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Double-stud from the interior side?

Is it feasible to install a double-stud from the interior side? I would like to renovate my 70s era ranch bungalow, but financially doing the entire house is not possible. I looked at a mooney wall for a previous house and I was wondering if one could do a double-stud room by room in a house with the following general procedure: Remove the drywall from the wall and ceiling to the extent required, peel back the vapour barrier trying not to damage it so as to preserve an effective barrier, add double studs over the subfloor to the roof rafters, relocate electrical boxes, install insulweb and cellulose insulation, install new drywall.

Asked by Patrick O'Grady
Posted Thu, 03/07/2013 - 00:42

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Patrick,
Your plan can work. Here are some caveats and some advice:

1. If you install your retrofit insulation on the exterior instead of the interior, you'll do a better job of addressing thermal bridging and limiting air leaks. Moreover, you won't lose so much interior floor space.

2. If you peel back the existing polyethylene vapor barrier, throw it in the Dumpster. You don't want to reuse it. If you really want an interior vapor retarder, use vapor-retarder paint, or install a layer of MemBrain.

3. Your plan won't achieve good thermal results unless you figure out a way to address air leakage and insulation thickness at two critical locations: partition intersections and rim joists.

Answered by Martin Holladay, GBA Advisor
Posted Thu, 03/07/2013 - 05:31

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