need insulation help w/ garage conversion ...

[flipper]

though i have no handyman skills, i'm going to attempt to insulate a garage-space to office-space conversion and need a little help. the garage consists of three rooms and i'm converting only the middle room.

it has a ceiling with an attic. can i just lay fiberglas insulation on the attic floor? do i need a vapor barrier and, if so, is kraft-faced fiberglas sufficient, laid paper-side down, i assume? for a look at this, see:

and

the two interior walls have siding on the office-space side and 2x4 studs on the other side. is putting in kraft-faced insulation all i need to do here? also -- is there anything cheaper, faster, and lighter to cover the insulation with than sheetrock? i don't need anything fancy. for a look at this, see:

and

the wall facing outside has studs. (see

) anything easy to cover the insulation with here?

with these questions answered it seems like something i might be able to do but then again maybe there are things i need to know that i don't know i need to know. if so, please feel free to offer thoughts. and thanks!

[C & M]

it has a ceiling with an attic. can i just lay fiberglas insulation on

Nothing wron with that except that it forfeits the storage space of the attic. I'm sure you're trying to avoid tearing up the floor in order to expose the joist spaces. The only thing to remember is to be sure to avoid blocking any soffit vents which allow outside air to enter the attic area. They make a cheap styrofoam baffle which you staple into place when provides a conduit for air flow, but you don't really need it if you're careful.

Again, do-able although it will be a little more difficult to reach in and staple the insulation to the joist with the kraft paper facing the office. You might also use the sections of wire which are use to support insulation hung from floor joists for additional support, but they aren't necessary once you nail up the exterior covering. My choice for inexpensive sheet goods would be the thinnest hardboard - 1/8? 3/16?? It's the dark brown stuff that is more shiney on one side than the other. Used it in my machine shop and painted it - looks good and I wouldn't hesitate to use it your application if you can live with the seams. One caution: the stuff makes a nasty dust when you cut it and can be a lung irritant so use a mask for sure with this stuff - maybe I'm just sensitive to it.

If you don't like the seams where the sheets but together, you can cover them with 1.5" batten strips much like mobile homes or just use some joint compound and smear it across the seams and lightly sand. You can do it - no rocket science here!

[flipper]

Fantastic. Answered all my questions. And i thank you for it!