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Housing - Renovation: Fed up with cracks

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorbrig001
    • CommentTimeAug 31st 2010
     
    Our house is 15 years old and has small cracks in the plaster all over the place and a couple of bigger ones. The construction is wet plaster, Thermilite block, full filled cavity, brick. I had the idea of fitting insulated plasterboard to the outside walls to cover these up and improve the U value - from 0.33 ish now to 0.16 if I go for 50mm. I'm not sure how much this would cost and if there are better ways to stop the cracks, so does anyone have any other ideas?

    Thanks, Brian.
    • CommentAuthorjamesingram
    • CommentTimeAug 31st 2010 edited
     
    I presume its the light weight block thats causing the problem , not some other structural issue ,
    Interal insulation could be good , though usual condensation issues need to be considered.
    You could cut out the cracks with a stanley knife to get a bit more depth then scrim and fill with a product like easyfil , then sand and paint
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeSep 1st 2010
     
    Replace the aerated blocks with more dense ones!

    Covering up with insulated plasterboard is an option -- so is selling up!
    • CommentAuthorbrig001
    • CommentTimeSep 1st 2010 edited
     
    Thanks James, I don't think any of it is structural, but the problem is that it is hard to get the wall flat again with some of the bigger cracks.

    Tony, selling up sounds a bit drastic - we like it here.

    I'll get a plasterer round to see what he thinks and I'll check the condensation risk too.
    Edit: Should have said that I will be doing this room by room as we are decorating etc., so would spread the cost and hassle.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2010
     
    Fill the cracks, PVA prime, and then line the walls; not with ordinary lining paper, but the really tough glassfibre reinforced product, they are available, you can't even tear them. Use a good quality ready mixed paste, NOT the mix yourself stuff and then just emulsion over.
    • CommentAuthorbrig001
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2010
     
    Thanks Owlman, I'll price up insulating first - it would be good to get the losses a bit lower, but I'll keep that in mind for if it's too expensive.
    • CommentAuthorwookey
    • CommentTimeSep 3rd 2010
     
    Insulating internally is not expensive - just time consuming.

    If you want to save money and do a better job (but not save time) then it's about 2/3rds the cost to buy separate insulation and plasterboard than the combined stuff, and it's easier to get a good vapour-tight seal, because you can tape the joins properly before putting hte plasterboard on. 50mm PUR sheets (8x4) are about GBP 13 each. You'll need quite a lot of foam and glue at about a fiver a can. And some aluminium and tescon or sika tape (GBP 25/roll) for window/door/joist sealing.

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