# Insulating the Garage Door for cheap (ish)



## thetyreman (7 Jan 2020)

I want to try insulating the garage door, was thinking of getting some thermawrap like this :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003PB90C0/ ... _lig_dp_it

anyone had experience with it doing something similar? I don't want to spend too much just something that makes if feel more comfortable through the winter months.

p.s are there better ways of doing this I might have overlooked?


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## Chris152 (7 Jan 2020)

I used the same self-adhesive stuff I lined the inside of my van with - 
https://www.harrisonstrimsupplies.co.uk ... -per-metre
good for both heat and sound insulation, and sticks really well to metal/ contours - I did mine a few years ago and absolutely no sign of it coming off and it looks like it belongs to the door, rather than being attached to it after.


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## Rorschach (7 Jan 2020)

Thin "insulation" like that is almost useless, the money you spend on it and fitting will never repay itself. You need something with some thickness to it such as 25mm celotex type insulation.

If you don't have some way to draught proof the edges of the door though then don't even think about insulation until you have done that.


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## MikeG. (7 Jan 2020)

Seven mm thick. "Ah, great", thinks most people...... but the installation instructions call for an air gap behind it. *Without an airgap, it has zero thermal insulating properties. *

So, you'll need to batten out your door (is that even possible?), and then fix your ThermaWrap to that. Then, it's a pretty vulnerable fabric, so you'd probably want to put something over the top of that.....maybe 9mm OSB. You're up over 40mm already in thickness of build-up. Wouldn't it just be simpler to use 40mm of Celotex?


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## Chris152 (7 Jan 2020)

Presumably we're talking about short-term holding in of warmth, a bit like closing the curtains on a large set of patio windows on a cold night, rather than a constant solution to loss of warmth from a house? Blocking all the gaps around the door clearly makes sense - I had gaps between the frame and the wall and between the door and the floor and getting rid of those (expanding foam, brushes to top and sides and strip along the bottom of the door) made a big difference to how comfy it was to work in there.


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## FatmanG (7 Jan 2020)

Ben the Gosforth handyman on poo tube did it it may be worthwhile having a look mate. Get a decent heater


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## thetyreman (7 Jan 2020)

cheers I will look at draught proofing it as well, the edges need to be sorted out there's a gap at the top and the top of the door doesn't touch the top of door frame as well as it should probably a few mm air gap, so I take it celotex would be a better solution then? for the door on top of the metal.


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## --Tom-- (7 Jan 2020)

How often are you going to need to use the door for access? If infrequent a stud wall made to be quick to take down and put back may be the best way.


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## Doingupthehouse (7 Jan 2020)

Hi,

I've insulated my doors with bubble insulation. As Mike says, it needs an air gap around it. I made a simple frame, allowing for about an inch gap either side.








I then skinned the frame with hardboard both sides to keep the weight down (I'd use 1/2 in ply or OSB if I did it again). The frame was fixed to the blockwork around the door using M10 studs and wingnuts. This allows me to remove the panel single-handedly in a couple of minutes. It has some draught excluder on the back and I added a couple of instrument case straps for easier handling.




The main reason for doing mine was to keep the heat down as the doors face south. It's worked fantastically well.







It worked so well, I did my whole ceiling with it, again leaving an air gap. Pleased as punch, it's now a comfortable place to work and I no longer have any issues with rust.







I'm lucky, as I get zero water ingress under my doors, so didn't need to do anything to waterproof them. The whole job (doors) only took a few hours and was meant to be temporary, but it's worked so well I'm going to leave it in place.

Apologies for upside -down pics, they're correct if you click on them.

Simon


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## thetyreman (7 Jan 2020)

--Tom--":3cohntl1 said:


> How often are you going to need to use the door for access? If infrequent a stud wall made to be quick to take down and put back may be the best way.



I wouldn't be able to do that sadly, the door is used very frequently.


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## thetyreman (7 Jan 2020)

FatmanG":1sesd3aq said:


> Ben the Gosforth handyman on poo tube did it it may be worthwhile having a look mate. Get a decent heater



hi I'll have a look at his video, already got a heater, the issue is heat leaking out or not staying in, it doesn't take much for the heat to escape.


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## SMALMALEKI (25 Feb 2021)

Hi there 

following advice from this thread I applied some thermawrap to my garage door yesterday. I also installed a threshold garage door drought proofing sheet.
this morning I noticed there is very huge pressure behind the Thermawrap sheets.
further inspections revealed gaps in the door profile which practically has made it like a sieve. How do I fill these in?

I appreciate any advice from the forum.


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## Jelly (25 Feb 2021)

thetyreman said:


> I want to try insulating the garage door, was thinking of getting some thermawrap like this :
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003PB90C0/ ... _lig_dp_it
> 
> ...


I have done it as a temporary measure whilst sorting out a replacement door.

It's proved very effective (I've been tracking temperatures and energy consumption as I worked through insulating the garage), and I'm extremely impressed with the product.

In my experience however, it's important you also get a good draught seal, on the door or you won't feel the benefit of the insulation during any windy days.


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## Jelly (25 Feb 2021)

SMALMALEKI said:


> Hi there
> 
> following advice from this thread I applied some thermawrap to my garage door yesterday. I also installed a threshold garage door drought proofing sheet.
> this morning I noticed there is very huge pressure behind the Thermawrap sheets.
> ...




I had this issue, and just used duct-tape... 

If you're looking for a permanent solution then it's likely going to be easier to replace the door than to seal those gaps in a manner which isn't a hideously ugly cludge of a job (expanding foam for instance), because the design was never intended to seal fully there.


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## SMALMALEKI (25 Feb 2021)

Jelly said:


> I had this issue, and just used duct-tape...
> 
> If you're looking for a permanent solution then it's likely going to be easier to replace the door than to seal those gaps in a manner which isn't a hideously ugly cludge of a job (expanding foam for instance), because the design was never intended to seal fully there.


Thank you for your reply. You are right the design is not intended to be airtight. 
I was thinking of filling the gaps from outside with white PVC filler and pinto g the door over it. They can be sanded and painted. But have never done it on a gap like this.
Do you think it will hold or just drop off after a while?
Regards


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## SMALMALEKI (25 Feb 2021)

Jelly said:


> I have done it as a temporary measure whilst sorting out a replacement door.
> 
> It's proved very effective (I've been tracking temperatures and energy consumption as I worked through insulating the garage), and I'm extremely impressed with the product.
> 
> In my experience however, it's important you also get a good draught seal, on the door or you won't feel the benefit of the insulation during any windy days.


Hi Jelly 

I have fully covered the gaps between door and the garage floor. And overall it feels very good. The problem I have is that wind is blowing in and lifting the Thermawrap. I was thinking to cover the back with some hardboard 3 mm screwed to the door. 
just don’t want to cover it and then find out it’s failed inside.
Regards


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## thetyreman (25 Feb 2021)

Jelly said:


> I have done it as a temporary measure whilst sorting out a replacement door.
> 
> It's proved very effective (I've been tracking temperatures and energy consumption as I worked through insulating the garage), and I'm extremely impressed with the product.
> 
> In my experience however, it's important you also get a good draught seal, on the door or you won't feel the benefit of the insulation during any windy days.



agree since adding it to the garage door it's undoubtedly made a big difference, good bang for the buck, I need to get on with improving the door frame though, it's a job that'd be better left for summer time and warmer weather, the frame was not made for the modern garage metal door, it was made to hold wooden doors originally hence the gaps.


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