Which is the best exterior insulation board to make a cottage 3 season?

S
Sharon Challingsworth
Updated: April 27, 2021

Hello, our house built in 1920 untouched save for a simple kitchen. It's walls are toung and groove pine. No heat no insulation just the wainscotting walls. The interior frame ar 2 by 4's. we wish to live there through the summer from May 1st to October 8th ish. We have to install heat and insulation for the times when we return in winter, for Christmas and birthdays etc. We'd like to strengthen the structure internally but we want to keep the wood exposed. We are thinking to insulated the house with external insulation and then add new wooden siding. We would like to use a non oil based insulation. Can you recommend a product?

Responses (1)

Rj Pierson 2 years ago

I've looked into a lot of exterior and rigid insulation options, and I've come to the conclusion that as much as I'm trying to reduce plastic use, as EPS is mostly air (3% plastic?), affordable, does a great job, permeable, that it's hard to beat. 

If i was adamant about not using plastics/oil - and as wood fiber panels are usually soaked in paraffin and stuck together with polymers, as are Rockwool, I'd probably be left thinking about a Larsen truss to exterior layer, use a smart breathable membrane, and fill it with dense packed cellulose to prevent settling before putting shiny new siding on.