How to Dot & Dab Insulated Plasterboard - a DIY Guide

[@graememaguire692]

Charlie, tidy quality job. I've been plastering 40 years and I'd score you 9/10. Just a few comments, too much adhesive. Dabs only need to be 600 centres edge and middle of the board, dabs were too flat and should pretrude from wall 75-100 mm and board from window reveal out toward corner of the room All these tips will use less materials but all in all you have done a great job 👍

[@handle1196]

Does this mean start at each window reveal on the face wall not the actual into the window reveal? So board from edge of window towards the corners then fill in the gaps between the board under and above the window?

[@mel7077]

I've learned so much from this. Was nearly about to have insulated plasterboard put up on all four walls without being aware of building regulations. Life saver, thank you!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. With insulating internally like this, you need to pay close attention to cold bridging points (breaks in the insulation). Cutting through the board for plug sockets, where each sheet butts up to the next and around windows are the big culprits. Expanding foam adhesive is one answer rather than dot and dab adhesive but you have to choose an expanding foam that's compatible with the Plasterboard. It's well worth doing this but you have to get it right to prevent moisture from the house getting between the boards. 👍

[@mel7077]

@@CharlieDIYte Thank you. Any recommendations on good expanding foam adhesive? I'll be using the Knauf Thermal Laminate and the Knauf Soundshield plus plasterboards.

[@geowgeow]

Instastik is a good one. Very easy to apply and is made specifically for this job.

[@TheDoosh79]

@@CharlieDIYte Have you seen the gyproc insulated plasterboard? They do their own sealant for a mastic gun the same as your dot and dab approach, goes straight onto existing wall. Wondered about doing the two walls either side of the chimney breast as they're external and get really cold.

[@gl5934]

I also thought I’d need to do this! Does the video relate to the building regs of today? Thanks!

[@stringerbell4711]

Nice job Charl, I would never have known job like this had so many pitfalls for a nightmare outcome. Nicely explained, great that you listed all tools necessary. Really impressive, really interesting. Well done!

[@profecarrillo6479]

those things are a fire hazard. use Hebel Masonry Autoclaved Aerated Concrete

[@CharlieDIYte]

For anyone thinking "didn't he post this a few days ago", you're absolutely right! I took it down to add a few important details!

[@stephenoconnor1459]

Are you going to plaster that yourself now or get a plasterer in to do it?

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@stephenoconnor1459 Check out the video linked in the closing screen. I got Gerrard a pro plasterer in kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaTGY6CdnahgasU

[@MtBArN]

I do this on a daily basis. Well done!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate - appreciate that vote of confidence from a pro!

[@seannolan741]

Never ever heard of a daughter turning the radiator half way down! :-) :-) :-)

[@CharlieDIYte]

Well, exactly, Sean!

[@johnniewarren3049]

Love how comprehensive your videos are a pleasure to watch look forward to seeing more of your projects

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Johnnie! This one's been a beast to edit for one reason or another!

[@iiparachuteregiment8800]

1 thing i like about your videos is ... you will advise that you and I can do these projects... other videos is.. no you need a professional... you deserve a sub

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much, mate 👍

[@deanbond3204]

Nice video, well explained and set out. Anything is possible with research, the right tools , and time. I feel D.I.Y gets better with trial and error, practice brings confidence to every job after the very first. What ever that might be. Thanks to guys like you , people can see its possible to have a go. Cheers 👍🏽

[@JasonJFlippingLife]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this video and the one about relative humidity. I'm planning to purchase a property in Central Portugal where the older homes are notorious for being cold and humid during the winter. I now have a general understanding of how to tackle those issues.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Jason. And some sort of dehumidifier perhaps, or possibly a PIV?

[@Bradleyguy22]

For your application it may be worth looking into a product called 'Spacetherm'. Much reduced (often 10x) thickness for similar U Value (W/m2k).

[@robertsmart7484]

@@Bradleyguy22 But at a cost of about £100 per square metre it works out quite expensive.

[@Bradleyguy22]

@@robertsmart7484 Hi, absolutely but in certain circumstances/properties the cost may be acceptable as it's the only method / cost effective solution etc but yes, it's not cheap.

[@gregnelson3006]

Thanks Charlie for the really useful info on your channel I have learnt a lot about insulating our home.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Greg, that's incredibly kind. Did you watch this update kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqmvqoqsZ9uofs0 sand keep an eye on my channel as I'll be doing another update on what I've decided to do in terms of insulating our kitchen. I'm thinking of going down the breathable route in there. Thanks again for the donation 👊

[@scottishpatriot5908]

I worked for a double glazing and conservatory company a few years ago. We would always use kingspan as insulation. I remember it had a fishy smell when you cut it lol.

[@Philsy1845]

Retired builder good demo Charlie. No rambling tech waffle nice straight down to brass tacks! Many rather pay its still a tough job ok if fit and enthusiastic!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Phil, I appreciate that. There are things I'd have done differently (like use the foam instead of the adhesive) but I covered as many bases as I could. 👊

[@gelosul]

Finally! I've been waiting for someone to do it and show how it's done just so I don't mess up.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Good luck with your project!!

