cinder block house

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jfowl83

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Hi I am fixing up a cinder block house with cement slab foundation. The house needed to be gutted and i will also be removing the current aluminum siding and replacing with viny. what i'm wondering is where/if I need to waterproof and the same with vapor barriers. I read different things and some of it is more for basements then main floor so i just don't know what to listen to.
 
Welcome to the site.. With vinyl siding you still want a house wrap of sorts to keep the water out. If you use a foarm board for insulation, I think that is a vapour bearer if you seal the joints. I think you could put foam board inside or outside but electical boxes on the inside of the wall will help you dicide which.
 
If you are going to gut it anyway I would do the insulation on the inside if losing a little floor space isn’t a problem. What area of the country do you live in as far as weather? Do you have plans for windows and doors also? Will you be doing much plumbing or electrical? New ceilings also? What are the interior walls now? Just strips and covered with drywall or something?
 
I live in michigan so we get rough winters. Yes I plan to do new windows and doors. This is a small house 600sq ft. It was furring then drywall portions of the house had felt paper in between the two but not all. The plumbing is all pretty much located in one spot of the house so is relatively simple. Electrical will need to be updated as well old 60a panel and no three prong outlets.
 
I've heard from many sources that concrete blocks (it would have to be a really old house to have actual cinder blocks) collect water in the cavities, so they need to be allowed to "breathe". so sealing your walls tight on both sides is apparently a no-no. Obviously, the water is going to collect at low points, like the basement. have you seen any signs of water infiltration anywhere inside?
 
I've heard from many sources that concrete blocks (it would have to be a really old house to have actual cinder blocks) collect water in the cavities, so they need to be allowed to "breathe". so sealing your walls tight on both sides is apparently a no-no. Obviously, the water is going to collect at low points, like the basement. have you seen any signs of water infiltration anywhere inside?

That's more a foundation issue.
 
the house is from 1945. there looked like some water damage from on the lower foot or so of drywall.but it didn't look recent. Same guy owner the house since 1950 and he hadn't done much as far as fixing it up since the 70's probably. no basement so its all above ground.
 
If you insulate the inside, I think any water wicked up from the ground will go to the outside. What is the floor? Wood.
 
cement slab with wood over that. now along the lines of insulating from the inside would you want to put up rigid foam then furring strips over the foam or cut foam to fit in between? thanks for all the replies so far.
 
I would consider glueing foam up and glueing drywall to that. I did that in the 70s but sold the house so I can't say how it stude up.
Wood over concrete, crawlspace?
 
i'll want to run electrical which was why i would want the furring strips. I'll check on the crawlspace but if there is there isn't any easy way to get at it.
 
With the information we know I would say if you want to insulate and run wires you will need more space than what a furring strip will provide. Most furring gives you .75” and that won’t be enough depth to wire or properly insulate. I would be looking at thicker walls to the inside being added. The walls won’t be adding strength to the building the block already do that. So the question is what is needed to provide space and depth for electrical boxes and insulation and support drywall. It’s pretty hard to beat 2x4’s for cost even though they are not really needed for strength. I would frame it all out with 2x4 then wire then cut foam to closely fit the cavities and then use spray foam in the cans to finish all the gaps and cracks. Doing that you will have the same insulation as if you brought someone in to spray the foam in and its pretty easy to DIY. After the drywall goes up extend all the window casings in. one the outside if you take the old siding off carefully the new stuff could most likely go right up to what they had there to hold the old siding. The siding isn’t going to do anything except provide looks.
 
typical framing, if no conduit inside the block, then frame the outside walls with 2x4's
set boxs and wire,,,insulate with batt roll insulation
 

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