Liquid foam plastic is a modern building material used to insulate buildings or produce facing products (sandwich panels). This substance has certain advantages that make it popular. Let's take a closer look at how it is used, manufactured and what differences liquid foam has from other materials.
What is the substance?
So, this insulation has a liquid consistency, which is why it can be used in any hard-to-reach places. Despite the paste-like primary structure of the substance, the material quickly increases in size and hardens. In this case, all the voids are filled.
Liquid foam is made from polystyrene foam with the addition of some additional substances that promote long-term storage material in a paste state and changing properties during use.
What components are used in production?
In order to manufacture the presented product, it is necessary to prepare raw materials. To work you will need:
1. Water (it should be heated to 40 degrees).
2. Foaming agent.
3. A catalyst that promotes hardening of the material.
It should be noted that liquid foam can harden at low temperatures, which makes its use as convenient as possible.
Properties and advantages of insulation
Now let’s see what advantages the material has:
1. Small mass. This parameter allows the use of this insulation even in those buildings that stand on soft soils. The material does not weigh down the structure.
2. Ease of use.
3. Low cost and efficiency.
4. Good sound and heat insulation properties.
5. Resistant to temperature changes.
7. Resistance to rodents.
8. Non-flammability.
9. Reduced transportation costs.
10. Liquid foam plastic, reviews of which are mostly positive, does not rot, does not allow moisture to pass through, and provides high energy savings in the home.
11. Possibility of use in both residential and industrial premises.
11. Use of raw materials in places where it is impossible to install other types of insulation.
Disadvantages of the material
It must be said that liquid foam, reviews of which will help you decide whether it is worth using or not, also has some disadvantages. There are few of them, but they are there:
An unpleasant odor of formaldehyde, which dissipates over time. It must be said that formaldehyde is a component unsafe for human health, but it evaporates quickly enough, so the final material is harmless.
If you use this insulation on horizontal surfaces, it can shrink up to 5%. Naturally, this result can happen if you apply the material without pressure.
Areas of application
Liquid foam is usually sold in cans, so delivering it to your destination is quite easy. In general, this material is used in the following cases:
1. For thermal and sound insulation of walls. To do this, you can pour it into the masonry, between the main surface and facing material, or apply the product to the outer surface of the walls.
2. Thermal and sound insulation of the roof and floors. The material can be applied under flooring and under suspended ceilings.
3. Insulation with liquid foam can be done on pipelines.
4. Used in the production of sandwich panels. This allows you not only to insulate the building, but also to beautifully cladding it.
5. This material is used in industrial buildings, drying and refrigerating chambers, vegetable storage.
In any case, the presented substance is used primarily for sound and thermal insulation.
Features of insulation
In order to carry out the procedure, you must first clean the surface to be treated. Insulation with liquid foam is carried out under pressure, that is, the material is poured into the required areas using special equipment. Naturally, after processing it should be dried. Only in this case will it swell and dry well.
It should be noted that fresh foam has high fluidity and penetrates into the most hard to reach places. At the same time, it seals even small holes well. At the same time, in construction there will be no need to use heavy building materials, which are large in size and quite expensive. Liquid foam in containers can solve this problem.
It should be noted that this material can be manufactured right where the construction is taking place. That is, you can make this substance yourself. A small layer of insulation can retain heat as much as a very thick one.
Insulation technology
Insulation with liquid foam, reviews of which are positive and help to increase the rating of this material, is carried out according to certain instructions. That is, it is necessary to follow the sequence of work. The procedure itself is not complicated, but requires the use of special equipment. So, insulation technology involves the following stages:
1. Cleaning the surface to be treated from dust and debris.
2. Calculation of the amount of material. In this case, you should take into account all those voids that exist in the walls, attic or under floor covering. In principle, the cylinders indicate how many cubic meters the insulation is designed for.
3. Insulation with liquid foam is carried out using a special installation that is capable of supplying material under pressure. That is, you need a foam generator. It perfectly doses all components. Simply install the required program.
4. Actually pouring the raw materials. Moreover, if there is a gap between the masonry where the old insulation has already rotted or lost its functions, then you should not dismantle the entire wall. Simply make small holes and pour foam through them. They need to be drilled in different places.
5. Polystyrene foam should be poured from bottom to top in a checkerboard pattern. It is necessary to fill the void until the raw materials begin to pour out. Do not be afraid that the material will begin to burst. The fact is that its density is very low, so it will not be able to destroy the structure.
