What is Insulated Plasterboard, and how can I use it?

Insulated Plasterboard is a form of insulation that provides thermal insulation of your walls, floors or ceilings. But choosing the right one is paramount. With around 20- 25% of heat in the home escaping through walls, installing thermal insulation between the solid wall and internal plaster of a room is essential in UK to become more energy efficient. 

One of the most appealing reasons for using insulated plasterboard is that it increases energy efficiency and reduces your property reliance on heating, thus reducing your bills. It also offers moisture-resistant properties as well as acoustic benefits. 

Firstly, let’s look at what insulated plasterboard is.

Insulated plasterboard ​​provides a basic level of thermal insulation to walls, ceilings or floors in both domestic and commercial properties. It’s ideal to give a level of thermal insulation in new build properties, renovated properties, or simply properties that want to be more energy efficient. Thermal Insulated plasterboard consists of a sheet of plasterboard or gypsum board, then a sheet of insulating material formed into a single sheet.

What can Insulated Plasterboard be used for?

You can use the insulated plasterboard directly onto a brick wall. It’s relatively thin, so it doesn’t intrude into the room if space is an issue. It eliminates the need to use different forms of insulation. Insulated plasterboard can also be used for over boarding when you fix a board onto another board.

Did you know that insulated plasterboard is also environmentally friendly too? It’s sustainable and will boost your green credentials by reducing the need to heat your property. 

But where can I use insulated plasterboard? 

Insulated wall boards suit refurbishments and new builds and provide durable, high-quality lining for walls, ceilings, and more. 

You can use them in your home in areas such as hallways, bedrooms, living rooms & kitchens. You can even insulate any outbuilding, such as garden offices or gyms. 

It can also be used in a range of commercial buildings, such as hospitals, schools, care homes & factories.  Essentially, almost any building can benefit from having insulated plasterboard installed. 

What are the different types of Insulated Plasterboard? 

There are quite a few. There’s foil-backed plasterboard, which is ideal as they have excellent vapour barriers which limit moisture. Then there are insulated foam boards made up of polystyrene and ideal as a protective material for households.  

At Thermal Insulation Online, from Insulated Thermal Plasterboard to Celotex, Quinntherm Insulation Boards, EcoTherm Insulation Boards and Kingspan. 

Common materials for insulated plasterboards include standard plasterboard, gypsum and paper, PIR (Polyisocyanurate)  foam boards that use polyisocyanurate foam insulation. They come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses. At thermal insulation, we supply a variety of thicknesses from 25mm to 150mm, plus we can also supply bespoke sizes. 

Thickness is crucial as the thicker the board, the better the insulation properties. But remember, if you are installing insulated plasterboard on a solid wall or a cavity wall, you will need a certain thickness, not just the thickest. The sizes of the board is important too. Yes, it’s easier to fit straight areas with the board, and the larger the board sizes, the easier it is to install, but you may need varying sizes to accommodate your areas. 

As mentioned above, you can use insulated plasterboards in several areas. If using it on ceilings, you should opt for a lighter weight because it’s easier to install. For walls, it’s all about noise reduction, so in this case, the thicker, the better – but this can depend on room size. If you’re installing insulated boards in a  commercial building, there may be a legal requirement for a certain thickness of boards, so it’s best to get that checked out before. 

Another benefit of insulated plasterboard is that it’s straightforward to install. But how do you install it? Generally, you can use Masonry nails, plugs & screws – but don’t use glue! It won’t work and it won’t stick. Also, ​​the best way to cut insulated plasterboard is to use a sharp knife such as a stanley knife. Not only is it the quickest way, but it will enable you to cut all the way through with limited mess. 

Need more advice on the best insulation plasterboard to use? Get in touch with our team at Thermal Insulations online.