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pa_of_6
12-28-2017, 09:17 PM
Roxul or fiberglass pink.
Gotta insulate my barn and wondering which I should use...and where to get it cheap.

Thanks in advance

owlhoot
12-28-2017, 09:29 PM
I looked into Roxul once, they stated they where rodent resistant but had no proof only that there were no reported cases of mouse infestation.

skoalzie
12-28-2017, 09:31 PM
Will it be getting covered with any tin or plywood? How old is the barn? Worried about fires at all from tools or anything else? Roxul will be better for fire.... what is the spacing of the studs? Roxul is great but it's a real pain to cut.


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wildbill
12-28-2017, 09:45 PM
Roxul or fiberglass pink.
Gotta insulate my barn and wondering which I should use...and where to get it cheap.

Thanks in advance

I've been doing industrial insulating and cladding for 18 yrs, anytime I have encountered mouse infestations it has always been fiberglass, and I have seen some, that still make me gag to this day, they love that stuff as do pack rats, if you are living rurally which I assume you are as you said you were insulating your barn, it would be a no brainer if I was in your shoes, I can't seem to ever recall seeing signs of vermin in mineral wool (roxul), hope that helps:)

wildbill
12-28-2017, 09:52 PM
Will it be getting covered with any tin or plywood? How old is the barn? Worried about fires at all from tools or anything else? Roxul will be better for fire.... what is the spacing of the studs? Roxul is great but it's a real pain to cut.


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its easy to work with, get a sharp serrated knife, straight edge at tape and go.....anyone has actually worked with the stuff knows this.

skoalzie
12-28-2017, 10:04 PM
its easy to work with, get a sharp serrated knife, straight edge at tape and go.....anyone has actually worked with the stuff knows this.



Absolutely I agree with you that it can be done properly but lots of people get "lazy" and eyeball it and this is when roxul becomes the issue.

Are the studs 2x4 or 2x6?


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CaberTosser
12-28-2017, 10:07 PM
I've insulated two homes with roxul and find it way better than fibreglass. It is vastly less itchy but I also find it much easier to cut. It also retains shape and its bulk better. Being a bit more dense/heavier I think it is probably superior in terms of acoustic muffling too.

I guess someone who can't measure and cut accurately might prefer fibreglass as it can be cut slightly big and compressed in to fit, but Roxul doesn't compress as easily so one simply has to be more accurate with it.

pa_of_6
12-28-2017, 10:16 PM
It will be covered with tin on the inside and wood/tin on exterior walls

2x4 and 2x6 studs

Vapor barrier on the warm side.

mediumrare
12-29-2017, 04:47 AM
Roxul.dries out better too if it happens to get wet.whereas pink is like wet toast.

wildbill
12-29-2017, 12:47 PM
I've insulated two homes with roxul and find it way better than fibreglass. It is vastly less itchy but I also find it much easier to cut. It also retains shape and its bulk better. Being a bit more dense/heavier I think it is probably superior in terms of acoustic muffling too.

I guess someone who can't measure and cut accurately might prefer fibreglass as it can be cut slightly big and compressed in to fit, but Roxul doesn't compress as easily so one simply has to be more accurate with it.

Not trying to be a smart ass ( because I’d actually have to be smart) but when you compress insulation it totally defeats the purpose of what it is and will loose its R value and is not very good work practice,if you squish lets say 4” to 1” it ain’t gonna insulate worth a fiddlers fart. And yes it is a better acoustic insulation. They only time customers use fibre glass is to keep costs down, wether it be piping, vessels, tanks, ducting, buildings etc. As far as I’m concerned fibreglass is garbage. And one last thing, mineral fibre is water resistant as well.

Gray Wolf
12-29-2017, 03:32 PM
Roxul or fiberglass pink.
Gotta insulate my barn and wondering which I should use...and where to get it cheap.

