I recently put up some walls using steel studs. I bought full width
batts to cover the entire 16" gap between studs. The batts have no
paper vapor barrier. When I put the insulation in the wall, it
basically collapsed since there was nothing to secure the insulation in
an upright position. How should I secure the batts so they don't just
fall down? Is there some special tape I can use or some other
technique? I searched, but couldn't find anything for this specific
problem.

Bill,

The batts should have a vapor barrier. This paper side should face
inward. On wooden studs string running zig zag and a staplegun keep the
batts in place. Don't know about steel studs but anything cheap to hold the
batts in place until you put on the wallboard is ok.

Dave M.

David Martel wrote:
Bill,

The batts should have a vapor barrier. This paper side should face
inward.

Actually that should be "should face towards the warm side." In the
south where cooling is the primary issue and heating is an after though, the
vapor barrier goes towards the outside.

This would normally place the vapor barrier towards the inside and you
could tape them together and to the steel.

You can add a plastic vapor barrier, but having one on the batts would
make it easier, I would think.

On wooden studs string running zig zag and a staplegun keep
the batts in place. Don't know about steel studs but anything cheap
to hold the batts in place until you put on the wallboard is ok.

Dave M.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

"Bill" wrote in message
oups.com...
I recently put up some walls using steel studs. I bought full width
batts to cover the entire 16" gap between studs. The batts have no
paper vapor barrier. When I put the insulation in the wall, it
basically collapsed since there was nothing to secure the insulation in
an upright position. How should I secure the batts so they don't just
fall down? Is there some special tape I can use or some other
technique? I searched, but couldn't find anything for this specific
problem.


They sell specific lengths of steel wire to hold the batts up. Or you could
make your own with coat hangers, etc. How about tape?

I saw those steel wires, but how would they be used to hold a batt in
the vertical position? Is it just a matter of getting support on each
side of the insulation and it will stay up on its own? If that's the
case, could I just put some kind of support on the backside (zigzag
some twine or horizontal ferring strips), throw up the insulation, duct
tape the front for support, add my plastic vapor barrier and then put
up the drywall? Would that be all I needed? Would the insulation stand
up because it's got no place to go, or would it eventually collapse and
sit in the bottom of the cavity? Thanks for all the help.

-Bill

"Bill" wrote in message
oups.com...
I saw those steel wires, but how would they be used to hold a batt in
the vertical position? Is it just a matter of getting support on each
side of the insulation and it will stay up on its own? If that's the
case, could I just put some kind of support on the backside (zigzag
some twine or horizontal ferring strips), throw up the insulation, duct
tape the front for support, add my plastic vapor barrier and then put
up the drywall? Would that be all I needed? Would the insulation stand
up because it's got no place to go, or would it eventually collapse and
sit in the bottom of the cavity? Thanks for all the help.

-Bill

This is just an opinion, no basis in fact.

Once the walls are up on both sides I doubt that the insulation could sag
more than 6".

Use a strip taller than what you thing it may sag and you are good to go
with any temp support you like.

What is the back side? Is this a basement?

Duck tape sounds like a winner for the room side.


Colbyt

David
If you are in a cooling dominated climate, the vapor barrier goes
toward the outside, in a heating dominated climate, the vapor barrier
goes toward the inside. In a mixed climate there should be NO vapor
barrier. Check the new International Building code for details, Here
in Myrtle Beach, SC the code says NO vapor barrier. The code says
which counties in which states should not have a vapor barrier, This
helps protect yoy from mold.

Stretch

On 11 Apr 2005 17:24:09 -0700, "stretch" wrote:

David
If you are in a cooling dominated climate, the vapor barrier goes
toward the outside, in a heating dominated climate, the vapor barrier
goes toward the inside. In a mixed climate there should be NO vapor
barrier. Check the new International Building code for details, Here
in Myrtle Beach, SC the code says NO vapor barrier. The code says
which counties in which states should not have a vapor barrier, This
helps protect yoy from mold.

Stretch

I don't read it that way.

It talks about the vapor barrier being next to the warm side when
freezing is mentioned. This is pretty standard and exceptions are
extremely rare.

Besides, I would always go with the manufacturers recommendations and
if some archaic code disagrees with manufacturer, you have a duty to
ask for a variance from the archaic code. Otherwise, you make
yourself personally liable.