Kitchen insulation question

[al]

My kitchen is in a poorly insulated extension off the back of the house. In particular, the suspended floor is a problem. Since there are two vents from the back garden, the cold wind blows directly under the house and through any gaps in the floorboards. I've hardboarded and put down a vinyl, but a lot of cold air still comes up from under the kitchen units. The plinths unfortunately are not a snug fit - particularly under the dishwasher, where there is nothing to meet it, if you know what I mean!

I'm thinking the best way to insulate it a bit better would be to put some foam insulating material behind the units legs that fills the gap completely, so the plinths are just a decorative front to it, rather than a weather seal! I'd cut this into blocks and lightly glue it in place.

Any ideas for such a material?

a

[al]

The only thing I can find so far (that isn't specialist trade stuff for

50,000 plus units!) is something like this:

I've no idea how good a heat insulator that's going to be .... any suggestions?

a

[marble]

I dont see how you'd get the insulation behind the cabinet legs, it would be much easier to raise the legs of a cabinet and slide some hardboard under then lower the legs and move onto the next cabinet and do the same. Use some gripfil to fill the gaps against the wall or squirt some foam in the larger gaps.

You should be trying to seal against drafts before you think about insulation.

[al]

I've already done that as best as I could before the vinyl went down. I only had a day to do it. The walls are VERY uneven and there's quite a bit of broken masonry, plus a few voids where things used to be and difficult pipes for gas, etc. I covered 98% with hardboard, but there's still a breeze under there! The insulation is to make sure wind can't blow straight into the kitchen, seeing as the plinths won't serve that purpose.

a

[The Natural Philosopher]

First thing to do is to eliminate draughts.

I had a cottage like this once - nailing hardboard down over the boards really made the most difference.

Until the air leaks are fixed, insulation is not a lot of good.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Then the best thing you can do is to seal the plinths..and in fact everywhere around the units.

By all beans bung some foam on the plinth backs.

are a nationwide insulation distributor.

But to seal the gaps you need mastic - where its against a painted wall, use decorators caulk. Round work surfaces use silicone, and for awkward places - well stuff in an expanding foam gun and let er rip!

Actually, if you don't care abut removeability and can afford it, fill the space under the units with expanding foam.

[al]

In some places due to uneven floor vs. straight cabinet bottoms, there's about a 3cm gap between plinth top and cabinet bottom! Very poorly fitted, but I don't want to go to the expense of replacing it all either.

I was thinking more of a large foam block that I could saw into sections that would fit underneath. This would be to use as a draft excluder under the units rather than insulation in the traditional sense.

Don't really want to seal it all up. It's always good to have easy access under the sink, etc. :(

a

[marble]

On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:40:37 GMT, "al"

I dont think ridgid foam will stop any drafts because it wont be an exact fit. I think expanding foam squirted where the wall and floor join and around all the pipe entry points etc would be your best bet. Probably the small cans would be easier to work with under there as they are supposed to be inverted.