Mineral Wool Insulation Isn't Like Fiberglass

If you are interested in green building, or call yourself a green building expert, then you should know about mineral wool insulation. If you have not seen mineral wool handled and installed, then you need to read this.

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If you think that mineral wool batts are similar enough to fiberglass batts that you already know what you need to know about it, then you are a fool. And you still need to read this.

If you have already read some of my essays, you know that I am an advocate of using mineral wool insulation to improve the energy performance of the houses we build in the U.S. There are many reasons why I think that mineral wool is the best insulation for us here. Recently I find myself making my case for this repeatedly, so I thought it would be worthwhile to get it all down in one place and just point to it in the future.

Mineral wool is different from fiberglass

So why am I constantly explaining why I like mineral wool, and what&#;s good about mineral wool? And why am I constantly saying, &#;No, that&#;s not what mineral wool is like; rather, it is like this&#;?

It is because the green building community has almost universally decided that ol&#; fiberglass batt insulation is bad. There are good reasons for this, and we&#;ll look at those, but the more obvious question is, What does this have to do with mineral wool?

The overwhelming assumption among those interested in green building is that mineral wool is just like fiberglass batts, at least in all the ways they feel fiberglass batts are bad. So if fiberglass insulation is bad, then they are convinced that mineral wool insulation will be bad, for all the same reasons. Its an easy conclusion to reach, but a lazy misunderstanding.

Not all batts are bad

The reality is that this is just not so. In fact this simply highlights the profound misunderstanding of what mineral wool insulation is like among green building advocates. The misunderstanding centers around the form of insulation: batts. The green building community has been very quick to condemn batts, when the problems that concern them actually revolve around fiberglass batts.

Let&#;s make this absolutely clear: There is nothing wrong with insulation in the form of batts. Batts are a convenient way to package insulation for transport, handling, and installation, which is why it is the predominant form for insulation in the U.S.

However, there are legitimate reasons to criticize fiberglass batt insulation, the status quo in U.S. house construction. It&#;s a brief list of reasons, so let&#;s look at them.

Fiberglass batts have low R-values

First, low insulation values. That&#;s right: fiberglass batts sold here in the U.S. don&#;t provide as much insulation as they could. It&#;s not that you can&#;t make fiberglass in higher performance levels; in fact it is made and sold in Canada at higher R-values.

But the big fiberglass insulation makers are not ready to bring that high-R-value fiberglass insulation here to the U.S. How do I know? I&#;ve called them, spoken to their people about it, and they&#;ve told me they won&#;t bring the high-R-value insulation to the States even though I said I wanted to spec it.

I say, shame on them. We should all take our business elsewhere.

Most fiberglass batt jobs are sloppy

Second: bad installations. Bad installations mean sloppy fitting of batts into stud cavities, over-compressing the insulation or leaving gaps that allow convection, sloppy trimming around obstructions, and any number of other installation sins that spoil the effectiveness of the insulation.

The installers are only partly to blame. The material is limp and fluffy, and because of this the handling, cutting, and placement requires more care to install well. It rarely gets that care; hence it is most often installed quickly and cheaply.

Where is the air barrier?

Third: bad air sealing and a bad vapor retarder. Well, what is that about anyway? Insulation is for insulating, not for air sealing &#; right?

Well, somewhere along the way, somebody had the bright idea to combine a vapor retarder with a fiberglass insulation batt. It turns two construction steps into one, and in theory saves labor and so saves money. The problem is that once you&#;ve had a bad installation as noted above, and cut the vapor retarder around electrical boxes, what you end up with does not seal well against air leaks or vapor diffusion.

Hell, you say &#; I don&#;t need my insulation to make an air seal, because I used that good ol&#; housewrap on the outside. Nope, nothing wrong with housewrap &#; but it provides no help with the air sealing you need at your vapor retarder.

The air seal in this case wants to be on the warm side of the wall, to prevent interior moisture from entering the wall cavity and condensing during the winter heating season.

The problem is the fiberglass, not the batt

Let&#;s summarize the lesson here: What most green pundits blame on batt insulation is the fault of fiberglass insulation. While mineral wool also comes in batt form, it is a completely different product with different properties.

It does not suffer from any of the above problems of fiberglass, yet retains the best part: it&#;s easy to handle, easy to install, and best of all, your labor force already knows how to do it. That is no small point.

Roxul is going after the residential market

OK, let&#;s talk about mineral wool. I&#;m going to refer generally to &#;mineral wool,&#; but as of this writing I have in mind the products of one manufacturer: Roxul. This is the only mineral wool manufacturer taking the residential market seriously in the U.S. right now.

