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Strapping. Gluing. Friction-Fitting. Nailing. Wiring … Here’s why you’ll only ever find us stapling insulation under your floor.
Strapping. Gluing. Friction-Fitting. Nailing. Wiring … Here’s why you’ll only ever find us stapling insulation under your floor.We recommend stapling insulation because we want you to get the best value for your time and money. You don’t want the sad and saggy plastic strapping disaster in this picture to happen to you!
On this page you’ll learn why we staple insulation, what equipment we use and how to get an ecoMaster quality job. Take our advice on the best tools and techniques for stapling insulation and you’ll enjoy the best possible result for years to come.
Stapling insulation is the best way to ensure your underfloor insulation withstands the test of time. While other bulk insulation, like fibreglass, has loose fibres that won’t hold a staple, polyester’s strong, heat-bonded fibres are perfect for it. Stapling secures the insulation forever, holding it firmly against the floorboards so it can do what it does best.
What kind of staplers and how many staples?
When stapling insulation under a floor, there’s a few things you need to know to ensure your safety and the quality of your job.
It is absolutely crucial that you only use electric staplers when working under your floor. Electric staplers are double insulated, which means you can’t be electrocuted if you accidentally staple a wire under the floor. For the best result, choose 10-12mm galvanised staples and allow 600 staples per roll of insulation.
Staple Gun Plugged into an RCD
When using a staple gun that plugs into a power source, we recommend working with an RCD (portable Residual Current Device), which is effectively an add-on safety switch. It cuts the power supply instantly if there is an electrical fault of any kind.
Our preferred stapler is the ‘Ozito 8-14mm Staple Nail Gun’, which is available at popular hardware stores. In our experience these staplers work best with ‘Arrow 10mm T50 Staples’, loading half a clip at a time.
Battery Operated Cordless Staple Gun
Some people prefer to use a cordless stapler because they don’t have to deal with the cord while working under the floor. In this instance we recommend the ‘Bosch PTKn 3.6LI Stapler’ which is also available at popular hardware stores.
The staples that work the best are the ‘TacWise 53/8mm 5/16″ Staples’.
WARNING: Remember to leave your power on, even though your stapler is cordless. We’ll tell you more about why it’s safer to leave the power connected below.
Old Fashioned Metal Staple Gun
Never use ordinary metal staple guns when stapling insulation under a floor. These are not insulated and there is a very serious risk of electrocution. This is because the metal stapler is highly conductive and nothing will stop that electricity travelling to your body.
So, why not just turn off the power? There’s a really good reason why we always leave the power on. We’ll explain why this keeps you and your family safe below.
Why it’s safer to leave the power on…
Believe it or not, leaving the power connected while you staple under the floor is the safest thing you can do. Here’s two good reasons why:
1. If you have lights fitted under your floor, it’s great to be able to have more light to help you see while you work. The better you can see, the less likely you are to interfere with any wiring, pipes or ducts you have underneath your home.
2. If you accidentally staple a wire under the floor, your power supply will tell you straight away. Leaving the power connected means that if you hit a wire, the power will be cut off, and you can call an electrician to repair it. This means that there will be no unexpected electrical issues when you finish working, which can be a serious fire hazard.
And remember, your double-insulated stapler, your portable RCD and your home’s safety switch will keep you safe from electrocution if you do hit a live wire.
Protect your home from unwanted heat gain in summer and prevent heat to escape in the colder months.
The post Stapling Insulation: The Expert’s Advice on Technique & Tools appeared first on ecoMaster.