Structural characteristics of plastic
DabblerBabbler
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
Gents and Ladies:
I am refinishing a bathroom to which I have added a heated-air blower and subfloor electrical heating. The bath is vented.
But I am noticing a condensation problem on the walls adjoining the rest of the house, where we keep temps close to 55-60 degrees F. in the winter. The walls don’t lend themselves to being gutted nor the bays filled with fiberglass insulation.
I was wondering whether it was practical to run 1-inch thick sheets of Styrofoam or polyisocyanouranate(?) over the exposed studs and screwing new wallboard and Durock through the foam into the studs.
Will the boards hold still and still be able to shoulder wall tile?
Thanks,
Frank Spencer-Molloy
Replies
I'm sometimes a bit thick so bear with me. If you are able to fasten foam to the exposed studs, why can't you just fill the stud spaces with batt insulation?
The house was built in 1850. The walls were built with actual 2x4s turned sideways so that the flat part of the board faces outward. Strapped across this checkerboard-style are other boards that subdivide the stud bays into little boxes with spaces about 2 inches deep. You can't unroll batts into that!
How about spray foam and then sheet foam over that? Be more than an R-7.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
You should be able to do that w/out a problem. Rigid polystyrene, GWB screwed to that (or durock if you tile it). Foam may be an issue code wise, not sure. Foam exposed to a cavity on the backside may not be fire code compliant. Maybe check w/ your BO if you are so inclined.