Measure and MendStart measuring

How many bags does the selected attic label require?

Pick the market and exact published R-value. The result enforces maximum coverage and, when the label publishes it, the minimum bags-per-area rate.

For the current U.S. AttiCat R60 row over 1,000 sq ft, the label calculation requires 32 whole bags and at least 20.5 in installed thickness.

Attic insulation calculator

Choose an exact published coverage-card R-value, then calculate whole bags and the minimum installed thickness for the named product.

32 bags

R60 over 1,000 sq ft: install at least 20.5 in (52.1 cm).

U.S. AttiCat label: maximum 31.8 sq ft per bag; the label's minimum application rate is also enforced.

See the formula and safety scope

Whole bags are the greater of area ÷ maximum label coverage and any published minimum bags-per-1,000-sq-ft rate, rounded up. Air leaks, moisture, combustion appliances, knob-and-tube wiring, blocked vents, and suspected vermiculite require assessment before adding insulation.

Choose the required R-value before calculating bags

U.S. ENERGY STAR guidance and Canadian NRCan guidance use different climate-zone structures. Use the climate hub to find the applicable official table, then select an exact row on the product coverage card. The bag calculator does not determine local code compliance.

Inspect and air-seal first

Existing insulation type and depth, moisture, air leakage, ventilation, combustion appliances, electrical conditions, and safe attic access can change the project. Suspected vermiculite should not be disturbed until qualified guidance addresses the asbestos risk.

Product-label scope

The quantity and thickness shown are for the named current coverage chart only. Do not substitute the U.S. table for Canadian bags, interpolate an unpublished R-value, or treat settled-depth information as interchangeable with minimum installed thickness.

Sources and scope

Source links reviewed July 16, 2026. A review date is not the document's publication date.

  1. ENERGY STAR: Recommended Home Insulation R-ValuesUnited States · government guide

    Recommendations are presented by ENERGY STAR using 2021 IECC climate zones.

  2. ENERGY STAR: DIY Checks and InspectionsUnited States · government guide

    Do not disturb suspected vermiculite insulation; obtain qualified guidance before work.

  3. Natural Resources Canada: Keeping the Heat In — How your house worksCanada · government guide

    Canadian guidance uses effective thermal resistance and climate-zone classifications.

  4. Owens Corning: AttiCat Expanding Blown-In Insulation SystemUnited States · manufacturer data sheet

    Calculator accepts only labeled table R-values and rounds the label bag requirement up.

  5. Owens Corning Canada: AttiCat Expanding Blown-In Insulation System and coverage chartCanada · manufacturer data sheet

    The official product page publishes the coverage chart and links the identified Coverage Card; use the Canadian label, never the U.S. table, and verify the current bag at purchase.