I have been in pest control for years now. I can not tell you how many thousands of dollars I have made from removing soiled insulation. I have done $20k cleanouts. This does make perfect sense. You are the only guy that has made the perfect video on this subject. I will be sharing this many times. Thank you.
Do you have any tips for when ripping strips? I was going to order a 48*125 ft roll, and then will need to rip strips for between joists under cabin just like you did. Looking for any time saver techniques.
@@michaelmorrison197 I just did this. I used a tape measure and painters tape. I measured 16 inches and wrapped the tape around that mark. I then used a long blade to cut around the edge of the painters tape. If you measure carefully you should be able to cut your 48in roll into 3 perfect 16in rolls.
Oh thank You so much! I am building the shed and was just looking for the answer of what to use in Alaska! So it sounds like skirting and that bubble foil! Can I get this at lowes? Home depot? And I love that cross bracing I was going to block straight across but that looks so much better and it looks like a work of art!
I use this in 36" x 20' roll when I'm hiking for a bed roll/pillow. Light, easy to use & easy to clean. Rolls up in seconds and if I have to I can use as a signal. Also great for reflecting radiant fire pit heat.
I’m 81 years old and in the process of building a 15 x 30 shed for my daughter up here in Idaho mountain country. I saw this video years ago when the boss first produced it. I just remembered the bubble wrap segment and decided to revisit it. So so glad I did it. I almost was going to Home Depot and get CLEAR bubble wrap. Had I not visited my dear old friend the boss, I would not have thought to use “FOIL Bubble wrap”. Thanks again boss for all your amazing videos. You and your dear wife are one of a kind.❤ Footnote: Boss, as you know, the Lord said he’s building us a home in Heaven. I believe he’s going to use you as one of his lead foreman…. Might even ask for your advice, along with your missus, especially in the garden ❤❤♥️.
A lot of people that want to move from an urban environment to a more rural location have no idea what a problem field mice, rats and the like can and will be. Very nice and helpful video.
I learned that myself about 25 years ago. I find using bate boxes all around that outside of my home works well. Nothing else did. I love Contact Blox.
Too true - I'm in a mountainish place for five months now from the suburbs, and already had a small red squirrel dig his way through my soffits into the attic. I might try the bubble-foil to block them !
Did this to my old hunting cabin. I made a huge difference. I added two layers, one with a 1 inch air gap under the floor boards, the other layer over the floor joists. Highly recommended
In 1990 I did put it between the central heating radiator and the single window glass. In heavy freezing weather the glass frooze behind the hot radiator which stood a few centimeters away from the window! This insulation works perfect! Greetings from the Netherlands.
I completely wrapped my well house with bubble foil including the roof, sealed the seams with foil tape and made it airtight. The well house is in the 50s even when the outside temperature is well below freezing. Great stuff! It may even shield from an EMP or solar flare.
I renovated a Spartan travel trailer and mice had stripped every bit of insulation out of the inside and balled it up in the floor. I spray foamed the floor, walls, and roof then went back with this foil insulation as extra insulation in the roof. The thing was an oven before, now it’s comfortable most summer days with only natural ventilation. A single electric radiator heater keeps it warm in the Kentucky winter.
I have the same issue with cold and rodents. Also am in the woods. So this video is timely bit of advice since my finished shed will be delivered in 2 weeks. THANKS and know you have and are a blessing to me on this journey God has me on since retirement..
I agree with you. R value calculations don't take into account the transfer of air mass. You can have a high R value but if the building is not "tight" it won't do any good. You proved that with the skirting. I'm an Engineer BTW, and I've built a few camps myself, and a few few houses and some barns. I'm 69 and still building stuff.
Another hint about rodents. I put 8” metal flashing along the bottom edge of my mobile home skirting and it worked wonders for keeping the pack rats out. They did not seem to figure out that they could chew through just above the flashing. Believe me, we had endless packrats where I lived and this did work.
I just put in a brand new raised floor in my barn's tack room. We put in this bubble foil before the plywood subfloor just like you said and it went in like a dream. Cut perfectly as well. I'm probably going to use this stuff in some of the walls as well before I close them up. I'm really looking forward to trying it out this winter. Thank you so much for your tips!
You could use aluminum flashing to keep critters out and stick eps foam in between the flashing and floor to give you good insulation. People who build tiny homes do this to keep critters out as well
As always excellent video. The bubble wrap here in Texas is called reflective. I live in an extended cargo van. My floor ceiling, doors and walls are all insulated with reflectics. Of course I have board insulation on the walls and ceiling. It definitely makes a big difference.My first winter in my van was miserably cold. This is my third winter now and it’s so much nicer. Still living in a can but with a little propane stove going every hour or so 10 minutes it’s heated up nice and cozy. I’m looking to buy a small bus and reflectics will be in there too. Thanks for the excellent information
Common use for that stuff is in Pop up campers and TTs. for the windows. I used it when camping at Lake Mead late spring early summer where the sun angles in at the camper windows in the morning and afternoon I mean like 100 degs easy. I just mount up the foil panels and presto instant temp reduction. It works !
Nice job Buddy! I glued this product to camper shell ceiling just so my passenger didn't have to roast in the summers heat blast.... My Dog she loved it!
I don't know if I told you this before but my Grandfather use to grow mint herbs around the house and barn. He said rodents hate the smell. Now I never tried it but it just an old pioneer trick and with the extra, in the fall, he'd sprinkle the leftovers in the basement and root cellar to repel rodents. Love the video
That explains why both my grandfathers planted mint around the house when I was growing up xD Those suckers last for years. It's starting to produce less, so I might take a cutting and start over. It'd be neat to take some with me when my husband and I get a house.
I use it under the kitchen sink at our place in Maine. I just cut off a big piece and rest against the insides of the cabinet and makes a huge difference in keeping the pipes from getting cold. I also use it in front of the back door just as an extra barrier and you can tell the difference in fact I used a laser temp gun and it reads a few degrees warmer then the area without it. Its as good as you said it would be, nice tip, thanks again.
This is good stuff Boss, I worked in a machine shop one time and built a temperature controlled heat cabinet for drying small fresh painted aircraft part. I made it out of wood and this bubble wrap stuff. We heated it with only 3 heat lamp bulbs and we could maintain a consent 225 degrees inside with a few other little gadgets to help circulate the air. To say the least all the employees were pleased with my job of building something that would have cost the company $25,000 or more to order. So yea I rank this high on the list of excellent insulation. Good job using this on the cabin, you made the right choice.
Good suggestion. I am happy to see other commentors bring up the radiant barrier property of the foil. This probably is the most effective part of that product - especially when used with a dead air zone (1 inch or less) next to it. More heat can be lost through radiant heat loss than convection and conduction. I like using a radiant barrier along with fiberglass. Of course that requires a mouse proof installation. It is hard to State the R value of a radiant barrier product, because it provides an altogether different mode of heat retention. Consequently, I know one internet provider who radically overstates their R value. They lie, but the tremendous benefits are true - NASA has known this for decades.
Bingo Kelly. You have struck upon the major reason this works so well to insulate. Until I read your comment, it was going to be the comment I added to the thread of others. It's why he made the right decision to put the material right to the underside of the subfloor of his other cabin.
@paulaclark7989 I think a radient barrier would work really well in tandem with rock wool. I have never used it, but its reputed quality of holding warmth should hold the heat radiated into it. Most people think there must be open air space for the aluminum to reflect into, but it seems to me that if those air pockets are really small like the small pockets within fiberglass or rock wool, it would be excellent.
We built our floor in two sections, our cabin is 20ftx20ft we sheated the bottom with treated 1/2 inch plywood 2x6 joists with fiberglass insulation we flipped the floor over onto to foundation sheated it again with 1/2 inch plywood then laid 3/4 inch sub floor over that and built the cabin, that was 2001, no rodents in 22 years. What a warm building it will stay warm with the smallest fire. And very quiet inside. Love our little cabin.
THERMAL BREAK - LOL, I watched you video yesterday and awoke this morning thinking about it (mamma mia!), and it dawned on me !! Thermal Break! The reason why it works better sandwiched between the floor joists and the decking material is because it creates what is called a "thermal break" - or - you broke the "thermal bridge" isolating the cold floor joists, which is basically the same temperature as under the cabin, from traveling through the floor joists to the decking material, making it as cold as the joists. By installing spacers, as you pointed out, you gained dead air space creating another thermal break, but you also picked up another benefit. The tin foil material has a tremendous reflective quality, reflecting the heat back into the cabin... how cool! Love your videos!
