Garage - thermal insulation of double bricks or "brick and block"

[Paul J S Green]

Thought i'd be presumptious & try again with different title

Again, I'm demolishing my old garage and building a new one 10m * 6.5m. I'm in Scotland.

Thanks to John Rumm & Andy Weir for the responses on the trusses - still looking at the options - and i'm trying to convert the autocad file into something that'll show ok on the web!

Next problem - i've gone to a LOT of trouble to get reclaimed bricks and i think it's worked out well - when i see the proof of the pudding, etc i'll gladly publish for all to see.

my big question now is that i'd originally planned to do (reclaimed) facing bricks and block inside. however, i'm now thinking that since i'm going to so much trouble to be as original as possible on the reclaimed bricks (as well as slates, cast gutters, etc) i should go for common bricks inside instead of blocks - it really would give a much more traditional look even if it was a bit more labour. some folk have said that i'll paint it white inside anyway - maybe i will and maybe i won't, but i think that even if i paint it white, brick outlines will look much more traditional than "block".

Obviously I'd like to get as much thermal efficiency / effectiveness as practical, within reason..

Is there a big difference in Thermal Insulation (in practice) between:

facing brick and what's commonly known as "breeze block" or Thermalite, and

heavy 80mm height facing brick backed by modern common brick?

Any recommendations for insulation in the cavity, or am i best to leave it "void", which is my preference to prevent any damp conduction.

TIA (again) Paul

[Paul]

Thanks for the reply mike.

it is detached - about 100ft from the house at the bottom of the garden.

the reason i'm putting in a cavity is that i need reasonable insulation. i'll be spending a lot of time in there and i also would like reasonable temp / humidity control for comfort and the preservation of an old car.

additionally, in the fullness of time, i might want to put a small room in the attic space (i'll create the roof using attic trusses) with velux, settee, telly, etc for my wife to spend a bit of time while i'm pottering about on projects at night. i'm good that way.

what is this exactly? the architect has specified 50mm "cavity" - i'd assumed it was empty.

thanks - i had kinda assumed that the blocks would be better. however, i'd love to keep things as original as possible and like the idea of common bricks inside - it's a conservation area and i've already gone to a lot of trouble to get a big garage to fit in unobtrusively.

my main concern is that i'll not lose a lot of heat with the right brick/cavity/brick setup, compared to brick/cavity/block.

It seems they're not concerned at all about insulation, since it's a garage.

The foundations (700mm*450mm), etc are all defined to take quite a load which i'm happy about.

all help appreciated

thanks again

paul

[Hugo Nebula]

On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 00:05:04 +0100, a particular chimpanzee named "Paul" randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

Unless it is going to be heated. If you start insulating the walls, they might get a bit suspicious and assume that you are going to heat it. In which case you would have to insulate the walls, floor and roof to meet the maximum U-value for a dwelling.

[Hugo Nebula]

On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 09:34:42 +0100, a particular chimpanzee named "Paul" randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

I don't know if you _are_ planning to heat it (you haven't said), but if the Building Control Surveyor does his completion inspection and there's a radiator in there, he may well require you to retro-fit some insulation.

[Paul]

thanks again hugo.

i will definitely heat it at some point, but it will be after the completion inspection.

i'd just like to know if i'll be losing much insulation by using brick/brick instead of brick/block.

i'd really like the traditional look of bricks inside since i've gone to a lot of trouble to get it looking as original as possible.

cheers paul

[Christian McArdle]

No. You aren't expected to bring existing arrangements up to modern standards.

However, the room you describe will be costing you a fortune if you ever turn that radiator on. You should, perhaps, think about insulating and draught proofing anyway.

Christian.

[S Viemeister]

Eventually, I'd like to turn the garage, which is quite large, into self-contained living quarters for visiting family - so it _will_ be insulated and draught-proofed someday.

I think the radiator was put there by the previous owner to keep his dogs comfortable - they were working dogs, not pampered pets. He was a gamekeeper, and also kept a few sheep (not in the garage!).

Sheila