I'm building a snooker room - got a few question!

[agent4125]

I'm finally realising a dream and building my own snooker room where I live in Kent, UK. It's a single skin block walled room with pillars, and has a warm deck roof. Internal dimensions (inside of pillars) is 8m x 5m. It will have a double wooden garage door at the front (in case we sell the property in years to come and can revert it to a garage), and a uPVC "personnel" door on the side along with a single uPVC window.

The outside block walls are being rendered, and I plan to paint it with Sandtex Microseal masonry paint. The floor has a thick insulated concrete base strong enough for a full-sized snooker table and will be self-levelled before I plan to affix some industrial carpet tiles to it.

I'm at the point now where I'm considering internal insulation/finishing options. The room will be used a few times a week, for a few hours at a time - all year round. The table will have under-table heaters which I plan to have on a smart plug that I can turn on 20 mins or so before I play.

My thoughts are currently, batten between the pillars with treated timber, then use mechanical fixings to install foil-backed insulated plasterboard. I'm thinking (hopefully correctly) that this will both give the walls ample ventilation, and incorporate a vapour barrier.

I'm also considering installing two of these heat recovery ventilators, one near each end of the room. I believe they are relatively low cost even if on 24/7, and keep the room from getting too cold.

Kair Heat Recovery Room Ventilator K-HRV150/12RH

An energy efficient heat recovery unit designed to alleviate condensation in rooms with major condensation and air quality issues.

www.permagard.co.uk

I am also considering a wall-mounted air-conditioning unit for the cold winter and hot summers.

If any of you can spot any issues with my current plan, or has some alternative/better ideas please let me know, thanks.

James

 

[23vc]

I’d go with separate PIR boards and normal plasterboards. Probably cost less, and be easier to fix. Could batten as you say, then something like 75mm PIR boards, all joints taped for your vapour barrier, then board over it. Only downside is the thicker your insulation the longer drywall screws you need. But still gives you more flexibility/better end result than insulated plasterboard imho

 

[matlob]

Only issue I can see is the fact that you can't add any insulation in front of the pillars

 

[noseall]

The outside block walls are being rendered, and I plan to paint it with Sandtex Microseal masonry paint.

Render it with a coloured polymer render i.e. K-rend Monocouche etc. Have a modest textured finish. Looks nice.

My thoughts are currently, batten between the pillars with treated timber, then use mechanical fixings to install foil-backed insulated plasterboard. I'm thinking (hopefully correctly) that this will both give the walls ample ventilation, and incorporate a vapour barrier.

Depends on your levels of comfort - how much you want to spend - longevity etc.

If this was a garage conversion I'd...
Line the walls with DPM so that it drapes across the floor a wee bit.
Friction fit 100mm Celotex to the walls between pillars. Allow the insulation to travel up to the underside of the floor deck. Or fill that bit out first.
Trap it all in with a 50mm x 50mm frame - floor to ceiling.
Fit 50mm insulation between the studs, making sure I've left a full gap between the stud uprights so that I can completely cover the pillars.
12.5mm duplex boards to studs.

If any of you can spot any issues with my current plan, or has some alternative/better ideas please let me know, thanks.

Just heat loss through the garage door. Are Building control involved?

trap.jpg

• noseall
• 26 May 2024

 

[23vc]

@noseall are you fixing the 2x2 through the PIR to the masonry? Or no need? That’s a better suggestion than mine, always forget this way of doing it

 

[noseall]

@noseall are you fixing the 2x2 through the PIR to the masonry? Or no need?

No need. Just floor and ceiling. The fact that you fill between and board it means it prevents the meagre frame from wafting about.

 

[noseall]

always forget this way of doing it

Just seems more logical, when controlling cold bridging through the studs etc.

 

[matlob]

What would you do if there could be no insulation in front of the pillars and just between? Could plasterboard go directly on the pillar or would it need something behind it as it's single skin?

 

[Notch7]

What would you do if there could be no insulation in front of the pillars and just between? Could plasterboard go directly on the pillar or would it need something behind it as it's single skin?

that depends whether you dont mind a serious amount of thermal bridging at those points -If you plasterboard direct to the pillars you risk getting damp mould from condensation.

You need some insulation even if its just 12mm celetex board

 

[Notch7]

The outside block walls are being rendered, and I plan to paint it with Sandtex Microseal masonry paint

if it was me Id be tempted to fit vertical battens and cover with rendaboard then thin coat render and paint.

that way you have a cavity wall and no risk of damp getting through

if you have sides of the room which just back onto the boundary, they could just be boarded then painted no need for rendering

 

[Deluks]

A DIY snooker room eh? That takes balls, but beware, you'll need deep pockets.

Cue the next snooker based pun...

 

[agent4125]

Thanks all. So @noseall with the friction-fit celotex between the pillars, does that not leave a gap for ventilation? Does the celotex act as a vapour barrier?

I'm also not 100% sure what you meant by "making sure I've left a full gap between the stud uprights so that I can completely cover the pillars".

I'm worried about thermal bridging on the pillars. I can't go too far into the room from them, I maybe have a couple of inches to play with tops, else you won't have enough room to cue all shots.

 

[agent4125]

A DIY snooker room eh? That takes balls, but beware, you'll need deep pockets.

Cue the next snooker based pun...

I hope I don't screw it up. If I do, I'll just chalk it up to experience I guess.

 

[noseall]

Thanks all. So @noseall with the friction-fit celotex between the pillars, does that not leave a gap for ventilation?

No need for a gap.

Does the celotex act as a vapour barrier?

Foil sandwich plus foil tape etc - yes.

I'm also not 100% sure what you meant by "making sure I've left a full gap between the stud uprights so that I can completely cover the pillars".

I was talking about the stud uprights not clashing with the pillars so that you can span the whole face of the pillars with a full piece of insulation - plus say another 50mm each side.

I'm worried about thermal bridging on the pillars.

See above.

 

[agent4125]

Gotcha, thanks. So how bad is it to run 12.5mm duplex boards to the studs, directly over the pillars?