Roxul sells its mineral wool in consumer-friendly packages, just as you would expect in a big box home improvement outlet. They are making their batts in sizes made to fit stud walls, clearly aimed at the market for building houses of wood, the very same market that fiberglass is sold to. This is important. Same kind of packaging, same kind of expectations, same kind of product experience.

They are putting their products into long-standing material distribution streams that every builder in the U.S. understands. It&#;s available from the same sources, ready to be installed by the same people.

There are other mineral wool manufacturers out there, but they are not proactively pursuing the residential market. I&#;m not talking about them or their products. If your criticism of mineral wool revolves around your experience with some other product from some other time, then your concerns don&#;t apply here and now. You should catch up.

Mineral wool batts have a higher R-value

So let&#;s talk about insulation value first. In batts offered for 2×4 stud walls, mineral wool comes in R-15, while fiberglass comes in R-11 or R-13 (although it can be special ordered in R-15 in the U.S.). In batts offered for 2×6 walls, mineral wool comes in R-23, fiberglass comes in R-19 (and again, you can special order higher R-value, but only R-21).

Furthermore, mineral wool is available in batts that fit 2×8 framed walls, and these are R-30. Fiberglass is not offered in batts for 2×8 stud walls.

These are the products available now, today, in mineral wool. If you are interested in maximizing the energy performance of your walls, it&#;s a no-brainer. Even if you changed nothing else about the way you build, you can improve the performance of your walls by switching to mineral wool.

Mineral wool batts are easier to install

Second, installations. You might think, &#;How can mineral wool batts be easier to install than fiberglass batts?&#; It&#;s simple. Fiberglass batts are limp, soft blankets. They have to be hung and stapled into place or they will slump and leave gaps.

Mineral wool is dense and firm, and it friction fits into the stud space. People don&#;t generally understand this, and this is why I am including photos. Mineral wool has form; it has a shape. If you pick it up it does not drape or fold; it retains its shape. (See Image #2, below) It is a block. This block, when shoved into a wall cavity &#; and I say shoved because it literally must be pushed into place &#; when shoved into place, fills the entire wall cavity (see Image #3, below). No gaps, no sags, no spaces. More importantly, no convection, no drafts, and no stapling.

You still have to cut the batts to fit

There is one caveat here: Just as with fiberglass, mineral wool must be cut to fit odd-spaced studs and triangular corners that may exist between framing members. However, this is much easier to do with mineral wool.

With fiberglass batts, you are actually told by experts to use a 2×4 stud as a straightedge while you cut the fiberglass batts with a sheetrock knife. You are expected to compress the fiberglass enough to cut through it with the short blade of the razor knife. And if you are doing it correctly, you trim the batt and kraft paper to different widths, to leave a tab so you can staple it up. Good luck.

Mineral wool is different. You can actually measure and cut mineral wool to size, like cutting a big block of wood. In fact, for carpenters this comes as second nature, because as you might expect they are quite good at measuring, and then cutting something to fit, when that something has a shape and can be understood like a piece of wood.

The cuts are made with large serrated knives &#; imagine a giant bread knife. (See Image #4, below.) So there is no compressing the insulation flat so you can cut through it. The mineral wool retains its volume while you cut through it with the long knife.

You don&#;t cut against a 2×4, but rather you cut it on a purpose-made cutting table, which is just like a very large carpenter&#;s miter box (see Image #5). It adjusts for the thickness of the insulation, and allows you to set precise angles for cutting to fit those odd spaces. (Read more about the insulation table here.)

Insulation cutting tables

The mineral wool cutting table, for me, is the eye-opener: the cold water in the face that made me realize that we never took insulation very seriously here in the U.S. Here we pull a 2×4 out of the dumpster, and use a razor blade holder to cut it on the floor deck. That&#;s the best we can do.

Mineral wool is cut precisely to fill every void &#; quickly, accurately &#; providing complete fill of the wall cavity. Installations are easier, faster, and better than with fiberglass.

I&#;ll say with some confidence that no other insulation product can fill a stud space so completely. No spray, no blown-in product, no blanket can fill a wall void as well as a proper installation of mineral wool insulation.

Smart vapor retarders

And third, air sealing. Mineral wool only comes in unfaced batts. No foil or kraft paper vapor retarders are offered. This means an independent vapor retarder must be installed. Simply said, this is the best way to create an airtight envelope for the house.

My favorite product in this regard is a variable-permeability membrane, a so-called &#;smart&#; membrane, because the permeability self-adjusts to suit conditions. An example is the MemBrain vapor retarder from CertainTeed. This is their branding of the smart membrane product made by their European owner, Saint-Gobain.

