Replies

1. 
   SawdustSteve | Oct 13, 2003 09:58pm | #1

   Rick       Since you're planning on moving soon, that leaves out installing a door-in-a-door for entry/exit to the shop.  You may want to cut strips of foam insulation and attach them to the door sections.  You should be able to cut the strips as wide as the door segments.  Attach them on the inside of the door with each section butting against the previous one.  You will have to leave some room for the door locking mechanism.  Roofing nails for thinner stock and batten and screws for thicker foam board.  Not a lot of expense and it will work.  Sorry, there's nothing you can do about heat loss when you have to open the doors.  Don't forget to have a rubber sweep at the bottom of the door.  It seals out rain and wind.  It gets attached with roofing nails.  SawdustSteve   Long Island, NY

2. 
   Manchild | Oct 13, 2003 10:23pm | #2

   I plan on staying in my shop for a while so I took the plunge and had two insulated garage doors installed.

   They do make the resale of the house better also.

   They're the steel raised panel ones.

   Now to get some heat in there!

3. 
   Crunk | Oct 13, 2003 10:33pm | #3

   I'd probably just duct tape some fiberglass batts on the thing.

4. 
   BG | Oct 14, 2003 12:54am | #4

   Rickl,

   Don't know how your set up, but I'd consider buying the rigid 2" T&G end and build a wall that you could take with.  Either frame the insulation or tape it to the inside of the door....anyhow, something like that... 
1. 
   PlaneWood | Oct 14, 2003 01:06am | #5

   I did what Sawdust suggested.  I bought 3/4" x 4' x 8' foam at Lowe's (one side had silver coating) and put them in the door panels.  I doubled them up and made them about 1/2" wider than the openings for a forced fit.  No tape required.  My door is a metal one 20' wide x 7' tall.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

1. 
   Dan019 | Oct 14, 2003 10:41pm | #11

   I also did as Planewood and Sawdust suggested. It worked great. I no longer have to close off the shop from the rest of the house. The coal stove on the level below keeps the house and the shop warm in winter,it really cut down on the amount of coal I was burning also. I just copied the idea off a friends expensive steel insulated garage door. I used "J" channels for vinyl siding and cut the panels to fit. Worked greaat and didn't cost much either.

   Dan

2. 
   watkinsjd | Oct 14, 2003 11:18pm | #12

   Being in Katy, in the Great Republic of Texas, your objective must have been to keep the heat out.

1. 
   PlaneWood | Oct 15, 2003 08:00am | #13

   10-4!

   Last winter was a cold one though.  I had to use two 5 gallon cans of propane!

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

2. 
   Jeff | Oct 14, 2003 01:09am | #6

   BG

   I like the T&G 2 in foam idea, but I would do something a little different.

   I would put the rigid foam panals up and down, wedging them between the concrete floor and the top framing on the outside of the garage door.

   My door opens up on a track, and most do.

   This way you can open the door without removing the foam, leaving a small opening to go thru. keep a seperate loose panal to fill in this opening.  Maybe velcro to hold it in place before you close the door.

   I'm planning on closing off my garage door this way for the winter, and only open it to bring in or out large materials once and a while.

   You can even caulk the edges as necessary, except for the small opening.

   Jeff

1. 
   BG | Oct 14, 2003 02:23am | #8

   Jeff,

   Out in the Midwest (IN) they used the ridig insulation instead of 3/4 ply sheathing.  That along with 3.5 fiberglass insultation between the studs provided about R25 in the walls.  Anyhow, you could frame the whole thing and put a frame around a real door..making it collaspable (like a screen) for storage in the summer.

5. 
   Pierre42g | Oct 14, 2003 01:57am | #7

   Last year, I insulated my shop's garage door with foam board, I applied foam board adhesive LEPAGE PL300 (300 ml cartridge) on each sections, you must keep pressure on each sections for about eight minutes, be sure that the temperature is at least 15 degrees celcius in the shop before installation and for one day after. You'll need about seven cartridges, good luck!

   Peter

6. 
   Upraiser | Oct 14, 2003 02:45am | #9

   Rick

   I have found that a single, or double is even better, layer of 4-6 mill polyethelene sheet will provide pretty good insulation for a shop door.

   I have used it on a metal overhead door in the past and found that it works quite well.  I still use it between some areas of my shop that is not heated. It is 2-3 layers thick and cut in 2'-3' wide strips that I can walk through with only a little bother.  This type of door is commonly used in big industrial buildings when lift trucks etc. must have quick and easy access, they use 3-4" wide strips.

   In case you wonder.  I live in an area that will get several notches below ZERO on a regular basis, consistently in the teens at night.  Is is the best, of course not, but it will provide about as much insulation as the 3/4" stryofoam, it will also seal in the drafts that are typical to the OHD.

   I simple tacked in on wall above the door when it is semi perminant.

   I used spring clamps when it is not. Mine is metal door and stuffed it in and around the sides. It simply goes up when the door needs to open. (I did add R-Max 1.5" later.)  If they predict sub zero, I will add the sheet of plastic. Too much metal frame that is uninsulated.

   Its about as cheep as you can get and it will work quite well. If you can leave it in place, much better.

   Curt

1. 
   RickL750 | Oct 14, 2003 03:13pm | #10

   Hi guys,

   Thanks for all your suggestions. I think I’m going with the rigid insulation cut the with of the door (8ft) and height of the panels and over that a single sheet of 4ml Polyethylene sheeting to prevent drafts between seems. On the inside I’ll be using two moving blankets hanging from an aluminum rod and over lapping like a shower curtain to prevent the warm air from being sucked out every time I open the door. I think this should do the job.

    

   Thanks again for your help.

    

   Rick

   Edited 10/14/2003 12:07:36 PM ET by R!CKL