(W)rappers Delight

With the insulation finished, it's nearly time to start sheeting the walls and ceilings with plasterboard.  However, before that we need to fit some timber bearers to screw the plasterboard onto and then wrap the room with a vapour control layer.

I had 1/2" sheets of sterling board ripped into 3" wide strips and i then screwed through the these and the insulation into the roof trusses with 120mm x No.12 screws.  These provide a good solid fixing and the plasterboard will be screwed onto these strips.

With the timber bearers in place the vapour control layer (VCL) could now be fitted by stapling to the timber.  Without a VCL warm, moisture filled, air would pass through to the cooler outer layer of insulation where it would condense. The increased level of moisture in the timber from the condensation could create the conditions for Serpula lacrymans (dry rot) to take hold and we certainly don't want that in the future!

Once the external facing walls of the room are fully wrapped in the VCL all the joints will be taped over with aluminum tape to create an airtight barrier.  Then the plasterboard will be fitted.

Whoa, We're Hawfway There.....Whoa-oah, Laying Doon a Flair.

We're a wee bit more than halfway, but with the floor laid it's now starting to look like a room.

With the insulation finished (apart from one wee square where my temporary socket is) and the electrician having completed his first fix (running all the cable behind walls and under floors), the floor could be laid.

For easiness and price, we used 22mm thick tongue and groove chipboard.  The edges are glued together and the boards are then screwed into the joists to secure them in place.

These sheets are cheaper than traditional timber flooring and are quicker to fit.  The boards are also moisture resistant and are a decent replacement for traditional flooring where a carpet or other covering is going to be fitted.

and there we have it, one floor laid.