Manufacturer literature advises leaving a 1" air gap. I don't know how that got over looked. This stuff works and of course it's so light to work with and easy to cut and staple. For R value properties alone it's probably not worth the premium but if depth is at a premium, or you want some vapor barrier effect with about no extra labor steps to do that in a 3rd step, it's really good.
I was about to insulate my yurt cabin floor with fiberglass batten and all I could see was a mouse hotel. I went online and found your video. What a great discovery. Your presentation is terrific. The only incorrect statement you made was that the ground inside your cabin is not frozen because of the heat from the freezer above. Not true. Your ground is not frozen because you have insulated the walls and floor above. The earth gives off about 40 degrees and your insulated area helps keep it from freezing. Also heat rises. The warm area above helps but does not through heat down.
I build Micro Houses and we use an aluminum foil used in radiant floors along with insulation. When installing the foil between the joist we install it with a swag, this forms a radius airspace which reflexes the heat back into the room, airspace is a must, works great. I find it is much easier to access the crawl space from inside the home eliminating rodent access to the crawlspace. Another benefit is we also install floor storage bins for room temp items and below them coolers. Coolers are counterweighted allowing for easy retrieval.
I had to laugh at this but I am soooo grateful too! I am a 69 year-old grandma with no earthly training in building things, but my dad, well, he was a marvel...he could come up with things, inventions, that were genius! Now, to why this is so funny. I just bought a small shed, roughed in, and I wanted to insulate the floor and walls without losing a lot of space. I bought some of that, exact same, bubble foil, rolled it out on the floor and everyone laughed at me. But it worked! Now I am ready to put it up on the walls, just like you said! Thanks for giving me some faith in the common sense reasoning that my dad passed along to me. 😁
I was skeptical at first as to how it would work, but then as you explained it it began to make more sense. I would use it underneath for a retrofit fix, but the idea of inside underneath new flooring I definitely would not do unless you use some really thick flooring like 3/4" minimum or else you will end up with sagging between where its nailed to the joists. I may be wrong, but I'm not seeing it being worth the added expense when I could spend far less putting the bubble foil in, even putting insulating foamboard between the bubble foil and flooring from underneath it would still be cheaper with no risk of sag. All in all a good backwoods video. 👍
We used it also...wonderful idea. Like you we use it for everything. A lot for affordable than batt insulation. The 24*24 cabin only took 200 dollars to do...no iching.
Thanks very much for your video. I’m going to install the foil bubble wrap under my little cottage this year. Can’t wait to see how it works. Phyllis 🇨🇦 Stay safe and well.
i used the same material stapled to the bottom of the sub flooring in my basement and can tell you it works wonderfully. This was done about ten years ago. Easy to deal with and easy to cut.
WOW, I have been battling this problem since I bought my manufactured home. It does have brick foundation. I even have to replace all the air ducks as they got in them and have not been able to use heat or air due to the smell when it is turned on. I have been looking into howto re do things and prevent them doing the same thing over again. I believe this is the answer for me. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Cousin Jim, for sharing so much of your amazing simple lifestyles with the world. We all should learn to slow down and look at what God has created free for all to enjoy. Nature, what more could we ask for. I am so proud you are a part of my roots. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Your video on "How to insulate a cabin floor and keep it rodent-free was very informative". Hopefully, in the near future, we will be able to apply the wonder foil and install a skirt for our camp up in Maine. We also LOVE our lifestyle in the forest with the shelter of our Log Cabin. Dreams do come true with alittle ingenuity. There was a small dusting of snowfall in Weare NH this morning. We have plenty of mice traps for the time being down in the cellar. God Bless
Good to hear from you Dawna. Skirting the camp made a huge difference. It's actually more important to insulate the skirting than the floor itself. Hard to believe but true. What I have done here is how i will continue to do it from now on. A big YAY for bubble foil :-)) God Bless :-)
Love this idea, have a house built in 1940, the wood floor has no isolation so am ordering the bubble foil for just below in the full basement, won't be all that bad to install, might hire someone to do it since we are in our mid 60's and having arms up like that on ladders might not be such a good idea (Could be hospital bills LOL), but heating this house is a nightmare and always feel the air from below. Thanks, will let you know soon as I get things going.
Back in the day they had heated floors too. As far back as the romans! A tunnel, small, maybe 6 to 9 inches high (on the inside) made with brick work would be made first, and this tunnel would try to wind the long way through all future rooms and floors. A floor would be made on top of this brick tunnel, typically out of stone but wood was also used. The brick work tunnel would have started on one end. Which is where a sort of brick fireplace would be made, and a stone splashguard that seperated the house from the fire and any potential embers which would jump and crackle into the air. The air would be heated and because of the law of thermal dynamics, this would create a suction effect on the hot air, which would be sucked through the tunnel beneath the floor, and exit at the other end. While the hot air moved through the tunnel beneath the flooring, it would transfer heat and heat the flooring and even the walls too! (If some rooms needed MORE heat they would have the tunnela from beneath the floor be extended upwards and then back down again at the next neighboring rooms walls, forming a loop. You could even have a method of closing off the vent with a slab of dried wood that was pushed/pulled in and out, allowing hot air or stopping it! Id love to see something like this replicated with a hand built log cabin today!
We dont have snow in FL, but you can either encapsulate the crawl space which doesn't make sense to me at all, because you have to have a dehumidifier and sump pump if you do that. Some people say keep your vents on the crawl space open at all times but how can you do this if you are insulating the walls of the crawl space? Is there any vent open here? I dont want to cause more problems. There's SO much information out there, but I dont have clear answers so I can't start on the project because I'm afraid of ruining something.
I only vent it during the months were Im not heating the home. Otherwise I'd just be letting cold air beneath my structure and that would defeat the purpose.
Hey bud i have been a builder for years and your suggestion is a great one. Although your basically building a sub floor. So what i would do is cut the strips the same size ,about 1/2in thick but then i would use 13/8's to 1/2 thick bi-fold insulation in between the strips. Or you could use the same bubble insulation and lay one layer across the whole floor and strip it out on top of that layer then duble it up in between the strips as well to increase the insulating factor of it. Great idea though. Although when i get my structure on my land, once i find and buy my land in Eastern T.N. i will be doing the same as you. Pilings with a cabin on top with with enough room i can insulate both the under side of the structure on the extieror as well as inside! My wife will be building it for our retirement so its going to be a decent sized cabin as well as a two story! lol this is going to be our dream cabin in the woods! Just gotta fine the damn land??? :>/
My friend and I are buying a piece of property with an existing cabin, up close to the Canadian boder, that's roughly 70-80 years old. It was really well built. The foundation is just like yours and I was concerned about insulating it and rodents. This video has helped so much. I've insulated with reflectix and found it to be amazing. So this isn't a stretch for me to believe in. Thank you for the video.
Nuggets, JC. You just keep leaving these little gold nuggets after you pass through. You’re like a man sized leprechaun! Thank you my friend. God bless.
Hey Boss. Wanted to say thank you for all the helpful tips. Been watching you on and off since I was a kid, probably going on 10 years ago now. I had commented at one point about how I wanted my own cabin someday, you surprised me by actually replying and wishing me well with my dreams. Made my day lol. Well, fast forward several years, and my dream is finally coming true-my fiancee (soon to be wife) and I are finishing up our own quirky but perfect little cabin in the woods. We used the bubble foil in our floor per your recommendation. I think it will work great. Thanks for being one of the real ones, and for all the inspiration. Rock on man.
I'm new to your site but really enjoying it! I watched all 3 of your videos on this subject of bubble foil. I'm converting an old tack shed to a guest house and want to use the bubble foil on the floor to keep out rodents and keep pipes from freezing. The shed is on piers and has an old OSB floor that needs to come out or be covered. I'm thinking of 3 choices and would appreciate your wisdom on the subject: 1) leave the OSB and put a 2 x 4 grid (laid on the flat side), cover it with bubble foil, then put 3/4" plywood over that. (I'm thinking the airspace might create a pocket of warmer air, but concerned the OSB might not allow the transfer of enough heat to the skirted area below where the pipes are going to be.) 2) leave the OSB, put on the grid of 2 x 4's followed by the plywood, but put the bubble foil underneath the OSB flooring. (I'm wondering if this is any better for rodent protection but still wonder about needed heat transfer.) 3) Rip off the old floor, put the bubble foil on the joists followed by the plywood. Thanks and keep up the good work!
