Replies

1. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Jan 25, 2016 08:49am | #1

   Ilmari,
   If you are installing floor-to-ceiling cabinets on an exterior wall, it's an ideal time to open up the wall. Remove the existing lath and plaster and inspect the stud bays (assuming that this is a wood-framed house). That will give you an opportunity to perform air sealing work and to install the insulation material of your choice in the stud bays.

   Once that work is done, install new drywall. If you still want to install a layer of insulation -- either mineral wool or rigid foam -- between the new drywall and your cabinets, go right ahead.

2. 
   dipolojarvi | Jan 25, 2016 05:27pm | #2

   Martin,

   Thanks for your response. I know the house and cellulose blown in by a previous owner. Do you think I should still open up the walls?

   Thanks again,

   Ilmari

3. 
   LucyF | Jan 25, 2016 05:35pm | #3

   Dj,
   Do you know how fastidious the previous owner was? If he was like Dana or Martin or Hobbit, I wouldn't worry, but if he is just a normal person who hired out blowing in the cellulose, I think opening up the wall would make sense. True dense pack cellulose will hold it's shape, I think. You might be able to net it in place. Or you could vacuum or sweep it up and put it in the attic. Then you can air seal that wall which probably hasn't been done before.

   I guess the real first step would be to use an IR camera and see how leaky and well-insulated the wall is. I bought the Flir One camera a while back and it is seriously cool and useful for something like this. The cost is $250.

   Lucy

4. 
   dipolojarvi | Jan 25, 2016 06:55pm | #4

   Thanks Lucy. I appreciate your help.

   Ilmari

5. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Jan 26, 2016 06:09am | #5

   Ilmari,
   If you know that the walls are filled with cellulose, I can certainly understand your decision not to open up the walls. It's good news if your walls are insulated.

   To return to your original question: there is no reason you can't install mineral wool insulation or rigid foam insulation between your new cabinets and the existing plaster (or drywall).

6. 
   dipolojarvi | Jan 26, 2016 05:30pm | #6

   Thanks Martin. I appreciate all the help. I remembered after writing this questions that we had already redone the drywall in that room without going in a redoing the insulation, and that I had regretted it afterward. But no way I'll be pulling the new drywall out and starting over. Live and learn I guess. At least with a few inches of mineral wool behind the cabinets things should be a lot toastier.

   Thanks again.

   Ilmari