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shed-insulation

The UK's bestShed Insulation2022 Review

Updated: April 27, 2022

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Foil insulation is some of the most straightforward to install. It only requires a staple gun and it’s also lightweight, making it easy to manage. Foil insulation reflects heat back into the building, allowing you to keep your shed cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

I recommend foil insulation for sheds, because it’s cost effective, hassle-free and non-hazardous. Other insulative materials like fibreglass and wool might be more efficient at preventing heat loss, but this level of insulation is generally unnecessary in small sheds. 

For the best shed insulation, look for foil sheets that are at least 3 – 4 mm thick. There should be a layer of bubbles between the foil sheets that will trap warm air. Look for a roll that covers an area of at least 30 m². In some instances this will be enough to insulate a small shed, but you may need extra as the pieces need to overlap.

After researching different shed insulation, my top choice is the Yuzet Insulation Foil. It comes on a 25 m roll and is 1.2 m wide, covering an area of approximately 30 m². The thick 4 mm depth provides effective insulation, and it’s lightweight. This means it can be used on sheds, summerhouses and caravans. 

For more details about this shed insulation, as well as some alternative options, check out the following reviews.

What Are The UK's Best Shed Insulation?

IMAGE RECOMMENDED PRODUCTSPRODUCT FEATURES
best-shed-insulation Yuzet Insulation Foil
Top Pick
Yuzet Insulation Foil
  • Best shed insulation for UK market
  • Effective and lightweight
  • Good value solution for insulation
best-shed-insulation Strotex Thermal Shed Insulation
Strotex Thermal Shed Insulation
  • Easy to install
  • Excellent value for money
  • Covers 75m²
best-shed-insulation SuperFOIL Bubble Foil Insulation
SuperFOIL Bubble Foil Insulation
  • Easy to install
  • Effective insulation
  • 40% recycled material

Read Our Shed Insulation Reviews

B006H1MNTM
5055557500744
Best shed insulation for UK market, Effective and lightweight, Good value solution for insulation,

Yuzet Insulation Foil

best-shed-insulation Yuzet Insulation Foil
FEATURES RATING PRICE
FEATURES
  • Best shed insulation for UK market
  • Effective and lightweight
  • Good value solution for insulation
RATING
97
PRICE
On sale at Amazon

Yuzet Insulation Foil Review

If you’re looking for one of the easiest ways to quickly insulate your shed, this Yuzet Insulation Foil  is quick to cut to size, simple to put up, and effective at insulating.

Despite being fairly thick, with a depth of 4 mm, it cuts easily with a Stanley knife meaning that the 1.2 x 25 m length can be trimmed to size as required. Not only is it useful for insulating sheds, but also summerhouses, caravans, interior rooms and lofts.

Installation doesn’t take long as it’s really just a three-step process; once the insulation is cut to size it can be stapled to the wall and then sealed with foil tape. The foil tape will need to be purchased separately as it doesn’t come included.

It consists of a layer of polyethylene bubble film sandwiched between two layers of corrosion-resistant aluminium film. This results in a lightweight insulation that can also be used on shed or summerhouse roofs if necessary, without weighing them down.

This particular roll provides 30 m²; however, you may choose to overlap the pieces in which case one roll will not provide enough insulation to cover a 30 m² area. Whilst not an overly expensive item, there are options that cost less per metre squared, although this is the thickest insulation featured on this list.

Overall, this is one of the best shed insulation options because it’s simple to cut and install, thick enough to make a noticeable difference, and acts as a sound barrier as well. There’s enough provided for smaller sheds, but you might need more than one roll depending on the space you are covering.

