ᐅ Suspended interior walls with metal framing and drywall – what should be considered?

Hello,

I am converting an old stable into living space. The floor with underfloor heating and flowing screed is mostly finished. Now I need to work on the walls and ceilings.

To make them even, I was considering installing drywall profiles and gypsum boards, because completely replastering everything, removing the old plaster, etc., would be very labor-intensive. The walls are about 18cm (7 inches) thick and currently not insulated from the outside, but insulation is planned.

If I attach profiles and install gypsum boards, there will be a cavity between the wall and the gypsum board. Is this problematic in any way? Would it make sense to fill this cavity with insulation? If so, what type?

Thanks for your help!

Best regards
Bernd

BerndKaiser schrieb:

If I install studs now and put drywall on top, there will be a cavity between the wall and the drywall. Is this problematic in any way?

Basically not, if the insulation is applied externally. Alternatively, you can simply attach drywall directly without using studs.

BerndKaiser schrieb:

Would it make sense to fill this cavity with insulation material? If so, with what?

No, because you always have the issue of moist indoor air reaching the insulation and the cold outer wall, causing condensation problems.
This applies only if there is no external insulation. If external insulation is added later, then it doesn’t matter – leaving the cavity empty also saves money.

SaniererNRW123 schrieb:

Basically not, if insulation is installed from the outside. Alternatively, just glue drywall instead of using profiles.

No, because you always have the problem that moist indoor air gets into the insulation and reaches the cold outer wall. This then causes condensation issues.
However, this only applies if there is no exterior insulation. If exterior insulation is added later, then it doesn’t matter – not adding anything inside also saves money.

I can’t say exactly when the exterior insulation will be installed; it might be 2–3 years after the interior work. Would that be a problem? Gluing is a bit difficult because the wall is already quite uneven. At the ends near the doors, it probably needs plastering since there isn’t enough space between the wall and the jamb, but that shouldn’t be a big issue anyway.

Do I need to consider anything when installing a dropped ceiling? The roof is directly above, and I want to insulate the ceiling from above. Should I install a vapor barrier on one side of the ceiling, or would it be better to leave it open so that moisture can escape upwards if it occurs?