Before tearing off sauerkraut plates, also known as Heraklith plates, it should be carefully considered whether this is really necessary. The drywall panels are installed in many old houses and were used as insulation across the board, especially in eastern Germany. They can usually be "revamped".
Assess the structural situation with the aim of avoiding dismantling
The advantage of Heraklith or Sauerkraut plates is that they are harmless to health and the environment in almost all cases. The panels made of wood fibers and mineral binders and materials do not need to be torn out for these reasons during modernization and renovation. In addition, there is a certain difficulty in disposing of the sauerkraut plates. The difficult flammability of the material requires a lot of thermal energy, which many bio-heating power stations and waste incineration plants do not want to generate.
- Also read - Sauerkraut plates can be plastered
- Also read - Sauerkraut panels with or without insulation
- Also read - Dispose of sauerkraut plates, Heraklith plates or HWL plates
If the sauerkraut platters are only "in the way", integration is often possible. The panels usually do not have the insulation required today, for example in the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV). However, since they are mostly mounted deep in the masonry or in the roof and ceiling, often nailed, screwed and glued together, dismantling is time-consuming. A kind of doubling up with additional insulation material can save tearing off.
Don't tear it down, modernize it
Sauerkraut platters are often attached "for eternity". Correspondingly durable and interlaced, they are related to the surrounding masonry and other components and trades. When torn off, this complicates the work and leads with relative certainty to collateral damage.
Conversely, this "bomb-proof " construction ensures that the sauerkraut platters will continue to be stable. If individual panels or parts have come loose, they can simply be drilled through and fixed with spax screws and dowels.
The missing or inadequate insulation effect can be eliminated by applying fiber insulation materials. If the sauerkraut plates are not fully accessible, loose fiber insulation materials such as wood and rock wool (€ 29.80 at Amazon *) or flax and hemp fibers can be used for stuffing. Another alternative consists of an additional wall in front of it made of drywall, which is filled with loose insulation material such as expanded clay or shredded cork.
Tips & Tricks If you are unsure about the quality, ingredients and condition of your sauerkraut plates, break off a piece and have it assessed by a professional such as a building materials dealer.