Pros

  • Easy to cut to size using a Stanley knife
  • Makes a marked difference to temperature during the winter months
  • Can be fixed to the walls easily using a staple gun
  • Thicker than others on the market at 4 mm
  • Light weight so won't weigh down thinner walls or roofs

Cons

  • Can be a little stiff making it difficult to manoeuvre in cramped spaces such as small sheds
On sale at Amazon
B016ADKDG6
5045095918316
Easy to install, Excellent value for money, Covers 75m²,

Strotex Thermal Shed Insulation

best-shed-insulation Strotex Thermal Shed Insulation
FEATURES RATING PRICE
FEATURES
  • Easy to install
  • Excellent value for money
  • Covers 75m²
RATING
96
PRICE
Check Price on Amazon

Strotex Thermal Shed Insulation Review

This Strotex Aluminium Foil Membrane is some of the best shed insulation if you’re after value for money.

Not only does one roll cover the largest area out of the insulators featured on this list (75 m²), but it also works out to be the cheapest per metre squared.

Although it’s the thinnest option, it’s still been reported to have a positive effect on the temperature of sheds and garages, keeping them higher than they would have been previously. Of course, it also works well to limit draughts.

The membrane won’t tear easily when putting it up, so it’s quite resilient to work with. However, it’s not completely impervious to punctures, so some care does still need to be taken. Fortunately, any damage can generally be repaired with foil tape.

The 1.5 x 50 m roll is enough to insulate quite a large shed, and there may even be some left over afterwards, so depending on the space you want to cover you may find that you can use it to insulate two separate areas.

Pros

  • Lightweight which makes it easy to handle and install
  • Enough insulation in 50 m roll to cover large shed and maybe have some left over
  • Effective at reducing the temperature of the shed on hot days, and warming it in the winter
  • Good value for money when comparing area coverage and cost

Cons

  • Could puncture during insulation if care isn't taken
Check Price on Amazon
B00CGZK0L6
5060190237254,5060365995972
Easy to install, Effective insulation , 40% recycled material,

SuperFOIL Bubble Foil Insulation

best-shed-insulation SuperFOIL Bubble Foil Insulation
FEATURES RATING PRICE
FEATURES
  • Easy to install
  • Effective insulation
  • 40% recycled material
RATING
94
PRICE
Check Price on Amazon

SuperFOIL Bubble Foil Insulation Review

For a slightly more eco-friendly option, this SuperFOIL Bubble Foil Insulation is made from 40% recycled materials. In a world trying to cut down on single-use plastics, this is a nice feature to see.

Each roll measures 0.75 x 50 m, which equates to 37.5 m², and the insulation is 3 mm thick.   It’s lightweight and easy to install with a staple gun and a pair of scissors to cut it to size.

The insulation has a foil barrier on both sides, with wadding layers in the middle. It’s suitable for more than just sheds and can be used to line roofs, floors and lofts as well.

Whilst the increase in temperature doesn’t seem to be huge, it works as well as you might expect for a relatively cheap option. If your intention is to gain a couple of degrees of warmth, it should be a viable choice.

It has both vapour control and insulation properties, designed to reduce the risk of condensation, and can be beneficial in summer as well as winter. In summer it can keep temperatures down on hot days, whilst insulating for warmth in the winter.

Overall, this SuperFOIL is some of the best shed insulation if you’re looking for something that uses recycled materials. It works sufficiently effectively, especially considering its price, to make a positive difference to the temperature in the shed.

Pros

  • Easy to cut to size with scissors or a Stanley knife
  • Has the potential to increase room temperature by a couple of degrees
  • Can help to keep sheds cooler in summer as well as warmer in winter
  • Lightweight and easy to work with so it's easy to fix neatly to the walls

Cons

  • Temperature increase isn't huge, but is in keeping with the price and product
Check Price on Amazon

How to Choose The Best Shed Insulation

With property at such a premium in the UK, many of us are turning to outdoor buildings to provide us with a bit of extra space.

Of course, the British weather doesn’t make this easy; our sheds and summer houses are often roasting hot in summer and absolutely freezing in winter.

Fortunately, that’s where insulation comes in. It’s simple to put up and can help create an additional space that is usable all year round.

Of course, it’s not as simple as just buying any old insulation and hoping it will do the job, so the following information has been put together to give you a bit more guidance before you commit to any purchases.

