Hi all,
My first post here and I guess, rightly, it belongs in the DIY disaster section. I could really do with some sort of advice or suggestions here.
Ok, here's the deal, the short story is that I have fitted a "vapour barrier" on the wrong side of a stud wall. The longer version is that last year we decided to redo the entire kitchen. This involved taking all the walls back to the brick. One wall was soaking, it is sandstone. So we decided the best way to keep out this moisture was to put polyethene against it and built a 3 by 2 stud wall in front of it. We built the stud, filled it with insulation and put plasterboard over it. No problem so far. Months later the plaster skimmed over the wall. It was a few days later we noticed small amounts of water seaming under the stud onto the kitchen floorboards. Not really thinking too much of it we sort of put it down to the wet plaster.
We now know different. It is condensation that is forming on the polyethene against the external wall. I know, I really do know the solution is to take off the plaster board, take out the insulation and rip out the polyethene and then reinstate it all. This is the best solution but we need another because this wall now as fitted units against it. Not only that my better half would kill me at even suggesting ripping it all out.
Please guys could anybody suggest anything, could I ventilate it? Maybe cut into the plaster and insulation and allow air to flow over the polythene? This does seem self defeating, allowing cold air in and warm air out but would it help? there is room on the wall from a small radiator also, would this help?
I really am clutching at straws here, as I know what the obvious solution is but the feeling of impending doom and the wraith of my wife at the thought of ripping out brand new fitted units is not really the Xmas I am really looking forward to.
Any suggestions would be really welcome.
Cheers, Kev.
My first post here and I guess, rightly, it belongs in the DIY disaster section. I could really do with some sort of advice or suggestions here.
Ok, here's the deal, the short story is that I have fitted a "vapour barrier" on the wrong side of a stud wall. The longer version is that last year we decided to redo the entire kitchen. This involved taking all the walls back to the brick. One wall was soaking, it is sandstone. So we decided the best way to keep out this moisture was to put polyethene against it and built a 3 by 2 stud wall in front of it. We built the stud, filled it with insulation and put plasterboard over it. No problem so far. Months later the plaster skimmed over the wall. It was a few days later we noticed small amounts of water seaming under the stud onto the kitchen floorboards. Not really thinking too much of it we sort of put it down to the wet plaster.
We now know different. It is condensation that is forming on the polyethene against the external wall. I know, I really do know the solution is to take off the plaster board, take out the insulation and rip out the polyethene and then reinstate it all. This is the best solution but we need another because this wall now as fitted units against it. Not only that my better half would kill me at even suggesting ripping it all out.
Please guys could anybody suggest anything, could I ventilate it? Maybe cut into the plaster and insulation and allow air to flow over the polythene? This does seem self defeating, allowing cold air in and warm air out but would it help? there is room on the wall from a small radiator also, would this help?
I really am clutching at straws here, as I know what the obvious solution is but the feeling of impending doom and the wraith of my wife at the thought of ripping out brand new fitted units is not really the Xmas I am really looking forward to.
Any suggestions would be really welcome.
Cheers, Kev.
