# Best covering for foam insulation on garage door



## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

Hey everyone,

In my new workshop (aka the garage), the previous homeowner had insulated all the walls but skimped on a cheap-o single ply metal garage door. In Texas it hit 130 degrees according to my infrared temp gun. So after youtubing, I went ahead and did 1.5" rigid foam board in all the cavities, and boy! a 20-25 degree difference. But, now I have a lovely pink wall because I used the pink panther Owens Corning board.

I was thinking about pop-riviting cover panels to the back sides of all the cavities, sort of as a third layer but was trying to think of what would be both cost effective and durable. A sheet good like fiber board might work but does anyone have any alternative ideas (cheap flat plastic sheeting, for example) that would look a little more finished and maybe be paintable?

Thanks!
Mathguy1981


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Mathguy, I lived in TX for many many years, my house here in Maryland has the garage pointed due east into the rising sun. I did my door years ago and used a foil covered board, so I do not have a pink wall. Anything you add to the door will affect the weight and your lifting mechanism. I cut my panels to fit snug and then used expanding poly foam for voids I could not get into, as well as securing the panels, i figured under 10# of added load. I'm on my third tension spring in 17 years, albeit it is the primary entry used by all but I would advise to avoid adding a lot of weight without getting a door CO. to take a look at your springs. One thing I learned and now do regularly is to lubricate the spring every month with a silicone lubricant. Maybe see if it will take paint without dissolving…


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## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

> One thing I learned and now do regularly is to lubricate the spring every month with a silicone lubricant. Maybe see if it will take paint without dissolving…
> 
> - ChefHDAN


Thanks Chef I will absolutely make sure they are lubricated! I was looking at a this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Coroplast-48-in-x-96-in-x-0-157-in-White-Corrugated-Plastic-Sheet-CP4896S/205351385
It's basically plastic cardboard, but I don't know how well it will hold up. Certainly light.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Yeah, that looks good and could just be glued on. Check the PV glues in caulk tubes, there is one specifically for adhering to rigid foam panels, don't just pick any one because it'll melt the foam right off the door.


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## bndawgs (Oct 21, 2016)

> Yeah, that looks good and could just be glued on. Check the PV glues in caulk tubes, there is one specifically for adhering to rigid foam panels, don t just pick any one because it ll melt the foam right off the door.
> 
> - ChefHDAN


Dan, how much of a difference did the foam make would you say? I'm in Northern Va with my garage facing south so it basically gets sun all day long


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Hey Steve howdy neighbor I'm in NOVA often @ 50 & Gallows. 
The change was night and day, I have two of my kids bedrooms above the garage and they were also cooler. Not great, because I know this builder did not do a great job insulating, (neighbor had a FLIR cam), but certainly improved for the summer heat and the winter cold.

In the winter I use a 1500w oil filler radiator and a small fan to heat the space to a workable temperature in about 30 minutes, and within an hour I only need the insulated bib's and a t shirt. That concrete floor though gets the feet might cold after awhile.

I used this product, but it was just a clear foil, the 1" poly board was only about 25% of the weight of the rigid pink & green boards. I think in the center of the door I had to drop the locking mech. but everything was a cut to snug fit and expando foam for the inner metal bracing pieces


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

> Hey Steve howdy neighbor I m in NOVA often @ 50 & Gallows.
> The change was night and day, I have two of my kids bedrooms above the garage and they were also cooler. Not great, because I know this builder did not do a great job insulating, (neighbor had a FLIR cam), but certainly improved for the summer heat and the winter cold.
> 
> In the winter I use a 1500w oil filler radiator and a small fan to heat the space to a workable temperature in about 30 minutes, and within an hour I only need the insulated bib s and a t shirt. That concrete floor though gets the feet might cold after awhile.
> ...


I was in The Woodlands until I smartened up and got the hell out of Texas. But this is exactly what I used. It is VERY lightweight and will not affect your opener performance. It made a difference for heat as well as dampened the garage for noise.


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

One more thing, if you point yourself north and west you will hit 287. Stay on 287 until you hit I-25. Go north until you see something pretty. Don't go back.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

I'd go back to TX in a second, the east coast & DC BS get's on my last nerve almost daily. MD is nice for color & seasons and all but I can't go anywhere that is pretty that gets more than a few inches of snow a year…LOL


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## bndawgs (Oct 21, 2016)

Thanks for the link and the pics Dan. I used to have to drive over to Merrifield for awhile, but I'm now able to work out of a closer office to me.

I think I'm going to look into doing this. I just got new openers that are a little bit heavier duty than the builder grade ones, so they should be able to handle the little bit of extra weight. My bedroom is above the garage and you're right about no insulation above the garage.


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

Chef - you are right. MD is pretty awful. The coldest I have been in my life was February in Baltimore. But there are a lot better places to go!

Steve - I also insulated above my garage when I moved in. That helps quite a bit as well. I added a vent fan to the garage and to the attic above the garage, that made a 10-20 degree difference in the hottest months.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

The foil is a good idea. Shiny surfaces don't only reflect heat they also don't emit as much IR so less of the heat that does make it through the insulation will be radiated into the garage. You can demonstrate this phenomenon by pointing an IR thermometer at the shinier metal parts of your garage door when when the sun is beating down on it and then point the termometer at a spot of metal on the door that has a matte finish.

I used some styrofoam panels pre-cut to fit into the garage door over 20 years ago. It came with a thin plastic/paper sheet on the "show" side. I noticed the other day that Lowes still carries the same stuff but it may be more expensive than what you used.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

> I think I m going to look into doing this. I just got new openers that are a little bit heavier duty than the builder grade ones, so they should be able to handle the little bit of extra weight.
> - Steve


It's not the openers as much as it's the tension springs that counterbalance the weight of the door. I used the 1" poly foam because it was so much lighter than the green & pink rigid ones.

Good Luck


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

FRP panels.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-ft-x-8-ft-White-090-FRP-Wall-Board-MFTF12IXA480009600/100389836?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-203555913-_-100389836-_-N


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## Peteybadboy (Jan 23, 2013)

foil, and you will like the reflective light in the room.


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## mathguy1981 (Aug 30, 2018)

Thanks everyone. I did end up going to FRP panels. Don't have them installed yet, but soon.


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