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Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Mox55. It’s fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about installing thermal wall liner.
You could potentially install it directly over your timber wall, but it’s not how the product is designed to be used. I wouldn’t imagine the surface would be particularly conducive to using wallpaper paste or glue over it, and since the product isn’t tested for that application, I can’t give you a definitive answer as to whether it would hold or perform as expected. However, it's unlikely you'd be able to achieve a smooth surface as the product has texture to it and might not lay perfectly flat against the wall. You might be best installing it and then cladding over it with 3mm MDF panels to provide a flat surface for your wallpaper.
Just keep in mind that while the Ametalin Thermal Liner does have some insulating value, it’s only rated at R0.1, which is significantly lower than standard wall insulation batts that can be rated up to R2.5. So if you’re looking to block out heat coming through a wall, you might find it doesn’t make a big difference on its own.
If you can share a bit more detail about the room or the effect you’re hoping to achieve, I’m sure our knowledgeable members would be happy to suggest a few creative solutions.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Thanks for your response and suggestions - I'm trying to add some insulation to a window wall of a cabin that the original builder failed to insulate without having to remove the exterior or interior walls and realize it might be a non starter. I recently had Earthwool R2 batts placed inside the west wall and an Earthwool space blanket under the corrugated roof which has made a bit of difference in the hot temps of summer but the NE (front) wall gets quite warm and is a bit more complicated to insulate (pictures attached). Gets quite cool inside as well, usually down to about 8-10deg in winter without heating. I have thermal curtains on the windows and exterior roller blinds when necessary which help a bit. The wallpaper I plan to use is a 4mm thick foam self stick textured brick that will also be painted over so not looking for a smooth wall (attached photo). This alone is unlikely to insulate so the extra 4mm liner was thought to help even if a little. Could the Ametalin be attached with silicone glue or is this not feasible? I may just have to use the wallpaper by itself and deal with the lack of insulation for now unless I can come up with another option that does not require wall removal (might have to eventually consider a pro-job adding inside slats, Ametalin then wallboard over top, a slight loss of room width).Having the west wall and roof insulated is a big plus in this 18sqm room. (East wall will be insulated with R2 batts later).
Hi @Mox55,
Silicone could possibly be used to attach the liner, but it’s not a recommended installation method and may not give you the long-term hold or even surface adhesion you'd want, especially with temperature changes.
Do you think you might have enough depth on that wall to install insulation panels over it instead? Something like rigid foam panels are usually around 25mm thick, provide a higher R-value than the liners, and would create a flatter, more stable surface for your foam-backed wallpaper to adhere to. It would add a bit more bulk to the wall, but not nearly as much as a full internal wall rebuild, and it could be a good middle-ground option if you're trying to avoid major works while still improving the room’s thermal performance.
Mitchell
A note to our New Zealand members: The use of foil-based insulation products is prohibited.
