How to Insulate Your Shed

Be it games rooms, storage spaces, workshops, or farm shelters, Aussies love their sheds. They’re the unsung heroes of suburbia, and the backbone of almost all major industries from agriculture, infrastructure, you name it.

But a shed is never fully complete without shed insulation. In fact, an uninsulated shed can become a hostile environment for people, tools, and animals on the inside.

Yes, you heard it here first. Here we explain why insulation is important, what the best insulation materials are, and importantly, how to insulate a shed.

Why Is Shed Insulation So Important?

Sheds can become like an oven in summer and freezing cold during the winter months. Extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on…basically everything in your shed.

Imagine your precious kitesurfing gear get’s left in the shed over the weekend in 43-degree heat. First, your seals start to melt and distort, your kite won’t hold wind the same way – not to mention the heat damage to your board.

Valuable items like your surfboard, electronics, tools, vehicles – they’re all prone to heat damage – and that’s a recipe for disaster. To keep your valuable belongings in good working order, you’re going to want to fix this.

Shed Insulation Options

aircon system for those super hot days, but even that relies on you to be there to turn it on and off. Shed insulation is the perfect solution to allow year-round comfort and enjoyment of your shed. There are a few insulation options, and even budget options for insulating your shed, including:

1. Fibreglass Wool

Although this is an excellent option for insulation, it isn’t an easy DIY job and may be best left to professional shed builders. You need to ensure that you have protective covers for your mouth, eyes, and nose, as well as heavy-duty gloves to protect your hands. Fiberglass insulation has the added benefit of noise reduction.

2. Sisalation Paper

This is an energy-efficient, high-quality reflective foil paper. It protects your shed from extreme cold, heat, dust, moisture, and wind. It is very easy to install and is suitable for most buildings.

3. Bubble Wrap

This is an easy, budget-friendly solution for insulating your shed. Be sure to overlap sheets and seal gaps, and then place MDF boarding over the top.

Best Insulation For Your Shed

We recommend Kingspan Insulshed. Why? It’s aussie made, and it’s designed especially for sheds. The aircell product provides advanced thermal performance making your shed cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It’s also fire retardant and won’t have any problems with rodents. This stuff is as durable as it gets.

Patch Up Gaps in the Walls and Fix Broken Windows

You can install the best quality insulation in your shed and have it do absolutely nothing if there are still gaping holes in your walls or cracks in your windows. Before installing your insulation check that these breaches are filled, fixed, replaced, and do a once-over to double-check all the problem areas. If you notice your shed is getting damp – this could be a serious issue. Check out our advice on how to deal with damp sheds here.

How to Insulate Shed Walls

Depending on your shed structure and how much space you have between the wall panels, the type of insulation being used will differ. You may want to get an expert involved to make sure you’re covering all bases. The trick is to get as much coverage as possible to allow the insulation to do its job.

If you’re after professional advice at any stage – just reach out to our team here at Spinifex Sheds, we’re happy to help.

How to Insulate Shed Windows and Doors

When insulating your shed, it’s important to pay attention to the windows and doors. Windows and doors are often the main areas where drafts and moisture enter, so it’s vital to ensure they are also insulated to properly complete the job. A foam filler around windows and doors is all you need to do this, be sure to pay extra attention to gaps in the frames.

Insulating the Shed Floor

Shed floors are often forgotten when insulating. Obviously, if you’re doing a lot of serious fabrication, automotive mechanical work or carpentry—a cold concrete floor is something you’re just going to have to deal with. You could look at installing garage tiles, plastic squares that offer improved grip and look good too. But they make clean up more difficult and realistically aren’t going to offer insulative properties.

However, floor insulation can reduce heat loss by up to 40% during the colder months. If you’re using your shed primarily for storage or as an office or recreation space, then making it warmer and morefortable is a fairly simple job. Line the floor with a breathable material first and then lay a rug or carpet over the top. The breathable material prevents dampness. You’ll notice a big difference once this is done – it can also make your toasty winter cabin more hospitable in the cooler months.

Don’t Forget the Shed Roof

Lastly, the shed roof will need some attention. This is one of the largest surface areas of your shed and will make a huge difference to the shed’s temperature. If you’re living out in rural WA, no amount of quality insulation materials will stop the warm air from escaping through the shed roof on a frosty morning.

Is It Really Worth Insulating a Shed?

Yes. Insulating your shed is almost always worth it. The costs associated with not insulting can become astronomical – even ongoing if you’re finding you’re replacing equipment year after year due to heat damage. 

Even if you only use your shed for storage, insulating provides several benefits including:

• Protection of stored valuables 
• Providing comfort throughout the year 
• Maximises usage 
• Reduces moisture damage 
• Reduces noise in some cases
• Prevents pests from getting inside 
• Prevents damage to expensive items

Should Garden Sheds Be Insulated?

Residential sheds and garden sheds that store your garden equipment may not need the full treatment. But the moment you start to store valuable pieces of equipment and electronics in there, you may want to reconsider your approach. A broom, rake, and wheelbarrow aren’t going to suffer in the heat – but a chainsaw, jerry can full of fuel, and your grandmother’s stamp collection isn’t exactly going to get on well in the summer.

My Shed Is Damp. What Should I Do?

It’s one thing to insulate a shed and hope for the best. But keeping an eye on the moisture levels in your shed walls, roof and floor is always an essential part of proper shed maintenance. Make sure to have sufficient ventilation – especially if you notice it’s getting humid inside. Find more about how to ventilate your shed here.

Summary

These days a backyard shed is much more than just a place to store garden tools. The Aussie shed has become an extension of our living and recreation areas. Whether it’s a workshop, man cave, games room, or home office, sheds often hold valuable and expensive equipment. Sheds are prone to becoming extremely hot or cold depending on the weather. Insulation provides comfort for its occupants and protection for the things that are stored inside.

Insulating your shed is the perfect way to maximise comfort and usage, and protect your valuable items all year round.

Now you know how to insulate a shed, it’s time to get started! Reach out to the team here at Spinifex for questions on how to optimise your shed’s insulation today.