Insulating a room - would you DIY?
- Thread starter ShadowMan
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Out of interest, why batten & fill with rockwool instead of just dot & dab 70mm+ insulated plasterboard?
Pay particular attention to the window reveals to minimise un-insulated gaps / cold bridges.
Pay particular attention to the window reveals to minimise un-insulated gaps / cold bridges.
Mainly as I am more confident with drilling into the wall and levelling battens than doing dot and dab and getting it plumb. I was going to fill the battens with more PIR but seems easier to use rockwool batts and fill it in.
Builders have suggested dot and dab and if I pay to have it done it will be that way as trust them to do it better than I could!
Builders have suggested dot and dab and if I pay to have it done it will be that way as trust them to do it better than I could!
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Fair enough!
I thought it might have been related to earlier suggestions of leaving a void, which, if unvented, seems like a very bad idea.
Even with battens, I'd look at insulated plasterboard rather than doing it separately. Halves your cuts!
I thought it might have been related to earlier suggestions of leaving a void, which, if unvented, seems like a very bad idea.
Even with battens, I'd look at insulated plasterboard rather than doing it separately. Halves your cuts!
https://www.kingspan.com/gb/en-gb/p...to-insulate-a-garage-conversion-wall-insulati
ask the experts, I avoided dot and dab, despite builders telling me otherwise, for a reason
ask the experts, I avoided dot and dab, despite builders telling me otherwise, for a reason
Well got the quote from the builder and as expected much higher than I wanted and actually even higher than the guy who didn't even want the job.
I have ordered materials (some) and going to give it a go myself. Have decided to make the mess and fit 50mm PIR between the battens instead of rockwool so will be 50mm inside CLS timber and then 50mm topped and foil taped with plasterboard fixed over the top of the lot giving 100mm of PIR total.
Currently trying to course a decent breathable membrane for the outside walls to put up behind the framing. I'll DPC all of the timbers in contact with floors just incase.
Excluding screws, membrane, foil tape and DPC I have so far spent about 1/4 of the quote from the builder who was going to dot and dab the walls. I think I'll do it all for around 1/3 of the price which is a significant enough saving to try it myself.
I have ordered materials (some) and going to give it a go myself. Have decided to make the mess and fit 50mm PIR between the battens instead of rockwool so will be 50mm inside CLS timber and then 50mm topped and foil taped with plasterboard fixed over the top of the lot giving 100mm of PIR total.
Currently trying to course a decent breathable membrane for the outside walls to put up behind the framing. I'll DPC all of the timbers in contact with floors just incase.
Excluding screws, membrane, foil tape and DPC I have so far spent about 1/4 of the quote from the builder who was going to dot and dab the walls. I think I'll do it all for around 1/3 of the price which is a significant enough saving to try it myself.
Soldato
Watching the ideas here closely, i'm considering partitioning half of my garage and creating a suspended floor. Keep us updated
Curious that doc recommends battens, I was planning on building a frame but since the wall is straight battens + DPC should probably suffice, which should save me time
Curious that doc recommends battens, I was planning on building a frame but since the wall is straight battens + DPC should probably suffice, which should save me time
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Celotex/kingsman recommend battens on solid walls, they all recommend against dot and dab on solid walls
Brought the ceiling down over the weekend as dad wanted it out the way to run cables. Electrics in the office aren’t a ring but just a 20A radial circuit. Going to leave it as is for now and upgrade to a ring when I get the board changed possibly. Have added 2 extra double sockets to the room for better positioning when it’s my office.
With the ceiling down I can see the flat roof was built as a cold roof so now going to add some PIR between the joists and then below them before plasterboarding. When bringing to down there was some old fibreglass loosely placed up in the void. New setup Should provide 100mm of PIR at ceiling level. There will be a 6” void above and there is airflow into the garage over the joining wall so not worried about condensation. Will add a membrane above the PIR anyway and the foil facings will be taped to form a good VCL anyway on the ceiling.
Waiting for plumber to come run pipe work for radiator and the materials for walls to arrive on Tuesday hopefully. Should be able to make a start next weekend hopefully.
With the ceiling down I can see the flat roof was built as a cold roof so now going to add some PIR between the joists and then below them before plasterboarding. When bringing to down there was some old fibreglass loosely placed up in the void. New setup Should provide 100mm of PIR at ceiling level. There will be a 6” void above and there is airflow into the garage over the joining wall so not worried about condensation. Will add a membrane above the PIR anyway and the foil facings will be taped to form a good VCL anyway on the ceiling.
