I’m about to rip out the old cabinets and part of the (outside facing) drywall soon. I need to know what I should do. I would like to replace the old insulation and put in new ones as it seems cold in the kitchen sink’s side. Should I put rolled insulation flush with the 2×4 top to bottom, side to side and can I put plastic sheeting over it or is that a no-no part? The house is built in 1957 and I did the bathroom one time and found it has something like newspaper insulation mixed (?) but I left it alone and add what is missing in some corners and just put the drywall back without any plastic. My wife is always complaining about the coldness in the sink’s cabinets.
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If you are going to use f/g insulation, I would use unfaced run top to bottom in each stud bay. Carefully fit and cut around any obstructions in the bays. Follow the insulation with 6 mil poly, installed with the same care as the insulation, then the dw.
As important as the insulation is air sealing every penetration in the wall, when you have it open. A few cans of foam, and some good caulk can be as important as the insulation. Stopping air movement through f/g insulation will get you closer to the true R-value it is rated at.
You wife is cold because of the drafty wall. Fix it and you are a hero.
Dave
If you use kraft faced batts, then you don't need the plastic. (the brown paper covered fiber glass)
When in doubt, get a bigger hammer!