Another high-quality variable-permeability membrane is Intello Plus and DB+ by ProClima. This vapor retarder membrane has a low permeability level in dry conditions, but if the humidity level within the wall gets high, the material will open up to allow the moisture to dry to the other side. The ProClima Intello membrane is notable because it is well reinforced. It will not tear or split from stapling, and this tolerance of handling makes it easier to work with.

Include a service chase

Now, if you wish to increase the likelihood that you won&#;t need to make any punctures in this airtight layer, then you should plan on a wall with an interior wiring chase, such as the U.S.A. New Wall that we&#;ve elaborated on here.

Your best chance for an airtight wall is if you don&#;t puncture your air barrier with electrical work, outlet boxes, and switches. If you&#;ve not studied it before, when you are done here go read the U.S.A. New Wall article, and the Swedish Platform Framing article to see how all these come together to make a simple but high-performance wall.

That covers insulation value, installation, and air sealing issues. Mineral wool goes on to excel in other ways that contribute to my preference for this material.

It won&#;t stay wet

Mineral wool is hydrophobic. From the dictionary: &#;Tending to repel or fail to mix with water.&#; If fiberglass insulation becomes wet, you end up with a wet lump of glass lint, with no insulation value to boot. Mineral wool, on the other hand, will not become wet.

In fact, water beads up and rolls off the surface of mineral wool. This promotes water draining and drying if the wall cavity becomes wet, rather than holding water like a sponge. Which would you rather have in your wall?

Addressing thermal bridging

One of the big issues with improving the performance of our walls is thermal bridging through the wall studs. The most popular way to overcome this has been to install insulation on the exterior of the wall, continuously, to insulate the studs from the cold.

The issue here is that rigid foam insulation has been the most common way to do this. The problem, however, is that the foam creates a vapor retarder, and the last thing you want is a wall with a vapor retarder on both faces.

So the practice has been to make walls with exterior foam insulation without interior vapor barriers. The foam must be thick enough to keep the dew point within the depth of the foam in order to prevent condensation within the wall cavity.

The problem here is that only the most general recommendations for these configurations can be made in the building code. Weather outside of the design limits can result in condensation. Highly humid interior conditions can cause condensation.

My opinion is that these walls are not resilient designs and are poor practice. A wall with a traditional configuration &#; with a vapor retarder on the interior &#; works in all conditions, even when the temperature or interior humidity goes beyond the design values.

My only caution is, if the home is to have air-conditioning, then it is very important to use a smart vapor control sheet, as mentioned above. These variable-permeability membranes will ensure the wall performs well during the cooling season when the vapor profile of the wall is reversed.

The good news in this story is that mineral wool comes in configurations that can be used as exterior insulation in place of foam. These are very dense fiber panels that are strong enough to support siding and cladding material mounted over them in a manner similar to foam. The difference: mineral wool is vapor permeable, which means you can insulate on the exterior without trapping moisture in the wall.

Furthermore, the insulation value of these dense mineral wool panels approaches the performance of foam. Typically for XPS foam you would get in the neighborhood of R-5 per inch. Mineral wool will provide R-4.6 per inch.

And because of mineral wool&#;s hydrophobic properties, it will not absorb moisture in this location, and in fact will promote the drainage and drying of rainscreen siding cavities.

Foam insulation brings other problems, such as dilemmas in flashing practices, and the dubious reliance on adhesive tape as a long term weather barrier.

Fire safety

Mineral wool simply makes wood stud construction safer. This is the same material that is used to fireproof steel members in commercial construction. Mineral wool will stand up to temperatures that will reduce fiberglass to a puddle of molten glass.

Mineral wool will increase the length of time that a wood-framed house will stand during a fire. It gives the occupants more time to exit safely, and firefighters a safer window of time to enter a burning home.

Summing up

Let&#;s just go over some broad conclusions now. Mineral wool is a completely different material from fiberglass. They both just happen to fall in the broad classification of batts.

Mineral wool is available in higher insulation values than fiberglass. Mineral wool&#;s rigid shape and ability to be measured and cut accurately enables it to fill stud voids more completely than any other insulation product, with less effort, and more speed.

Mineral wool fits into the building practices of 99.9% of America&#;s builders with no need for new processes, extensive retraining, or changes to new subcontractors, new suppliers, and new business relationships.

Mineral wool is the easiest way for the vast majority of builders to step up their game and start building better.

Appendix 1: Concerns of green builders

Those focused on green building often immediately point to the presence of formaldehyde in binders used in mineral wool. Formaldehyde-based resins have long been used in the &#;glues&#; that prevent fibrous insulation from coming apart. It&#;s long been used in fiberglass, and is still used in many fiberglass products today. But it is clearly on the way out. Fiberglass batts from Knauf and Owens Corning are now available with alternate binders.

