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THERMAL INSULATED PLASTERBOARD

BUILDING INSULATION - THE REGULATIONS

Building Regulations are in place to drive improvements in Building Standards including thermal efficiency, these regulations apply to new build, renovation or replacement work.

Using an Insulated Plasterboard can make significant differences to the thermal efficiency of your home. Available to buy from Huws Gray branches nationwide we will help you understand more about these specialist plasterboards.

Thermal efficiency with Building Regulations is expressed as a U-value

England & Wales: Part L Building Regulations
Northern Ireland: Technical Standard F1
Scotland: Technical Handbook Domestic, Section 6 (energy)

U-VALUE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

A U-value is the measurement of the rate of heat loss through a material. Building work should strive for the lowest U-values possible, the lower the U-value, the less heat will be lost.

U-values are measured as the amount of heat loss through a 1m2 of material for every degree difference in temperature on either side of the material.

HOW TO CALCULATE U-VALUES

Download the free Siniat Calculator App from the Apple or Android stores to help calculate your required U-value for you.

HOW TO INSTALL USING DOT & DAB METHOD

Thermal board can be installed by either Dot & Dab or Dryliner method. The Dot & Dab method should only be used for walls that already include a cavity.

INSTALLATION

Starting from a window, door reveal or internal angle, mark the wall vertically with a chalk line for the row of dabs.
Using Siniat Universal Bonding Compound place a continuous ribbon 50mm at the top and bottom of the board.
Then place your dabs on the wall making sure that they are 250mm x 75mm in size and at 300mm centres.
A maximum spacing of 400mm horizontally should be used. A continuous ribbon should be placed around any plug sockets or light fittings.
Press the plasterboard in place against the dabs fitting the board tightly against the ceiling using a wedge or off cut at the base.
Tamp the board into place with the floor and ceiling chalk lines using a straight edge.
Use two Nailable Plugs to suit board depth, fitted through holes drilled in the board through the dab cavity and penetrating 25mm into masonry. (Tip: Wait until the dabs have set before fitting plugs to avoid moving or bending the board.)
Remove wedges when compound has dried (allow 8 hours).

Note: Thermal boards must be mechanically fixed for fire safety. 2 GTEC Nailable plugs need to be installed 300mm from the top of the board and 25mm from each edge, penetrating 25mm into the masonry wall.

HOW TO INSTALL USING DRYLINER

The dryliner method should be used when upgrading an existing solid wall or to create a cavity.

INSTALLATION

Fix a dryliner track at 600mm centres to the floor and ceiling using suitable fixings. Allow for a required cavity of at least 25mm.
If applying direct to concrete make sure that the surface is dry and a damp proof membrane has been used. Ensure that the large flange of the dryliner track is on the plasterboard side.
Mark vertical lines at 600mm horizontal centres to fix the dryliner channels.
Start at the centre of the wall and position the dryliner brackets directly to the wall at a maximum 800mm vertical centres on the marked lines (at shoulder and waist height). Secure using suitable fixings. Fold out the toothed wings of each bracket to form legs.
Cut each dryliner channel 5mm shorter in height from the floor to the ceiling and place into the dryliner track.
Ensure channel is plumb and secure to each bracket using a Pan Head Self Tapping screw.
If installing kitchen units, install a GTEC fixing channel or timber reinforcement at the height the wall and floor units need to be secured.
Cut plasterboard 5mm shorter than the floor to ceiling height. Butt the board firmly against ceiling and fix with GTEC Drywall Self Tapping screws at 300mm centres. Screws must be at least 10mm longer than the board thickness.
Butt the plasterboard edges lightly against each other and centre the edges over the channels.

Note: Cannot be used for cavities over 130mm.

HOW TO INSULATE LOFTS AND ROOF SPACES

One of the main areas of heat loss is through the roof. This installation guide will demonstrate how Thermal Board can be installed to meet required thermal performance.

Installing the board and insulation at the same time using a laminated board is less time consuming and easier than separate installations.

INSTALLATION

Remove any existing plasterboard if present.
Install the required thickness of glass mineral wool or solid foam insulation between the rafters, joists or trusses ensuring no gaps.
Using the required thickness and type of Thermal Boards fix to the wooden rafters, joists or trusses using Siniat High thread screws, the screws need to be the total thickness of the board plus at least 25mm to penetrate the timber.
Screws to be fixed at 150mm centres around the perimeter and cut ends of the boards and 230mm centres in the centre of the boards.

THE RIGHT PLASTERBOARDS TO INSULATE WALLS, LOFTS AND ROOF SPACES

GTEC THERMAL K BOARD

Save up to 37% on annual heating costs with a thinner profile than PIR board.
(Source: GDF Home Energy Assessors. Based on Pre-Victorian stone detached house)

50% thermal improvement over GTEC EPS
Vapour barrier provided as standard
Available in thickness from 30 to 70mm

GTEC THERMAL PIR BOARD

Save up to 37% on annual heating costs.
(Source: GDF Home Energy Assessors. Based on Pre-Victorian stone detached house)

40% thermal improvement over GTEC EPS
Vapour barrier provided as standard
Available in thickness from 37.5 to 82.5mm

GTEC THERMAL XP BOARD

Save up to 32% on annual heating costs.
(Source: GDF Home Energy Assessors. Based on Pre-Victorian stone detached house)

Over 10% thermal improvement over GTEC EPS
Available in thickness from 27 to 55mm

GTEC THERMAL EPS BOARD

Available in thickness from 22 to 50mm.
(Source: GDF Home Energy Assessors. Based on Pre-Victorian stone detached house)

Our basic level thermal resistance
Available in thickness from 22 to 50mm

CONTROLLING CONDENSATION

Adding additional insulation layers to a building to prevent heat loss, helping the environment and lowering heating bills is, of course, a good thing, however there are some challenges.

When you apply internal insulation to an external wall, the wall becomes colder. This creates a danger that vapour from inside the home will get trapped behind the insulation, and as it cools it can condense on and inside the wall fabric, in the same way that you get condensation on the surface of single glazed windows. This invisible condensation inside a wall is called interstitial condensation.

This condensation can lead to substantial problems of damp, mould and rotting of timber elements.

Siniat GTEC Thermal PIR and Thermal K Boards have a metallised vapour barrier provided as standard, the vapour barrier sits between the plasterboard and foam layers.

The vapour control layer helps prevent the passage of warm moist air from inside the property from permeating into the wall structure or into the roof space, where it can condense and cause damage.

VIEW OUR RANGE OF THERMAL PLASTERBOARDS