[@maheshchauhan9290]

Thank you Charlie. Like that you keep it real and sensible. 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks 👊

[@opentrail]

Great video with lots of informative information and links. Love it. Is it a necessity to remove the gypsum-based plaster from the walls to install the boards or can they go straight on top without any issues?

[@mattyp2219]

Useful video Charlie thanks for posting. You do make it look easy! I imagine some complexities not mentioned, such as boarding around the window and needing to extend window sills and what about electrical wiring, the cables would need to be long enough to feed a patress that was now further from it's original location and would need to be fixed to whatever the new insulation has been fixed to. No expert here so maybe i'm overthinking it.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're right. There are lots of complications. Around reveals the insulation needs to be continuous and socket boxes are an issue both in terms of cable length - I guess you could extend with wago's - but also the cut out being a potential cold bridge as is the break in vapour barrier between each sheet. I'm currently working on a breathable internal wall insulation in my kitchen. If you can hang off for a month or so on your project, there should be a video. 👊

[@mrflatroofer4089]

Good video. Done this system 45 years ago. Still there.

[@trimley]

I learnt so much from your video and I’m in the building trade!

[@CharlieDIYte]

David that's incredibly humble of you, and I say to any trade pro who comments favourably on my vids (eg the silicone one) that they're clearly very good at their job. We're always learning aren't we. Actually there are a few things I'd do differently since making this. On my most recent bedroom refurb to eliminate any potential cold bridging (sockets being a big source) I battened the wall with 2x1, infilled with 1 inch celotex PIR, foil taped over the battens and then screwed the K118 insulated plasterboard to the battens. Socket boxes were cut though the insulated board with a 12mm ply board foil taped to the back to screw the box to. That way there's no cold bridging though the socket. Also continuous insulation around the window reveals and breathable expanding foam tape under the insulated plasterboard. And I either didn't video it or I've lost all the footage 🤦🏻‍♂️ Thanks for the comment 👍

[@jeffjeffjeff2]

Fantastic video, thabks for taking the time to record, edit and share. I'm going to tackle my front porch which is only a single skin of brick as it's the cold spot of the house and I was looking for recommendations for an insulated and moisture-proof board and this came up right away. I'll probably go with the batten fitting solution as I doubt it has anything in the way of moisure prevention currently. Thanks again.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good idea. The thing to remember when you do this is cold bridging, cold bridging, cold bridging. This is the biggest problem when insulating from inside. A lot of care needs to be taken with window reveals corners and plug socket boxes - which ideally need insulating behind to prevent cold spots and moisture ingress. Good luck 👍

[@RB-cs5dw]

Amazing job m8, thank you so much. We are away to buy our granny's house as she passed away and I wanted to keep it in the family due to memories but it is a cold house, so was wanting to insulate all the boundary walls and this just looks amazing rather than messing about with wood and rock wool. Thank you

[@georgenixon4608]

Great video Charlie, clear and well presented. I have bought a villa in Spain with solid walls, and the rooms are COLD in the winter. I had thought about insulated plasterboard. Having watched your excellent video, I will be insulating the wall, so hears to a warmer property.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks George. Before you do it, do lots of research on cold bridging and make sure you buy a board with an in built vapour barrier. Sockets and the edge of each board, corners and around windows are potential sources of cold bridging (cold spots) where condensation can form. And check out this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/inqnk2CmmbShjq8 on keeping moisture levels down, though you may not have too much of a problem with that in Spain?

[@Jeff-gw1dv]

Charlie brilliant video just what i needed as am going to do my small bedroom after having a steel girder fitted to extend kitchen dinner below so have ripped out old dob and dab plasterboard and will now fit the 50mm kingspan as the dobs on old ones were nearly 2" thick.!!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Jeff! It's great stuff, you won't be disappointed. It's worth getting a quote from SIG assuming they deliver in your area.

[@robandamyp]

I'm a plasterer and I'd like to say very nicely done make sure you use a secondary fixing the adhesive is more like a packer I like to use 6 fixings more like a 6 on a dice than the way the manufacturer recommend but top job I've had lads working for me with years of experience that turn out worse boarding than that well done

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much Robert - I've got to say I was a bit nervous about posting this one but felt strangely compelled to do so - but comments from professionals like yourself are massively appreciated! Out of interest do you use the cork screw style mechanical (secondary) fixings I mentioned, or something else?

[@robandamyp]

@@CharlieDIYte I've tried many different types of fixing and to be honest I've never really been happy with any of them the insulation fixings are great because there all plastic but there about 5mm so skimming the wall becomes a pain I've settled on using a tile backer board washer with a zinc plated concrete fixing I have to make the hole in the middle of the washer bigger to let the screw head sit flat but it's the best I can come up with. most other options have either a small head so not really holding the board tight or othersare too thick to skim over

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@robandamyp Agreed. I thought about frame fixings (or the excellent steel core Corefix), rebated into the surface with a flat wood bit but being plastic they're not fire regs compliant.

[@anthonymclean9743]

@@CharlieDIYte Another tip which i always do is to drill a sequence of holes and stick the foam gun in for extra adhesion ..

