19 January, 2023 | Edwardian deep retrofit, General
The air vapour control barrier (AVCL) is Diathonite insulating plaster to the masonry wall, Vapourblock to the ceilings with Intello to awkward details such as over purlins, with VANA tape and liquid applied AEROSANA. The AVCL is created first, then the internal studwork added to avoid awkward detailing and breaking the AVCL layer.
The transverse steel bears onto the masonry walls and the studwork supports the ceiling below, avoiding risky penetrations to the gable end
3 January, 2023 | Edwardian deep retrofit, Projects
Phase 1 of this deep retrofit involves completely rebuilding the loft including installing an MVHR. Ground and first floors to follow in phase 2.
See blog for more details
3 January, 2023 | Edwardian deep retrofit, General
Phase 1 of this deep retrofit involves completely rebuilding the loft including installing an MVHR. Ground and first floors to follow in phase 2.
There were some very tricky details:
Foamglas pocket including around the padstone to isloate the steel beam from the structure, further complicated by having to maintain the cavity within the wall
Completed detail
The gable end was plastered in Thermactive insulating plaster and timber floor joists were hung off a steel beam to avoid timber bearing into the external masonry wall.
Detail showing the floor josits hung off the steel beam. The steel beams ends will be covered with Spacetherm to avoid condensation risk.
Pitched roof insulated with woodfibre so the whole construction is breathable (water vapour open)
A new steel bressummer beam was installed and made airtight to the celing of the pitched roof over the rear bay
Foamglas isolated the steel beam from the structure
Spacetherm was used to isolate the end of the steel bressummer beam from the abutting cavity walls
The retrurn secetion of the main roof showing floor reinforcement, Thermactive to walls, Intello AVCL over the purlin and woodfibre boards ready for installation
2 March, 2020 | Edwardian deep retrofit, General
The Diathonite Thermactive insulating plaster was applied to bare brickwork in 5 coats over 5 days totalling 100mm thick (by a plasterer in the same way as any plaster), the coving remade in plaster and then a specialist lime top coat applied. The wall is now insulated but completely breathable so there is little or no risk of moisture build up within the wall and the thermal mass is retained. Due to the cork the thermal conductivity of the plaster is a very repsectable 0.037 W/mK (so similar to other insulations) and at 100mm thick reduces the thermal thermal transmittance (U value) from around 2 to 0.3 W/m2K (so an 85% reduction). It’s a fantastic solution and product, perhaps one way forward for rolling out mass retrofit, the only downside is it takes a long time to fully dry (perhaps a year!) and is not the cheapest of solutions, but if we want truly sustainable, i.e. low risk and long lasting solutions it’s definitely a leading way forward.