Rodents are crafty little critters ... they probably have blueprints of the cabin, trying to make an invasion plan… little do they know, they’ve been out smarted… lol ~
The trick to that reflective bubble wrap is cutting long strips and sandwiching the strips between two layers of the bubble wrap, and that will significantly raise the R-value even more….. like you mentioned, the more air pockets in between, the more or better insulation. I’ve been using rolls of that stuff for almost 20 years now.
I live in a very humid travel trailer and will also add that the “bubble foil” will not mold. The metal window frame where I have it grows mold but many years later the “bubble foil” never does.
I live in the Southern part of the US (North FL) and use this to insulate my shop. No moisture build up and changed my AC holding ability overnight. Not sure where you got your info but I have proof that your comment is wrong unless your allowing water to penetrate.
Came here on recommendation from the Kyle's cabin channel. He had lots of praise for you And I can see why. So naturally I subbed and look forward to many more of your videos. Thank you for the information and videos you do!
I have heard alot of good things about the reflectix and also foam insulation over fiber glass but now im convinced. It probably worked better as a sheet of between the sub floor and the joist better cuz it also insulated the floor joist themselves. At least that my guess. Anyway thanks a million for showing this its a definite time and money saver.
In 2022 moved my fam into my g.g. grandparents house built in 1915-1920ish. Needs LOTS of work. This was helpful insulation tip for under pre-existing floor and rodents. Will try!
This stuff has save mom and me hundreds in heating and cooling cost living in Arizona. We've put it in the east and west facing windows in the house which are quite large. Some of the best money I've ever spent on home maintenance.
I went with Reflectix on my cabin after your video about it a couple years ago. I stapled mine to the underside of the joists tho and backed that up with 1/4" hardware cloth for extra rodent deterrence. I will be putting in an above the floor radiant heat system next year for guaranteed warm tootsies all winter long.
I just built a 12x16 cabin (camp, we call them around here). Based on your video, I laid reflectix on my floor joists, then 3/4" tongue and groove OSB. I haven't laid anything down on the OSB yet. Thank you so much for this video......it was -15c the other night and my floor (nothing but reflectix and the OSB..no skirting and about 2' off the ground)) was nice and warm on my bare feet. It's exceeded my expectations, actually....I had decided that even if the floors were still a bit chilly, it beat laying awake at night listening to mice.
@@madawna No, no spacers between the joists and the sub floor. That was a couple years ago, and I'm very happy with how it's performed. I've since put click flooring down with a thin foam underlay. It's been great.
I was aware of this material probably by the late 80's and applied it for the first time around 1995 for a sunroom built above ground. The directions say explicitly to leave a 1" air gap between the warm side, i.e. usually your interior (DEFINITELY in Ontario), and the face of the foil. At least that was the literature supplied in Ontario, Canada. That's not a novel application suggestion. I forget the equivalent R value of the wrap but that 1" gap helps let the reflective foil do its thing to hold in radiant heat, not just conductive heat. Think about it. If it was only the bubble wrap doing the insulating, it wouldn't be skinned with foil. I did "belt and suspenders" insulation. Fiberglass batting AND the bubble foil. - on the exposed floors, stapled the rolls to the under side of the floor joists and taped the seams with aluminum foil to seal it from rodents, etc. on the inside, I stapled a zig zag web of cheap poly twine to have the batting suspended with an air gap above the bubble wrap, then carried on flooring. On the walls I put in the batting first. i didn't bring the batting out to the edge of the studs. I left depth so I could put in bubble wrap that was stapled into each stud space back one inch from the edge of the studs, for that 1" air gap before drywall.
This is the solution I’m using for a raised cabin on my property. It has deck flooring inside with just a screen. I was stuck on ideas to insulate the floor but this is what I’m gonna do now, thank you!
I WAS GOING TO DO THE SAME THING WITH FOAM ON MY INSIDE FLOOR NOW IM TAKING YOUR ADVICE. FOIL WRAP AND THIN STRIPS THEN TREATED PLYWOOD IN MY CABIN ITS 14X32 .THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS FROM SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
I absolutely love watching your videos. I have watched so many I’ve lost count but as long as you keep making them I’ll continue to enjoy and hopefully pick up a few tips to apply when I get to my brother’s off-grid land. Many thanks and God blessings to you and yours.👍
I used it to and it has amazing r value. They only rate it 7 or so but it seems to has other property like the reflection of heat. I made a tractor cab and use that stuff. You could feel your own body heat reflecting back at you and man did it keep the cab warm. Only thing was when there was a car behind you when it was dark the car's light shined on the reflective material and it looked like I was going to be run over by 10 big trucks. Lights reflecting everywhere.
I used this as a layer over my 50mm celotex foam to act as a vapour barrier as well as hoping it would also add to the insulation value in my self build motorhome. Cant say if it has added insulation but it makes my mind think it has. Love your videos man, especially the one explaining how you make your money... although I wouldnt give these people the time of day in explaining, it's none of their damn business. 🏴🇬🇧👍
Double Bub half the work, twice the pleasure. Single Bub is great to cover windows that are not often used, let in too much heat or cold. - Cut it larger to fit in the sill and also on both sides, and enough larger on top depending on your window. RV vents- I'd Dub Bub. Have even put it under the mattress pads- not silly! Reflect your own heat back to you. Or to use camping also.
I totally agree, I use to sale those Mennonite cabins, That is where i got to know about the Radiant barrier insul, In the roof it will reflect up to 97% attic heat and reflect 97% into the living area! amazing stuff,,, Thanx for the vid.
I just did my cabin porch 10 x 20 sub floor an all the joist an a curtain around the bottom with the foil. I use a 30,ooo btu Mr Heater. For my 20 x 30 ft cabin. What a difference from last year to this season I'm in VT. At 32 degrees I can get the cabin up to 80 degrees in less than 2hrs. Thanks for the video it really works.
I'd spray foam the underside of the floor. You can buy a kit online for about $727...two tanks about the size of a 20lb LP container...they mix together in the hoses that feed the spray nozzle. One kit will do 560 square feet 1" thick. Closed cell foam will not absorb moisture, is impervious to insects, rodents and air infiltration, looks easier to apply than stapling up that bubble wrap, and has a greater R value...about 7 per inch.
Thank so much for sharing. I have a cabin on piers that I insulated with batt insulation which is long gone, a waste of time & money. I will be trying this out & also on the underpinning.
I've looked for a good series on cabin building and this is perfect! Answers all my questions (even the ones I didn't know I had yet!). Thank you so much for posting. Keep it up!
Wow, Wow, wow. You have resolved my forever problem. Cold floors no more. Can't wait to put it into action. Have struggled with the same insulation situation. Thanks so much for the wisdom
I didn't hear it mentioned but the bubble foil is more than air, the stuff reflects infrared heat back into the living space. So while you may compress the stuff between the subflooring, it probably won't make a huge difference. The reflective nature of the material also explains why putting it between the joists isn't as effective. The surface area of the top of the joists as a proportion of the total floor space is not insignificant. PS we use this on our boat for insulating the ice box and for insulation between the berths and the fiberglass.
@@thebossoftheswamp What if, instead of cutting it in strips and stapling between the joists, you stapled it to the floor, then down around each joist, so that there would be a complete thermal break, but it included the joists above it? Is there any reason not to wrap the joists in it?
@@Romans828girl The best way is to blanket the top of the floor joist before the sub floor goes down. I wasn't able to do that with the old camp because it was built ten years before I was born haha. I'm working on an update that I will release very soon. It shows the results of this after 5 years and covers many of the questions that have come in. Stay tuned :-) To answer your question: Wrapping the joist will serve no purpose that I can see.
