# Help - insulate garage doors



## Dave_G (6 Sep 2009)

Hi,

Can anyone advise me if there is a suitable insulation material, suitable for insulating up and over garage doors.

Probably looking at a hitn foil faced and backed material - any suggestions?

Dave


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## oddsocks (6 Sep 2009)

Dave
I fitted 1" white poly insulation (from wickes) with no nails dabbed glue to mine about 4 years ago and they are still attached and do the job well. Anything heavier and the doors may not stay in the up position - I had intended to cover with hardboard but it was too heavy and awkward.

You will have to assess the fire hazard, I was happy to use this in my doubled garage and have a fire extinguisher on the wall between the doors (that was fitted some time before i chose to insulate).

Dave


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## matt (6 Sep 2009)

I keep meaning to cover my metal up-and-over with the foil covered bubble wrap having seen another forum member having done the same and found it successful.

I want it as much to keep the heat out in the summer as the heat in in the winter!


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## BigShot (6 Sep 2009)

There are a few foil membrane type insulation products out there.

One is a foil bubble wrap as Matt mentioned.

Others are known as "Tri Iso"... Tri Iso Super 10 is the standard these days, but you might be able to get some Super 9 (no longer used so much in things like loft conversions thanks to changing regs) for a bit cheaper.

There's another called Thinsulex made by Web Dynamics which is similar.

Advantages of any of the above are flexibility (dunno if your garage door is a single piece up and over or a segmented one).

Also, it'd be quite easy to cut small openings in it to allow you to get to the door hardware from the inside.



EDIT
Another option is one some people use when they are making their own camper vans from commercial vehicles...
Expanding foam spread onto the door and allowed to expand would also give a reasonable level of insulation.

A bit of time taken to box in things like the door handle, cables and the likes would leave everything working as it should and easy to access.


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## Dave_G (6 Sep 2009)

Thanks for the replies.

I think the foil type membrane insulation looks just the job. The garage door is a single piece up and over.

Thanks,

Dave


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## dexter (6 Sep 2009)

I managed to fit 25mm Kingspan between the struts and braces of my up and over door and covered any joint with duct tape. Works a treat and also very good for sound insulation.

Dex


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## BigShot (7 Sep 2009)

That's a good point actually...
If you want to give any consideration to sound insulation, a PU foam board like Kingspan or Celotex would be MUCH better than foil insulation.


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## Dave_G (7 Sep 2009)

I don't need to consider sound insulation, so I will likely go for a foil based insulation.

I also need to deal with a 25 mm gap that runs right across the top width of the double doors - any suggestions on how to 'draft exclude' this gap?

Dave


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## BigShot (7 Sep 2009)

Are you saying there's a gap between the top of the door and the door frame?

If so the kind of rubber footing you get on the bottom of many garage doors might do the job. I can't suggest anywhere to look for that though, not my area.

Another approach would be to put some kind of slammer across the top so when the door closes it covers the gap - that'd probably need to go on the outside though.


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## Dave_G (7 Sep 2009)

Yes there is a gap between the top of the door and the door frame.

A heavy gauge rubber would be ideal - may be someone can advise me on where I can buy this?

Dave


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