Solid vs stud & wallboard internal walls

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm having an extension built, and wondering what's best for internal walls. The guy who did the plans & building regs submission has specced 100x50mm studwork with 12.5mm wallboard, the void filled with mineral wool.

I'm concerned about two things:

1) Ease of fixing shelves & cupboards etc to walls like that.

2) Sound proofing.

Would concrete blocks be better?

 

[Shytalkz]

Blocks will give you better sound insulation, more solid feel to the structure and it's harder to knock a hole in with your fist after the wife's ****ed you off by refusing rumpy for the ninth day in a row, all because you didn't buy her the latest Jimmy Choo shoes (so I understand ).

Stud smacks of build 'em cheap, sell 'em expensive volume builder standard construction.

Hate it.

 

[^woody^]

Block walls are OK until you factor in the extra cost footings.

If you are hanging cupboards then you can put in noggins as required or use a plyboard base. Shelves can be fixed no problem.

You can get just as good sound insulation and rigidity from studwork

BTW, how are the knuckles Shy? Wouldn't stud walls be better?

 

[Eng33]

Agree with Shy, always been anti stud walls, but I'm about to build a new kitchen / dining room partition wall which will hide a structural steel beam to support a roof purlin. As the wall will have double doors, there is actually only about 800mm either side, so I wasn't too worried. I will however be using a top tip I recently picked up, which is to skin the studs with 12mm ply first, then plaster board. Does make the wall a bit deeper, but makes it a bit more solid and the ply gives you something solid to fix stuff too.

 

[Shytalkz]

I just hate studwork Woodster - it's just a personal thing!

Nuckles ok - sparring with Joe on here is diversion enough

 

[Shytalkz]

You can get just as good sound insulation and rigidity from studwork

Theoretically - but factor in ply, insulation, possible double layers of p'board to get it to the (apparent) same standard, plus your chippy at an eo £100 a day compared to the bricky and it starts to even out.

 

[Delinquent]

You can get just as good sound insulation and rigidity from studwork

Theoretically - but factor in ply, insulation, possible double layers of p'board to get it to the (apparent) same standard, plus your chippy at an eo £100 a day compared to the bricky and it starts to even out.

I've always been really anti stud walls, but have to say the one we've just put up for our new nursery has changed my mind a bit - sticking the ply below the plasterboard and using decent (way over spec!) insulation really has made a solid feeling, soundproof wall. Plus it took us about 1/10th the time of a block wall and doesn't have my patent "Picasso wall" effect - so you can actually put shelves up without having to cut the wall edge in a wobbly shape

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Block walls are OK until you factor in the extra cost footings.

The largest one is actually going to be replacing a wall that was taken down before we bought the house. That would have been made from breeze blocks or brick, so shouldn't be a problem?

Like the ply tip.

 

[Shytalkz]

...sticking the ply below the plasterboard and using decent (way over spec!) insulation...

And therein lies the rub: bog standard studwork is pants, but upping the spec can improve it, but at the same time lessening the cost differential twixt it and a block wall. Tap it though and it still sounds like studwork ie hollow. Just less hollow.

Don't get me wrong Ban, it's just a personal choice: I prefer blockwork, given the option, but stud is ok, if you like that sorta thang.

 

[Richard C]

Block work every time. I can't stand houses with stud walls & whenever I view a prospective property, the first thing I do is tap the walls. If it's studwork, it’s a quick “thank you” & a 180 back out through the front door; even with new current insulation requirements, you can hear everything & gives a cheapo, mass developer impression. & although I do a fair bit of it, I don’t like D&D either, it’s got to be proper plaster too

 

[Shytalkz]

A man after my own heart .

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Thanks chaps - I've got no personal experience of stud partition walls, but they've always had C&N overtones to me.

If the consensus had been "stud partition much better, let go of your old solid wall bias" I might have considered them, but I'll stick to specifying blocks for these.

What sort of density would be best?

 

[Shytalkz]

Density or strength? For the latter, 2.6MN will do if it's just self-supporting with no real loads on it. Noseall suggests 7MN ones, though, as they are less liable to shrinkage cracking, which is a good point - any AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) blocks will do, such as Thermalite. There are also dense concrete ones (Eg Forticrete), but no real need for those for what you want to do.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No loads on them, at least, I hope there won't be on the largest one, i.e. the one going back where there used to be a wall (downstairs, between front & back rooms) 'cos if there is then it means that whoever took the original one down didn't put a proper support in place.

But we've been here 20 years, and it's not fallen down yet

I just want a wall that won't wobble, that I can screw into at any point to take whatever wall mounted stuff I want, or chase into at any point for cables, that won't shrink and crack, and that will be reasonably soundproof.....

 

[Shytalkz]

7MN thermalites, then. Sorted.