[@MarcGray1990]

Got all this on the inside of my house on the external walls... just dabbed on.... I know it is meant to have mechanical fixings in an ideal world but it was done before I had the house and I’m not tearing it all off now haha. No problems as such just a few annoying movement cracks on the joints even with scrim tape on. So when going though the rooms decorating I’ve drilled small holes on the joints back to the brick and wet in the hole with diluted pva then foam filled to effectively stitch the crack. The stuff is as warm as toast in the winter and the heat wave last year nearly killed me inside haha!

[@fueltoblaze1554]

Thank you! We have just done this to our kid's room from your instructions.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome. Glad you found it useful and thanks for the comment 👊

[@robinford4037]

Use a paint roller and tray to apply the PVA, load it up, start from the bottom and roll up, keeping a small wave of PVA between the roller and the wall, touch up with brush if necessary

[@IainHC1]

A couple of little visual little hiccups...... But totally overwhelmed by a fully informative and professional video :-) I really enjoyed it :-) Thank you

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome, thanks for the comment. Yes, still learning on the visuals. I think I may have recorded this in the wrong codec.

[@adamkhan5316]

What an excellent video really. Brilliant information very well made, you cleared up a lot of confusion for me. I'm concerned about condensation on the back of the board though. It seems people prefer to mechanically fix for this reason. I wonder if anyone has anymore information for this.... personally I think the adhesives these days are incredible.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Adam. Yes, I mechanically fixed the last room I did and going forward I think this is a preferable option. You're right to be concerned about condensation, particularly where you're cutting through the board for the electrical back boxes. You want to aspire to creating an impregnable vapour barrier and continuous insulation to eliminate any cold bridging - which is damn hard in reality. In the bedroom I've just done, I battened the wall with 2x1 tanelised, dpc between the batten and wall where it touches - as the wall isn't level there was a nice gap behind. Then I infilled with 1 inch Ecotherm, foil taped over the joins, and then mechanically fixed the Kingspan to the front. That way, the electrical boxes only penetrate through the front insulation (I foil taped a piece of 12mm ply to the back of the Kingspan at that point to screw the back box to), and there's no cold bridging. Oh and I used that expanding foam tape you might have seen in that vid, underneath the Kingspan. It's breathable but eliminates any cold bridging.

[@denisemc607]

Thank you thank you thank you! Excellent delivery, detail, and no faf. You are perfection ❤

[@darylheasman1]

Just a note, only use KNAUF bonding compound on foil backed insulation board k118 otherwise you are taking a big risk. There's no point in pva-ing the back of the boards then, knauf bags are readily available from all drywall merchants. When taking delivery of your boards lay them down as flat as you can get them especially if its going to be days before they get used to avoid them bowing.

[@LB-gr5se]

What's the reasons for the KNAUF bonding compound? Thanks

[@darylheasman1]

@LB-gr5se I assume your asking why use knauf bonding compound specifically on the knauf foil backed k118. If you use BG bonding compound instead,you will certainly run the risk of the board coming away from the dabs once they had set as it is not designed to stick to foil. Where as knauf adhesive you will have no such problems. On normal wall board, BG,Knauf or Siniat bonding are all pretty much the same ,though I personally prefer BG bonding. With Knauf ,you have to pay a little bit more attention when mixing because it doesn't like being overmixed by drill and tends to thicken up quickly, which you don't necessarily want if you have a large mix to do. Hope that answers your question

[@LB-gr5se]

@@darylheasman1 that makes sense thanks for clearing that up

[@CORRIGEEN71]

Really really excellent video lots of detail and u don't have an asome American accent just brilliant have a whole house to do built 1937 mass concrete walls

[@sonlyme4445]

Remarkable that adding insulation to a property with no insulation requires Building Regs to approve it meets their spec. Does it meet their spec with no insulation? Jobs for the boys.

[@CharlieDIYte]

I agree!

[@george9710]

Oh and if you think that’s ridiculous, consider that most local authorities charge you per external wall insulated. performance of the whole building

[@Somemaysayso]

Well said!

[@matlovesrecovery]

I’m doing mine and not telling them it’s for my benefit.

[@airjaff]

Screw telling them. how would those a-holes know!

[@ohyeahcristoff]

Great video - my old house has been cold for years - you've inspired me to sort it out uing this method!

[@sarahknight4258]

Superb - really on another level Charlie. Thank you.

[@JaniceTurner-gb9nh]

Thanks for sharing this! This is helpful.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. If you're interested I've just installed a breathable system in the kitchen kzbin.info/www/bejne/haaUdJ2tm9GNqq8si=2TyvScy4d5o1Hwma 👍

[@geowgeow]

I love your videos Charlie. It’s been 3 years since you did this. Have you experienced any condensation issues or signs of condensation forming behind the insulation? I’m keen to do this at my house (already done one room) but my head is spinning with all the conflicting advice around the condensation risks and lack of breathability. This stuff is BBA approved for this application but there are so many experts warning against doing it at all or recommending alternative, breathable panels combined with lime plaster to maintain the breathability of the building. Interested to know your thoughts/experience on this

[@thewalkingsketchbook]

I’m having the same conundrum, George! Victorian building so 9” solid walls. We had some damp on one wall already but a specialist said it was mainly due to the incorrect mortar used when the pointing was re done some years ago. Replaced with a proper lime mortar we haven’t had many issues. But if I insulate with this method, am I adding to moisture/breath ability issues?