Thanks in advance

Professor Google says - https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&ei=VcFGWp65Ec7kjwPc24bwCw&q=roxul+vs+fiberglass&oq=roxul+v&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l10.1637.6206.0.9733.8.6.0.1.1.0.93.448.6. 6.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.7.452.0..46j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i46k1.0.NDo2E3r e1PE

Another vote for Roxul :happy0034:
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Rock&Ice
12-29-2017, 03:38 PM
I literally just did a ceiling on a cold room below our sun room. I found lots of mouse evidence in the old fiberglass. I found the Roxul super easy to work with and can absolutely say the accoustic property is there. I'm no install expert but this fit perfectly in between joists. I will be using it going forward. I did a double layer (thick then thin) so there is no space between the floor and drywall.

calgarychef
12-29-2017, 03:58 PM
Roxul here too.

coastalhunter
12-29-2017, 04:27 PM
Roxul hands down. All we use at work.

Night hawk
12-29-2017, 09:02 PM
Ok I'm sold on the roxul for walls but is it acceptable for increasing the R value in the attic over top of the existing fibreglass stuff ?

mmhmmmm
12-29-2017, 10:36 PM
Hey, I am a residential general contractor and have dealt with both kinds of insulation many many times. I would tell you to price them both out, and if the roxull is going to cost much more I wouldn’t bother. Unless sound is a worry for you. But otherwise I don’t think it’s worth the different in this application. As for your attic I would say the same thing. Might be best to just have someone blow more insulation in the attic for you. Up there the most important thing you can look for is proper ventilation.


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crazy_davey
12-29-2017, 11:31 PM
What R value should a guy purchase for a shop/barn? Just wondering how high to go and still be somewhat cost effective?

Is Roxul quite a bit more expensive?

coastalhunter
12-30-2017, 07:17 AM
Is flame retardant important?

skoalzie
12-30-2017, 08:57 AM
Ok I'm sold on the roxul for walls but is it acceptable for increasing the R value in the attic over top of the existing fibreglass stuff ?



As stated before as soon as you compress fibreglass you decrease the r value. Roxul is fairly heavy and dense and would compress the blow in.

If the ceiling is completely batted it will not compress as much so then it will help. Just make sure in either situation you don't block off airflow


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John d
01-04-2018, 09:34 PM
Roxul here Too better for sound as well

KinAlberta
01-05-2018, 01:45 PM
Convection is a problem with fibreglass. Apparently the colder it gets the worse its performance. Anyone know how mineral wool performs?

KinAlberta
01-05-2018, 05:11 PM
As stated before as soon as you compress fibreglass you decrease the r value. Roxul is fairly heavy and dense and would compress the blow in.

If the ceiling is completely batted it will not compress as much so then it will help. Just make sure in either situation you don't block off airflow


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Per my last comment (above), fibreglass allows for a lot of convection (blown in, not sure about batts) but one site I saw said bliwnin fibreglass can be topped off with another insulation. So I’m guessing that even with compression, performance might still improve.

BTW, after completing some renos in the early 2000s, we had our house really topped up with blown in fibreglass. Naturally it was just months after that that I picked up a Fine Homdbuilding magazine and read about ‘fibreglass’s dirty little secret’. :-( That is; the more you need it, the worse it is. Maybe someday I’ll top our fluff with some cellulose or mineral wool or something.



Here’s a rebuttal. So I may be wrong or behind the times. However, why aren’t there definitive studies and results on all this by now? For example the quote below uses 1992 dollars! What the heck is that about?

More info at the link:


Loose Fill Insulation Performance and Convection

. In addition, further analysis showed two things – first when loose-fill insulation is installed at the proper density the R-value does not decrease (in fact, the R-value increases at lower temperature) and even in the case where the insulation is not installed properly, the increased heat loss for a typical attic is fairly small.[1] Researchers estimate that even at the lighter/improper density the added heating cost for a home in the northern United States would only be $20 (1992 dollars) per year. ...”

http://information.insulationinstitute.org/blog/loose-fill-insulation-performance-and-convection/