Foam board insulation is available in several plastic-based blends, each offering different densities and R-values. Extruded expanded polystyrene and molded expanded polystyrene are often selected for wall insulation. The former is thinner for applications where space is a premium. Any of the foam boards is applied to concrete walls with a special glue.
Instructions
1. Place a 2-by-2-foot square of polyethylene plastic on a concrete basement wall and secure it to the wall with duct tape. Check the square after three or four weeks. If water droplets have condensed between the plastic and the concrete, the walls draw excessive moisture and you must install a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from building up behind the foam board. If the plastic is dry, you need not add a vapor barrier unless you wish to do so as a precaution.
2. Paint the walls with a vapor retardant sealant if needed. Purchase this product from home centers or hardware stores. The paint is thick, but it applies with a roller or paint brush. Once the paint dries, it leaves behind an effective vapor barrier.
3. Insert a tube of foam board adhesive into a caulk gun. Trim the top of the tube at a 45-degree angle with about a 3/8-inch hole. Use a utility knife to make the cut.
4. Squeeze long beads of adhesive onto the back of a piece of foam board. You need not follow any particular pattern when applying the adhesive, just make sure the board gets ample glue coverage.
5. Place the foam board into position on the basement wall and hold it there for one or two minutes so the adhesive has time to bond with the concrete.
6. Repeat the process until you have installed all the foam panels.
7. Seal all the seams between the foam boards using a tape designed for use on insulating panels.
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