@@thebossoftheswamp I appreciate the response. The purpose for me would be that I intend to have a building built by a local company, and then I will finish it out as a cabin, so the subfloor will already be in place. My choices will be cut the bubble foil in strips and staple between the floor joists, keep the bubble foil continuous by wrapping the floor joists from underneath, or removing the subfloor to put bubble foil between the joists and floor. If they screw the sheets of plywood subfloor down to the joists without gluing them, my easiest route might be removing it, putting in the bubble foil, and putting it back.
@@thebossoftheswamp Is there an air space between the floor joist & the sub-floor? To be effective, does there always need to be an air space of 1" or less?
A radiant barrier works even better with taped edges and joints! BUT you better figure your ventilation property! Insulate the walls and wrap it in Mylar bubble wrap!! Great video!!
@9:24 you showed exactly what I wanted to know and will try the same thing, and on my next house addition I will first put that bubble foil down on sub floor like you said. Great info thanks for sharing!!!
When I built my shop (an enclosed pole barn) I had the roofers put a layer of this right over the rafters before putting the sheet metal roofing down. My shop remains amazingly cool in Florida summer, even with a metal roof. It's like sitting in the shade. This material works amazingly well. I feel stupid for not thinking of it for a cabin floor. I'm looking to get some land in the back hills and building a retirement cabin in a few years, I will put this to good use. Thanks for this video! I would only add a recomendation for rock wool insulation for the walls. It is rot proof, bug and termite proof, and won't burn (has the same fire rating as concrete, 4.5 hrs+). It also lets the walls breath. You may need to add a vapor barrier on the appropriate side depending on your climate, as it breathes very well indeed.
The best way to insulate a floor if you going to insulate on the inside of the subflooring you use half inch celotex that's a half inch rigid foam silver foil on both sides and then you can either put another layer of plywood or you can put on laminate floor on top of that and the way you did the insulation with that bubble foam downstairs it doesn't really work because there is no thermal break cuz every floor joist the cold comes through did you ever noticed on a cathedral ceiling house when it snows on the roof in a couple of days they heat goes through the rafter to the plywood to the shingles and melts the snow and then you have all these lines going down the roof while the snow is in between those Rafters because there is no thermal break that's the problem with houses today there is no thermal break also if you insulate your floor with fiberglass you definitely have to put up quarter inch plywood or like a luan or half inch sheathing and that will keep the rodents out as long as you don't have a quarter inch space for them to squeeze through a quarter inch space because their bodies just Flex so much they squeeze into any tiny openings it's a little more expensive but it's the right way of doing it done it many times never have problems with rodents been doing this for 47 years I hope this helps out some people
I watched a video you did the other day about our forests dying and now this one was linked in a discussion about insulating floors. Thanks so much. A new subscriber here. Going to watch the next video as I'm trying to plan an affordable, self sufficient place to grow old in. Blessings to you!
I've been wondering how that might work. Thanks. You've confirmed what I had hoped would work. I also was thinking of using the bubble foil on the sub-floor with1-inch of foam and then the floor over it. That should keep your bubbles from being mashed flat and provide more insulation.
If you use the foil with no airspace you might as well just use the styrofoam alone. It needs space. Otherwise plain aluminum foil from grocery store does the same
@@aNuthaRedneck The foam and foil do two different things. The foam resists conductive heat transfers, while the bubble foil reflects radiative heat. An air gap isnt necessary. You could use foil from the grocery. That would be rather expensive, and very inconveient. If you wanted to use a sheet instead of bubbled foil, it's better to just buy foam with the foil glued on at your building supply store.
Perfect timing for this video, i am getting ready to insulate a shed and been struggling with the choosing the right option. It has the plywood floor already,so will have to install it inside ontop of the floor.
Beautiful! I'm planning a workshop on piers,and was wanting to insulate the floor and use something between flooring materials, as you did. I've been looking at books and videos to see how feasible it would be--what materials to use. Viola! Thank you.
This works great for my applications. If you're on pires, make sure you skirt the building and run one layer of this foil in the skirting. Skirting makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the world. I will do a followup video on this technique very soon so stay tuned.
Hi again! Well that was an excellent demo and commentary. Sure wish that product and you would have been there back in the day! Hope those in that stage with their place really take the info and use it so they can get it right the first time. As you know saves time and money. Nothing like draft free warm floors! Love that product! Also anything to keep those disgusting critters out too! Thx a bunch Boss more smiles here!!
Thanks for showing your retrofit solution - I have an extension to my house that sits on the ground. I don't heat it much in winter because it's just a big heat sink. The floor is freezing in spite of heating the room. Next spring I'm going to lift the plank flooring and staple that bubble wrap to the tops of the joists before laying them back down. It'll compress on the joists, but otherwise create a better thermal break than the fibreglas insulation I have in there now (and, yes, rodents). Thank you!
I use a product here in Darwin called Insulbreak 65 by KINGSPAN, it is an air-cell type product and is the best thing for roof & wall insulation. Instead of the little air pockets it has the silver foil both sides of a beer cooler type product. Great stuff, the thing you keep learning in the building industry is great, just the other day i learnt that Fucking Architect was no one word!! Good stuff JC.
I ran it across the studs and then put 4 ft wide rolls of 1/4" hardware screen over it. More insulation with the air space included. Screen cost was about 50 cents per sq ft. Could be done for less using 1/2 inch
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I have been in pest control for years now. I can not tell you how many thousands of dollars I have made from removing soiled insulation. I have done $20k cleanouts. This does make perfect sense. You are the only guy that has made the perfect video on this subject. I will be sharing this many times. Thank you.
Ever since I started using this, everything else seems stupid. I've wasted so much money in the past.
Thanks for leaving a nice comment. Cheers :-)
Do you have any tips for when ripping strips? I was going to order a 48*125 ft roll, and then will need to rip strips for between joists under cabin just like you did. Looking for any time saver techniques.
@@michaelmorrison197 I just did this. I used a tape measure and painters tape. I measured 16 inches and wrapped the tape around that mark. I then used a long blade to cut around the edge of the painters tape. If you measure carefully you should be able to cut your 48in roll into 3 perfect 16in rolls.
Oh thank You so much! I am building the shed and was just looking for the answer of what to use in Alaska! So it sounds like skirting and that bubble foil! Can I get this at lowes? Home depot? And I love that cross bracing I was going to block straight across but that looks so much better and it looks like a work of art!
Why can't the mice still chew through the insulation?? It's not steel wool it's soft flexible foil. I'm not believing it.
I use this in 36" x 20' roll when I'm hiking for a bed roll/pillow. Light, easy to use & easy to clean. Rolls up in seconds and if I have to I can use as a signal. Also great for reflecting radiant fire pit heat.
I’m 81 years old and in the process of building a 15 x 30 shed for my daughter up here in Idaho mountain country. I saw this video years ago when the boss first produced it.
I just remembered the bubble wrap segment and decided to revisit it. So so glad I did it. I almost was going to Home Depot and get CLEAR bubble wrap. Had I not visited my dear old friend the boss, I would not have thought to use “FOIL Bubble wrap”. Thanks again boss for all your amazing videos. You and your dear wife are one of a kind.❤
Footnote: Boss, as you know, the Lord said he’s building us a home in Heaven. I believe he’s going to use you as one of his lead foreman…. Might even ask for your advice, along with your missus, especially in the garden ❤❤♥️.
A lot of people that want to move from an urban environment to a more rural location have no idea what a problem field mice, rats and the like can and will be. Very nice and helpful video.
I learned that myself about 25 years ago. I find using bate boxes all around that outside of my home works well. Nothing else did. I love Contact Blox.
Too true - I'm in a mountainish place for five months now from the suburbs, and already had a small red squirrel dig his way through my soffits into the attic. I might try the bubble-foil to block them !
That is why I love my mouser
Did this to my old hunting cabin. I made a huge difference. I added two layers, one with a 1 inch air gap under the floor boards, the other layer over the floor joists. Highly recommended
I won't have to wear my aluminum foil lined hat inside anymore.
May I ask where you found it and what the brand name is? Trying to locate in my area.
also can this be used in ceilings as well as flooring?
@@sarachapman5206 I just found some at Home Depot
In 1990 I did put it between the central heating radiator and the single window glass. In heavy freezing weather the glass frooze behind the hot radiator which stood a few centimeters away from the window! This insulation works perfect! Greetings from the Netherlands.