Now you need to wait for the insulation to harden. After this, you can cladding the walls. If you produce liquid foam in the attic, then it is enough to fill the gaps between the beams.
What equipment is needed to make the material?
In order to produce this substance, it is necessary to have suitable machines. That is, you need to buy the following equipment:
1. Compressor.
2. Installation for mixing gas and liquid. All ingredients will be mixed in it.
It must be said that making liquid foam at home is quite simple. However, you will need a container in which you will package the resulting raw materials. If you want to make solid insulation, then you will also need forms.
It should be noted that different settings can produce different quantities material. Therefore, you should buy only equipment that will produce the required mass of raw materials.
Insulation manufacturing technology
Making liquid foam with your own hands is quite simple if you have the appropriate equipment and raw materials. First, you need to prepare the installation for operation. Please note that the equipment must be of high quality and all hose connections must be tight. In addition, the electrical wiring must withstand the load.
Next, you should prepare a foaming agent. To do this, you need to make 2 liters of a concentrated solution and dilute it with 48 liters of hot water. To prepare a foamy substance, an 85% concentration (half a liter) is required. It should be mixed with water (45 liters). The liquid must be heated to 40 degrees.
Now both solutions can be mixed, that is, you must combine the prepared foam substance with 5 liters of foaming agent. After this, the resulting solution is poured into the appropriate container.
A polymer resin is also added there, which helps harden the foam. To improve the qualities of the material, various modifiers should be added to it. All components are thoroughly mixed in a gas-liquid installation under the influence of compressed air. If you want to reduce the cost of construction, then try to produce liquid foam with your own hands right at the construction site. This will allow you to finish faster Finishing work and will significantly reduce their cost.
Naturally, all actions should be performed carefully in compliance with all necessary safety standards. The point is that you will be dealing with acids. Try to wear protective clothing, gloves and a respirator.
Insulating houses with liquid foam plastic can reduce energy costs several times. In principle, these are all the features of making liquid foam. Good luck!
One of the excellent options may be foam insulation insulation, which we will talk about in more detail in this article.
Modern technologies in the field of construction make it possible to carry out thermal insulation work in 2 ways:
Insulating the wall from the outside
Pros:
- All work is carried out outside residential premises, thereby without reducing its usable area.
- Additional layers of vapor and waterproofing completely limit the access of moisture to wall structures, preventing the development of fungal infections.
- Wall insulated from the outside loses heat 6 times slower, rather than insulated inside.
- Thanks to the external thermal insulation layer, the load-bearing wall element warms up and remains warm on both sides. The zero temperature point is outside the wall.
- Thermal insulation also plays the role of a soundproofing cushion.
Minuses:
- Difficulty of installation. In addition, if the building is multi-story, then the help of industrial climbers will be required.
- During insulation it will change appearance facade of the building.
- Installation work can only be carried out under certain conditions weather conditions(lack of precipitation, air temperature above +5 degrees)
Comparison of insulation methods
Internal insulation of wall structures
Pros:
- Works on internal insulation may be carried out in any season.
- This option for insulating the room will be more economical, since all the work can be done independently.
- You can insulate a separate room, not the entire building.
Minuses:
- Reduces the internal area of the room.
- The wall elements do not warm up completely, which prevents them from accumulating heat.
- During operation condensation may form between the wall and the insulating layer. Dampness is an excellent environment for the development of mold and mildew.
- A layer of insulation will make it problematic to attach shelves and other hanging elements to the wall.
- Heat loss through wall structures remains at 10-15%.
Advantages and disadvantages of penoizol
Penoizol is a lightweight urea-formaldehyde foam, 
belonging to the genus of organic materials.
It is used both for heat and sound insulation of premises, and for insulation of the soil base.
It has been present on the building materials market not so long ago, and therefore is not as widely known as its analogues.
Let's look at its positive and negative qualities.
Advantages of penoizol:
- As mentioned earlier, it is not only a heat-insulating, but also a noise-absorbing material;
- Penoizol, unlike many insulation materials, rodents don't eat;
- The material is resistant to rotting;
- When exposed to high temperatures it does not ignite, does not melt or smoke;
- Is a breathable thermal insulation material;
- Penoizol has a fluid structure and hardens only on the insulated surface when interacting with air. This allows you to achieve high-quality insulation complex wall structures, as it fills even the smallest gaps and cracks;
- There is no limitation on service life;
- Foam insulation thermal insulation can be reinforced. This can be achieved by introducing mineral additives into the base material;
- The price of the material is relatively low.
