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Newcabinowner
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2021 02:20pm
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I recently bought a house with a small 10×10 cabin which has flooring and electrical outlets and lights, but is otherwise unfinished on the inside on the walls and rafters. I would like to insulate and finish the cabin for year round use in winters that get below -20. If it's way too cold we won't use it, but would be nice to use it most of the year.
I am a complete newbie to any Reno projects but have learned a lot from this forum
I am thinking foam boards between the studs in the walls and the ceiling plus canned spray foam for around the windows and doors, plus vapour barrier over the foam boards and then tongue and groove wall panels to finish it up. The cabin is lakefront probably with high moisture. I don't imagine the floors are insulated, but maybe that's a project for next year.
I will be heating the cabin with a small space heater (again we probably just wont use it if its way too cold. Im wondering if this plan makes sense and if I need to vent the cabin or if I'm missing any steps?
Thanks!
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BRADISH
Member
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2021 02:57pm
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I don't have a ton of experience in insulation buildings either but it seems like foam board will have a fairly low R-value for the walls and ceiling. (I believe something like 80% of heat loss is through the ceiling.)
Unless you fit it incredibly tight, or go back and seal all edges and cracks that foam board is going to let a lot of heat by.
I would probably look into more traditional fiberglass installation for the walls and ceiling. Foam board may work ok for the floor.
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snobdds
Member
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2021 03:47pm
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High moisture and 10x10 scream a DIY closed cell foam kit. Then you also don't have to worry about how the place is vented and vapor barriers. It eliminates a lot of problems in exchange for money.
I would buy enough just to get everything encapsulated. Then you can cobble in some extra insulation to get your R value up.
Spray foam is wonderful stuff: It provides racking strength in a wall, air seal, R-value, and a thermal break. For a cabin it also provides a barrier against mice and other crawlies from getting in. 
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2021 04:58pm
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If can afford spray foam, its a great option. However, I just couldn't swallow the price. You would probably be looking at 2 $600 kits and it would only get you about R7.
Foam board is a good option, but its really designed to be installed on the outside of a building. This creates and external envelope and thermal break. While it will work between studs, it would be a pain to install and again not provide a ton of insulation per inch.
Since your area is fairly small, I would probably go with Rock Wool (ROXUL is one brand). It great stuff and doesn't have the "itch" factor of glass insulation. After that, a traditional vapour barrier taped and acoustical seal along the tops and bottom. This will get you the best R value for the buck I think!
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2021 06:30pm
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Post some pictures. Does the roof leak?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2021 11:37pm
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How about using it for a winter as is? It doesnt take a lot to heat a 10x10 to cozy while there if you plug a bunch of the air leaks. But keep in mind you only have so much oxygen in there too; a must have is an O2 sensor to keep you alive.
After a season of use you will have a lot better idea what to do.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2021 05:40am
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Just because its water front dosnt mean it's got high humidity. For a 10x10 I would just use fiberglass. The space is so small a space heater will have no problems keeping up. If its fully insulated along with the flow you can prob keep the place warm with a hand full of candles, 10x10 is prety small
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Steve_S
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2021 07:03am
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My home is insulated with FOAM ONLY. 5-1/2" of HD EPS-II in the walls and 7-1/2 of PolyISO between rafters. It was all sourced from a Commercial Roofing company as none of this is available in Retail Land which only has 2" thick sheets at Insane Prices.
The best & Most Affordable insulation is ROXUL - Rockwool which tight fits between studs/rafters. Bugs & Rodents HATE IT and it is hydrophobic which means it will not hold or wick moisture. It is easy to work with, and no Fiberglass side effects. You will require a Vapour Barrier between the insulation & the wall finishing material. Roxul / Rockwool is availabe at any decent Building Supply House.
* Roxul is a Brandname there are other companies that make rockwool insulation.
Good Luck, Hope it helps.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2021 08:26am
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Quoting: Steve_S Rockwool which tight fits between studs/rafters. Bugs & Rodents HATE IT
The mice in my shed must not have got the info about them hating it. They burrowed right into what's left over of a bag.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2021 09:17am
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They must not have read the data sheet, lol.
Ime they adapt, adjust and overcome at an amazing rate.
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Newcabinowner
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2021 09:56am
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Thanks for all of the info! Really appreciate the help since this is all new.
I'm not sure it's possible to use it as is for the winter. Already on the cold fall nights it has apparently been uncomfortable to my family members who slept there (or maybe they are just picky).
Rockwool sounds like a good idea. I will look into how much of that would be needed to fill between the studs and then install a vapour barrier. I assume I can put tongue and groove boards over Rockwool instead of drywall? My understanding is that boards are better for bunkies which have a tendency to shift or settle but that drywall is needed over foam boards as a fire retardant.
So Rockwool in the walls and ceiling with maybe spray foam can for around the edges and then a vapour barrier and tongue and groove boards.
I uploaded a picture
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2021 08:40pm
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People have been sleeping in uninsulated or marginally insulated cabins for millennia. The common 'deer cabin' in my youth (Im 68) was a 'tar-paper shack' around here, and WI isnt known as warm winter place.
Dont sleep on the floor! Heat rises so have the bunks higher than a normal bed if possible, and the top bunk of bunk-beds is the warmest. Lower bunk 'guy' gets cold, gets up to throw another log on the fire, and top bunk guy is cozy 
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2021 08:09am
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My 10x14 temp cabin only has 2in foam in the ceiling. We sleep well and stay warm all day. I have a wood stove for heat and a little buddy for the cold mornings. We bundle up at night. We have been there when its 20*f at night.
The wood stove does take up alot of space in a 10x14.
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Newcabinowner
Member
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2021 09:04am
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Thanks! If I do Rockwool with a vapour barrier and a small electric heater in the cabin, do I need to install a vent?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2021 01:17pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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An elec heater doesnt use up oxygen; ie, no combustion is taking place.
People breathing does use it, so does cooking inside with a typical camp stove (which have warnings not to use inside, though people do. People also use gas cooking ranges in their homes, whats the diff?).
Normal going in/out, etc. usually provides enough air exchange unless the thing is build Really Air Tight. We dont have to worry about that at our place! Even so, I got a CO Alarm and use it, and/or consider keeping a window cracked open a smidge.
Dont know how your summers are, but a vent high up can be a very good thing to dump out the stacking of heat inside.
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