I completely wrapped my well house with bubble foil including the roof, sealed the seams with foil tape and made it airtight. The well house is in the 50s even when the outside temperature is well below freezing. Great stuff! It may even shield from an EMP or solar flare.
Is that 50 deg without any heating?
Your whole house?
@@Blk_NRG His WELL house! Like where the well pump is.
@@xxdragan I would think the well pump, being 220v, would throw off enough heat. Some guys have a 25 watt light bulb in the well house.
How do you glue your sub floor if the foil is on top of floor joist with out glue your going to have a squeaky floor
I renovated a Spartan travel trailer and mice had stripped every bit of insulation out of the inside and balled it up in the floor. I spray foamed the floor, walls, and roof then went back with this foil insulation as extra insulation in the roof. The thing was an oven before, now it’s comfortable most summer days with only natural ventilation. A single electric radiator heater keeps it warm in the Kentucky winter.
I have the same issue with cold and rodents. Also am in the woods. So this video is timely bit of advice since my finished shed will be delivered in 2 weeks. THANKS and know you have and are a blessing to me on this journey God has me on since retirement..
I agree with you. R value calculations don't take into account the transfer of air mass. You can have a high R value but if the building is not "tight" it won't do any good. You proved that with the skirting. I'm an Engineer BTW, and I've built a few camps myself, and a few few houses and some barns. I'm 69 and still building stuff.
Another hint about rodents. I put 8” metal flashing along the bottom edge of my mobile home skirting and it worked wonders for keeping the pack rats out. They did not seem to figure out that they could chew through just above the flashing. Believe me, we had endless packrats where I lived and this did work.
I just put in a brand new raised floor in my barn's tack room. We put in this bubble foil before the plywood subfloor just like you said and it went in like a dream. Cut perfectly as well. I'm probably going to use this stuff in some of the walls as well before I close them up. I'm really looking forward to trying it out this winter. Thank you so much for your tips!
You could use aluminum flashing to keep critters out and stick eps foam in between the flashing and floor to give you good insulation. People who build tiny homes do this to keep critters out as well
As always excellent video. The bubble wrap here in Texas is called reflective. I live in an extended cargo van. My floor ceiling, doors and walls are all insulated with reflectics. Of course I have board insulation on the walls and ceiling. It definitely makes a big difference.My first winter in my van was miserably cold. This is my third winter now and it’s so much nicer. Still living in a can but with a little propane stove going every hour or so 10 minutes it’s heated up nice and cozy. I’m looking to buy a small bus and reflectics will be in there too. Thanks for the excellent information
Common use for that stuff is in Pop up campers and TTs. for the windows. I used it when camping at Lake Mead late spring early summer where the sun angles in at the camper windows in the morning and afternoon I mean like 100 degs easy. I just mount up the foil panels and presto instant temp reduction. It works !
Do you keep the cabin heated?
Nice job Buddy!
I glued this product to camper shell ceiling just so my passenger didn't have to roast in the summers heat blast.... My Dog she loved it!
I think that's the best use of it yet. Got to take care of the furry friends 👍
I don't know if I told you this before but my Grandfather use to grow mint herbs around the house and barn. He said rodents hate the smell. Now I never tried it but it just an old pioneer trick and with the extra, in the fall, he'd sprinkle the leftovers in the basement and root cellar to repel rodents. Love the video
That explains why both my grandfathers planted mint around the house when I was growing up xD
Those suckers last for years. It's starting to produce less, so I might take a cutting and start over. It'd be neat to take some with me when my husband and I get a house.
Thank you for the tip! I thought it was just something to do lol
Went great with tea and lemonade 😄
Yes mint is a great idea and also white sage
I use it under the kitchen sink at our place in Maine. I just cut off a big piece and rest against the insides of the cabinet and makes a huge difference in keeping the pipes from getting cold. I also use it in front of the back door just as an extra barrier and you can tell the difference in fact I used a laser temp gun and it reads a few degrees warmer then the area without it. Its as good as you said it would be, nice tip, thanks again.
This is good stuff Boss, I worked in a machine shop one time and built a temperature controlled heat cabinet for drying small fresh painted aircraft part. I made it out of wood and this bubble wrap stuff. We heated it with only 3 heat lamp bulbs and we could maintain a consent 225 degrees inside with a few other little gadgets to help circulate the air. To say the least all the employees were pleased with my job of building something that would have cost the company $25,000 or more to order. So yea I rank this high on the list of excellent insulation. Good job using this on the cabin, you made the right choice.
Good suggestion. I am happy to see other commentors bring up the radiant barrier property of the foil. This probably is the most effective part of that product - especially when used with a dead air zone (1 inch or less) next to it. More heat can be lost through radiant heat loss than convection and conduction.
I like using a radiant barrier along with fiberglass. Of course that requires a mouse proof installation.
It is hard to State the R value of a radiant barrier product, because it provides an altogether different mode of heat retention. Consequently, I know one internet provider who radically overstates their R value. They lie, but the tremendous benefits are true - NASA has known this for decades.
Bingo Kelly. You have struck upon the major reason this works so well to insulate. Until I read your comment, it was going to be the comment I added to the thread of others. It's why he made the right decision to put the material right to the underside of the subfloor of his other cabin.
What about rock wool insulation?
@paulaclark7989 I think a radient barrier would work really well in tandem with rock wool. I have never used it, but its reputed quality of holding warmth should hold the heat radiated into it.
Most people think there must be open air space for the aluminum to reflect into, but it seems to me that if those air pockets are really small like the small pockets within fiberglass or rock wool, it would be excellent.
We built our floor in two sections, our cabin is 20ftx20ft we sheated the bottom with treated 1/2 inch plywood 2x6 joists with fiberglass insulation we flipped the floor over onto to foundation sheated it again with 1/2 inch plywood then laid 3/4 inch sub floor over that and built the cabin, that was 2001, no rodents in 22 years. What a warm building it will stay warm with the smallest fire. And very quiet inside. Love our little cabin.
THERMAL BREAK - LOL, I watched you video yesterday and awoke this morning thinking about it (mamma mia!), and it dawned on me !! Thermal Break! The reason why it works better sandwiched between the floor joists and the decking material is because it creates what is called a "thermal break" - or - you broke the "thermal bridge" isolating the cold floor joists, which is basically the same temperature as under the cabin, from traveling through the floor joists to the decking material, making it as cold as the joists. By installing spacers, as you pointed out, you gained dead air space creating another thermal break, but you also picked up another benefit. The tin foil material has a tremendous reflective quality, reflecting the heat back into the cabin... how cool! Love your videos!
Manufacturer literature advises leaving a 1" air gap. I don't know how that got over looked. This stuff works and of course it's so light to work with and easy to cut and staple. For R value properties alone it's probably not worth the premium but if depth is at a premium, or you want some vapor barrier effect with about no extra labor steps to do that in a 3rd step, it's really good.
Yep he broke the thermal bridge
I was about to insulate my yurt cabin floor with fiberglass batten and all I could see was a mouse hotel. I went online and found your video. What a great discovery. Your presentation is terrific. The only incorrect statement you made was that the ground inside your cabin is not frozen because of the heat from the freezer above. Not true. Your ground is not frozen because you have insulated the walls and floor above. The earth gives off about 40 degrees and your insulated area helps keep it from freezing. Also heat rises. The warm area above helps but does not through heat down.
I totally agree regarding the ambient temp of the earth and have discussed this many times in later videos.
I used 1, 1/4 foam insulation with foil on one side to repel rodents. It works great even on bottom of studs.
Wondered if you could use both. Thanks.
I build Micro Houses and we use an aluminum foil used in radiant floors along with insulation. When installing the foil between the joist we install it with a swag, this forms a radius airspace which reflexes the heat back into the room, airspace is a must, works great. I find it is much easier to access the crawl space from inside the home eliminating rodent access to the crawlspace. Another benefit is we also install floor storage bins for room temp items and below them coolers. Coolers are counterweighted allowing for easy retrieval.
I have used this stuff on the cold side of a stub wall containing plumbing next to a cold attic. Pipes get cold but do not freeze. Good stuff.