Inter-wall thermal insulation
Flaws:
- Gives high shrinkage;
- Difficulty of carrying out installation work. Using foam insulation requires certain knowledge and experience working with the material, since during application strict adherence to technology is required.
- When insulating frame structures, it is difficult to predict how such thermal insulation will behave. When hardening, penoizol shrinks, as a result Large voids may occur, which will be problematic to fill out.
- The material is fragile, so it must be sheathed with other materials that have greater mechanical strength.
Some sources say that penoizol is a toxic material that emits toxic gaseous substances. However, there are opinions that this process occurs only at the stage of hardening of the insulation.
Specifications
To obtain a qualitative assessment of the properties of this material, it is necessary to evaluate its technical indicators. These include:
- Operating temperature range – from -50 to +120 degrees;
- Material density – 5-75 kg/m3;
- Daily water absorption by mass – 10.5-20%;
- Thermal conductivity – 0.028 –0.047 (W/m) *°C;
- Humidity (mass fraction) – 5-20%;
- The standard service life is 50 years. According to recent studies, it is not limited.
Tensile strength:
- For bending deformations – 0.1-0.25 kg/cm. sq.;
- For compression (at 10% linear deformation) – 0.07-0.5 kg/cm. sq.;
- Tensile – 0.05-0.08 kg/sq.cm;
Slab penoizol
Equipment necessary for self-insulation
For installation work on room insulation You will need the following mechanisms and equipment:
- Compressor;
- Foam generator;
- Pumps (for supplying solution and for supplying foam);
- Source of electricity;
- Additional fastening and formwork elements;
- Special protection (gloves, glasses, respirator).
Equipment for applying thermal insulation
Lathing for foam insulation thermal insulation
To ensure normal bonding of penoizol with wall structure, it is necessary to construct a metal or wooden sheathing. In case you choose wooden version, additional treatment of frame elements with special antiseptics will be required.
NOTE!
The cross-section of the bars is selected strictly in accordance with the calculated width of the insulation layer.
Sequence of installation of the sheathing structure:
- Mark the areas on the facade where the main elements of the sheathing will be attached to the wall;
- Drill holes for fasteners in the designated locations;
- Fill the holes with cement or gypsum mortar, and then, using a hammer, drive wooden plugs into them;
- Install the vertical elements of the sheathing and secure them using self-tapping screws (on clogged wooden plugs). The pitch of the guide bars is up to 1 m.
When using penoizol no need to lay film vapor or waterproofing. It will not allow the insulation to dry out, and the wall will not be able to breathe.
Horizontal elements are installed on vertical bars in increments of about 0.5 m.
Installation of sheathing
You can start applying penoizol. Since this liquid material, then an additional element of the lathing structure will be required - a restrictive mesh. It is attached to a frame with insulation to ensure the necessary fixation of the penoizol until it dries completely.
The last step is to install the finishing. In the same way you can also internal thermal insulation premises. In this case, plasterboard is used as a finishing material.
Just above we looked at the method of external insulation with foam insulation using a sheathing structure. Let's consider other options for insulating structures.
Interwall thermal insulation
Can be used for both buildings under construction and those already in use, having voids between the outer and internal wall . In the first case, injection is carried out directly into the open cavity of the wall.
For an existing building, the insulation process is carried out as follows:
- In the seams outer wall need to drill holes(in a checkerboard pattern), equal in size to the hose of the installed pressure equipment;
- In the holes located at the very bottom, hoses of pumping equipment are installed;
- Next, the foam insulation mixture is supplied under pressure into the interwall space;
- After penoizol appears in the holes of the next tier (in height), the supply of the mixture is stopped and they move to the row above.
- The lower holes are sealed with plugs to prevent leakage of insulation;
- The sequence of work is repeated until complete thermal insulation of the wall structure is ensured.
Insulation injection
Thermal insulation with foam insulation
Thermal insulation of the facade with cladding slabs
The work is being carried out as follows:
- The required number of slabs and profile elements for the entire façade surface;
- To the facade of the building, using dowels (wooden plugs) and self-tapping screws, galvanized steel profiles are attached;
- Magnesite slabs are installed and secured to a steel frame;
- Holes are drilled in the constructed casing in a checkerboard pattern;
- Using specialized pumping equipment, liquid penoizol is pumped into the holes. The order of filling voids is from bottom to top;
- Upon completion thermal insulation works holes are sealed;
- At the final stage, decorative finishing of the facade begins, which can be done using plastering and painting compounds.
