Guess what insulation this is.

[Russell griffiths]

So I've uncovered some white insulation stuff behind my wall surface. 

 

Who wants to have a punt as to what it is. 

[Jeremy Harris]

Looks like EPS to me. 

[Construction Channel]

Looks like the stuff they use in suspended ceilings to me. 

[Barney12]

Are we commenting on the fibre board or the white polystyrene ??

 

The white polystyrene looks suspiciously like ceiling tiles to me as it has a chamfered edge. 

 

Very 70's  

 

I remember spending countless hours hacking those off the ceiling of the first house we bought. For added pleasure they were nicely nicotine soaked

 

Edit: probably "coated" as I'm not sure eps has any absorbency!

Edited July 6, 2017 by Barney12

[Russell griffiths]

Give that man a clap @Barney12 you are the winner sir,

they are in fact ceiling tiles,piles and piles of ceiling tiles they are quite thin so they put three layers on. 

 

[Nickfromwales]

11 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

they are quite thin so they put three layers on

Near passive standards then .

 

[ProDave]

Does anyone else remember when you could buy rolls of EPS about 1mm thick. You stuck it to your wall, then wallpapered over it to "insulate" your walls.

[PeterW]

13 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Does anyone else remember when you could buy rolls of EPS about 1mm thick. You stuck it to your wall, then wallpapered over it to "insulate" your walls.

 

You can still buy it ..!!

 

Veneer Lining Paper

[Solutions]

Hi Russel,

 

The expanded EPS has relatively good "breathing" (air permeability) properties, that's is why is actually makes a good pair with full walls and mineral finishings.... And also why they were soaked in smoke

The extruded EPS (high density one) doas not "breath" and it is ideal for in insulating foundations, slabs, basements etc. 

 

And they do last forever

[Russell griffiths]

I can't imagine the time it must have taken to batten out these walls and stuff all those tiles in there. 

 

Just think this was was done in 1980 so I think the hammer drills where not what they are today. 

All the screws in the battens are straight head so must have been put in by hand. 

[Russell griffiths]

The bit I think they got wrong, Is the bitumen coating under the ceiling tiles, effectively sealing in any moisture from escape. 

 

Your thoughts. 

[Nickfromwales]

I think it would also have been inadequate ventilation and water leaking in, trickle charging the moisture content ?

Modern tanking scenarios are not very dissimilar TBH just you wouldn't penetrate the barrier and you'd avoid wood. 

[Solutions]

Dear NickFromWales, 

 

You do realise that you have just argued against probably 80% of the builders and architects doing basement retrofits in London ?

 

Not that it would be a bad thing