I had to laugh at this but I am soooo grateful too! I am a 69 year-old grandma with no earthly training in building things, but my dad, well, he was a marvel...he could come up with things, inventions, that were genius! Now, to why this is so funny. I just bought a small shed, roughed in, and I wanted to insulate the floor and walls without losing a lot of space. I bought some of that, exact same, bubble foil, rolled it out on the floor and everyone laughed at me. But it worked! Now I am ready to put it up on the walls, just like you said! Thanks for giving me some faith in the common sense reasoning that my dad passed along to me. 😁
I insulate my walls with regular fiberglass insulation but the foil always goes in my floor. Good luck with your project.
I was skeptical at first as to how it would work, but then as you explained it it began to make more sense. I would use it underneath for a retrofit fix, but the idea of inside underneath new flooring I definitely would not do unless you use some really thick flooring like 3/4" minimum or else you will end up with sagging between where its nailed to the joists. I may be wrong, but I'm not seeing it being worth the added expense when I could spend far less putting the bubble foil in, even putting insulating foamboard between the bubble foil and flooring from underneath it would still be cheaper with no risk of sag. All in all a good backwoods video. 👍
I just found your channel! I was wondering what to do about this in my little cabin and here you are! Thank you!! This makes so much more sense!
We used it also...wonderful idea. Like you we use it for everything. A lot for affordable than batt insulation. The 24*24 cabin only took 200 dollars to do...no iching.
Thanks very much for your video. I’m going to install the foil bubble wrap under my little cottage this year. Can’t wait to see how it works. Phyllis 🇨🇦 Stay safe and well.
We had this insulation installed in our attic and it made a huge difference in our electricity bills!
Can you explain how you used it in the attic? Thanks in advance.
i used the same material stapled to the bottom of the sub flooring in my basement and can tell you it works wonderfully. This was done about ten years ago. Easy to deal with and easy to cut.
Brilliant! Exactly the solution I was looking for to solve the exact same problems for a country house in Japan. Can't wait to give it a shot.
WOW, I have been battling this problem since I bought my manufactured home. It does have brick foundation. I even have to replace all the air ducks as they got in them and have not been able to use heat or air due to the smell when it is turned on. I have been looking into howto re do things and prevent them doing the same thing over again. I believe this is the answer for me. Thank you so much.
don't let anybody talk you out of using this stuff. I have NO issues and NO regrets.
Thank you! Exactly what I am looking for. And you can seal it with that silver tape. (The tape used around A/C units.)
Thank you, Cousin Jim, for sharing so much of your amazing simple lifestyles with the world. We all should learn to slow down and look at what God has created free for all to enjoy. Nature, what more could we ask for. I am so proud you are a part of my roots. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Your video on "How to insulate a cabin floor and keep it rodent-free was very informative". Hopefully, in the near future, we will be able to apply the wonder foil and install a skirt for our camp up in Maine. We also LOVE our lifestyle in the forest with the shelter of our Log Cabin. Dreams do come true with alittle ingenuity. There was a small dusting of snowfall in Weare NH this morning. We have plenty of mice traps for the time being down in the cellar. God Bless
Good to hear from you Dawna. Skirting the camp made a huge difference. It's actually more important to insulate the skirting than the floor itself. Hard to believe but true. What I have done here is how i will continue to do it from now on.
A big YAY for bubble foil :-))
God Bless :-)
Love this idea, have a house built in 1940, the wood floor has no isolation so am ordering the bubble foil for just below in the full basement, won't be all that bad to install, might hire someone to do it since we are in our mid 60's and having arms up like that on ladders might not be such a good idea (Could be hospital bills LOL), but heating this house is a nightmare and always feel the air from below. Thanks, will let you know soon as I get things going.
This stuff changed my life. I'm finally warm now :-)))
Dallas_Red did you use the bubble foil?? How did it turn out if so?
Back in the day they had heated floors too. As far back as the romans! A tunnel, small, maybe 6 to 9 inches high (on the inside) made with brick work would be made first, and this tunnel would try to wind the long way through all future rooms and floors. A floor would be made on top of this brick tunnel, typically out of stone but wood was also used. The brick work tunnel would have started on one end. Which is where a sort of brick fireplace would be made, and a stone splashguard that seperated the house from the fire and any potential embers which would jump and crackle into the air. The air would be heated and because of the law of thermal dynamics, this would create a suction effect on the hot air, which would be sucked through the tunnel beneath the floor, and exit at the other end. While the hot air moved through the tunnel beneath the flooring, it would transfer heat and heat the flooring and even the walls too! (If some rooms needed MORE heat they would have the tunnela from beneath the floor be extended upwards and then back down again at the next neighboring rooms walls, forming a loop. You could even have a method of closing off the vent with a slab of dried wood that was pushed/pulled in and out, allowing hot air or stopping it! Id love to see something like this replicated with a hand built log cabin today!
Gamechanger for sure, using the same technique at our cabin and could not be happier !
We dont have snow in FL, but you can either encapsulate the crawl space which doesn't make sense to me at all, because you have to have a dehumidifier and sump pump if you do that. Some people say keep your vents on the crawl space open at all times but how can you do this if you are insulating the walls of the crawl space? Is there any vent open here? I dont want to cause more problems. There's SO much information out there, but I dont have clear answers so I can't start on the project because I'm afraid of ruining something.
I only vent it during the months were Im not heating the home. Otherwise I'd just be letting cold air beneath my structure and that would defeat the purpose.
I wrapped this stuff around my water heater. Made a big difference
Hey bud i have been a builder for years and your suggestion is a great one. Although your basically building a sub floor. So what i would do is cut the strips the same size ,about 1/2in thick but then i would use 13/8's to 1/2 thick bi-fold insulation in between the strips. Or you could use the same bubble insulation and lay one layer across the whole floor and strip it out on top of that layer then duble it up in between the strips as well to increase the insulating factor of it. Great idea though. Although when i get my structure on my land, once i find and buy my land in Eastern T.N. i will be doing the same as you. Pilings with a cabin on top with with enough room i can insulate both the under side of the structure on the extieror as well as inside! My wife will be building it for our retirement so its going to be a decent sized cabin as well as a two story! lol this is going to be our dream cabin in the woods! Just gotta fine the damn land??? :>/
Hi Michael. I'm working on a followup video on this topic and sharing my experiences with this after 5 years of installation. Stay tuned :-)
My friend and I are buying a piece of property with an existing cabin, up close to the Canadian boder, that's roughly 70-80 years old. It was really well built. The foundation is just like yours and I was concerned about insulating it and rodents. This video has helped so much. I've insulated with reflectix and found it to be amazing. So this isn't a stretch for me to believe in. Thank you for the video.
It really works well doesn't it. This is all I have for floor insulation in all of my structures and don't plan to change :-)
Nuggets, JC. You just keep leaving these little gold nuggets after you pass through. You’re like a man sized leprechaun! Thank you my friend. God bless.
I’m on it! Have a cabin in my orchard for my pickers. Will be using the bubble wrap this summer to re-insulate the floor. Thanks for the video 👍🏻😎
Hey Boss. Wanted to say thank you for all the helpful tips. Been watching you on and off since I was a kid, probably going on 10 years ago now. I had commented at one point about how I wanted my own cabin someday, you surprised me by actually replying and wishing me well with my dreams. Made my day lol. Well, fast forward several years, and my dream is finally coming true-my fiancee (soon to be wife) and I are finishing up our own quirky but perfect little cabin in the woods. We used the bubble foil in our floor per your recommendation. I think it will work great.
Thanks for being one of the real ones, and for all the inspiration. Rock on man.
That's awesome Sam. Congrats on your dream fulfilment. Don't stop there though... fulfill them all.
Rock on :-))
Me and hubby used it when we build our cabin last summer. Thank you for sharing Boss.
I'm new to your site but really enjoying it! I watched all 3 of your videos on this subject of bubble foil.
I'm converting an old tack shed to a guest house and want to use the bubble foil on the floor to keep out rodents and keep pipes from freezing. The shed is on piers and has an old OSB floor that needs to come out or be covered. I'm thinking of 3 choices and would appreciate your wisdom on the subject:
1) leave the OSB and put a 2 x 4 grid (laid on the flat side), cover it with bubble foil, then put 3/4" plywood over that. (I'm thinking the airspace might create a pocket of warmer air, but concerned the OSB might not allow the transfer of enough heat to the skirted area below where the pipes are going to be.)
