Is there any loose fill insulation (preferably cellulose) that doesn't need to be blown in?

I'm adding a couple boards up in the attic for storing stuff, and decided I'd like to add a little more insulation up there too. The existing loose-fill has settled to 1-2" below the top edge of the joists. I figured before laying down some floor boards up there, I'd add that couple inches to bring the insulation to the top edge. I know for best insulation, I'd need 6-8" ABOVE the top edge, but then I couldn't use it for storage, so i figured an inch or 2 more than what's already there would be better than nothing.

I'd like to work on this project a little at a time, and don't want to have to rent a blower. Anybody know if there's a loose-fill I can buy that I just empty bags of it up there and spread it around?

There's no reason you can't spead cellulose by hand. The blower just makes it faster and easier. Buy a cpl bags of the blower stuff and spread it with a garden rake

You could also put a border around the boards you're using for storage (nail a 2x4 on edge) and that would help keep the loose fill from creeping over your storage area

You can also just roll fiberglass over the top of the blown in. The bags of cellulose are packed tight and will really be hard to rack around.

What daveseitz is right. It will be nearly impossible to get the cellulose loose. The blowers have paddle agitators to break it up. Rolled insulation might be your best bet.

You can also just roll fiberglass over the top of the blown in. The bags of cellulose are packed tight and will really be hard to rack around.

Ah, never thought of that.

Rolled would prob be a better choice then.

Yeah, I was worried about needing the blower to fluff the insulation up. I checked out the bags of cellulose, and it's pretty packed in the bags. Wasn't having any luck finding any that's not compacted.... probably because nobody sells it that way :)

Do they make thinner bats? I won't have room for a normal thickness batt on top of the loose fill thats already there.

Rake the loose fill out of the area you're going to cover and add it to an area you won't cover. Get 4" fiberglass rolls or bats for the area you're going to cover. As said the cellulose is tightly packed. I used it to fill areas where the ceiling dropped, over a bathtub and kitchen soffits. It worked but wasn't easy.

Rake the loose fill out of the area you're going to cover and add it to an area you won't cover. Get 4" fiberglass rolls or bats for the area you're going to cover. As said the cellulose is tightly packed. I used it to fill areas where the ceiling dropped, over a bathtub and kitchen soffits. It worked but wasn't easy.

Why didn't I think of that? :) That sounds like the easiest plan.... and I can work on it a little at a time.

Thanks guys!

The product exists:

http://www.cocooninsulation.com/products/greenfiber_e_z_pour_products/index.asp

Although, I have never seen it at the big box stores.

When my dad insulated his shop with loose cellulose, use of the blower came with the deal. His shop is 40X56 so the amount of insulation he bought might be the reason. I'm pretty sure he got ikt at Menards.

The blowers are free if you buy like 4 or more bags of insulation, or thats what it was at Home Depot.

That sounds right.

2 issues with the blowers. Where is the access hole to your attic? You don't want that machine in the house and you have to run a hose from the machine into the attic. Second issue is dust. You need to seal the attic opening while using the machine or you'll have dust blowing through your house.

Just went through this and it is 20 bags to get the blower for free and that was with Home depot or Lowes.