Unknown attic insulation.

Don’t have a clue. It would be the dark brown part. It looked like dried up rice paper and had the same consistancy, but in a layer. It was under the fiberglass and rock wool.
Anyone know? House built in 48

Looks like a mixture of Niki, blown fiberglass, cellulose and a cowchip.
How big was that attic access to have a cow up there?
Oh, and did you taste it? :mrgreen:;):twisted:

I’ve heard of a precursor to cellulose that is dark brown and treated with a string in it, but never have seen it. Fits the time line of the 40’s

It looked to be a couple inches thick and in a sheet. I personally did not want to go tearing too much into it for obvious reasons. Just not sure what it was.

maybe Balsam Wool …
was used in the 1940’s

Thats it!
Here is the link from our friends Auto forward at InspectAPedia

I actually found the same red label in the attic, but it was deteriorated and came out in pieces. I could see WOO, so I thought it may have been some label for the mineral wool insulation instead.

Thanks! :smiley:

I had the same stuff recently in an old commercial building.

Looks like Kimsul insulation to me.

Kimsul Insulation
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/1099183575035133639rVRBwi

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/1099183575035133639rVRBwi

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/1099183575035133639rVRBwi

What was this kimsul made of ? :D:D:D

Kimsul was promoted as the insulation with many-layer construction; unlike then-typical loose bulk insulation, Kimsul had layers stitched together to form a blanket of uniform thickness. In connection with a famous 1948 movie, “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House,” starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy, Kimsul was advertised as the insulation used in the dream house. The product was easy to install and was resistant to fire, moisture, fungus, vermin and termites. National advertising for the product urged consumers to “Wrap your home in a blanket of Kimsul.”
Earlier, Kimsul had been the standard material for insulating Navy quonset huts (prefabricated metal buildings - barracks) during World War II. It gave protection against the tropical heat and Alaskan cold. 1932

:slight_smile:

Thanks Marcel ! That was a good way to inform us (who didn’t know) on what Kimsul is . I have been around many years and have never seen this till this post . :D:D:D