What Size Staples For Insulation? (Find Out Now!)

Stapling your home insulation is one of the best ways to make sure it does not move around or fall over time. It will also prevent any rodents or pests from creating a home for themselves inside it. While you may want to go crazy with stapling to secure it to your foundation, there is a method to the madness to ensure your insulation won’t fall.

The best way to staple your insulation effectively is to use a manual staple gun with 1/4-inch, 5/16-inch, or 3/8-inch staples. You must also be sure to use enough staples within an area to avoid any sagging or gaps. By doing this, you can ensure your insulation functions at its best and stays that way.

You know what size staples to use now, but let’s talk about all the other things you’ll need to know about securing your insulation.

Properly installed insulation will provide resistance to heat flow, which will keep your interior temperature comfortable and consistent. Moreover, it will lower your monthly heating and cooling bills.

Without the staples, your insulation will shift and even fall in places over time. These gaps will let heat escape your home in the winter or enter the space in the summer. In both cases, this will have a negative impact on your home’s energy levels and, subsequently, how much money you spend each month.

Typically, you should leave about 8 inches of space between each staple to make sure the insulation is firmly in place. This will ensure you will avoid gaps between the flanges and the framing while also not wasting too many staples.

There are a couple of basic techniques for stapling insulation in different areas throughout your home.

Inset stapling involves placing insulation in the cavity and pressing it at the sides until the outside edge of the stapling flange is even with the framing. From there, you will start stapling from the top to the bottom.

When face stapling insulation, the flanges will overlap the framing. Place the insulation between the framing members and make sure it fits at both ends. Then staple the flanges to the face of the framing.

Related Questions

What are the main types of insulation?

There are a handful of different insulation types from which you can choose for different spaces throughout your home. These include batts and rolls, concrete block insulation, foam board, insulating concrete forms, loose-fill, blown-in, fiberglass, sprayed foam, cellulose, and more.

Can you over-insulate an attic?

Yes, if the insulation is sealed in too tightly and is not properly ventilated, moisture can get trapped inside. This is especially true in an attic space since warm air rises. This can also lead to issues with mold and lower air quality.