The idea of creating more useable space might seem appealing, but is it really worth going to the effort of installing insulation?

There are actually several benefits to lining outbuildings with insulation, and some of them go beyond simply keeping you warm (although, of course, this is worth a mention too):

  • First and foremost, using shed insulation will reduce heat loss. This, in itself, will make outbuildings a more comfortable temperature all year round. When used in conjunction with a heater, insulation can help turn an outbuilding into a usable room in the winter. This makes it a very real possibility to still be able to use the shed or summerhouse in winter time, which can open up a lot of opportunities.
  • If you love gardening, and aim to be outside as much as possible, you will undoubtedly appreciate having a shed which you can retreat to and warm up in. Insulation will make that difference in temperature noticeable, and it’s often easier to pop into the shed in muddy gardening gear, instead of taking it all off to warm up in the house.
  • You can use insulation in buildings like sheds and greenhouses to protect plants in freezing conditions. It creates a warmer environment for them as well as you!
  • Even if you do not want to spend time in your shed in winter, your tools and garden furniture will appreciate being kept in a warm, dry environment over the coldest months. It’s worth insulating your shed to protect any items you store. Freezing temperatures can cause metal and plastic to become brittle. Power tools also struggle with extreme changes in temperature and if you hope to use them over winter, it’s best not to let them get too cold.

Foil shed insulation combines two different technologies to keep rooms at a more consistent temperature year-round. This means cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

Trapped air in the middle bubble layer provides insulation. The air in the plastic bubbles does not change temperature quickly. It will retain heat in the winter, and maintain the shaded temperature of the shed in summer.

The outer foil layer reflects heat radiation back into the room. Heat radiation is emitted by heaters, amongst other things, and a foil surface will reflect and contain this heat in the room. This is much more effective than say, a matt black surface, which would absorb the heat.

Furthermore, as a metal, foil conducts heat well. This means that any heat which is kept in winter by the bubble layer will be easily transferred to the foil layer and into the room.

Here we will look at three different types of insulation: fibreglass, foil, and wool.

Fibreglass and wool insulation are usually associated with bigger insulation jobs, and are common to find in the lofts of houses. They’re both thick insulators, although fibreglass has fallen from favour in recent years due to health concerns.

Foil insulation works in a different way, and is often used for more temporary/fast insulation. It’s easy to put up, and can be suitable for a range of situations. However, people do still use thicker foil insulation to insulate lofts as well, and it can deliver good results.

Below are the pros and cons of each type, specifically aimed towards finding the best shed insulation.

Fibreglass Insulation

Fibreglass insulation consists of ‘wool’ made from glass fibres. Its main function, in terms of insulation, is to block convective and conductive heat.

This means it blocks cold air from physically entering the space, through cracks in the walls, and also does not conduct the warm temperature of the inside space to the exterior of the building. Fibreglass is not a good conductor so it stops heat transferring.

Pros

  • Fibreglass is cheap to buy.
  • It’s easy to install – coming in rolls.
  • Great blocker of convective and conductive heat.

Cons

  • Aesthetically messier than foil insulation – needs to be concealed.
  • Inhalation of fibreglass particles is believed to be hazardous to health – you need to wear sufficient protective clothing when installing it, and ensure that it is well concealed.
  • Needs to be well protected from moisture or else it can grow mould.

Wool Insulation

Wool insulation has become popular in recent years, offering an alternative to fibreglass. It has a very high R-value, which is how a material’s thermal resistance is measured, and works like fibreglass to block convective and conductive heat.

Pros

  • Considered a safe material and can be handled without protective clothing.
  • Offers a good level of noise reduction because of how well it absorbs sound.
  • High nitrogen content means natural sheep’s wool is considered fire resistant – it does not burst into flame, instead burning gradually.

Cons

  • The price of using sheep’s wool as an insulator is its biggest negative. Natural sheep’s wool is expensive, and you’d need a lot of it.
  • It’s not very practical to use on smaller projects because it is quite bulky.
  • Some companies will use chemicals to treat the wool against moths and insects, which can compromise the benefits of using a natural fibre. It’s possible to find companies who treat the wool in a chemical free way, but this may increase costs further.