Mineral wool still contains a very small amount of formaldehyde-based binders. The wall insulation products from Roxul meet the GreenGuard Gold certification standard (formerly known as GreenGuard Children and School certification), which means they are consistent with products that are used in schools, day-care centers, or other environments where children spend significant periods of time. What this means is if you are a builder shifting from traditional fiberglass batts, this mineral wool will likely have lower formaldehyde emissions than what you used before.

If you are a green builder seeking to eliminate any formaldehyde, then you have other options.

On the matter of embodied energy, the Roxul products now use from 75% to 93% recycled content, depending on the availability of the raw materials, and their facilities are &#;zero waste to landfill.&#;

If you are a green builder who can get the same performance from a material with less embodied energy, then great. If you are a builder considering shifting from fiberglass, the energy savings from the lifetime performance of the mineral wool will greatly exceed any difference in manufacturing energy of the fiberglass you use now.

Appendix 2: Predictions

Higher R-value insulation will eventually own the market here. CertainTeed, one of the biggest U.S. makers of fiberglass, is now owned by Saint-Gobain, a large producer of mineral wool in Europe. CertainTeed now has access to mineral wool, and could begin to sell it in North America as it gains market share.

Owens Corning, the other large American insulation maker which is highly vested in fiberglass, has purchased an American mineral wool manufacturer, Thermafiber, widening its offerings to include both mineral wool and fiberglass.

The third large American manufacturer of fiberglass insulation is Johns Manville, which has recently acquired an American mineral wool manufacturer, IIG (Industrial Insulation Group).

Not all of these companies are actively promoting mineral wool for residential building insulation, but it is remarkable that we find all of the major American insulation manufacturers vested in mineral wool.

Fiberglass has also been dogged by health questions. In , fiberglass was classified as a &#;reasonably anticipated&#; carcinogen. This did not proceed to the next level, &#;known carcinogen,&#; and in , following more research, it was removed from this list.

Currently fiberglass is classified similarly to mineral wool, which is considered what is called &#;biosoluble.&#; This means that these mineral fibers dissolve in contact with tissues, leaving no fibers to trigger disease. Whether fiberglass can shed its unhealthy reputation, or if it will be overtaken by mineral wool with its higher performance levels, has yet to be determined.

Editor&#;s note: This article was adapted from a blog written by Greg La Vardera in .

Greg La Vardera is an architect practicing in Merchantville, New Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia. His work has included the development of several off-site building methods and progressive design in catalog house plan publishing. He is now focusing on creating energy-efficient prototypes for production building based on Swedish precedents, as well as posting blog entries on his website.

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The following text about sandwich panels for walls and roofs is intended for beginners. It is intended to provide an introduction to the subject and provide information on various aspects such as transport, relocation, etc. Of course, this text can not replace any training. It is therefore always essential to have specialists who are familiar with the transport, storage and assembly of sandwich panels.

1. The basics: What are insulated panels?

Smart and insulated: Facade made from insulated panels

As the name suggests, &#;sandwich&#; panels consist of several layers &#; usually two thin covering sheets and in between there is a core. That, however, is the only similarity between them and a sandwich! When it comes to durability, the sandwich panels are way ahead of their edible namesake: The individual layers are firmly connected with each other, and are therefore often referred to as composite panels.
Insulated panels, composite panels, or sandwich panels, come in a wide variety of designs. In most cases, the outer shell consists of a galvanised steel sheet. The inner shell can be made of galvanised steel sheet, thin aluminium sheets, stainless steel or GRP (glass-fibre reinforced plastic). The core is mostly made of insulating material such as polyurethane (PUR), polyisocyanurate (PIR), or rock wool. The joining of the outer and inner layers helps to combine the properties of the materials used: bending or breaking of the surface is made difficult thanks to the core, in turn the stability of the surface protects the soft core from external influences.

2. Using insulated panels

Insulated panels are used in many industries, such as aerospace, automotive and construction. This text focuses on the use of insulated panels as ready-made elements for the construction industry.
Insulated panels are perfect for the building sector: You save time, cut costs and reduce weight and they can be used as wall, ceiling and roof. If the panels come straight from the factory, they are immediately ready for use. In one easy step, they can be attached to a support structure and are simultaneously stable walls or roofs with excellent insulation properties.
Because of the above named properties, today insulated panels are particularly popular for lightweight construction of halls, roofs for residential buildings, but also as insulation panels for insulating or also as sound proofing in drywall construction. Insulated panels with a fireproof core are also often used as fire protection panels.