Application of insulation
Thermal insulation under siding
If desired, magnesite boards can be replaced with another sheet finishing material.
Insulation with penoizol is a rather labor-intensive process. However, given its excellent thermal insulation performance, as well as its low price, it can and should be used for home insulation with your own hands.
Useful video
Do-it-yourself thermal insulation of walls with foam insulation:
In contact with
Modern technologies have stepped far forward, and today clay and sawdust used to insulate houses have been replaced by latest materials, like liquid foam in cylinders. Did not hear? It's time to fix this shortcoming!
What kind of liquid foam is this?
So, penoizol (as it is also called) is produced in special foam generator and ejector installations directly on the site during construction. However, such material is also found in cylinders. Of course, the operation of the latter is somewhat simpler. What about the first type, in this case all the necessary components are loaded into the installation, which form foam under the action of compressed air.
After the liquid mass is applied to the treated area of the wall, it turns into a solid state within 20 minutes. But for such insulation to acquire all its properties completely, it will take at least 3 hours. Not bad, right? Let's talk about this material in more detail, what are its advantages and disadvantages, when it can be used, and in what cases it should not be preferred this species insulation, and, of course, we will focus on the features of operation.
Where can we use penoizol in cylinders?
Liquid foam plastic has found its application almost everywhere where insulation needs to be carried out, and therefore in the construction industry and during repair work. Using this new generation material, it is possible to provide thermal insulation for absolutely all structures, regardless of their purpose (residential or industrial). It does not matter what exactly will be insulated, the facade of the building or its roof, foundation, attic, and maybe even the walls of the basement.
Moreover, thanks to the convenient form of release, insulation of the floors and walls of houses with liquid foam is accessible even to inexperienced builders; it will not be difficult to insulate even a pipeline or other industrial equipment. This building material is in great demand not only due to its thermal insulation characteristics, which better properties leaf form, but also due to other positive nuances. For large-scale tasks, you will have to rent or purchase special equipment, and for minor works A very convenient form of release is suitable - cylinders.
Advantages and disadvantages of liquid foam
Let's start, of course, with the positives. If we compare liquid foam with others insulating materials, which are used to insulate the walls of houses, then its layer with a thickness of only 10 cm can easily be compared with 30 mm sheets of standard polystyrene foam, with 20 cm and with an almost three-meter layer of concrete. At the same time, it is incredibly easy to use and isolates all cracks as reliably as possible.
It is also durable and not afraid of temperature changes. Various microorganisms do not live on it, and such insulation is not of interest to rodents.
It is worth noting the environmental friendliness, high density, as well as excellent soundproofing characteristics of this material. But there is still a fly in the ointment in the use of such a new product in the building materials market. Firstly, it gives linear shrinkage, the values of which reach 5%, this is the case if walls or other cavities are filled without pressure. Secondly, a not very pleasant smell appears immediately, but over time it disappears.
Apply liquid foam yourself
To use casting foam, you should read the instructions for its use. In principle, this technological process is not difficult, especially if the material is sold in cylinders. Absolutely anyone can cope with such a task.
Among various types of insulation, penoizol has the highest thermal insulation performance. This material is excellent for performing various types of thermal insulation and sound insulation work. We’ll talk about its positive qualities and installation features further.
Penoizol is a type of urea-formaldehyde type of insulation. The history of its use originates from Germany. Now it is actively used in many countries not only in Europe, but throughout the world. The material is characterized by low thermal conductivity and low bulk density, which ranges from 6 to 60 kg per cubic meter. Externally similar to expanded polystyrene. It has the appearance of a white fine-mesh material, on which there are practically no large air inclusions.
After penoizol dries, it becomes more elastic, has no odor, and can easily recover under the influence of minor deformations. When the cut is touched, small bubbles fall off. In addition, the material is resistant to microorganisms and insects.
According to manufacturers, one slab of penozol 0.1 m thick can easily replace a layer of concrete almost 3 m thick, a brick wall - 1.8 m, mineral wool - 0.2 m, and polystyrene foam - 0.15 m. From this It follows that it is penoizol that has the highest thermal insulation properties.
