is important that you do it right for maximum effectiveness.

Tape measure
Level
Razor knife
Paper-backed insulation
Electric stapler

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the height of one of the wall cavities (the inset areas between the open studs). It should be 8 feet or more.
- 2
  Lay a long strip of insulation on the floor, putting the paper side up.
- 3
  Lay a tape measure alongside the insulation piece to the reading you took from the wall. Lay a level across the insulation at that measurement and cut it with a razor knife.
- 4
  Hold the cut insulation against the wall, tucking it between the first two studs. It should fill the space there, with the paper side facing out at you.
- 5
  Secure the fiberglass to the sides of the studs with an electric stapler. Drive in the staples every 12 to 18 inches, near the front-facing edges of the studs.
- 6
  Repeat the process to fill the spaces between each set of studs. The wall can now be drywalled.

How to Apply Joint Compound

Paneling Vs. Drywall

Wall Repairs