Drylining solid walls (internal)

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Hi,
I have a 1890's house with solid walls which is currently gutted following a major pipe burst. I am considering internal drylining to the external walls in an effort to make the house a bit warmer.
The builder who's refitting the house believes it would make more sense to put underfloor heating beneath the floor tiles. I'm not so sure, however, and think I may be missing a trick if I don't do the internal insulation now whilst the house is in this gutted state. I was intending only to dryline certain external walls as some walls will be very difficult what with window and door reveals etc. The builder, however, believes that if I don't insulate every external wall any heat loss benefit will be lost.
What is the view of the experts on this site?? Am I wasting my time drylining only some internal walls?
My options would appear to be the following:
1) Dryline the majority of the external walls and leave the difficult ones which will be awkward to insulate.
2) Make every effort to dryline every external walls despite the difficulties and extra cost.
3) Install low wattage underfloor heating in the tiled rooms.
4) Maybe a combination of dryling and underfloor heating.
Anyway, all advice gratefully received - thanks.
 
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I am considering internal drylining to the external walls in an effort to make the house a bit warmer.

To avoid confusion, note that “drylining” doesn’t necessarily mean “insulating”; just fixing regular plasterboard to the walls to get a smooth finish would also be called “drylining”.

The builder who's refitting the house believes it would make more sense to put underfloor heating beneath the floor tiles.

Do you particularly dislike the appearance of radiators?

What is the ground floor construction, and are you replacing it?

I was intending only to dryline certain external walls as some walls will be very difficult what with window and door reveals etc. The builder, however, believes that if I don't insulate every external wall any heat loss benefit will be lost.

Well clearly some insulation is better than none. Around windows etc. it may be appropriate to use thinner insulation than elsewhere.

3) Install low wattage underfloor heating in the tiled rooms.

Are you referring to electric underfloor heating? That is expensive to run; if you want to be able to stand on the kitchen flor in bare feet and feel cosy, it would be better to choose a different floor covering than tiles.
 
Hi, thanks for the response. At the moment its looking like I go for insulation to the majority of the external solid walls and forget the underfloor heating to the tiles in the kitchen.
 
Insulate. I am doing similar in a 1930s bungalow, all solid brick walls. Sticking 50mm insulation board (Kingspan, but only because that's what my local buidling merchant supplies) with Everbuild pinkgrip foam, and then plasterboard over that with same foam. Foam sticks well and fills gaps, and has insulating properties too. Next to bay windows using 25mm board to make it easier to make good. All joins then taped with aluminium insulation tape.

Lots of discussion about internal insulation, many mention some guy who warns about interstitial condensation in walls if the U-value goes below 0.5. So, around 40-50mm insulation will keep the rooms much warmer and also allow some heat into the walls to avoid condensation inside the walls.

I am also insulating the floors, using either 50mm board or a combo of 25mm board with 50mm rockwool on top. Again, taped up to stop living moisture getting to the joists.

Personally, I think insulating more is always better than heating - insulation will last forever, heating bills will go up forever! I don't think underfloor heating is really needed with modern insulation boards. Nice to have, but not needed.

While it's all stripped out see if you could do with more air bricks, if it's a suspended wood floor. Maybe, if on a solid concrete base, consider something really crazy like raising floor level with dpm, insulation then screed? My neighbour has removed all wood and done this, looks sensible, but costs more!
 
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Hi,

Thanks for that....
Currently the kitchen has all the plaster removed from the solid brick external walls which are very cold and porous. I’m thinking of battening out the walls on dpc and attaching 50mm thick insulated plaster board. Any thoughts on this spec and what making good (if any) should I be considering to the existing brickwork? Also, should a vapour barrier be installed?

Thanks all for your input
 
Insulated plasterboard is more expensive and harder to handle than insulation and plasterboard. If you use pir boards they have vapour barriers. Wood battens on old child walls are prone to rot. This is why I'm sticking boards inon the walls
 
Thanks for all the useful info....
Should I replace the plaster before fixing the king span and plaster board? Would it make it a better job?? Just a bit scared that the brickwork is a bit too flakey and porous to leave as it is.
Thanks
 
I left most plaster on my wall. I removed anything that was weak, vacuumed off the dust, then sprayed it with the anti-rot solution I use for the wood. Then stick the boards up.
I was going to remove all the plaster, but then realised that it was a lot like hard work and very dusty - I hate dust!
 
That’s a polystyrene product. The PIR boards are almost twice as insulating for the same thickness.

That may be correct but these went straight up with just dob and dab. Not sure if PIR backed board was available when we did it.
 
Hi,
Thanks for the info but I think my question was mis-understood....
My kitchen currently has all plaster removed. Should I replace the plaster first and fix insulation boards on the new plaster or simply fix insulation to the existing brickwork. I'm just a bit concerned the brickwork needs tidying up to address any porosity etc. of the solid walls.
thanks again....
 
no point plastering the walls, fix insulation direct to the bare bricks.

Ideally cover all the walls with insulation with no gaps. Tape all the joints with foil tape. fix 50 x 25 battens flat then fit your plasterboard to them.

You could use foil backed plasterboard and or vapour control layer
 
Thanks, just one more Q....
The rear of the kitchen units which were originally against this wall to be insulated were removed and a bit black and mankey after about 8 years which suggests to me a cold wall with condensation. Should I attach the 50mm Kingspan board directly to the unplastered wall and fix plasterboard directly on the insulation? What type of vapour control layer should I use or is the foil back on the Kingspan board adequate?
Notch: Are you suggesting putting battens on the insulation followed by plaster board, effectively creating a gap between the plasterboard and insulation?

thanks and apologies for labouring this topic.
 
Kingspan has foil vapour barrier both sides. Use aluminium insulation tape to seal up all joins.
 

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