Hall constructed from insulated panels

3. Types of insulated panels

3.1. Insulated roof panels

Roof panels have two uses: as roofing insulation and roofing. They can be recognised at a glance by their regular elevations on the sandwich element. These elevations are known as high ridges and serve to stiffen the panel. Good stability is indispensable &#; especially in the case of roof panels &#; since they must not only carry their own weight, but also have to withstand potential snow loads or wind loads. The space between the two high ridges is known as the low ridge. This is where the core thickness is measured. In order to ensure a seamless transition between two roof panels, there is an overlapping flap on one side of the panel. This lies on top of the adjoining panel.

Roof panels are available in a wide range of RAL colours.

3.2. ECO roof panels

A special type of roof panels are the ECO roof panels. They are covered on the underside aluminium foil rather than steel. As a result, they are classed as single-use products according to building regulations and do not need to be approved. In addition to this legal advantage, ECO roof panels have many more plus points. The aluminium foil reliably protects against products such as ammonia, which can have a negative effect on the environment. As a result, ECO roof panels are particularly suitable for use in agricultural buildings, such as stables and barns.

3.3. Insulated wall panels

Insulated wall panels have a lined profile for stability, instead of the high beadings on the roof panels. Since there is no overlapping flap due to the lack of a high ridge, the panels are connected with each other using a tongue and groove joint, which is more pronounced than on the roof panels. Optionally, it is also possible to use fastening screws, which are invisible from the outside, using a secret fixing system.

   Eurobox lined profile

   Micro-ribbed profile

   Double-lined profile with
   secret fixings

In detail: secret fixing

Wall panels can also be used as ceilings or floors.

3.4. Cold room panels

Cold room panels are a special form of wall panels. They are usually more insulated than normal insulated panels and have better quality of joints. This makes them ideal for the construction of refrigerated cold rooms and walk-in fridges. Cold room panels often also come in a food-safe coating.

4. Composition of insulated panels: the exterior

The outer shell of an insulated panel consists of several different layers, which protect the panel from environmental influences such as UV radiation and from corrosion. The following diagram provides a nice overview of the outer shell structure:

Since all the individual layers fulfill certain functions, it is important to analyse the environmental factors to which the panels will be exposed, before purchasing the insulated panels. After doing so, the right materials and coatings can then be selected. Since the exterior and interior sides of the insulated panels are frequently exposed to very different conditions, the lacquers and materials which are used, vary according to the side they are on. For example, the exterior shell should always contain a UV protection layer and in damp interior spaces, such as swimming pools, good corrosion protection should be used.

4.1. Exterior materials

There are several basic materials from which the outer shell of insulated panels are made. Here is an overview of the properties of the materials:

Material Use Sheet steel Steel sheet metal is most often used in the production of insulated panels. The material impresses with its high stability. The sheet is galvanised and coated against corrosion GRP GRP (glass fibre reinforced plastic) can only be used for the underside of the panels. The material is used in rooms with high exposure to chemicals or salt to prevent corrosion. GRP is not as fracture-resistant as metal. Aluminium Sometimes, but not often, the shell of the insulated panel is made from aluminium. This material is particularly resistant to chemicals and salt and is therefore mainly used in the agriculture industry. Disadvantages include the high price and high thermal expansion, which can lead to structural problems.

Stainless steel

Very rarely the shell is made from stainless steel. The advantage of this material is that it is completely rust-free and is food safe. The price of the material is, however, very high. We produce stainless steel insulated panels on request from a quantity of 2,500 m².

Material thickness

The shell of the panels is available in different material thicknesses. Thinner material is lighter and less expensive but not so stable. In the case of thicker materials, it is possible to walk on a panel without damaging it. Typical values for the thickness of the steel sheet are 0.4mm and 0.6mm. Please contact us if you need any advice regarding thicknesses.

Galvanising

As corrosion protection, all our panels are galvanised in high-quality. Contact us if you have any questions about galvanisation.

4.2. Exterior coating

The coating offer further protection to the insulated panel and protects against corrosion and UV radiation. There are a variety of quality levels, depending on the situation the panels will be used in. The quality of the coating can be increased using one of the following two methods: through newly developed materials and coating methods or by a thicker coating. The standard coating applied to our insulated wall and roof is standard polyester with a thickness of 25 μ, exterior and interior. Most competitors offer only 15 μ. These are the coatings available:

Pre-coated products Standard thickness (μ) Minimum time before appearance of white rust (in h) Corrosion category Standard polyester 25 360 RC2 Polyester with high durability 25 360 RC3 PVDF 25 500 RC4 PVDF 35 500 RC4 PUR-PA 50/55 700 RC5 Plastisol 100/200 RC5 Plastic coated 100 500 /

In order to make it easier for you to choose the right coating, we provide you here with a small decision aid based on EN . Simply allocate your project to one of the following categories.