[@mrat42]

@@thewalkingsketchbookmy house has solid brick walls and I insulated the walls internally 40 years ago. There was not much information available. Some was very wrong. I was concerned about condensation in hidden away spaces.I had a choice of polystyrene sheet or fibreglass/ mineral wool. I used the latter as it was much cheaper. I made a frame of 50 x75 mm tanalised timber, screwed to the walls and filled with insulation. Then a polythene vapour barrier and then plasterboard. Keep the vapour barrier intact around power sockets was awkward. I’m still in the house and have had no issues. I have one last wall to insulate, the bathroom. It’s only a few m2. No external render. But it’s sheltered and I might bond directly to the wall. Still in two minds about it. 24:19

[@lozbian68]

​@@thewalkingsketchbookthink of it like this , your house needs to breathe hence the lime mortar outside and the same applies to the inside with regards to lime plaster and limewash/ breathable clay paint , this method will keep humidity controlled in your property and won't end up spoiling any brickwork because of a build up moisture 👍

[@jitsmen2519]

Excellent video Charlie! Im looking to do this in the summer time next year. Currently too busy with other renovation projects.

[@bockersjv]

Thank you thank you thank you. I have exactly the same walls with render on the exterior and they are always cold. This is just what I was after.

[@Love500]

Really useful. Thank you. I intend to do my conservatory in the new year.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Glad to hear it. If you have to install back boxes for the plug sockets, try not to cut all the way though the insulation or if you have to, re-insulate behind with spray foam to minimise any cold bridging. You could even glue the insulation boards in place with spray foam rather than plasterboard adhesive. 👍

[@Love500]

@@CharlieDIYte really? That would work? Probably easier. I’m always worried about making the plaster too thin. Thanks for the tips.

[@StAnger561to770]

Awesome job mate! I wish I could do that here but my walls tend to be rather damp in this Old House and I don't trust the roof. It started to leaks in a few spots again, even after having all the clay tiles replaced a few months ago. I was able to get on the roof and sealed the leak spots but I'm not sure how long that will last. I don't mind running the heater in the winter more. I'll probably just stick to slapping some anti-mold paint up on these old walls and see if that does anything for me. Cheers!

[@allisonjoel1]

Excellent video. Thank you for sharing. I had insulation boards put on two walls in my kitchen and on one wall in my bathroom by the Housing Association I am under several years ago. To my surprise they put the boards over plastered walls. Since then, I have encounter problems with mildew around the top and edges of the boards and think part of the problem might be that they haven't been sealed correctly.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yes that'll be because of cold bridging. Take a look at this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/inqnk2CmmbShjq8 It's important you have some ventilation in your place during the day (windows open if you can) just to let out the huge amount of moisture we generate daily

[@PaulHawxby]

Great video Charlie. How did you get the radiator remounted? Did you have to extend the pipes or have you come up with some other way of doing it? Thinking of doing the same and trying to avoid having to drain down the system.

[@Stumac0127]

If you are mechanically fixing the insulated plasterboard. Where there is a risk of damp. You should use galvanized steel batten, as wooden battens can rot. Great video!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Fair point. I'd always put DPC between the batten and the wall, at all the fixing points. However you shouldn't really insulate a wall that has a risk of damp, and of course do everything you can to ensure there's a decent vapour barrier to prevent moisture from inside the room causing damp in the wall. The socket back boxes are always a problem though...

[@AranJackson]

Hello mate. I didnt know you could dot and dab foil backed boards like that. Did you make any adjustments to account for that?

[@reshlanda1964]

What a very informative and detailed vlog

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks. Glad you found it useful.👍

[@idi0tdetectioninprogress]

Great stuff, clear and concise. Good to see building control nonsense tamed. It’s all a game to take things out of the hands of DIY and drive the contractors market. Look where cavity wall insulation got us !

[@CharlieDIYte]

I think you're absolutely right. And a builder mate said to me the other day when I told him I was preparing this video that in his experience these guidelines are often not followed!

[@clivewilliams1406]

Nonsense! The Building Regulations are the MINIMUM standards that have to be achieved and there is nothing apart from Heating and Electrical work that requires any recognised trades certification and therefore within the scope of a DiY'er. If you had seen the vast quantity of botches I have witnessed from both unknowledgeable amateurs and supposedly skilled tradesmen there is a case for more stringent application of the rules rather than less. The Building Regulations came out of the numerous local Public Health Acts that were brought together under a consolidating document, and without them we would still be victims of the Victorian slums. The Building Regs are continually evolving as they play catch-up with modern standards and innovation, the problem is that they are dealing in an ever more technological world so a becoming more prescriptive than performance based.

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@clivewilliams1406 I'm sure what he meant by "building control nonsense" is that the way the controls have evolved (and as you say, it's difficult to blame them for this as they play catch up) means that it's difficult for the average home owner, about to embark on a project, to make sense of.