In relation to the density of the material, urea-formaldehyde insulation has various strength characteristics. Penoizol has a light structure, similar to polystyrene foam, it is without special effort shrinks like a sponge.
If we consider the difference between penoizol and expanded polystyrene, then, first of all, penoizol is an absolutely non-flammable material that is not capable of ignition. This quality is based on its composition, namely the presence of nitrogen. To make the material, thermoactive resins are used, which after cooling are not able to become liquid again, so the insulation does not melt. Penoizol is able to function normally even at temperatures above 110 degrees. If the technology for laying the material and its correct operation is followed, the service life of penoizol is more than 90 years.
Penoizol - scope and features
Since this material is an organic substance with a cellular structure, it is characterized by high density, low thermal conductivity, good resistance to fire, microorganisms, rodents, affordable cost and ease of installation - its main area of use is the insulation of buildings with multi-layer building structures.
Since this substance is poured directly during the process construction work, it is easy to use. Penoizol is not capable of expanding, but has a certain shrinkage. To avoid the formation of cracks, you must strictly observe all technological aspects associated with its installation, and in particular, pour the surface at a temperature of more than 6 degrees and use high quality materials.
It is possible to use slab or tiny material. Its dry state facilitates pneumatic laying on any hollow surface. In this case, a seamless insulating and sound-proofing layer with excellent strength characteristics is formed. Structures filled with penoizol are not capable of allowing moisture to pass through, even if there are small cracks.
This material is used:
- for thermal insulation of various types of external fences;
- insulating walls of a simple or combined type;
- for thermal insulation of three-layer brick structures;
- when filling reinforced concrete wall panels;
- as a soundproofing and sound-absorbing layer;
- as insulation for laminated panels consisting of prefabricated structures;
- when insulating roofs, attics, attics, and balconies;
- for interfloor insulation;
- insulation of garages, hangars, storage rooms, open areas;
- when carrying out thermal insulation at the dacha, in vegetable stores, cellars, basements;
- when arranging wall panels with both wooden and metal frames;
- when warming the soil;
- as an absorbent substance during oil spills.
Advantages of foam insulation insulation
The use of this material in construction has the following advantages:
- Fast insulation work - this advantage carried out thanks to the convenient form of the material and its application.
- Unlimited service life - since the life of the building is about 100 years, penoizol will last the same, so the use of this material as insulation will not require additional thermal insulation in the future.
- Fire safety is explained by the presence of nitrogen in the composition of penoizol, which is a non-flammable material. In practice, ignition of the material is possible, but subsequently it will only lose a little volume due to the evaporation of moisture, but no harmful substances will not highlight.
- The absence of shrinkage is ensured by adhering to a certain technology for installing penoizol. If during the installation of thermal insulation all the conditions specified by the manufacturer were met, then there will be no shrinkage.
- In addition, this material has good moisture resistance and vapor permeability. Therefore, a healthy microclimate is ensured in the room and comfortable conditions accommodation.
- Due to the presence of a certain composition, the insulation does not emit harmful environment substances, and therefore belongs to the category of environmentally friendly materials.
- Penoizol perfectly resists the influence of various types of chemical aggressive substances; fungus and mold do not form on its surface.
- It is resistant to microorganisms and not eaten by rodents.
- Due to the absence of joining seams, reliable thermal insulation and sound insulation are ensured.
Insulating houses with foam insulation: manufacturing technology
Penoizol is called insulation, which allows you to carry out thermal insulation work quickly, efficiently and effectively.
The process of making penoizol consists of mixing carambide resins with water foam and substances in the form of a hardener. Next, the process of its hardening polymerization occurs. After complete drying, the material resembles fine-mesh porous insulation.
The primary phase of using insulation provides the opportunity to apply it in the form of liquid foam, reminiscent of dense thick foam. It does an excellent job of insulating private houses built of brick or sandwich panels. Filling of air spaces is carried out due to the presence of a certain air pressure. Then polymerization and hardening occurs, the material acquires lung shape insulation with excellent thermal insulation characteristics.
Insulating walls with foam insulation can significantly save on heating costs. Within a maximum of three years, all work costs associated with thermal insulation will be fully recouped.
Working with this material begins with filling. In order for penoizol to serve its owner efficiently, a certain technology for carrying out this process must be followed. In addition, when purchasing penoizol, you should require certification of its quality and written guarantees from the manufacturer.