External environmental influences:

Category Description C1 - very low   C2 - low

Surroundings with low pollution Agricultural areas

C3 - average

Urban and industrial areas, medium levels of sulfur dioxide pollution Coastal areas with low salt content &#; between 10 and 20 km from the sea

C4 - high Industrial areas and coasts with medium salt content, between 3 and 10 km from the sea C5 I &#; very high Industrial and coastal areas with high humidity and aggressive environments C5 M &#; very high Coastal areas with high salt levels, between 1 and 3 km from the sea

Internal environmental influences:

Category Description C1 &#; very low Heated buildings with clean air: e.g. offices, shops, schools and hotels C2 - low Non-heated buildings where condensation is possible: store rooms, sports halls C3 - medium Production rooms with high humidity and reasonably high air pollution: e.g. food industry, laundries, breweries, dairy industry C4 - high Chemical installations, swimming pools, shipbuilding and coastal installations C5 I &#; very high Buildings or areas with constant condensation and high air pollution C5 M &#; very high Buildings or areas with constant condensation and high air pollution

With the help of the following diagram, you can ensure you choose the right coating for both the exterior and interior shell of your insulated panels.

5. Composition of insulated panels: the core

The extraordinary insulation properties of insulated panels are largely achieved thanks to the insulation core, which is protected by the external sheets made from steel or aluminium. The core of the insulated panels can be made from a variety of materials and in different thicknesses. Following, we provide you with a short overview of the materials and their functions.

5.1. Polyurethane (PU)

Polyurethane is a synthetic resin used developed in the s by Otto Bayer and his research group for IG Farben. We all know the material from around our households: our sponges are made from it. In the field of insulated panels, polyurethane is the most popular insulation material. But how good are the insulation properties? The following table is based on a standard-lined Eurobox type panel, and provides information on the insulation values (U-values) achieved according to the core thickness:

U Thickness of the panels (mm) 25 30 35 40 50 60 80 100 120 W/m² K 0.83 0.70 0.61 0.54 0.44 0.37 0.28 0.22 0.19 kcal/m² h °C 0.71 0.60 0.52 0.46 0.38 0.32 0.24 0.19 0.16

5.2. Polyisocyanurate (PIR)

Polyisocyanurates have even better insulation properties when compared to polyurethane. Thus, the same insulation value can be achieved with a lower core thickness. In addition, insulated panels with a PIR core have better fire-rating values than those with a PUR core, withstanding higher temperatures for longer. Due to this, insulated panels with a PIR core are somewhat more expensive than PUR core panels.

5.3. Rock wool

If you happen to have special fire protection requirements, then there&#;s no way around panels with a rock wool core. In contrast to polyurethane and polyisocyanurate, rock wool is not combustible. However, this advantage is tempered by the fact that rock wool panel have a slightly poorer insulation properties. Take a look at the U-values based on the example of a standard-lined Eurobox profile:

U Nenndicke des Paneels (mm) 50 60 80 100 120 150 W/m² K 0.75 0.63 0.49 0.39 0.33 0.27 kcal/m² h °C 0.65 0.54 0.42 0.34 0.28 0.23

&#;6. Transportation of insulated panels

If you decide on using insulating panels as part of your construction plans, transport is the first step after placing your order. For panels with lengths of up to 24 metres, there are some very important rules that you need to pay attention to in order to ensure that the insulated panels arrive undamaged.
Insulated panels usually come packaged. In order to not damage the panels during transportation, these packages must be placed horizontally on spacers made from plastic foam or wood. Please note that the spacers must be placed at a suitable distance apart. The support surface should of course correspond to the shape of the package. That is to say, if the package is flat, the surface it lies on should be flat. If the package is curved, the surface it lies on should also be curved. When stack packages on top of each other, stacking spacers must be used between the packages..
It should also be ensured that packages do not overhang by more than one metre and are secured in at least two cross-sections using straps no further than 3 metres apart. When attaching the straps, it is important to ensure that the do not themselves damaged the panels. The loading surface of the vehicle should, of course, be empty and weatherproof.

