The renovation project is approaching, and we are now considering what to do with the walls. The house, from the early 50s, has been equipped with tretex (that porous material) on the interior walls. Now that the kitchen is being completely renovated, everything will be new, and we are wondering if we should put the drywall on the existing wall or if we should remove the tretex and then put on the drywall?? Also wondering if it is enough to put up the thinnest drywall panel 6mm or is it too thin and then with or without tretex underneath???
We have a house from the 30s built with standing planks covered with Tretex boards. We're now halfway through the kitchen and have torn down all the Tretex (actually not so hard - but it does create dust!) and put up 13 mm gypsum. We never really considered keeping the Tretex. We had heard it burns very well... But maybe it doesn't matter if it's under the gypsum 
On the other hand, I guess the renovation gypsum isn't as fire-resistant as normal gypsum because it's thinner. (We also took the opportunity to route out for new electricity when we had already torn everything down, but maybe you can do that even if the Tretex stays.)
So if you're considering keeping the Tretex - you might want to check how it is from a fire safety perspective if it's under the gypsum.
You're also wondering if 6 mm is too thin. If the substrate is flat and durable - i.e., not framed, then 6 mm should be okay from a "durability perspective." However, if it's framed underneath, thicker gypsum is needed - you can't attach anything with weight to 6 mm gypsum.
Just a few thoughts from someone who's a beginner when it comes to house renovation but will probably be very savvy at it eventually
On the other hand, I guess the renovation gypsum isn't as fire-resistant as normal gypsum because it's thinner. (We also took the opportunity to route out for new electricity when we had already torn everything down, but maybe you can do that even if the Tretex stays.)So if you're considering keeping the Tretex - you might want to check how it is from a fire safety perspective if it's under the gypsum.
You're also wondering if 6 mm is too thin. If the substrate is flat and durable - i.e., not framed, then 6 mm should be okay from a "durability perspective." However, if it's framed underneath, thicker gypsum is needed - you can't attach anything with weight to 6 mm gypsum.
Just a few thoughts from someone who's a beginner when it comes to house renovation but will probably be very savvy at it eventually
From a fire perspective, tretex probably burns well in the open, but when packed against planks, it is probably not more dangerous than all the other things we fill houses with today. Personally, I like tretex, but it might not be something to have in a kitchen. It’s worth noting that it actually provides a much warmer wall compared to having drywall directly on the planks. If you want drywall as the outermost layer, 6mm will probably suffice.
I didn't mean that we ran the electricity in the drywall; we routed out grooves in the planks that the electrician ran the pipes in, and then we put the drywall on top and just drilled holes in the drywall for the boxes.Björkis said:
The person who was supposed to help us put up the first cabinets initially wanted us to stud the wall to even out the irregularities. But when we tore down the tretex, the walls were straight enough that we could do it without studding. In some places, the centimeters the studs stole were quite important. However, it's much easier to run electricity in a framework, as it was not easy to rout out (we used a chainsaw and chisels).
I have a 1940s house with tretex on the walls, and when we built the kitchen, we left the tretex as it was, built a frame to add insulation on top, and then gypsum on that. If we hadn't added insulation, the tretex would probably still be there since I don't see any real reason to remove it if it's even and nice, actually.
I have also routed with a chainsaw and chisel; it was a heck of a job. In the later rooms I've renovated, I've used a router instead to route in the electrical conduits, it goes extremely fast and easy, it's a tip for those of you with standing plank walls. Just don't use your finest (most expensive) router bit, it's easy to hit a nail or something.
I removed my tretex and replaced it with 13mm drywall, I thought it gave a better result than using 6mm because then you don't have to fix and tweak around window and door frames.
I removed my tretex and replaced it with 13mm drywall, I thought it gave a better result than using 6mm because then you don't have to fix and tweak around window and door frames.
I have used tretex instead of plasterboard mainly for two reasons. The sound level inside is much better. With plasterboard, it echoes and the sound becomes harsh. With tretex, it is dampened and pleasant. I have walls that are so crooked that I would have had to even out the plank walls with studs to set plasterboard, and then the room's proportions would have been ruined, door moldings cut, etc. (it would have looked completely awful).
Everyone who has been there immediately notices that the sound is much more pleasant.
Then there's the fire risk that everyone nags about, but I don't think the tretex has made a difference in this because everything in the whole house is extremely flammable anyway.
In any case, I am very satisfied.
Everyone who has been there immediately notices that the sound is much more pleasant.
Then there's the fire risk that everyone nags about, but I don't think the tretex has made a difference in this because everything in the whole house is extremely flammable anyway.
In any case, I am very satisfied.
We left our tretex in place except on the walls where we added electrical boxes.
We are using rope gypsum on the walls where the tretex is, and it works well.
//Håkan
We are using rope gypsum on the walls where the tretex is, and it works well.
//Håkan
of course it's sold. Available in various places but maybe not at bauhaus, rather at other lumberyards. Used more often than you might think, actually, but maybe not very oftenLinusm said:
We bought our tretex at AKB (Stockholm), now Optimera.
Homeowner
· Västernorrland
· 2 532 posts
I'm currently renovating the TV room. There is Tretex there now which I am keeping and screwing renovation plasterboard on top of it. But do you also need to glue the plasterboard or is it enough to just screw it????
/Mattias
/Mattias