Foil Insulation

Foil insulation reflects radiant heat. This means that it will reflect heat back into the building, instead of allowing it to escape, and will also deflect heat from the sun in summer.

It also works, to a certain extent, to physically block gaps in the shell of the outbuilding and stop drafts.

Pros

  • Extremely easy to install – only a staple gun is required!
  • Prevents loss of radiant heat.
  • Durable and strong – staples can be removed and insulation sheets easily repurposed.
  • Non hazardous.

Cons

  • More expensive than fibreglass.
  • Not as effective against heat loss from convection.
  • Other insulation may be required to improve make effective against all types of heat loss.

Whilst all of these materials have good insulating properties, foil insulation is perhaps the best shed insulation. It’s relatively thin, so doesn’t encroach on the space in a small outbuilding, and it doesn’t need to be concealed for safety reasons like fibreglass. Also, it’s a lot cheaper and easier to put up than both fibreglass and wool insulation.

You can install insulation either vertically or horizontally on walls.

When putting insulation in vertically, start at the top and roll it down. Allow the insulation to overlap slightly onto the floor and ceiling to ensure a well-insulated finish. You should also overlap each strip by approximately 5 cm for the same reason.

This advice is presuming that your outbuilding is a little draughty – if it’s very air tight you should leave approximately 5 cm gap between the top of the insulation and the ceiling to allow air in and moisture to escape.

If installing insulation horizontally, start from the ground and go up. You should still overlap onto the ground and ceiling, and overlap the sheets.

Add insulation to the ceiling as well.

If using foil insulation, it can be easily cut to size and fixed with a staple gun. Remember to apply a decent amount of tension when stapling, and staple at 5 to 10 cm intervals.

Once it is fixed, you can trim any excess. As a final step, you should seal the joins with aluminium foil insulation tape.

Shed Insulation FAQs

Yes, some ventilation between the insulation is required. Often, sheds are quite draughty, so the problem is usually sealing them rather than improving ventilation. If your shed is already very draughty, you’re unlikely to block all of the air circulation with insulation, so it’s not as much of a concern.

However, if your outbuilding is well sealed, you should provide ventilation to allow fresh air in and moisture to escape. Seeing as warm air rises, providing a 5 cm gap between the ceiling and the insulation will suffice. This will avoid moisture build-up and prevent ceiling timbers from rotting.

  • A draughty door frame might be causing the problem. This can be improved by using some insulating strips. These are tacked to the inside of the frame and form a seal when the door is shut.
  • Foam filler can be used to seal any gaps around window frames or elsewhere in your summer house.
  • To reduce heat loss through windows you can apply a special secondary glazing film directly to the windows. Even more effective are secondary glazing kits which are acrylic or polycarbonate panels that are held in place with fixing strips or magnetic tape.
  • For a quick fix to insulate the floor, you could put down a breathable membrane and cover this with an offcut of carpet. You can also insulate your shed floor by installing a thin layer of insulation board and covering it with OSB (oriented strand board) to protect it.

Insulation can help stop damp forming. Damp often comes into sheds via condensation forming on surfaces in the shed.

When the temperature drops, it reaches the ‘dew point’ which is the temperature at which air condenses and condensation forms.

Installing insulation will help the temperature inside the shed be more consistent, which will decrease the likelihood of the temperature dropping to the dew point. This is how insulation can help stop damp forming.

However, it is important to make sure that there is sufficient air flow and ventilation in the shed, so that any moisture doesn’t get trapped inside. Trapped moisture will inevitably lead to damp.

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About Your Guide

  • Clive Harris

    Clive Harris is the creator of DIY Garden and a professional landscape gardening consultant with over 6 years experience. In his spare time he enjoys testing the latest gardening equipment and sharing his experiences here on the site. And of course, he absolutely loves his garden and spends many happy hours outside each week growing, mowing, and having fun with his three kids.
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