It is possible to build equipment for insulation with foam insulation at home. This will allow you to significantly save on hiring intermediaries and builders. Thermal insulation of an average-sized house occurs within a maximum of 6 hours.
If you use the services of specialized companies involved in insulation using penoizol, then average cost carrying out work on 1 square meter is $30. At independently conducting work amount is reduced by 50-75%.
The insulation procedure consists of pouring foam insulation into all voids and air layers of the building. This happens through special drilled holes. It is thanks to the presence of a certain pressure that the material is able to fill all the cracks and crevices.
When hiring a specialized team, you should be very careful about the quality of the product, since there are a large number of scammers who use cheaper resin in the production of penoizol, in which case its quality is significantly reduced. For example, there is the option of using furniture resin, which is a cheaper, but at the same time dangerous type of hardener.
If you follow the insulation technology with penoizol and use high-quality material, then insulation with this material is the best in terms of quality, price, durability, efficiency and thermal conductivity.
It is possible to pour this insulation under plasterboard, wood and plywood surfaces, if the thickness of the material from which the wall is made is at least 5 cm. Since the pouring process uses equipment that provides pressure from 3 to 5 atmospheres, fragile walls are not capable of withstand it. If you use less pressure, there is a risk of the formation of cold bridges, material shedding and uneven distribution, which significantly reduces the energy efficiency of the building and the quality of the insulation.
There is an option for manufacturing sheet penoizol. This is appropriate when there are no voids in the walls to fill and it is attached directly to their outer or outer surface. For the manufacture of sheet material special cubic molds are used, which are filled with material under pressure. After it dries, they are cut according to the required size. The remaining material is used to make crumbs that fill the cavities.
Penoizol: safety of use and disadvantages
High cost is one of its disadvantages. This is explained by the fact that among alternative types Penoizol insulation has the lowest thermal conductivity. Another disadvantage of this material is its fragility and instability to deformation, so it is used exclusively as a middle layer of insulation, but not as an outer or inner layer. In addition, penoizol requires compliance with a certain technology for its installation; if you do not adhere to all the rules for its application and drying, then everything positive traits will turn negative.
Since penoizol is not capable of expanding, sticking to anything or sticking to the surface, to fill the voids it is necessary to use a special apparatus, with the help of which the material is supplied under pressure from 3 to 5 atmospheres.
Penoizol is retained on the surface due to its solidity. In addition, shrinkage is possible, amounting to 1 to 3% of the total treated surface. As a result, small cracks form, which are covered with penoizol crumbs.
When applying penoizol to the surface of brick walls, the shrinkage is only 1%, since the material fits tightly to the brick and fills all the cracks. To minimize the appearance of voids or cold bridges, the material should be applied under a pressure of at least five atmospheres. But not all structures can withstand such strong pressure.
If the temperature at which penoizol is used exceeds 90 degrees, then it loses some of its properties and begins to gradually deteriorate.
The use of penoizol is prohibited in the following cases:
- when insulating a car engine or hood;
- when installing heated floors of any purpose and type;
- when heating heating pipes ventilation or chimney purposes;
- in the process of insulating the water supply system, since penoizol is characterized by a lack of adhesion and will not adhere to them;
- when installing a pitched roof consisting of a plasterboard layer;
- as inter-crown insulation for door and window structures;
- in baths it is used only if they are made of brick.
If high-quality raw materials are used in the production of penoizol, it is absolutely safe. This material has been subjected to various tests and studies that confirm this fact.
Although, if the technology of pouring penoizol into the cavity between brick walls, leads to negative consequences its use, and in particular to the release of formaldehyde, which causes irritation, allergic reactions and other negative disorders.
To avoid the risk of formaldehyde release, high-quality vapor barrier of the interior of the room should be carried out. In this case, if this substance is released, it will only be outside the building.
Also, when choosing the quality of products and the specialists performing the filling work, you should pay attention to the availability of appropriate quality certificates confirming the harmlessness of penoizol. If penoizol is of poor quality, using cheaper resins, it will be very difficult to remove it from the surface.