2) leave the OSB, put on the grid of 2 x 4's followed by the plywood, but put the bubble foil underneath the OSB flooring. (I'm wondering if this is any better for rodent protection but still wonder about needed heat transfer.)
3) Rip off the old floor, put the bubble foil on the joists followed by the plywood.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Rodents are crafty little critters ... they probably have blueprints of the cabin, trying to make an invasion plan… little do they know, they’ve been out smarted… lol ~
The trick to that reflective bubble wrap is cutting long strips and sandwiching the strips between two layers of the bubble wrap, and that will significantly raise the R-value even more….. like you mentioned, the more air pockets in between, the more or better insulation. I’ve been using rolls of that stuff for almost 20 years now.
I live in a very humid travel trailer and will also add that the “bubble foil” will not mold. The metal window frame where I have it grows mold but many years later the “bubble foil” never does.
I live in the Southern part of the US (North FL) and use this to insulate my shop. No moisture build up and changed my AC holding ability overnight. Not sure where you got your info but I have proof that your comment is wrong unless your allowing water to penetrate.
Came here on recommendation from the Kyle's cabin channel. He had lots of praise for you And I can see why. So naturally I subbed and look forward to many more of your videos. Thank you for the information and videos you do!
Awesome! Thank you for subbing and welcome to my channel.
I have heard alot of good things about the reflectix and also foam insulation over fiber glass but now im convinced. It probably worked better as a sheet of between the sub floor and the joist better cuz it also insulated the floor joist themselves. At least that my guess. Anyway thanks a million for showing this its a definite time and money saver.
In 2022 moved my fam into my g.g. grandparents house built in 1915-1920ish. Needs LOTS of work. This was helpful insulation tip for under pre-existing floor and rodents. Will try!
Glad you found it helpful, and good luck with the house restoration!
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences!!! I'm planning on building a small cabin to see if I can and will definitely go this route!!!
I used bubble foil in the roof of my 1971 Oldsmobile 442 15 years ago then installed the headliner. Didnt do any tests but seems to work very well.
My place in Maine has no insulation under the floor. I think I will give this a try. Thanks for sharing the info.
Skirting makes all the difference in the world.
I'm gonna try also on my camp. In western PA
This stuff has save mom and me hundreds in heating and cooling cost living in Arizona. We've put it in the east and west facing windows in the house which are quite large. Some of the best money I've ever spent on home maintenance.
I went with Reflectix on my cabin after your video about it a couple years ago. I stapled mine to the underside of the joists tho and backed that up with 1/4" hardware cloth for extra rodent deterrence.
I will be putting in an above the floor radiant heat system next year for guaranteed warm tootsies all winter long.
I just built a 12x16 cabin (camp, we call them around here). Based on your video, I laid reflectix on my floor joists, then 3/4" tongue and groove OSB. I haven't laid anything down on the OSB yet. Thank you so much for this video......it was -15c the other night and my floor (nothing but reflectix and the OSB..no skirting and about 2' off the ground)) was nice and warm on my bare feet. It's exceeded my expectations, actually....I had decided that even if the floors were still a bit chilly, it beat laying awake at night listening to mice.
Hi Andrew. Did you use any spacers in-between the floor joists and subfloor? I really appreciate your above comment. Thank you.
@@madawna No, no spacers between the joists and the sub floor. That was a couple years ago, and I'm very happy with how it's performed. I've since put click flooring down with a thin foam underlay. It's been great.
@@andrewcarter7866 Thanks for your reply!
Now this, is something for us all, no matter where we live!
Thanks for the info! It was 40 below in Maine last night and the floor was so cold . I'll try your method this spring
I was aware of this material probably by the late 80's and applied it for the first time around 1995 for a sunroom built above ground. The directions say explicitly to leave a 1" air gap between the warm side, i.e. usually your interior (DEFINITELY in Ontario), and the face of the foil. At least that was the literature supplied in Ontario, Canada. That's not a novel application suggestion. I forget the equivalent R value of the wrap but that 1" gap helps let the reflective foil do its thing to hold in radiant heat, not just conductive heat. Think about it. If it was only the bubble wrap doing the insulating, it wouldn't be skinned with foil.
I did "belt and suspenders" insulation. Fiberglass batting AND the bubble foil. - on the exposed floors, stapled the rolls to the under side of the floor joists and taped the seams with aluminum foil to seal it from rodents, etc. on the inside, I stapled a zig zag web of cheap poly twine to have the batting suspended with an air gap above the bubble wrap, then carried on flooring.
On the walls I put in the batting first. i didn't bring the batting out to the edge of the studs. I left depth so I could put in bubble wrap that was stapled into each stud space back one inch from the edge of the studs, for that 1" air gap before drywall.
Excellent point about the one inch air gap. 👍 If you tape all the seams it will make an excellent vapor barrier also...
This is the solution I’m using for a raised cabin on my property. It has deck flooring inside with just a screen. I was stuck on ideas to insulate the floor but this is what I’m gonna do now, thank you!
Good luck with your project.
You were the first to turn me on to this stuff. And I have loved it ever since. Keep getting more and finding different uses for it. Thank you.
Thanks Boss, don’t know if I can crawl under but I will give it a try
May need to try this on the drafty cold foundation walls of the cellar. Thanks for sharing
I WAS GOING TO DO THE SAME THING WITH FOAM ON MY INSIDE FLOOR NOW IM TAKING YOUR ADVICE. FOIL WRAP AND THIN STRIPS THEN TREATED PLYWOOD IN MY CABIN ITS 14X32 .THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS FROM SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
I absolutely love watching your videos. I have watched so many I’ve lost count but as long as you keep making them I’ll continue to enjoy and hopefully pick up a few tips to apply when I get to my brother’s off-grid land. Many thanks and God blessings to you and yours.👍
Thank you my friend and I always enjoy your comments :-))
I used it to and it has amazing r value. They only rate it 7 or so but it seems to has other property like the reflection of heat. I made a tractor cab and use that stuff. You could feel your own body heat reflecting back at you and man did it keep the cab warm. Only thing was when there was a car behind you when it was dark the car's light shined on the reflective material and it looked like I was going to be run over by 10 big trucks. Lights reflecting everywhere.
I used this as a layer over my 50mm celotex foam to act as a vapour barrier as well as hoping it would also add to the insulation value in my self build motorhome. Cant say if it has added insulation but it makes my mind think it has. Love your videos man, especially the one explaining how you make your money... although I wouldnt give these people the time of day in explaining, it's none of their damn business. 🏴🇬🇧👍
An incredible video. I am watching in 2023 and it still is incredibly useful.
I have used double bubble (R-11) since it first came out. it is also water resistant and added regular insulation you have a wonderful insulated area!
Double Bub half the work, twice the pleasure. Single Bub is great to cover windows that are not often used, let in too much heat or cold. - Cut it larger to fit in the sill and also on both sides, and enough larger on top depending on your window.
RV vents- I'd Dub Bub. Have even put it under the mattress pads- not silly! Reflect your own heat back to you. Or to use camping also.
I totally agree, I use to sale those Mennonite cabins, That is where i got to know about the Radiant barrier insul, In the roof it will reflect up to 97% attic heat and reflect 97% into the living area! amazing stuff,,, Thanx for the vid.
Great information! I’m going to insulate my floor in my 16x 24 camp in northern Maine like that as soon as it warms up. Thank you and take care ! 🙂
That’s fantastic. Thank you for sharing. Was looking for a good way to insulate the floor and keep plumbing from freezing for my next small house
Love your "backwoods logic". A genius with a lot of hard experience behind ya. Blessings from the Great White North!!
I just did my cabin porch 10 x 20 sub floor an all the joist an a curtain around the bottom with the foil. I use a 30,ooo btu Mr Heater. For my 20 x 30 ft cabin. What a difference from last year to this season I'm in VT. At 32 degrees I can get the cabin up to 80 degrees in less than 2hrs. Thanks for the video it really works.