7. Storage of insulated panels

For logistic reasons, it is sometimes necessary to store insulated panels on a construction site or in a warehouse. Please ensure that the panels never lie directly on the floor, but always on timber or polystyrene spacers, which are wider than the panel itself. The spacers must be adapted to the shape of the panels and correspond to the product. For example: for a package which is curved, the spacers must have the same curvature. If lack of space means stacking the packages on top of each other, please ensure that spacers are used between the individual packages. The upper spacers should be placed in exactly the same position as the spacers below. The weight of the packages should also be noted when stacking. A maximum of 3 packages with a maximum height of 2.6m can be stacked.
The packs of panels should never be stored for an extended period in a damp environment, since condensation can collect on the poorly ventilated internal panels, and can corrode the metal. If short-term outdoor storage is necessary, it is important that the packages are not exposed to direct sunlight and that water runs off them. The inclination should be at least 5%. However, packets should not be stored outdoors for more than 60 days.
The best storage conditions for insulated panels are dry and dust-free rooms, which are also ventilated to some extent. From experience, we know that even under the best storage conditions, the storage period should still not exceed 6 months, as otherwise the properties oft he panels can change.

8. Lifting insulated panels

Even if insulated panelbelong to the lightweight construction elements, the length of them can mean they carry some considerable weight. For this reason, some basic instructions must be followed when lifting by hand or by crane.
When lifting a package by crane, synthetic sling belts (e.g. from nylon), with a minimum width of 10cm, must be placed in at least 2 places. The straps must have a minimum of half the length of the package. To prevent damage to the panels when they are lifted, apply strong and thin wooden or plastic spacers that exceed the width of the panels by at least 4cm.
When lifting the panels by hand, there should be two people working together. The panels should be always be carried with the horizontal edges upwards and downwards.

9. Cutting insulated panels

Sometimes it is necessary to cut down insulated panels to get them to working length on site.. For this purpose, the panels must be placed on a firm base and cut with a plunge saw, jigsaw or circular saw. It is important to make sure that the cutting surface does not become too hot during cutting. This could lead to the galvanization, and thus the corrosion protection, burning. Please do not use angle grinders or disc grinders as sparks could damage the anti-corrosion coating.

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10. Fitting roof panels

&#;The substructure already in place, the insulated panels can now be put to good use

Insulated panels should always be fitted by experts. The following passage will provide a rough overview of the work.
The installation of roof panels will always be onto a substructure of timber, concrete or steel. When designing the substructure, it is imperative to include the calculation of the panel weight as well as the potential snow loads and wind loads in the region. From all this information, the distance between the supports (the purlins), onto which the panels are laid, can be determined. In order to get maximal drainage, the inclination of the roof must not be less than 5°. If the roof has a crossbar or roof penetrations, the roof should have a slope of at least 7°. Roof panels are therefore not suitable for flat roofs.
You&#;re now ready to go!

10.1. Laying the roof panels

Before starting the construction, the substructure should be carefully inspected: To avoid corrosion, no incompatible materials should come into contact with the panels. Furthermore, before installing the panels, the gutter and cover plates on the sides of the eaves should be fitted.

The roof panels are always laid opposite the main weather direction in order to keep the wind influences on the joins to a minimum. Therefore, the installation begins on the side facing away from the wind. Extra care should be taken with the first panel to ensure flush alignment. It is advisable to stretch a guideline on the eaves side from one end of the building to the other to ensure fitting parallel to the substructure.

Using a drill screw fix the first panel to the substructure through the middle bead near the eaves. Use a saddle washer with a rubber seal to prevent water getting in. The screw must be suitable for the chosen type of substructure and must have a rubber seal and must be tightened in such a way that the seal is pushed together slightly.

Before putting the second panel in place, it&#;s a good idea to mark the first panel to show where the beams of the substructure are.
Then lay the second panel: Place the overlap flap over the last bead of the first panel- In order to ensure a good join at the joint, tilt it slightly and place it on the substructure to for a seal that fits optimally.
Then screw on the panel in the same way as the first one, through the middle bead near the eaves. Ensure that you keep pressure on the joint until the second panel has been fixed properly.

Only when the second panel has been fixed as described can the joint between the two panels be screwed together. If the panels are fitted in a different order than that described, it could be that the joints slip away from each other. A saddle washer with rubber seal must be fitted under the screw.  

Now repeat the whole process:

1. Mark where the steel beams are on the last panel.
2. Lay the next panel
3. Press the panels together at the joint
4. Fix the new panel through the middle bead.
5. Screw the joint between the two panels.

10.2. Overlapping the short joint

Sometimes it is necessary to join the insulated roof panels at the vertical joint. The following section  describes the procedure for such an overlap along this edge.
Since there is no overlap on this edge as standard, this must be created by removing the lower sheet and the foam insulation. The data sheet for each panel will help you determine the length of the cut-back required.

Preparation for overlapping the upper panel

First the lower panel is laid and then the upper panel is put in place so that it overlaps the lower one. This allows rainwater to drain away without running under the overlap flap. In addition, a self-adhesive seal should be applied to the lower panel at at least two. The final step is to fix the panels through the high beads.