[@idi0tdetectioninprogress]

Charlie DIYte There’s a lot to cover so I shall keep it brief(ish). I did a self build 20 years ago when things were still quite normal, and it was a pleasure to do. Now we are being turned into cash machines and it’s like Dick Turpin has written the building regs. Advanced they maybe, structured robbery it certainly is. All backed and influenced by Gypsum, Knauf, and all the rest. Replacing boilers at £2000 a pop, for something that’s going to break within 5 years. You don’t really get your money back! Electric consumer units seem to be changed more than underpants, that’s just making money out of people. Becoming an eco warrior has some merit, but it’s only forced and driven by the extortion of energy companies. Older property needs to breathe, and the funny thing is it’s already stood the test of time for there not to be an argument that it was built right in the first place. New builds I wouldn’t have given, and I could cry myself to sleep for the amount of ‘quality apartments ‘ I have inflicted onto the great British public. May the Lord have mercy on my soul.

[@MzLewis29]

Thanks so much. Our walls are the same, and we're in need of better insulation as well.

[@wilyc0y0te]

Coming to this one quite late. Another really high quality video - great explanations. One thing though, these boards are phenomenally expensive now. In my 100 year old semi, it’d cost approximately £1000 for the materials to do less than 2 of my first floor rooms (external walls only, 50mm board). Have any competing products been released since this video was first uploaded?

[@MadDog_Rules]

Before you carry out any work, make sure the house does not contain any asbestos. Also old houses with plaster walls would highly likely have no vapour barrier under the plaster to stop moist air from saturating the insulation. Back then, plaster walls were designed to allow the free exchange of air and moisture. If you're not sure if the plaster has been replaced with a vapour barrier or any insulation, remove a small area and check. You may just need foam or wool insulation and a vapour barrier underneath the plasterboards. I can highly recommend Tekwarm EPS HP, not sure if it's available where you live though.

[@AccountantDoesDIY]

Sadly this is just the way of the world now. Building material costs are significantly higher than they were in 2019 when Charlie did this video. It’s been a painful three years for us DIYers !

[@jonathanjonathan7386]

very thorough vid, nice one mate

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Jonathan. Check this one out - it's a better solution for retrofit kzbin.info/www/bejne/haaUdJ2tm9GNqq8si=jbF4IqVDmaVlDdGR

[@grumpy9250]

I would be interested in how you tackled the window reveal.

[@yourkodi3945]

would be great to know this

[@elltell8644]

a normal 12.5mm plasterboard would be used.

[@alexclifford8961]

@@elltell8644 followed by damp and mould in the months to come. Needs a proper thermal break. the improved insulation on the rest of the walls increases problems in the remaining cold areas.

[@elltell8644]

@@alexclifford8961 with window profiles of 30 - 40mm there is little else that can be used other than 12.5mm foil back boards. how they are fixed is down to the operative.

[@ShafaqIftikhar-pw9ld]

GREAT VIDEO THANKYOU FOR THE UPLOAD!!!!!!!❤

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. You might want to check out my most recent update kzbin.info/www/bejne/haaUdJ2tm9GNqq8si=0IxMRQRmX3YT3j-T

[@tommiller7485]

Hi Charlie, Thanks for this. Very helpful. Before applying the plasterboard - would you ever suggest plastering the stone wall first to increase insulation? Perhaps Lime Plaster if it’s a damp wall so the stone can breath?

[@Organise_Space]

Nice video, very thorough. word of caution to all readers, if you have to remove lots of render as in this video. buy OR rent a much bigger low vibration breaker than the small drill / breaker in this video. twenty years ago I ruined my hands with a cheap drill. using a small cheap drill all day will give you vibration white finger. One project, one day with an undersized drill has given me a lifetime of problems. If you are going to be chiseling all day get the right tool. You were lucky this render is so soft Charlie you could have given yourself big problems.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate. Sorry to hear about that. Great advice that I'll bare in mind on a job I've got coming up.

[@Organise_Space]

​@@CharlieDIYte its a strange thing, if I do over an hour now with any vibrating tools (drills, multitool, anything) my hands go white and numb. I had to give up motorbikes for the same reason (numb hands are not good at 160MPH :-) )

[@williamarmstrong7199]

The big question we all need to know is... how did you get a teenager to keep her room that clean? You can actually see the floor!

[@bali2880]

Lol 😂😆😆😆

[@qadeerhussain5751]

Many thanks for your time & help

[@pedroroncon4554]

Hi Charlie, great video! Just a quick question, how do you deal with the window molding? Can you just glue it on top or you need to secure it? Thanks

[@jonny3775]

This is better than most tradesman too be fair charley

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Jonny. It's not perfect though. The socket holes are ripe for cold bridging. But it's worked well in this room. Check out my reply to Leighton's comment just below yours if you're interested to know how I insulated our bedroom wall recently to get round the socket problem.👍🏻

[@jonny3775]

I dunno why I can’t see that comment but it’s something I’ve never thought about too be honest as keen as I am at stopping cold bridging I’ve never thought about sockets, can u link it too my comment please.

[@Ben.g]

your garage looks similar to mine, would this method be good to use in that kind of environment ?

