insulating chimney breast

So, the room with the fireplace that we have decided to keep for the time b eing, is to be redecorated. We took all the paper off, and now it was obvio us some of the plaster needs redoing. It's on an external wall. Either side of the chimney breast now has no plaster and will receive some insulated p lasterboard (25mm PIR foam backed as cannot afford to lose more space, but it all helps).

Not sure about the chimney breast itself. Plaster needs patching up above t he picture rail and the whole thing needs a re-skim. So we may go back to b rick on the chimney breast as well.

Now, if the open fire was to be used regularly to actually heat the house, the chimney breast would be a source of radiant heat. But since the fire wi ll hardly be used, and when it is, just for effect really, it may make sens e to insulate the chimney breast as well.

Obviously the breast needs to be able to cope with heat, so can I used PIR backed plasterboard in this situation ? And how should it be fixed ? If not, what method can be used to insulate the chimney breast that can cop e with the heat ?

Thanks, Simon.

being, is to be redecorated. We took all the paper off, and now it was obv ious some of the plaster needs redoing. It's on an external wall. Either si de of the chimney breast now has no plaster and will receive some insulated plasterboard (25mm PIR foam backed as cannot afford to lose more space, bu t it all helps).

the picture rail and the whole thing needs a re-skim. So we may go back to brick on the chimney breast as well.

, the chimney breast would be a source of radiant heat. But since the fire will hardly be used, and when it is, just for effect really, it may make se nse to insulate the chimney breast as well.

R backed plasterboard in this situation ? And how should it be fixed ?

ope with the heat ?

Oh, the insulated plasterboard will be foam fixed either side of the chimne y breast. Cannot afford to lose any space with battens, so lots of foam and fixing as close to the wall as possible will be the way. Foam is good for that as it can be pushed back to almost nothing where the brick wall is a b it uneven.

Simon.