Is this a good idea or am I being stupid?

[OB]

Hi everyone,

I am remodelling the kitchen at the moment and have hit a snag!

The wall that the cooker will go on is knackered! after years of other peoples DIY it's not in the best of health and I'm between two stools A) Do I batten and plasterboard (which I can do) or go back to brick and get a plasterer in (which is expensive).

The situation is further hampered by the fact Christmas is coming and we have no kitchen! and a complete lack of cash!

I've attached a pic of my plan of action, which is to batten down two thirds of the wall (to avoid boxing in the gas pipe) and plasterboard, in the process boxing in the existing water pipework (I can always rip out the plaster board if anything happens to the pipes) this should give me a straighter wall which I can skim and tile onto and also a good egde to put cabinet/worktops up to.

I have two main worries:
1. Damp/condensation in the cavity
2. If I use insulation is that a fire risk considering this wall will house the cooker?

Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated...

 

[1john]

Install battens on 400mm centers with fixings at 600mm intervals, I would run a head through and fix it into the joists is they are running perpendicular to that wall, install horizontal batten at the bottom too. Pack out the battens so they are plumb, straight and true, try and get the corner to 90 degrees too. Apply low expansion foam behind the battens from one side so it can expand across the back of the batten and not push it away from the wall. This will firm the battens up no end. screw 12mm ply onto the battens, you can glue it too if you got some, screw plasterboard oven top, stagger joins in ply and plasterboard so as not to encourage cracking. tape and skim, slap kitchen in, happy days!