[@davidrhodes6413]

great video, gave me some pointers that I hadn't previously considered. Thank you .

[@MadDogsVlog]

Hi, What fixing should I be using to hang mirrors, curtain rails & picture frames on 50mm insulated plasterboard?

[@CharlieDIYte]

Fisher Duopower would do a good job. For the heavy stuff you could use wall anchors - probably 5x52mm. They work in insulated plasterboard as the umbrella forces itself open even in the insulated foam. The only downside is that the screw head on the bolt is reasonably large, or at any rate looks different to a screw. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2TLm62Gg8porc0

[@mpickersgill9672]

Thanks for your useful and straightforward video

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome. Is that Mark - think I used to play touch rugby with you 😉

[@mpickersgill9672]

@@CharlieDIYte Sorry, no, my name is Martin and I haven't played rugby, at least not in the last 50 years.

[@P12NCE]

Hi Charlie, I’ve only just seen this video even though it’s almost a year old. I insulated the external walls in two bedrooms of my house the difference it makes is amazing. In one of the rooms I hacked of the plaster as it was very loose, but then I put a tight coat of sand and cement to get rid of some of the bows and bellies in the wall. Around the windows I framed them with 2x2 batterns. Before putting the boards up around I cut away the insulation only. When you put the board up around the window you can screw the edges around the window. Around the window you now have a reveal which you stick standard plaster board to using screws with a few dabs of adhesive. I’m about to move on to my bathroom. I just concerned about the condensation, and of course the tiles on that wall. Any advice

[@satwinderdhariwal]

Don't you lose heat around the standard plaster board on the window edges

[@P12NCE]

@@satwinderdhariwal I don’t think so. Around the window is framed with two by two and inside that it is insulated. I realise you will loose some heat but it is a vast improvement, which is what you want at the end of the day.

[@googleman9425]

Just buy a dehumidifier. Solved all my condensation and pin mould problems in my 1930's house. Cost about £300 a year to run. No more condensation on the walls and windows. When I put the insulation board on I knew there wouldn't be a problem with condensation behind the board

[@mcspad]

Those boards need fixings foil backs always pop off dabs

[@itwillbenicewhenitsfinished]

Glad this is back, it had dissappeared for a while. Great vid 😀

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks James! Glad to have finally uploaded it - this one's been driving me slightly mad 🤪

[@chrise202]

I wish this method was banned. It eases the builders job but its a total pain in the ass for the homeowner when it comes to DIY. Prefer the studs

[@mrcaboosevg6089]

I've spend many hours rebuilding studs in my 200 year old house to get things level, this looks like a much preferred option. Not a single wall in my house is square and it's a right pain in the arse doing it 'properly'

[@CharlieDIYte]

I've just done my bedroom wall the stud method, and my bathroom before that. It was more of a pain but I thought I'd do a video on it, and also, with that extra layer I've more than complied with building regs in terms of the u values.

[@riboid]

Banned? Ok.

[@jamesleahy4717]

great video well explained easy to follow

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks James. 👍

[@michaellivings7364]

An excellent, very helpful video.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Michael. Just watch the sockets when you do yours as they're a source of cold bridging. Try and insulate behind them if you can.

[@000gjb]

Great video. A lot of useful basic information to tailor the insolation solution and cut down product research. Well made.

[@forpeace8375]

Thank you for this KZbin video 👍🏻 Can DIY now

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks. 👍

[@AlanNewland]

Thanks Charlie. Presumably you only need to insulate external facing walls, not internal walls adjoining external walls? Is that right?

[@AlanNewland]

Charlie, do you have a video on applying insulating wallpapers (like WallRock or similar)? What is your view on how useful and effective they are? Installing insulated plasterboard is not feasible in our rooms because of door and window frame sizes and shallow depths.

[@davidskeeterskeeter1835]

You’ve made really hard work of that fella,, If you had mechanically fixed your boards with “polypropylene fixings” you drill straight through the plasterl (leave plaster on) and fix boards to brickwork,! Therefore no need to remove any plaster,, I’ve used this system for more than 25 years with no problems,,

[@CharlieDIYte]

David the render was knackered - key totally gone. It had to go!

[@geoffreycasey875]

@@CharlieDIYte but if you use 150mm fixings what difference would that make?

[@amwphotos]

Good job! I don't understand people saying you HAVE to get in the "pro's" to do things like this. Many builders don't realise you have to have a continuous bead around the edge resulting in a draughty plasterboard tent, and building control don't pull them up on it either. Busy fixing this in my house!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Alastair. It's a bit of a dark art this, as it's rarely done properly, to be honest. With yours, just do everything you can to minimise cold bridges. Sockets are a big one where, like I did here, you typically cut through the whole board. If I do this dot and dab approach again, I think I'll get the back box all drilled, plugged and ready, and then spray expanding foam in the void behind the box and in the gap around it, and quickly push the box into place and screw it in position then let the foam harden around it. That way, you're minimising a big source of moisture ingress.

[@johngarbutt]

Brilliant. Quite a bit of work involved but you show us all the way very well.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks John. The important thing is complying on the u value front and preventing any cold bridges. Plug sockets can be problematic as you're often cutting all the way through the insulation.

