*STICKY* Where to Buy Rigid Fiberglass

People keep asking, so...

BUMP!


{hint: For the intellectually challenged among us, look on the first page of this thread for links to places that sell rigid fiberglass.}
 
Scottgman said:
OK, I don't know if SPI prices/cost vary from state to state-- but here is what I paid in Oklahoma:

The rigid fiberglass I bought on my first order was 2" thick and 3pcf density (Owens Corning 703). Cost: $.99 per sq ft. They only sell it in cartons and the carton I got was 12 boards.

However, I just ordered a whole bunch of boards yesterday from SPI. This time I got rockwool. 2" thick and 8pcf density. Cost: $.39 per sq ft. :eek:
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Are these rockwool boards the same size (2'x4')? Are there acoustic properties comparable to the 703? Are they more difficult to work with or something? I'm just tying to see why I would pay more than twice as much for the 703.

Thanks
 
famous beagle said:
Are these rockwool boards the same size (2'x4')? Are there acoustic properties comparable to the 703? Are they more difficult to work with or something? I'm just tying to see why I would pay more than twice as much for the 703.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The rockwool boards come in various size options just like the rigid fiberglass. I got 2'x4'x2" boards and 2'x4'x4" boards. I got both 6pcf and 8pcf densities.

They are very easy to work with, we cut some with a drywall knife and it cut like butter. We hung them with fender washers and 3" drywall screws. Some of them hit studs... others didn't. The 2" boards are not very heavy-- even the 8pcf boards.

I don't know why people would pay more for the fiberglass. I haven't done any type of comparisons between rigid fiberglass or rock wool so I have no authority to comment on their similarities/differences. I'm just trying to figure this stuff out like everyone else. From countless hours of reading/researching this stuff, I decided that the published numbers for rockwool and rigid fiberglass were identical enough that I could treat them as such and not worry about it. Whether that is a valid conclusion to draw is another matter.

The following OC numbers came from Table 1 on Ethan's site. http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

The rockwool numbers are from http://www.fibrexinsulations.com/pdf/SoundAttenuationFire.pdf . Fibrex was the brand of rockwool boards I got from SPI. Notice the Fibrex .pdf doesn't mention density.


_______ 1 __ 2 __ 3 __ 4 __
125 Hz 0.17 0.60 0.27 0.97
250 Hz 0.86 0.50 0.55 1.28
500 Hz 1.14 0.63 1.07 1.25
1000Hz 1.07 0.82 1.10 1.10
2000Hz 1.02 0.45 1.10 1.10
4000Hz 0.98 0.34 1.10 1.09
NRC___ 1.00 0.60 0.95 1.20

1 = Owens-Corning 703
2 = Owens-Corning 705-FRK
3 = Fibrex Rock Wool 2"
4 = Fibrex Rockwool 4"

Spare me the stuff about the dubiousness of published NRC numbers and that stuff-- I don't care. I've put this stuff in two rooms and I've heard the difference it makes. I've got both fiberglass and rockwool and they both seem to work really well. I haven't lost any sleep pondering whether the rockwool is working as well as the fiberglass. Also, I'm fully confident that I have these panels placed in the most ineffective, inefficient, and inept manner possible... LOL! We didn't do any measurements... we just slapped them up all over the place. I knew I needed and wanted some room treatment and this was the cheapest (and apparently more/most effective) route to go. I've been very happy with the results.

Here's a pic of part of my buddy’s room. The room is "L" shaped and this is the little drum area. While I'm definitely a "function over form" kind of guy, I do try to add the "form" part into my work. But my buddy said he didn't care how it looked so we did it in the cheapest, fastest, and easiest possible way (notice the now-defunct garage door opener... LOL!). The room is actually much bigger (the majority of a 2-car garage), but the basic pattern of tiles is the same all over the room. Those are 4" panels in the back corners.

Hope that helps.
 

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Hey Scottgman, I don't want to get on a tangent here, but is rockwool itchy like fiberglass is? or is it more organic, well... wooly feeling? I don't have the means to build fabric wrapped panels in my cramped apartment, do you think I could just put up the rockwool the way it comes outta the box?
 
reshp1 said:
Hey Scottgman, I don't want to get on a tangent here, but is rockwool itchy like fiberglass is? or is it more organic, well... wooly feeling? I don't have the means to build fabric wrapped panels in my cramped apartment, do you think I could just put up the rockwool the way it comes outta the box?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I just don't know.

I have gotten itchy from fiberglass... so I know how it feels. But... I didn't exactly get naked and roll around in the rock wool.

The most I handled it was grabbing a board to put it on the table-- that's it. I didn't have any problems from that little bit of contact.

Maybe someone who has worked with this stuff in a construction type setting (it's fairly common insulation) could chime in.
 
shilohlane said:
Anybody know a place around Denver/the front range of Colorado? Thanks!!
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Supposedly ColoradoJay found a source. I don't know if he ever bought any though.

You could pm him to find out.
 
Any heating and air-conditioning supply house will carry the rigid fiberglass that you all seek.........it's called duct board. it comes in 4' x 10' x 1" sheets.......check your local yellow pages.
 
RICK FITZPATRICK said:
I was under the impression duct board had one sideo laminated with a foil. Hmmm. I'll have to check that out..
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If duct board is the same as 703, then that would make it the "FRK" variety, which actually has high absorption coefficients.
 
Duct board does have a foil backing on one side but, it can be peeled off or you can just install it backwards.........you can also get duct board that is lined on the inside with a linen like material.
 
I got $1 a yard fabric from Wal Mart. It's basically just scraps. They have it on a table you can rummage through. This is a pain because if you find some fabric you like, there may only be 5 yards of it. They can't order any extra $1 a yard fabric for whatever reason. So you just have to take what they have. I mixed and matched fabric from a couple different Wal Mart stores until I had enough. It was time consuming and I'm not sure the extra work was worth the savings (plus I hate going to Wal Mart). It would have been much easier if I could've found a color and fabric I liked and then just ordered as much as I needed.

If you want the "real" fabric-- where you actually get to pick the color and everything-- you're going to be paying *at least* $2-$3 per yard.
 
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