One of the most popular brands of extruded polystyrene foam in the modern market is Penoplex. This material is widely used in construction and decoration. It is, in fact, an improved version of the foam.
How to produce
The first extruded polystyrene foam plant appeared in the United States more than half a century ago. In the manufacture of this material uses special chemical blowing agents - porophores. The camera of special equipment is very hot at first. Then polystyrene granules are fed into it . After their melting, porophores are added to the mixture. As a result, polystyrene foams and increases significantly in volume.
The resulting mass, having the appearance of whipped cream, is then fed into a conveyor belt with an even layer of a certain thickness and cut into plates of the desired dimensions. As porophores in the manufacture of expanded polystyrene, for example, substances such as ground perlite, citric acid, sodium bicarbonate can be used.
Using this technology, all types of such material are produced, including Penoplex, Extrol, Technoplex, etc. In the process of production of such materials, various kinds of ingredients can be added to change, for example, such characteristics as strength, density, flammability. Penoplex, which includes such components, is distinguished by the best technical and operational characteristics.
Material benefits
The advantages of "Penoplex" consumers include primarily a low degree of thermal conductivity. By this indicator, such plates surpass even very popular mineral wool, for example, among private developers. Also, the advantage of "Penoplex" is light weight. Transporting such plates is very easy. This material is distinguished by its ease of installation. Fasten it to the warmed surfaces on glue of special structure. In some cases, plates of this material can additionally be attached to walls, partitions or, for example, the ceiling using plastic dowels, fungi. Also this material is easy to cut.
Another advantage of Penoplex, in comparison with the same mineral wool, is that it is completely not afraid of water. When moistened, this material does not lose its heat-preserving qualities and does not begin to collapse.
Another undoubted advantage of Penoplex is its ability to withstand significant loads. Dense slabs of this material are often used for floor insulation, for example, under screed. Such sheets cost a little more than mineral wool, but still the price is not too high.
Material flaws
Among the minuses of Penoplex, among other things, consumers include a low degree of vapor conductivity. Therefore, the use of such plates for insulation, for example, wooden walls is not recommended. Otherwise, a fungus forms on their surface.
Also, polystyrene foam, like mineral wool, is considered not to be too environmentally friendly material. Sheathe baths, for example, is also not recommended. At high temperatures, these boards may begin to release toxic styrene fumes.
Another disadvantage of this material is considered to be not too high degree of resistance to various kinds of chemicals. For example, under no circumstances should this material come into contact with toluene.
Well, the most important disadvantage of this material is, of course, combustibility. Penoplex is capable, among other things, of being quite easily and quickly ignited. For this reason, the owners of country houses often refuse to use this material for their insulation, preferring to use mineral wool.
Flammability classification
Thus, one of the main disadvantages of Penoplex is flammability. The combustibility groups of building materials currently distinguish the following:
- NG - do not ignite even when exposed to open flame;
- G1 - very slightly burn;
- G2 - moderately flammable;
- G3 - combustible;
- G4 - flammable.
"Penoplex", depending on the brand, can belong to the group G3 or even G4. When burning, this material emits very caustic, toxic smoke.
Some companies claim including the fact that they produce Penoplex with G1 flammability. However, experienced builders believe that below G3 this material can not be resistant to fire.
Flammability of "Penoplex"
Thus, this insulation cannot be exposed to open fire, otherwise this material will ignite. In order to reduce the combustibility of such plates, in their manufacture, manufacturers add special additives to the granules. Due to the presence of such components in the composition of this material, Penoplex dies out immediately after ignition. However, in terms of fire safety, mineral wool, which does not burn at all, is still inferior to a certain extent.
When using Penoplex as a heater, experienced builders advise installing the boards in such a way that their direct contact with the fire is excluded. To use such plates for wall insulation near the furnace, for example, is not worth it.
Exposure to open fire structures insulated by Penoplex can withstand, as practice shows, about 15 minutes. This time may be enough to safely evacuate people. Moreover, drops of melting heat-insulating plates of this variety are not able to set fire even to paper. However, only material made using special fire-fighting additives behaves in this way. This is when choosing an insulator should be borne in mind.
Classification by type
Currently, the industry produces several brands of "Penoplex", differing in purpose. For example:
- "Penoplex 31C" is used mainly for insulation of pipes and tanks;
- Brand 35 is universal and can be used for insulation of both pipes and walls of buildings, screeds, foundations;
- "Penoplex 45" has a high density and can be used to warm, for example, runways of airfields, routes and floors in industrial premises.
