Garden Shed Insulation | How To Insulate A 10x16 Shed

February 20, 2024      News and Tips

Have you ever thought about insulating your garden shed? If you are like us, you know that insulating your garden shed is a great way to take your shed to the next level. However, it can feel overwhelming to get started. This how-to guide will give you steps to insulate your garden shed. So, without further delay, let us help you figure out how to get started.

What Is Spray Foam Insulation For Garden Sheds?

Garden shed insulation is when you utilize some specialized material to prevent heat or coolness from escaping your garden shed, in this case, spray foam. Several styles of insulation can be put into the spaces of your shed. However, spray foam insulation is arguably one of the best options for your shed insulation.

 

What Garden Shed Insulation Is The Best For My 10×16 Shed?

Closed-cell spray foam is the best kind of insulation for garden sheds. This insulation is a solid contender for insulation if you desire to finish out your shed more of a finished-off space like a home office or guest room. If you are looking for a garden shed with effective and affordable insulation, we recommend batt insulation that can be easily tracked with a staple gun.

 

How do I Spray Foam Insulation On A 10×16 Garden Shed?

The video above shows that a spray foam kit was used to complete the job. The beauty of spray foam is that you can quickly complete the insulation. That may come as using a kit or calling someone locally to complete the job.  If you prefer a step-by-step guide, keep reading.

How To Spray Foam Insulate A Garden Shed

To complete the job, you will need the following items

  1. Spray Foam Kit
  2. Safety Gear

 Clear out your shed. We know this sounds basic, but make sure you remove everything from your shed, including wall-mounted hooks. Spray foam is extremely sticky and will ruin anything that is not meant to be spray-foamed.

Tape off the windows and vents. If you have windows and vents in your shed, you need to ensure they are covered.

Next, start spraying your walls. If you are nervous that you will over-spray, practice spraying into a trash can or on an extra piece of plywood. 

We recommend that you start with a wall that does not have a window. If the spraying gets out of control, you can correct it before you over-spray onto the window tape and risk getting the window covered.

Clean Up. Once you have sprayed the wall cavities, you may notice that some studs have spray foam on them. If you plan to finish your shed, this foam must be removed from the studs to ensure that the interior wall can be covered with whatever wall covering (drywall, paneling, etc.) you choose.

How Much Spray Foam Do I Need To Insulate My 10×16 Shed Walls?

To figure out how much spray foam you need for your shed, you will need to calculate the board footage of your wall. Look at the video above to see how to calculate your board footage.  The dimensions of your shed insulation will depend on the measurements of your shed.

How Many Board Feet Are In A Square Foot When Calculating Shed Insulation?

One board foot equals one square foot, with a 1-inch depth of spray foam. Most times, you will want to do two passes of spray foam to insulate your shed. One pass may be enough if you want to make a simple barrier between the exterior wall and the shed’s interior. However, if you are looking to make your shed livable, 2 inches of insulation will be the minimum required.

 

How Much Spray Foam Insulation Do I Need to Insulate a 10×16 Shed?

You will need 1016 square feet of insulation for a 10×16 shed to complete a double pass of spray foam insulation. (508 if you are only doing a single pass). Keep in mind that a single pass will not give you a quality insulation job.

Most of our sheds are built with 7-foot tall walls. So, we will be using that as the basis for our calculator.

10’x7’=70 square feet x 2 = 140 square feet

16’x7’= 112 square feet x 2 = 224 square feet 

This means there is a total of 364 square feet for shed walls in a 10×16 shed. 

If you want to do the ceiling on one of our 10×16 sheds, you would need to figure in about another 144 square feet. However, the jury is still out on whether you should spray foam on the ceiling of your shed.

 

How Much Does It Cost To Spray Foam Insulate A 10×16 Garden Shed?

The cost to spray foam insulate a garden shed is between $5,780 and $1,300 if you do the insulation by yourself. However, if you do not feel that spray foam insulation is something that you can do by yourself, you can hire someone. However, this can cost upwards of $5,500.

 

What Happens If I Use Too Much Insulation In My 10×16 Garden Shed?

You should spray foam insulate your shed after you have had an electrical run. If you spray foam insulation on your shed before having your electrical installed, you won’t be able to fixate your electrical boxes to the stud work properly. If you forget to place an outlet where you had originally hoped, you can still add in an outlet; however, it will not be able to be recessed into the wall.

Is It Worth It To Insulate My 10×16 Garden Shed?

It depends on the use type. Insulation may not be needed if you intend to use your garden shed for a simple lawn mower and tool storage. However, if you use your shed as a hobby space or living area, insulation should be on your list of needed items for completion and is a worthwhile investment. 

Does Beachy Barns Offer Shed Insulation?

Yes and no. We are willing to do floor insulation as it can’t be done easily after the shed has been assembled. We generally do not insulate the walls and roofs of our buildings. However, we have recommended Parkfield Insulation Service in the past. They have been great to work for us when having someone spray foam your garden shed with insulation.

Whether you plan to add insulation to your shed or not, let us help guide you to the shed of your dreams. Whether you want a Cottage Shed or an economical Minibarn, we are here to help. Give us a call, design a shed, or request a quote. However you get ahold of us, we are here to continue building on a tradition of trust.

Other Recent Tips & Stories...

Best Shed Foundations To Use In Central Ohio

With many options available for shed foundations, which one will do the best job? Make your portable building last a long time by providing the optimal shed foundation for your situation.

Outdoor Kitchen Sheds | The Ultimate Guide

Looking for a way to enjoy your outdoor space? Check out our outdoor kitchen sheds to take your entertainment to the next level!

Everything You Need to Know About 10x10 Shed

Do you have a small backyard and a house that is overflowing with too much stuff? 10×10 storage sheds are a great shed size to solve storage nightmares. And there are a lot of good reasons why this shed can be a good size for you. In this post, we will talk about when a 10×10 storage shed may be right for you.

How To Find An HOA-Approved Shed

The phrase “prefab shed” sometimes conjures up the wrong image of something cheap and not good-looking. The good news is a well-built prefab shed can be quite attractive and built to extremely high standards and even satisfy the strictest HOA and zoning requirements.