That is awesome! Thanks for the success report :-)
That stuff has sooo many uses... you could make a whole video series. Keep up the great work boss! 👍
I'd spray foam the underside of the floor. You can buy a kit online for about $727...two tanks about the size of a 20lb LP container...they mix together in the hoses that feed the spray nozzle. One kit will do 560 square feet 1" thick. Closed cell foam will not absorb moisture, is impervious to insects, rodents and air infiltration, looks easier to apply than stapling up that bubble wrap, and has a greater R value...about 7 per inch.
Thank so much for sharing. I have a cabin on piers that I insulated with batt insulation which is long gone, a waste of time & money. I will be trying this out & also on the underpinning.
No rodents that I know of but had a shed built for my now home. Floor cold so I know to get bubble foil and get under my home and wrap it! THANK YOU!
I've looked for a good series on cabin building and this is perfect! Answers all my questions (even the ones I didn't know I had yet!). Thank you so much for posting. Keep it up!
Do you keep the cabin heated?
Wow,
Wow, wow.
You have resolved my forever problem. Cold floors no more. Can't wait to put it into action. Have struggled with the same insulation situation.
Thanks so much for the wisdom
I didn't hear it mentioned but the bubble foil is more than air, the stuff reflects infrared heat back into the living space. So while you may compress the stuff between the subflooring, it probably won't make a huge difference. The reflective nature of the material also explains why putting it between the joists isn't as effective. The surface area of the top of the joists as a proportion of the total floor space is not insignificant. PS we use this on our boat for insulating the ice box and for insulation between the berths and the fiberglass.
Yes, blanketing over the joist creates a thermal break and works better than in between them.
@@thebossoftheswamp What if, instead of cutting it in strips and stapling between the joists, you stapled it to the floor, then down around each joist, so that there would be a complete thermal break, but it included the joists above it? Is there any reason not to wrap the joists in it?
@@Romans828girl The best way is to blanket the top of the floor joist before the sub floor goes down. I wasn't able to do that with the old camp because it was built ten years before I was born haha. I'm working on an update that I will release very soon. It shows the results of this after 5 years and covers many of the questions that have come in. Stay tuned :-)
To answer your question: Wrapping the joist will serve no purpose that I can see.
@@thebossoftheswamp I appreciate the response. The purpose for me would be that I intend to have a building built by a local company, and then I will finish it out as a cabin, so the subfloor will already be in place. My choices will be cut the bubble foil in strips and staple between the floor joists, keep the bubble foil continuous by wrapping the floor joists from underneath, or removing the subfloor to put bubble foil between the joists and floor. If they screw the sheets of plywood subfloor down to the joists without gluing them, my easiest route might be removing it, putting in the bubble foil, and putting it back.
@@thebossoftheswamp Is there an air space between the floor joist & the sub-floor? To be effective, does there always need to be an air space of 1" or less?
Residential contractor almost 30 years. I like it. Good video.
very good tutorial. I believe I will give it a try on my next build. God bless!
A radiant barrier works even better with taped edges and joints! BUT you better figure your ventilation property! Insulate the walls and wrap it in Mylar bubble wrap!! Great video!!
@9:24 you showed exactly what I wanted to know and will try the same thing, and on my next house addition I will first put that bubble foil down on sub floor like you said. Great info thanks for sharing!!!
Smart! Me too. But I believe The Boss said to lay it "over the joists" & "Under The Subfloor"
Wow, you have saved so many people so much money just by sharing your learning experience. Thank you so much
When I built my shop (an enclosed pole barn) I had the roofers put a layer of this right over the rafters before putting the sheet metal roofing down. My shop remains amazingly cool in Florida summer, even with a metal roof. It's like sitting in the shade. This material works amazingly well. I feel stupid for not thinking of it for a cabin floor. I'm looking to get some land in the back hills and building a retirement cabin in a few years, I will put this to good use. Thanks for this video!
I would only add a recomendation for rock wool insulation for the walls. It is rot proof, bug and termite proof, and won't burn (has the same fire rating as concrete, 4.5 hrs+). It also lets the walls breath. You may need to add a vapor barrier on the appropriate side depending on your climate, as it breathes very well indeed.
I used some of that in the wall behind my woodstove. Good idea about putting it beneath the metal.
Try fiber glasses under expanded wire metal works great just a little extra work. Put it up with an air stapler works great.
The best way to insulate a floor if you going to insulate on the inside of the subflooring you use half inch celotex that's a half inch rigid foam silver foil on both sides and then you can either put another layer of plywood or you can put on laminate floor on top of that and the way you did the insulation with that bubble foam downstairs it doesn't really work because there is no thermal break cuz every floor joist the cold comes through did you ever noticed on a cathedral ceiling house when it snows on the roof in a couple of days they heat goes through the rafter to the plywood to the shingles and melts the snow and then you have all these lines going down the roof while the snow is in between those Rafters because there is no thermal break that's the problem with houses today there is no thermal break also if you insulate your floor with fiberglass you definitely have to put up quarter inch plywood or like a luan or half inch sheathing and that will keep the rodents out as long as you don't have a quarter inch space for them to squeeze through a quarter inch space because their bodies just Flex so much they squeeze into any tiny openings it's a little more expensive but it's the right way of doing it done it many times never have problems with rodents been doing this for 47 years I hope this helps out some people
Good points, bud, but it’s easier to read with a few periods, maybe a comma or three. Did you pass out writing that all in one breath?
I watched a video you did the other day about our forests dying and now this one was linked in a discussion about insulating floors. Thanks so much. A new subscriber here. Going to watch the next video as I'm trying to plan an affordable, self sufficient place to grow old in. Blessings to you!
Best of luck with your plans.
I've been wondering how that might work. Thanks. You've confirmed what I had hoped would work. I also was thinking of using the bubble foil on the sub-floor with1-inch of foam and then the floor over it. That should keep your bubbles from being mashed flat and provide more insulation.
If you use the foil with no airspace you might as well just use the styrofoam alone. It needs space. Otherwise plain aluminum foil from grocery store does the same
@@aNuthaRedneck The foam and foil do two different things. The foam resists conductive heat transfers, while the bubble foil reflects radiative heat. An air gap isnt necessary. You could use foil from the grocery. That would be rather expensive, and very inconveient. If you wanted to use a sheet instead of bubbled foil, it's better to just buy foam with the foil glued on at your building supply store.
Perfect timing for this video, i am getting ready to insulate a shed and been struggling with the choosing the right option. It has the plywood floor already,so will have to install it inside ontop of the floor.
Beautiful! I'm planning a workshop on piers,and was wanting to insulate the floor and use something between flooring materials, as you did. I've been looking at books and videos to see how feasible it would be--what materials to use. Viola! Thank you.
This works great for my applications. If you're on pires, make sure you skirt the building and run one layer of this foil in the skirting. Skirting makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the world. I will do a followup video on this technique very soon so stay tuned.
Hi again! Well that was an excellent demo and commentary. Sure wish that product and you would have been there back in the day! Hope those in that stage with their place really take the info and use it so they can get it right the first time. As you know saves time and money. Nothing like draft free warm floors! Love that product! Also anything to keep those disgusting critters out too! Thx a bunch Boss more smiles here!!
We all make mistakes and mishaps all through life,that's how we learn.Thank You Sir for sharing your good common sense with us.
Thanks for showing your retrofit solution - I have an extension to my house that sits on the ground. I don't heat it much in winter because it's just a big heat sink. The floor is freezing in spite of heating the room. Next spring I'm going to lift the plank flooring and staple that bubble wrap to the tops of the joists before laying them back down. It'll compress on the joists, but otherwise create a better thermal break than the fibreglas insulation I have in there now (and, yes, rodents). Thank you!
You won't be sorry. This is all I use beneath my structures and I like warm floors.
I use a product here in Darwin called Insulbreak 65 by KINGSPAN, it is an air-cell type product and is the best thing for roof & wall insulation. Instead of the little air pockets it has the silver foil both sides of a beer cooler type product. Great stuff, the thing you keep learning in the building industry is great, just the other day i learnt that Fucking Architect was no one word!! Good stuff JC.
I ran it across the studs and then put 4 ft wide rolls of 1/4" hardware screen over it. More insulation with the air space included. Screen cost was about 50 cents per sq ft. Could be done for less using 1/2 inch
This is an excellent idea. 1/4" hardware cloth is now about 67 cents per SF -- well worth it, in my opinion. Thank you.