In this article, we’ll explore some of the best cheap garage insulation options to help you save money on energy bills while keeping your garage warm and comfortable throughout the colder months.
While it’s true that many insulation options can be expensive, there are also affordable ways to insulate your garage without breaking the bank.
Whether you use your garage as a workshop, storage space, or simply a place to park your car, insulating it can make a big difference in your comfort and wallet.
So what is the cheapest way to insulate a garage?
Let’s dive in and explore your options!
The Cheapest Way to Insulate Garages: Garage Door Insulation
By far, the cheapest way to insulate garages is to start with the garage door.
Garage Door Insulation Kits
Brand-new insulated garage doors can easily cost between $2000 and $5000. DIY garage door insulation kits can improve your existing garage door’s energy efficiency at a fraction of the cost.
Installing a DIY garage door insulation kit can help reduce heat loss or gain in your garage and improve energy efficiency. For a complete guide on the entire process, check out our DIY garage door insulation installation guide.
It also reduces noise transmission and helps deaden the sound of your garage door when it opens and closes.
These kits are available online and at most hardware stores and come with rigid foam insulation panels that can be cut to fit the size of your garage door. Each lightweight panel is made of polystyrene or polyurethane foam, providing good insulation.
You can see my review and installation guide of the Matador garage door insulation kit. It’s what I use in my garage.
The foam insulation panels can be attached to your garage door using adhesive or clips. In specific applications, the panels will slide into gaps in your garage door without needing any adhesive.
Installation of a DIY garage door insulation kit is relatively easy. It can be done with basic tools such as a utility knife, straight edge, and tape measure.
Insulating Blankets
Insulating blankets are a temporary solution, but they’re popular with many households because they’re one of the cheapest ways to insulate a garage.
They are made from a thick insulation material that’s hung inside your garage door. Made from materials such as fiberglass or polyester, they are lightweight, easy to handle, and can be cut to fit the size of your garage door.
However, there are also some disadvantages to using insulating blankets to cover your garage door.
For starters, they must be manually hung and taken down whenever you want to use your garage door.
Another disadvantage is how they look.
Some homeowners don’t like the look of heavy blankets hanging over their garage door. They also take up a fair amount of space in your garage, reducing your usable storage space.
Finally, insulating blankets are less effective than other insulation materials, such as polystyrene foam board or spray foam insulation.
Although insulation blankets are a cheap garage insulation idea, they are awful at reducing air leakage or preventing heat loss or gain.
Cheap Wall Insulation for Garages
We’ll start by looking at cheap ways to insulate your garage walls. For a comprehensive overview of all garage insulation options, see our complete garage insulation guide.
Each type of insulation is listed in order from the cheapest to the most expensive.
Seal Air Leaks
The first step in any insulation project is to seal any air leaks.
Air leaks can occur around windows, doors, electrical outlets, and other openings in your garage walls. This allows air to flow in and out of your garage, leading to heat loss or gain and decreasing the effectiveness of insulation materials.
Caulk is one of the most effective ways to seal air leaks in your garage walls. It can be applied to gaps or cracks around windows, doors, and other openings in your garage walls.
However, different types of caulk are available, so choose the proper type for your wall material to ensure a good seal. Examples include silicone or latex caulk.
Weatherstripping is another way to seal air leaks around doors and windows, reducing air leakage and improving energy efficiency in your garage. If your garage door weather seal is having issues with freezing, learn how to fix a garage door weather seal that freezes to the ground.
It comes in various types, such as adhesive-backed foam tape, V-strip, or door sweeps.
Gap filler is a type of spray foam insulation packed to seal air leaks in your garage walls. Like other spray foam insulation, it expands to fill gaps and cavities between the studs, creating an airtight seal.
Don’t forget about the electrical outlet gaskets in your garage.
Installing outlet gaskets behind the cover plate can help seal these leaks and improve insulation. These gaskets are made of foam or rubber and can be found at most hardware stores.
Sealing air leaks will make whatever insulation you install later much more effective. It’s a cheap and easy step to insulate your garage and can significantly improve your comfort level and energy efficiency.
Foam Board Wall Panels
Rigid foam board insulation is the cheapest way to insulate your garage. It can also be one of the easiest to install.
Most polystyrene foam boards can be glued to your concrete, wood, or metal garage walls using construction adhesive. Alternatively, it can be cut to fit the space between the studs in your garage walls because it is lightweight and easy to handle.
It also provides a good barrier against moisture and can help reduce noise transmission. It’s important to note that foam board insulation is flammable and should be covered with a thermal barrier, such as drywall, to provide a fire barrier.
Polystyrene foam board is available in various thicknesses and R-values. Thicker foam board typically means a higher R-value.
Usually, this equates to an R-value of about R-4 per one inch of thickness.
The R-value measures thermal resistance, indicating how well the insulation material resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation material’s ability to resist heat flow.
As you’d expect, the cost of a polystyrene foam board varies depending on the thickness and R-value.
However, it is generally considered to be a cost-effective insulation material. It’s a relatively easy, straightforward DIY project that can be done with basic tools and materials.
Fiberglass or Rockwool Batt Insulation
Fiberglass or rockwool batt insulation is commonly used in residential and commercial construction and is readily available at most hardware stores.
Batt insulation comes in rolls or strips and can be easily installed between the studs in your garage walls. It is available in various R-values and thicknesses, allowing you to choose one that meets your insulation needs and budget.
The two most common types of batt insulation are fiberglass and rockwool. Although they both serve the same purpose of improving insulation and energy efficiency, they have some differences.
Rockwool batt insulation is made from natural stone and recycled materials, making it more environmentally friendly than fiberglass batt insulation. It typically has a higher R-value and is more moisture and fire-resistant than fiberglass batt insulation.
That said, fiberglass batt insulation is considerably less expensive than rockwool batt insulation.
