Insulating Basement Walls With Spray Foam
Written by Todd Fratzel. 
Spray Foam Insulation for Basement Walls
I’ve written quite a few posts on Insulating Basement Walls using rigid foam board insulation. In this article I’d like to share several other sites that discuss using spray foam insulation for basement walls. Spray foam insulation is in my opinion the best option for basement walls if you can afford it.
Evaluating Insulation Options
Fred over at One Project Closer is preparing to insulate his basement in preparation for a new finished family area. He has written all about his Basement Insulation Options including his selection of spray foam insulation.
Spray Foam Insulation Examples
Two of the house blogs that I read have both featured recent basement insulation projects that used spray foam. Shane over at Shane and Casey has been working on insulating his basement with spray foam. Shane is using a hybrid approach of 1-inch spray foam to seal things up followed by fiberglass insulation. He’s got some great photos and advice based on their experience. Over at groogsblog Greg recently had his basement insulated using spray foam as well. He’s got some great before and after photos and shares his experience with the process as well.
Spray Foam Insulation Cost Analysis
Finally I found some an interesting spray foam insulation cost analysis that Josh put together over at Bungalow Twenty-Three. He compares the price of spray foam to fiberglass insulation based on several contractor bids. If you’re trying to get a better understanding of the price comparison I suggest you read his article.
Photo Credit: Shane & Casey
Related posts:
- Basement Insulation | Spray Foam Installation Video
- Insulating Basement Walls
- Insulating A Basement With Cellulose
- Insulating A Finished Basement
- Insulating Cathedral Ceiling with Foam Board
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You should have shown Greg’s photos! I think he has to have at least another foot of height in his basement. But I definitely agree with you, spray foam insulation is wonderful. Good article for those who aren’t familiar with it.
[...] Spray Foam Insulation For Basements [...]
If you use spray foam insulation, do you just spray it directly on the concrete walls with no preparation? Any condensation or mold concerns?
You definitely just spray it directly on the concrete or block. You need to repair any large cracks prior to installation but that’s it. Foam actually locks out moisture and prevents warm moist air from hitting the cold concrete therefore preventing condensation.
Can it be sprayed on to damp walls or do they need to be dry for the foam to stick?
James – I think it really depends on the type of foam that’s being used. Some of the foams will work with no problem while others may experience some chemical limitations.
Is spray foam and polycel insulation the same? What is the R-value?
When you framed your walls, how far did you keep the studs from the foundation? It is hard to tell from Greg’s pics, but I would assume that you kept at least an inch so the spray foam could provide a barrier between the foundation and the studs. By the way, this site is great!!!
@ Peter – If you plan on using spray foam then it’s a good idea to leave an inch or two space for the exact reason you mentioned. Thanks for stopping by and enjoying the site.
I have a house that is around 90 years old. The brick seems to have cracks in some of joints, and was recently sprayed for mold after I had some work done. I am looking to frame a room up, and am curious what the best type of insulation would be, and if there is anything else I need to do to prepare the wall for this. As far as I can see there is not a major water issue it is just a very old basement.
Jerome – I suggest you read the following article that goes over the options.
http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/insulating-basement-walls/