[@mespabilo]

Brilliant video, I've learned a lot and will be following it step by step to insulate the walls of my flat, thanks a million Charlie!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks. Take a look at the foam adhesive too - it's a better insulator, and will be more effective to reduce cold bridging around the back boxes you have to cut out for plug sockets. Cold bridging should be your buzz word throughout the project. You need to do everything you can to eliminate any. 👊

[@mespabilo]

@@CharlieDIYte Thanks for that Charlie, is there a brand of foam adhesive you could recommend?

[@seanoxborough8595]

Bond the back of a board before sticking??? My arse, what's the point?

[@MrDannybey]

Pva on the back of the board isn’t the thing to do. You can buy the correct board. I think it’s called pl4000. It’s got paper on the back not silver!

[@garethb1968]

You made a good choice doing this to your cottage , I been to jobs that other company's have insulted the lofts and stopped the air flow causing condensation in the roof space all they needed to do is add roof tile or slate vents

[@daveMCZ]

It isnt a good idea to insulate from interor of the house... exterior is much better - u save the materials before destruction via water x freeze. once u insulate inside part - u shift zero ceslcius into the brick (water start to change into ice - expands and destroys the material, u are never able to restrict all af vapore to come inside the material). ... if u insulate exterior part of the wall... proper thickness of insulation will have zero celsius in itself...... PVA is supposed to be used , once u clean the wall properly :) it doesnt take such a lot of a time and effort :)

[@mattivirta]

external insulation need be water resist, not suck water newer, only closed cell foam can use external insulation, interior can use all other, but not bathroom and water area rooms.or rooms were have sometime steam.

[@johnblackburn7673]

Well done, Im a plasterer, learnt from my Dad. You have done a decent job of lining the walls. Just as good if not better than most. I read in one of the comments about using fixings in old walls. What I do is dip the plugs/screws in gorilla glue and wet them before I screw them in. This expands and strengthens the fixing. The only problem is if you do want to take them out they are a devil to remove but if your wall old it really helps

[@davidskeeterskeeter1835]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 WTF are you doing fella,!, ABSOLUTELY no need to remove the old plaster 😂😂😂,! You took more time removing that old crap,,than fixing your boards,😂😂 Just drill through your insulated plasterboard AND the old plaster and (mechanically fix)using Fischer POLYPROPYLENE fixings to brickwork ,,12 fixings to each board,, Before you all start jumping up and down 😤I have been using this method for 28 years,!, my company has renovated more than 300 properties , I in fact still own 147 of these houses,as a private landlord,, PS,, very little point in applying pva directly to substrate that appears to contain old lime plaster,, PPS, I’m 73 years old started plastering at 14 I sincerely hope this has been of use to someone,👍🇬🇧

[@CharlieDIYte]

Three reasons 1) the plaster below was live and I didn't want to just hide it behind the new board (a botch in my opinion); 2) the walls weren't true - years of badly applied irregular plaster - so mechanical fixings wouldn't help with this; and 3) the wife is annoyed enough that I'm reducing the size of the rooms with this insulation so I was wanting to keep this to a minimum. I hear what you say that your approach is a lot less hassle though. Are the polypropylene fixings fire regs compliant? I thought they had to be metal.

[@geoffreycasey875]

@@CharlieDIYte you can get metal ones which are much better. 🍀

[@westcliffkoipond6786]

Great stuff thanks mate 👍👍 we are freezing ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks. If you do this consider using the expanding foam glue rather than plasterboard adhesive. Better insulation particularly around plug sockets 👍

[@simoncooke6881]

Brilliant video - really helpful!!! Thanks

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Simon. The only thing I'd add is be careful with the electrical back boxes. Probably best to spray foam behind them to eliminate any cold bridging, if you can. 👍🏻

[@UnleadedApe]

Thanks Charlie, gonna give this a go soon!

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Just be careful with the plug sockets. Cutting the board does create a cold bridge. If you're going to dot and dab like I did and need to fit back boxes, rather than adhesive all round the socket, I'd get the back box ready, with a wall plug drilled in the wall to fix it in position, and then spray expanding foam in the gap behind the back box and quickly fix the box in place so the expanding foam expands and hardens around it. That will pretty much eliminate any cold spots that could cause condensation in this area.

[@alvinjones85]

It's a nice video for installation. How to screw in or hang appliances on these insulated backed plasterboard. Which screws or supports to use to hang heavy objects like TV and radiators.

[@tanyaroyredcar]

big thanks for your time and attention to this. Our walls are 3 bricks thick. Very dry. Considering mechanical fixing throughout though.. a longitudinal fixing of treated timber and then vertical fixing of softwood battening - to level. Fixing verticals with metal straps to reduce thermal conductivity - rather than timber to timber. Fill with fireproof insulation and screw fix 12.5mm plasterboard. Thickness 65mm internally. Wondering why you haven't gone for this approach, apart from the mechanics of getting it all aligned? with metal strapping, this has proven quite simple so far. Thank you R&T

[@duncanblanchard334]

Great video, the issues for me would be the wires for sockets wouldn’t be long enough to reach through the new insulation, and pipes for radiators not reaching, it would be a massive job. You made a good job of this, just measuring for the sockets would of taken all day for me 😂.

