Insulation Tips
Understanding How Much Insulation is Needed Per Square Metre
Apr
Before installing insulation, you need to know how many square metres of coverage you need. Calculating this correctly is important because if you don’t order enough insulation it will cause delays, and if you order too much, it could be a costly waste of money. Check out our advice for correctly calculating how much insulation you need.
How do you calculate square meters for walls?
Most basically, square metres is simply calculated by multiplying the height by the length of a wall area. For example, for insulating a particular wall in your home, you would calculate the distance from floor to ceiling then multiply it by the length of your wall.
SQM = H X L
However, things get slightly more complicated when you consider that the joists and studs take up space. That means, simply multiplying height by length will overestimate how much insulation you need. At Pricewise Insulation, we suggest a good rule of thumb is to take off 10% for any timber framing.
For wall insulation, you will first need to minus the area of any doors and windows, and then multiply the result by 0.9 to account for the timber framing. The area of doors and windows can simply be calculated by using the calculation A=H X L.
SQM (walls) = [H X L – (area of doors & windows)] X 0.9
If you’re unsure, don’t worry! At Pricewise Insulation, we can help you estimate the rest to get the right amount of ceiling, floor or wall insulation for your application.
Choosing your insulation
Once you know how much square metre coverage of insulation you need, you will need to figure out how many bags to purchase. Specifics differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, so be sure to keep these tips in mind:
1. Higher R-Value mean less SQM per bag
If you decide to upgrade to a higher R-Value, keep in mind you will get less SQM per bag than you would have with a lower R-Value. This is because insulation batts with higher R-Values are more dense. Check the details of your specific product to make sure you’re getting the amount you need.
2. Differences between manufacturers
Depending on the brand of insulation, there could be a difference in the amount of batts that fit into a bag. For example, Knauf wall insulation batts are packaged using advanced compression technology which increases the amount of batts per bag compared to other brands. Always check the fine details to know how much you’re getting per bag.
3. Best practices to avoid waste
Besides calculating how much insulation you need, there are other practices you can use to minimise wastage. Ordering the right amount should lead to a better fit, but if you have any off-cuts, you can use these in smaller or hard to reach places. If you have excess insulation at the end, you may be able to use it as an extra layer in the roof or underfloor.
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Hi I’m having a music 🎶 sound room built ( Guitar 🎸)and am looking for the best sound reduction Batt that I can get for my money.
What R rating do you recommend for this application ?
What brand do you recommend ?
What would be the approximate cost for a 3.2 x 3.2 M room.
Hi Kevin, thanks for your question. We’ve got a whole blog post dedicated to this topic here: How to Create a Podcast or Recording Studio.
The R-value relates to the thermal performance of the insulation. For this sort of application we would recommend looking at the density (kg/m3) of the insulation. If you are retrofitting an existing room then we would recommend installing Autex Quietspace Polyester Insulation. Feel free to give our team a call on 1300 729 639 if you have any further questions.
Cheers,
Christa
Hi I need to calculate how much insulation I need for a 12.020 x 7.600 granny flat with a 15 degree pitch gable roof that will have cathedral ceilings.
Hi Helena,
Thank you for your question.
Please send any plans through to sales@pricewise.com.au and we can put together a quote for you. Alternatively you can call one of our friendly team members on 1300 729 639 to discuss.
Cheers,
Liz
Hi
How many 50mm insulation boards (2.4×1.2) will I need for an area of
11ft x 6.1ft please?
Hi Lorraine,
You’ll need approximately three boards, depending on the shape of the area. You are looking to cover an area of approximately 67.1 square feet (6.23m2) and three boards will cover 93 square feet (8.64m2).
Kind regards,
Christa
Hello. I’m looking to work out how much Insulation I need for walls and ceiling in timber frame house. Overall there is 480sqm of plasterboard in the house. How do I work out the sqm for Insulation.
Hi Terrence,
Thanks for your question. Please send a copy of your plans and energy report to sales@pricewise.com.au and we would be happy to do a take-off and quote for you. Feel free to give our team a call on 1300 729 639 if you have any questions.