Insulation with penoizol video:
It is difficult to live in an age of innovation, with every decade bringing a doubling of information - there is no stability! Things that were familiar yesterday, today or tomorrow may well become anachronistic. Innovation in everything and everywhere, including in such a conservative industry as construction. New technologies, dozens of new ones finishing materials, fastening elements and accessories, materials for walls and insulation. Fundamentally new window systems, which have changed the idea that a window is a constant source of cold, can now partially serve as a heat insulator. New building materials, technologies or tools appear almost every day. Unfortunately, not everything worthy of use in construction is widely known. And the purpose of this article is to introduce you to a fairly little-known liquid insulation - penoizol (can also be called “Mipora”, “Unipor” or “Mettemplast”).
So, penoizol
Penoizol (also known as urea foam) is produced by foaming and subsequent polymerization of urea resin. The uniqueness of this technology is that the production process takes place directly at the insulation facility, where the product in liquid form and under pressure is supplied into the insulated cavities, allowing them to be completely filled with insulation. Saves effort, time, money on transport and loading and unloading operations. There is no need to take up space to store large volumes of insulation. There is no need to attach the insulation to the wall and related work.
The whole difference in the use of penoizol from conventional insulation is in the order of work. If soft rolled and hard sheet insulation attached to the wall and only then covered (protected) with a vapor-conducting membrane with a suspended facade or plaster, then for insulation with liquid foam insulation, a suspended facade is first built and only then liquid insulation is poured into the cavity under the vapor-conducting membrane.
Characteristics of urea foam
As an insulation material, penoizol can have a density of 10 - 30 kg/m3 and has remarkable thermal insulation properties with a thermal conductivity of 0.028-0.038 W/m² C. Compare, the thermal conductivity of classic polystyrene foam, depending on the density, varies in the range - 0.038 - 0.043 W/m °C. Mineral wool boards with a density of 125 kg/m 3 - 0.07 W/m² C (to prevent shrinkage of mineral wool during operation, a density of 120 kg/m 3 and higher is recommended by manufacturers of mineral wool insulation for thermal insulation of vertical walls), and with a density of 200 kg/m 3 - 0.08 W/m²C, i.e. penoizol as an insulation retains heat better than polystyrene foam and, in this parameter, is twice as good as mineral wool.
Urea foam plastic, at one time, withstood whole line tests and repeatedly studied in various laboratories in our country and abroad. State certification and licensing services Gosstandart, State Committee for SEN, Gosstroy, after detailed studies to ensure compliance with medical standards, certified urea foam plastic. In addition, penoizol was tested for fire resistance at the State Enterprise TsNIISK named after. Kucherenko.
The studies carried out confirmed the thermal conductivity coefficient in the range from 0.028 to 0.038 W/m² C.
Tall enough and Fire safety penoizol, the material corresponds to a flammability group of at least G-2. Penoizol does not support combustion, which in itself is unique, given the organic basis of the material. When exposed to an open flame, penoizol gradually loses mass, charring and evaporating without the formation of melt drops, without emitting harmful gases or soot.
It tolerates significant cyclic changes in temperature and humidity well and without changes in its structure. At the same time, it has enviable durability. Laboratory studies gave an estimated service life of 60 – 80 years. At the same time, the Institute of Chemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, after studying penoizol for durability, wrote in conclusion that “the service life of penoizol is not limited.” This is confirmed by a study of samples of penoizol taken from walls insulated 60 - 70 years ago (the first experiments in using insulation). There were also no obvious signs of degradation.
The internal fine-mesh structure of the insulation effectively passes water vapor towards the lowest partial pressures. According to this indicator, penoizol corresponds to the best examples insulation materials available on the market. This characteristic classifies it as a “vapor-permeable” insulation material, which is prerequisite for insulation of walls and ceilings of the house.
Application
The microcapillary internal structure of penoizol, which is highly permeable to water vapor, actively pumps moisture from the walls out through its volume, constantly drying them and preventing condensation from accumulating and the appearance of accompanying mold. Which is very valuable for any walls, especially wooden ones. A well-built and high-quality curtain wall with foam insulation as insulation guarantees long life wooden house.
Like most insulation materials, penoizol is an excellent sound insulator. Its five to seven centimeter layer reduces mid-frequency airborne noise by three times, structural noise (transmitted through structural elements) by two.
Penoizol can be effectively used for insulation and sound insulation of walls, ceilings, floors and internal bulkheads of houses built from almost any modern structural materials. The efficiency, low cost and fire safety of penoizol made it attractive for insulating houses, as well as commercial and industrial buildings.
