Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
I'm starting on my plan to improve the insulation in my 1980 extension - it's 2 storey uninsulated cavity wall, 5m x 4m rooms. Also has suspended floor, so I'm going to insulate under the floor and then add insulated plasterboard to the external walls.
Having taken the laminate floor up this afternoon, I've already got a couple of questions.
1. The heating pipes run around the wall behind the skirting boards, should the insulated boards be fixed over the heating pipes right down to the floor, or leave a gap for the warmth from the pipes to come into the room?
2. The floor is 1980 chipboard, nailed down, presumably tongue & groove, 600mm wide. I know for traditional floorboards the recommended removal method is to saw through one of the t&g joints with a circular saw & then prise it up & go from there - I assume it is the same in the case of chipboard?
Thanks in advance
Having taken the laminate floor up this afternoon, I've already got a couple of questions.
1. The heating pipes run around the wall behind the skirting boards, should the insulated boards be fixed over the heating pipes right down to the floor, or leave a gap for the warmth from the pipes to come into the room?
2. The floor is 1980 chipboard, nailed down, presumably tongue & groove, 600mm wide. I know for traditional floorboards the recommended removal method is to saw through one of the t&g joints with a circular saw & then prise it up & go from there - I assume it is the same in the case of chipboard?
Thanks in advance
Solar PV since July '22:
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
I would remove pipes and create a service cavity in front of the insulation with timber battens, allows cables pipes to be run in the warm side of the house.
Flooring of that era would be easier to punch the nails through the flooring and lift the sheets if possible, probably got pva glue on the tongue and groove.
Flooring of that era would be easier to punch the nails through the flooring and lift the sheets if possible, probably got pva glue on the tongue and groove.
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Thanks!AGT wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:49 pm I would remove pipes and create a service cavity in front of the insulation with timber battens, allows cables pipes to be run in the warm side of the house.
Flooring of that era would be easier to punch the nails through the flooring and lift the sheets if possible, probably got pva glue on the tongue and groove.
I'll try that with punching the nails through.
I'm not going to start removing all the central heating g pipes, but I'll see if I can thread some thin sheet Insulation behind them
Solar PV since July '22:
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
I'm getting there with the insulation, but it's a big job!
Knocking the nails through didn't work, nor did drilling a hole saw around the nails & lifting the boards. After 40+ years and with rusty nails, I decided to bite the bullet & just fit new chipboard flooring.
The underfloor was in pretty good condition, apart from 3 or 4 slight areas of rot in the support timbers, due to the damp proof course being bridged where it contacted the outside wall. They were repaired fairly easily.
I was expecting a suspended floor to be literally suspended with joists notched into the walls, but this is effectively floating, completely supported by 4 mini walls with under-joists, and the floor joists were not touching the outside walls!
I used a breathable roof membrane to create a hammock style system over the joists to support the insulation.
Even with the insulation in and the floor back down we could feel it was warmer, less drafts blowing around
The wall insulation is also done now, which was a bit of a learning process!
Next task is to add the mesh tape across the joints & plaster the joints, then we'll be getting towards having the lounge back







Knocking the nails through didn't work, nor did drilling a hole saw around the nails & lifting the boards. After 40+ years and with rusty nails, I decided to bite the bullet & just fit new chipboard flooring.
The underfloor was in pretty good condition, apart from 3 or 4 slight areas of rot in the support timbers, due to the damp proof course being bridged where it contacted the outside wall. They were repaired fairly easily.
I was expecting a suspended floor to be literally suspended with joists notched into the walls, but this is effectively floating, completely supported by 4 mini walls with under-joists, and the floor joists were not touching the outside walls!
I used a breathable roof membrane to create a hammock style system over the joists to support the insulation.
Even with the insulation in and the floor back down we could feel it was warmer, less drafts blowing around
The wall insulation is also done now, which was a bit of a learning process!
Next task is to add the mesh tape across the joints & plaster the joints, then we'll be getting towards having the lounge back







Solar PV since July '22:
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
A lot of work but it will be well worth it.
3.87kWp PV
10.24kWp PV SolarEdge system
Tesla Powerwall 2
MK2 PV router DHW diverter
Morso 5kW WBS
Vaillant AroTherm 10kW ASHP
Nissan Leaf
10.24kWp PV SolarEdge system
Tesla Powerwall 2
MK2 PV router DHW diverter
Morso 5kW WBS
Vaillant AroTherm 10kW ASHP
Nissan Leaf
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Good job! It’ll make a huge difference!
Get the orange “extra sticky” scrim tape. Much easier to use!
Get the orange “extra sticky” scrim tape. Much easier to use!
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
6x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (14.4kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
6x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (14.4kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Excellent, huge difference maker. 

15kW PV SE, VI, HM, EN
42kWh LFPO4 storage
7kW ASHP
200ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
42kWh LFPO4 storage
7kW ASHP
200ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Excellent job, remember those days only too fondly (not).
Deffo will not regret the short term pain for the longer term gains.
Deffo will not regret the short term pain for the longer term gains.

4.0kw FIT PV solar SunnyBoy 4000tl & 7 x 570w JA solar panels
7.410kw 13 x 570w JA Solar panels & Sunsynk ECCO 3.6kw.
7 x US5000 Pylontechs.
2 x 3.5kw A2A
4500l RWH
Biomass heating
Iboost divertor
Full house internal walls insu
600min Loft insul
7.410kw 13 x 570w JA Solar panels & Sunsynk ECCO 3.6kw.
7 x US5000 Pylontechs.
2 x 3.5kw A2A
4500l RWH
Biomass heating
Iboost divertor
Full house internal walls insu
600min Loft insul
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Thanks - by chance I did buy the orange tape

Solar PV since July '22:
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
5.6kWp east/west facing
3.6kW Sunsynk hybrid inverter
2x 5.12kWh Sunsynk batteries
1.6kWp Hoymiles East/West facing PV on the man cave
Ripple DW 2kW
Ripple WB 200W
Re: Underfloor insulation & insulated plasterboard for the walls
Looking good, you will love the difference it makes to the room temp/comfort!