10.3. Completion of the eaves area

The exposed insulation at the front of the building must be protected from the influence of weather and from animals. In this section we will describe the different possibilities.

The exposed insulation must be either painted with a waterproof coating or covered with a flashing. The advantage of a flashing is that animals can&#;t get to the foam, which they would then burrow into and pull out. On request we can supply the panels for the eaves area with a drip edge.

11. Approval of self-supporting insulated panels according to EU standard

Insulated panels meet official approval. EU standard specifies the requirements for &#;factory-made self-supporting insulated panel elements with metal sheets on both sides&#;.

12. Fire protection classes and legislation on fire protection

In many of the scenarios where insulated panels are applied, fire protection plays an important role. The European standard DIN EN has been in place for a number of years. The European standard regulates fire protection classes much more closely.
Here is the corresponding EU table, which defines the fire resistance classes according to DIN EN and their assignment to the corresponding building supervisory requirements:

Building requirements

Weight-bearing elements¹
without clearance

Weight-bearing elements¹
with clearance

Non-supporting internal walls

Non-supporting external walls

Raised floors

Stand alone ceilings

Fire-retardent

R 30

REI 30

EI 30

E 30 (i&#;o) und
EI 30-ef (i&#;o)

REI 30

EI 30 (a&#;b)

Fire-retardent

R 60

REI 60

EI 60

E 60 (i&#;o) und
E 60-ef (i&#;o)

 

EI 60 (a&#;b)

Fire-resistant

R 90

REI 90

EI 90

E 90 (i&#;o) und
E 90-ef (i&#;o)

 

EI 90 (a&#;b)

Fire-resistance
120 minutes

R 120

REI 120

 

-

 

-

Fire wall

-

REI-90M

EI 90-M

-

 

-

¹For reactive fire protection systems with components from coated steel, the specification IncSlow according to DIN EN -2 is additionally required.

In addition to these general tables, there is a further table in which all insulated panels are classified. If you order panels from us, we always provide the European fire protection class:

Classification of fire performance of construction materials (excluding flooring) according to DIN EN -1

Building requirements

Additional requirements

EU classification according to DIN EN -1¹²

No smoke

No flammable dripping

Construction materials, excl. linear pipe insulation

Linear pipe insulation

Non-flammable

&#;

&#;

A1

A1L

&#;

&#;

A2 - s1, d0

A2L - s1, d0

Fire-retardent

&#;

&#;

B - s1, d0 C - s1, d0

BL - s1, d0 CL - s1, d0

 

&#;

A2 - s2, d0

A2L - s2, d0

A2 - s3, d0

A2L - s3, d0

B - s2, d0 B - s3, d0

BL - s2, d0 BL - s3, d0

C - s2, d0

CL - s2, d0

C - s3, d0

CL - s3, d0

&#;

 

A2 - s1, d1

A2L - s1, d1

A2 - s1, d2

A2L - s1, d2

B - s1, d1 B - s1, d2

BL - s1, d1 BL - s1, d2

C - s1, d1

CL - s1, d1

C - s1, d2

CL - s1, d2

   

A2 - s3, d2 B - s3, d2 C - s3, d2

A2L - s3, d2 BL - s3, d2 CL - s3, d2

Normal flammability

 

&#;

D - s1, d0

DL - s1, d0

D - s2, d0 D - s3, d0

DL - s2, d0 DL - s3, d0

E

EL

   

D - s1, d1

DL - s1, d1

D - s2, d1

DL - s2, d1

D - s3, d1

DL - s3, d1

D - s1, d2

DL - s1, d2

D - s2, d2

DL - s2, d2

D - s2, d3

DL - s2, d3

   

E - d2

EL - d2

Highly-flammable

   

F

FL

¹ In the European testing and classifying rules, the smouldering performance of building materials is not recorded. For applications where the smouldering performance must be demonstrated, national regulations must be used.
² With the exception of classes A1 (not withstanding the use of footnote c to table 1 of DIN EN -2 and E) the fire performance of surfaces on exterior wall cladding (types) cannot be conclusively classified according to DIN EN -1.

Insulated panels with rock wool core are available up to a fire class of up to F120. This means therefore, that they can withstand fire for up to 120 minutes. The panels consist of between 95-99% molten volcanic rock, drawn into filaments to attains a fibrous structure. Certified sandwich panels with a core made of rock wool may be installed in areas subject to fire protection requirements. They can be used both as an internal fire wall, or external wall and also as a low ceiling, as a roof and even as insulation of existing buildings.

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