[@RandomShart]

Wires for sockets you can easily extend with wago or similar. As I hate all plumbing I'd agree radiators would be a pain but no doubt would be a very easy job for a plumber to just extend the pipework. Given my gas has just gone from £110 to £600 a month this year I think it's worth a punt!

[@qadeerhussain5751]

Excellent video

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome. Thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@holyolioli]

That's very interesting! Thank you for your video. Have you noticed any issues with condensation between the wall and the insulation? Would it even be possible to see if it happened?

[@CharlieDIYte]

I think you do have to be really careful - particularly around plug sockets, where each sheet butts up and corners and windows. Better to use the expanding foam glue rather than plasterboard adhesive as this is a much better insulator. I haven't had any problems in this room but we do manage humidity quite carefully. In the last room I did - our bedroom - I battened the wall, infilled between the battens with 1 inch PIR, foil taped over the battens then screwed the insulated plasterboard to the battens. That way you have no cold bridging around sockets etc as there's insulation behind them. I glued a 12mm board of ply into the back of the insulated plasterboard to screw the socket back box to.

[@roontunes]

manyy thank for taking the time and the trouble to film and post that

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment!

[@gregmusto3336]

What size timber did you use to mechanically bond your bathroom?

[@simonruddy8265]

Great vid thanks. My old 1900 house is a heating nightmare, you have given me a direction to move forward in future insulatiin works now. Thanks.

[@Bradleyguy22]

For your suggested application it may be worth looking into a product called 'Spacetherm'. Much reduced (often 10x) thickness for similar U Value (W/m2k).

[@leicestershirejim1558]

Very helpful and interesting video. Thanks.

[@PADMAL77]

Thanks

[@AmZPresents]

Great video. Can you please upload video of the best plasterboard fixings, plasterboard with insulation. I saw many videos for plasterboard only but most new builds have insulation and wanted to know which one will be best.

[@Tayuss79]

Nice job seems like I could give it a go. Worried about water penetration though. No render on the outside of our cottage. Seems very worth taking on anyway.

[@DavidIwanow]

So I spoke with a business that specialises in insulation and they said I need to leave a space between wall and insulation but also add a moisture barrier

[@dannymurphy1779]

Thanks Charlie fantastic video. With regards to that Tyrolean render, there is a guy called Peter Ward who does great videos on KZbin about solid wall houses with lime mortar and these plastic type renders. He says these renders can be a big problem because they don't allow the wall to breathe, it is possible the render is keeping the walls wet because it doesn't allow the water to escape to the outside face ie the wall is no longer breathable. I know you said the wall was bone dry but the heating in the room will do that. I know it is all money but it might be a good move to consider a render that is breathable because lime mortar can go very soft if water finds itself behind the render.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Cheers Danny. You're right that the render is a pain. It was applied in the '70s, I suspect because the brick work of what used to be 2 cottages that were turned into 1 - was a bit of a mess. I can genuinely say that when I stripped off the render the wall was dry - as have all the others I've done. I'd love to remove it, but it would be a massive job and I don't know what I'd find underneath. Also, bar a few cracks - which I'm remediating, it was pretty good quality so I'm stuck with it for the foreseeable. The K118 has two vapour barriers to prevent moisture passing through the wall into the brickwork so provided there's no ingress from outside and I've minimised thermal bridges I should be ok.

[@justmeEnglandUK]

Did a 9inch solid handmade brick house a few years ago . it had lime mortar all OK in the summer but noticed in the winter frost on the bricks of the insulated wall the room next door wasn't insulated it had no frost . the heat escaping through the wall allowed the moisture inside the brick to evaporate externally preventing any frost damage . the insulated area started to get frost damaged to the handmade bricks because water was retained inside the bricks .

[@CharlieDIYte]

It's such a difficult one this. I guess the issue is the heat escaping through the brick. If it's properly insulated you shouldn't get any heat transfer - and in my case, I've got the tyrolean render on the outside. That said, arguments rage over whether we should be insulating traditional brick lime mortar houses. Trouble is, if you don't you have a pretty unpleasant environment that's expensive to heat, to live in during the winter.

[@montvydasklumbys7584]

@@CharlieDIYte Or insulate using breathable materials, like wood fibre, wool, cork, specialised lime based plasters like Diathonite or many others. Then use a lime based plaster and finish off with a lime based paint. This will allow the walls to evaporate the water thus not causing the forementioned frost damage. The problem with the solid wall building is that it absorbs water from the outside just as well as the inside, so it's nothing to do with "proper insulation".

[@ammarhabib1939]

Bravo great video well done

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks 👍

[@sybaseguru]

Put a heavy duty 50-60 litre plastic box on the floor under your chisling and most of the old plaster drops straight into it. One full box is just about carriable straight to the skip - saves a lot of time and mixing the jobs is less tiring. As a plumber I've used this with tile removal for years.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good work. I used to carry rubble and soil through the terraced house to the skip on the road in those Addis flip top bins. I'd buy a few from the pound shop and confuse the shop keeper by saying I didn't need the lid 😉