Drying out

[Barryscotland]

We are now finally properly wind and watertight but have a fair bit of wet timber internally mainly due to the joiners going nuts with the staple gun when fitting the roof membrane. Is it possible/ necessary to dry out the inside before the joiners come back to start putting up the plasterboard? Open all the windows and fire up a space heater for a day?

[TonyT]

Sounds like a plan, best to get rid of unnecessary moisture.

 

I also used a dehumidifier when I was in a similar position

[PeterW]

Don’t use a space heater - it will introduce moisture. Get a couple of big industrial dehumidifiers, turn them on and shut the doors. 

[MikeSharp01]

6 minutes ago, PeterW said:

turn them on and shut the doors

and be prepared for the electric bill! Although you may be able to sell the de-ionised water you will get.

[Ferdinand]

 As an LL I have a couple of industrial dehumidifiers in case a T causes a water leak.

 

I recommend this model (or two of this model) as manageable, rather than the toy ones you get from B&Q. Hiring is *&^%$ expensive.

 

I have a bigger one too but it weighs 60kg. *That* costs £1000+ new. 

It will help your plaster dry later in your build, and you will get most of your money back at the end when you sell it. If doing a big job stick a heater in there to get the temperature up, as that makes a huge difference.

 

Put it a couple of feet off the ground so you can run the drain to a soft bucket or similar. And check it at least daily.

 

https://www.dehumidifiersuk.com/brolin-br40c-damp-buster-heavy-duty-40-litre-portable-commercial-dehumidifier-built-in-uk.html

[Gus Potter]

Bang on Peter.

 

To dry it out in best way if you are short on time is to use a dehumidfier at night when the place is locked up, during the day get the wind blowing through it. Try to avoid drying the timber too fast as it will contort. Some will dry too much and some hardly at all. Fresh air is your friend!

[Barryscotland]

Thanks for the replies. There’s a Dry Pro 5000 which looks like an industrial sized machine for sale locally so I will go have a look at that tomorrow rather than firing up the space heater for a few days like I was originally planning. 

[ToughButterCup]

11 hours ago, Barryscotland said:

...Is it possible/ necessary to dry out the inside before the joiners come back to start putting up the plasterboard? ...

 

And when will that be? I ask because opening the doors and windows is cheaper and extremely effective.

[Barryscotland]

1 hour ago, ToughButterCup said:

 

And when will that be? I ask because opening the doors and windows is cheaper and extremely effective.

They are back next week all going well on the job they are on now. 
 

[ToughButterCup]

And the weather forecast for you is .... (I suspect) cold northerlies for a bit: no energy in the air.  Dehumdify then. 

[Russell griffiths]

Do you not have to first fix plumbing and electrical 

if so that’s a months worth of work, should all dry by then. 

My experience with rushing to get it boarded is you will get more cracking, I would not be in a rush to board it at all. 

[Barryscotland]

1 hour ago, ToughButterCup said:

And the weather forecast for you is .... (I suspect) cold northerlies for a bit: no energy in the air.  Dehumdify then. 

Dry but not much sun for rest of week.

 

48 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

Do you not have to first fix plumbing and electrical 

if so that’s a months worth of work, should all dry by then. 

My experience with rushing to get it boarded is you will get more cracking, I would not be in a rush to board it at all. 

we do but joiners want to get the ceilings up and apparently there is some plasterboard that needs to go on the walls before rest of the partitions can go up.