Waiting for plumber to come run pipe work for radiator and the materials for walls to arrive on Tuesday hopefully. Should be able to make a start next weekend hopefully.
We are in the process of doing this now in our garage / out house that is single brick.
We have installed a new roof that will be kept on a slop and insulated using 100mm earthwool and then plasterboarded on top. The walls I will be installing a thermal foil directly to the wall. Installaling a stud wall with a 25mm gap from the existing brick to create a vaopur barrier and installing 100mm earthwool with a polothene membrane before sticking the plasterboard on top.
When I was doing my research both Cellotex and Knauf have .PDF files that show you the correct method of installation.
Cellotex sheets were my first option but for an outside utility and gym it seemed a bit overkill on the cost. In total the cost for me is around £1000 from start to finish including wiring it up (im an electrician so can do that myself).
We have installed a new roof that will be kept on a slop and insulated using 100mm earthwool and then plasterboarded on top. The walls I will be installing a thermal foil directly to the wall. Installaling a stud wall with a 25mm gap from the existing brick to create a vaopur barrier and installing 100mm earthwool with a polothene membrane before sticking the plasterboard on top.
When I was doing my research both Cellotex and Knauf have .PDF files that show you the correct method of installation.
Cellotex sheets were my first option but for an outside utility and gym it seemed a bit overkill on the cost. In total the cost for me is around £1000 from start to finish including wiring it up (im an electrician so can do that myself).
As I said above, ceilings are down but I still have a few nails to remove from the joists. Trying to decide if I should do ceiling first or build up the walls framing. I am probably going to redo the supports for insulation/plasterboard between the joists as they look fairly old and random. For framing I have been researching and looking to do a California corner to allow the plasterboard to sit nicely. Seems the cleanest way.
Anyone have any tips on ensuring/making the frames square and plumb? I have seen video's about straightening a wall by making cuts and adding wedges but harder to do when its so close to a block wall. Mainly I mean for taking any twist/bend out of the timber. I'll be wedging out from wall to get plumb overall as required.
Flat pack office in the garage:
Anyone have any tips on ensuring/making the frames square and plumb? I have seen video's about straightening a wall by making cuts and adding wedges but harder to do when its so close to a block wall. Mainly I mean for taking any twist/bend out of the timber. I'll be wedging out from wall to get plumb overall as required.
Flat pack office in the garage:
Quick update and I've managed to get a bit done slowly whilst doing other things. Frame is up (3/4 walls) and the initial layers of insulation are going in. It has certainly helped a bit in the warmer weather as the single skin walls are hot to touch on brickwork after a day of direct sun but after the foam is in you can't feel a thing. Ceiling will have another 50mm layer below joists before plasterboard so should be plenty warm/cool for now.
Well another update for anyone interested in that the majority of the work is done. Walls are fully framed out with 50mm Xtratherm between the studwork. Have added the 50mm Xtratherm layer over the top and VCL complete by using aluminium tape on the joints all around. Floor will be finished with a VCL and insuataing layer before a laminate floor is layed down.
Plasterboard hasn't been too hard to do but I did need help to get a full sheet on the ceiling. The rest I have done solo. Waiting on plumber to install pipework for radiator and then will finish sealing up the room. Plasterer is booked but struggling to get any plaster. Hoping to get hold of 4 bags tomorrow from local merchants who are due a delivery. Will be getting the window sill at the same time too.
Plasterboard hasn't been too hard to do but I did need help to get a full sheet on the ceiling. The rest I have done solo. Waiting on plumber to install pipework for radiator and then will finish sealing up the room. Plasterer is booked but struggling to get any plaster. Hoping to get hold of 4 bags tomorrow from local merchants who are due a delivery. Will be getting the window sill at the same time too.
Overall lost around 110-120mm on each wall but maybe a bit higher in places as I squared up the room too whilst I was at it. Its a lot to lose but as 2 walls were single skin brick it needed doing. I've also lost around 60mm of head height too on the ceiling but its a cold flat roof install so again needed doing. I'm happy with it for an office space and is still usable.
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I remember boarding a ceiling in my last house - nearly led to divorce proceedings as I asked my wife to help get a full board up. Look I said, it's only a bit of plasterboard, how heavy can it be!