Plasterboard on ICF - fixing options

[Bancroft]

What's the best way to secure plasterboard to ICF internal walls?

 

Option 1 - I've seen some people talk about screwing it directly to the strengthening plates in the ICF.  Seems like a quick and logical solution but I presume it means having to chase conduits into the ICF to allow for electrical/plumbing runs?  Not a major issue, especially with one of those heated wire tools and the cables probably need to be sheathed in plastic/metal protection.  Is there an issue regarding a lack of ventilation between the plasterboard and the polystyrene?

 

Option 2 - dot and dab.  Well-known/popular way to fix plasterboard but how well does it stick to the ICF polystyrene?  Also seems a bit old fashioned for a modern method of building.

 

Option 3 - 20mm battens affixed to the ICF strengthening plates and plasterboard affixed to the battens.  Leaves a space behind for cables without cutting into the polystyrene but reduces room size (marginal and also happens with dot/dab) and adds cost for battens.

 

I'm tempted to go for option 1 or 3 but would like to hear from others about what they've done and any other pros/cons people can think of.

[LaChab]

We did option 3, 'cos it seemed easier to DiY. 

We cut slots in the battens for the horizontal cables.

We used metric ICF so the panels matched exactly with the ties, but that probably doesn't matter much.

[JohnMo]

Although ours is woodcrete ICF we did 50mm battens and added a osb giving plate to top of wall for wiring. 50mm is good for any plumbing you run up or down the wall.  Zero carving out the polystyrene in your case.

 

[Nickfromwales]

What ICF system is it? Nudura for eg are Canadian, so you get imperial gapping of the integral bracing, so choose what will make 1st fix a doddle. 
 

You’ll get 3 rows of screws in, but the ones at the end will be into EPS. 

[Mr Punter]

With these sorts of issues I can understand why this system has not been adopted by the housebuilders.

[Stones]

Option 3 is how our house was done.  They used roof tile battens in our case.

[Russell griffiths]

I chased most of my cables in, if I did it again I would batten all the walls out. 
you will need to test lots of screws out if screwing into the nylon webs, most wood screws won’t grip if you over spin them. 
I have found the exterior screws in wickes grip perfectly as they have a very course thread. 
look for the 3inch ones if fitting a 25mm batten. 
no idea why they are imperial sizes. 

[LaChab]

Probably OTT, but I ran a bead of foam down each batten as I fixed it.

[Russell griffiths]

Normal dot n dab doesn’t stick well to eps, the soudal dot n dab foam does, but it still requires mechanical fixing 

[Bancroft]

19 hours ago, JohnMo said:

50mm battens and added a osb giving plate to top of wall for wiring.

Like the idea of the osb across the top as a base for the wiring to route out of the room.

 

If I do go for option 3 i have an intention to use osb/plywood backing in areas where heavy stuff will be secured to walls (eg tv, kitchen cupboards etc)

 

And if using battens I'm planning to use 20mm as standard (reduced space loss and £££) and only go to 50mm if necessary for pipework or to encompass additional strengthening

[Bancroft]

18 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

What ICF system is it?

We're using Jackon - or BEWI as I think it's now known.

 

Just doedonen a quick check and it looks like it's metric.  Each strengthening plate is 10mm from the surface, 50mm wide, 100mm gap, then another 50mm plate etc.

[Bancroft]

16 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

With these sorts of issues I can understand why this system has not been adopted by the housebuilders.

How do more options make something into an 'issue'?

 

Every build system has pros and cons but, after a lot of research, we decided ICF fitted our use-case best.

 

I think the reason ICF hasn't been adopted by housebuilders is probably because that's not the way they did it in the past...  Plus, at the moment, there are probably more brickies than there are construction workers who can spell ICF.

[Bancroft]

15 hours ago, Stones said:

Option 3 is how our house was done.  They used roof tile battens in our case

Any idea why roof time battens were used as opposed to 'normal' battens?

 

Also, is that Jackon ICF - looks very similar to ours?  If so, any top tips on securing to it internally or externally?

[JohnMo]

43 minutes ago, Bancroft said:

Any idea why roof time battens were used as opposed to 'normal' battens?

 

Also, is that Jackon ICF - looks very similar to ours?  If so, any top tips on securing to it internally or externally?

Ours are roof battens also. Cheap, long lengths, pressure treated readily available.

[Conor]

Ours were all screwed directly to the icf (amvic). Just need to chase out the cable runs in advance with a hot wire cutter. Battening out is not required, more money, time, no performance gain, and less space in your rooms.

[Russell griffiths]

In the kitchen I put 18 mm osb and didn’t use any plasterboard, the gap between the lower cabinets and the wall cabinets has a splashback that is fixed on with polyurethane adhesive, no plasterboard no skimming.