Penoizol is an effective, if not the only, material for repairing the heat-insulating layer of a building damaged during operation. The material can be used, for example, to fill cavities formed as a result of poor installation or shrinkage mineral wool, filling cavities formed from expanded polystyrene (foam) destroyed by rodents, voids formed as a result of shrinkage of loose insulation - expanded clay, ecowool, etc.
Testing various insulation materials for airflow
Pouring penoizol into walls with settled mineral wool
Disadvantages of penoizol.
Like any other material, penoizol has advantages and disadvantages. In this article I will give the main ones:
Penoizol has quite low mechanical tensile strength compared to extruded polystyrene foam and needs protection from mechanical influences.
If water enters openly for a long time, it can accumulate a certain amount of moisture, which leads to a decrease in thermal insulation properties insulation. But I note that, again, thanks to the capillary structure, it evaporates accumulated moisture very quickly.
During the period of polymerization and drying, a small amount of formaldehyde gas is released along with water, but after 2-3 weeks, when the material gets rid of moisture, this indicator does not exceed the maximum permissible concentration.
Due to its hygroscopicity, penoizol cannot be used to insulate the underground part of foundations, and also cannot be used as insulation under reinforced concrete screed.
In the case of pouring the material not into main walls (brick, concrete), but for example into a frame wall between two films, due to the impossibility of creating high pressure in the frame wall, penoizol has an unpleasant feature - shrinkage of the material during the drying process, which can reach 1%, in On capital walls, shrinkage is leveled out by the high pressure created in the wall during the pouring of penoizol.
To solve the problem of penoizol shrinkage in the lungs frame buildings, Armoplast specialists have developed a set of measures:
The technology of micro- and macro-reinforcement of penoizol using mineral additives and additional preparatory special measures, which allows you to completely get rid of the negative phenomena associated with shrinkage of the material in frame walls, ceilings, attics and guarantee reliable operation of the insulation throughout its entire service life
Rapid drying of the material is unacceptable, because penoizol during rapid drying does not have time to polymerize sufficiently and gain sufficient strength, which leads to a high percentage of material shrinkage (penoizol should be placed between the vapor barrier and windproof vapor-transparent membranes and dry for 2-4 weeks)
Mandatory use of the “correct” components, the so-called “foam-insulating” resin VPSG and Mettemplast technology.
Below are pictures taken using an electron microscope (magnification 500x - 600x) which show the structure of conventional and micro-reinforced foam insulation.
Photo 1 Photo 2
Photo 1 shows an opened empty capillary of a unit cell ("bubble") of conventional non-reinforced penoizol; photo 2 shows capillaries of reinforced penoizol filled with mineral fillers, which helps combat shrinkage phenomena during drying of the material, and also gives additional strength and fire resistance to penoizol. .
Thus, we see that penoizol has its own fairly wide area of application, and many of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the material can be eliminated technologically. Aenoizol must be protected from external mechanical and climatic influences (this requirement is the same for almost all modern insulation materials). Penoizol in frame house construction and open fills must be reinforced, which will eliminate shrinkage of the material and obtain an excellent monolithic seamless heat-insulating layer connected throughout the entire volume with reinforcing mineral fibers.
The effect of using penoizol to restore thermal insulation brick house, is perfectly demonstrated by a thermogram taken before (photo on the left) and after additional insulation was poured into the walls (photo on the right).
So, by choosing penoizol as the main insulation for the walls and ceilings of your home, you will receive an economical, reliable and durable material. A material that does not burn, “breathes” and does not harbor mice (a disadvantage of most modern insulation materials).
Penoizol is cheap, using it, you save at the construction stage, but you will get even greater savings during the heating operation of the house, since this insulation has one of the best characteristics in terms of thermal resistance. Penoizol is a combination of low price, good quality and high performance.
Since penoizol in its original form is liquid foam poured under pressure, free volumes in walls of any configuration are completely filled. This eliminates subsequent blowing and associated heat losses.
The material has a low price, therefore, using it, you will have the opportunity to increase the insulation layer in the house without additional financial costs, thereby automatically laying the foundations for its future energy efficiency.
Based on the above, we can conclude: penoizol has both positive and negative properties. But for a specific, narrow use of the material - wall insulation, floors and ceilings of the house, the pros outweigh its cons. Good thermal resistance coefficient, durability, affordable price and beautiful operational properties make him one of the best insulation materials On the market. Provided that the production technology of the material is followed, it can be recommended as insulation and sound insulator for walls, ceilings and partitions of almost any house and structure.