Can't find insulation (San Diego area)

[Wolfgang92025]

Help.............

I live in the San Diego area (Escondido) and I'm looking to find 1" & 2" pink or blue polystyrene foam insulation.

Used the internet. Found a listing of a source in Temecula (30 miles north). Called the store and talked to a girl at the counter and and she confirmed they had it. Drove up there early Saturday morning. Walk out in the warehouse and all I see is Styrofoam insulation. Asked the sales guy were the pink stuff is. He say's its been gone for month.
Walked out very unhappy.

Stopped by local HD this morning and talked to the guy at the contractors desk. He called Owens Corning direct. For some unknown reason he can't get the stuff here in San Diego.

So I called Owens Corning myself and lunch and asked for a local distributor. Got a numbers. Store is about 15 miles south (great) but they only can order it by they truck load. And I only need 10 sheets max.

So, if some knows of a local source, I would love to hear from you......

thanks
Wolfgang

[kennyrayandersen]

I’m actually a little worried about that myself. If you live in the south (I’m in TX, though living in Korea right now) I did some checking around (you can check Home Depot or Lowes stock on line by location) and it’s not very easy to find the thicker stock sizes. I found some, but it was like 30 miles away, and I could find no pattern as to why some places carried it and some didn’t. They almost all carry the ½ or ¾ but thicker than that and it gets spotty, at least in TX.

It may also be a bit season dependent. If worse comes to worse, I could glue a couple of sheets together to get the thicker stuff. But the best solution is I found near me a couple of places that produce it in big blocks and so I’m hoping I can get it custom cut. The problem shipping is the size, not weight. Still, there may be a demand such that a few of us can get together and get some made (they make it for houses). The block size is 5x5x10 feet. Problem is I won’t be back in the States until next year January at the soonest.

[toypusher]

That is strange!

Both HD and Lowes carry 3/4" and 2" in the blue around here.

[starleen2]

That is strange!

Both HD and Lowes carry 3/4" and 2" in the blue around here.

Not much need for thicker insulation in warmer climates - they also don't sell many snow shovels in Texas either

[kennyrayandersen]

That is strange!

Both HD and Lowes carry 3/4" and 2" in the blue around here.

PA... ain't that somewheres up north

My 'native' Texan friend said A/C ruined TX what with all them northerners coming down and all...

Fact is we really need the insulation for the heat anyway, so there is no reason we shouldn't get the thicker stuff -- it is just apparently difficult to find in the South.

[madjack]

That is strange!

Both HD and Lowes carry 3/4" and 2" in the blue around here.

PA... ain't that somewheres up north

My 'native' Texan friend said A/C ruined TX what with all them northerners coming down and all...

Fact is we really need the insulation for the heat anyway, so there is no reason we shouldn't get the thicker stuff -- it is just apparently difficult to find in the South.

I dunno, the box stores around here, all have foil backed white stuff in 1/2" and 3/4" and either the pink or blue in 1" and 2" and they all have some type of foil/bubble/foil...and I agree A/C and TV/video are the downfall of civilization
madjack

[Juneaudave]

The other thing...we have 1" but don't have 3/4 in Juneau...so you really need to know before framing walls and such...

[kennyrayandersen]

The other thing...we have 1" but don't have 3/4 in Juneau...so you really need to know before framing walls and such...

yeah I'm to the point where I think you get the foam first and then build the trailer around it!

[Wolfgang92025]

The other thing...we have 1" but don't have 3/4 in Juneau...so you really need to know before framing walls and such...
Rolling Eyes

That is why I'm stuck right now. I don't want to get started only to find out that I would have visit my brother in Detroit to get the right size insulation.
Tomorrow I'll try the special order desk at Lowes. But I don't have a lot of faith........

Wolfgang

[doug hodder]

Well....the styro isn't that bad and if they have it, a lot less brain damage. I've done 4 with it. Cuts up great with a razor knife. Camped down into the 20's and in snow with it, just ply walls and was fine. Just my experience with it all. Doug

[Micro469]

I'm suprised you can't find the insulation in the south... I thought it was to protect against the heat as well as the cold........Anyway, Doug is right, styrofoam will work too. I guess it's more to stop condensation between outside temps and inside temp. I wouldn't worry about thr R rating too much........



Just my opinion.......Oh, you didn't ask for it????? Well, it's free......

[kennyrayandersen]

Well....the styro isn't that bad and if they have it, a lot less brain damage. I've done 4 with it. Cuts up great with a razor knife. Camped down into the 20's and in snow with it, just ply walls and was fine. Just my experience with it all. Doug

You are right, it works fine for insulation, it’s just not as structural, if you need it for that, which you don’t.

[kennyrayandersen]

The other thing...we have 1" but don't have 3/4 in Juneau...so you really need to know before framing walls and such...

BTW Dave -- no reason you couldn't stick frame to 1 inch -- it's actually just a little stringer and since its just the fram it wouldn't add much weight. You probably have to buy the lumber rough and plane it though to get ti to 1 inch as most planed stuff is 3/4 (or you could use 2 thickness' of 1/2 plywood and make the frame just 1 inch wide -- wouldn't be too heavy... you know... if you had to.

[Ken Fincher]

WolfGang

I say the same as most of the previous postings.
I have bought my insulation at both Lowes & HD, & it is real easy to work with some peple use a skill saw to cut it (very messy) Just use a staight stick & a utility knive, thin stuff just cut right threw it, & if you use the thicker stuff just run the knive into the foam a couple of times then you can snap it real easy. & not to expensive.





I used this stuff & it dose a great job, We have camped when the temp was in the teens excellent stuff.
It also helps alot when it's hot, Take it from me I live in the desert


Ken F.
http://www.vegasteardrop.com/TD_and_Misc_Const_.html

[bobhenry]

Where ever you live cruise by the newly built housing additions and look at the homes being built. Where I worked we panelize 600 homes a year and various builders wanted various types of subsiding. Look to see what is available and somewhere on that site you will see a hint as to which lumberyard supplied the material. Large tract builders don't go to Lowes and Home Depot. Most of these items are special order in truckload quantities but the good private lumberyards will have what you need.
A combination of 1/2 and 3/4 placed in layers will net 1 " 1 1/4" 1 1/2"
1 3/4" or 2" by using combinations of layers. By layering the thicker walls you can build in the electrical chases by using the scrap much like furring strips and build out with just strips and leaving air gaps much like an insulated window. Tooth picks and a dab of glue will keep them in place until the final full sheet is added