All these grades relate to materials with a fairly high degree of combustibility. The Penoplex combustibility group can be either G3 (with additives) or G4, depending on the variety.
So, for example, a material intended for cladding walls usually has a greater degree of fire resistance than that used for cladding foundations. The flammability of "Penoplex 35", for example, is such that it can be attributed to class G3. Material 45 belongs to group G4.
There is also the Penoplex Geo brand. The flammability of such a material is also high and it belongs to the G4 group. Such sheets are used for insulation of foundations. Sheets of this type are characterized by almost zero degree of moisture permeability and are resistant to biological effects.
Specifications
Thus, Penoplex is a material with excellent thermal insulation properties, convenient to use and relatively inexpensive. Technical characteristics of such plates differ in the following:
- service life - more than 50 years;
- operating operating temperature - in the range of -50 ... + 75 ° ;
- degree of thermal conductivity - 0.030-0.032 (m * K);
- water absorption per day - 0.4%;
- density - 28-33 kg / m 3 ;
- the degree of vapor permeability is 0.007 mg / m * h * Pa.
Soundproofing this insulation is able to provide 41 dB. It has a compressive strength of 25-35 MPa. According to the degree of flammability, Penoplex, as already mentioned, belongs to the G3 or G4 group.
Dimensions
The thickness of this material may have different. On sale today there is a Penoplex from 20 to 100 mm. 20 mm material is usually used to insulate partitions indoors. The thickest Penoplex can be used for cladding facades, floors, and in some cases walls. The width of the plates of this material is always 600 mm. The length of the sheets can be equal to 1200 mm or 2400 mm.
When buying such plates, among other things, it is worth paying attention to their integrity. "Penoplex" - the material, of course, is not as fragile as polystyrene. However, sometimes such plates can break. For this reason, experts advise always to purchase this material with a margin of at least 5-10%.
Where can be used
The characteristics of Penoplex in terms of combustibility, degree of thermal conductivity, and strength determine, of course, among other things, the scope of its use. In most cases, this material, like other brands of extruded polystyrene foam, is used to warm the facades of residential buildings. Very well, this material, for example, is suitable for insulation of brick and concrete walls from cold. It is also allowed, subject to certain technologies, to be used for cladding foam concrete facades.
In addition to walls, this material can be used, for example, for sheathing and insulation of roofs. With its use, ramps are isolated if you want to equip a residential attic. In particular, this material is often used to insulate roofs on continuous crates.
Also, Penoplex can be used to warm foundations. In this case, it is considered a much more suitable type of insulator than mineral wool. Unlike the latter, extruded polystyrene foam is completely not afraid of moisture, including soil.
Penoplex is also considered very suitable for floor insulation. Such slabs can be used both for insulation of floors on logs, and for concrete screed. Of course, ceilings are also lined with such sheets.
Very often this material is also used for sheathing balconies and loggias if necessary to insulate them. In this case, the most commonly used Penoplex slabs are 50 mm.
Sheathing with this material is allowed for buildings of almost any purpose. But since the Penoplex combustibility class is high, it is not recommended to use it, for example, for warming baths or saunas. Also, this material is not used for insulation of heating mains.
Mounting technology without frame
We have found out which class of Penoplex combustibility class (35, 31, 45, Geo), as well as what this material differs in its technical characteristics. But how to mount the plates of this variety? When installing "Penoplex", as already mentioned, special glue is used. Such a tool is applied to the sheets usually around the perimeter and diagonally. The insulated surface itself is pre-cleaned of dirt and dust.
The gluing of plates is done in a checkerboard pattern. Sometimes Penoplex is mounted on facades and in two layers. This technology is usually used in cold regions. When installing the plates of the upper layer during its application, make sure that they overlap the joints of the lower.
After the surface is completely finished with plates, they begin to putty the joints. For this, a special variety of sealant is used. Next, a special reinforcing mesh is mounted on the polystyrene foam surface. Then, already on top of it, put the plaster. At the final stage, the walls are painted.
Frame mounting
In this case, Penoplex is installed using the same technology as mineral wool. They use this technique when they do not want to plaster facades, but close them, for example, with siding, lining or profiled sheet.
In this case, the crate is first mounted on the walls. Further, between its elements, the Penoplex slabs themselves are installed. On top of them on the bars to the frame is attached a waterproofing film. Then the actual finishing material itself is mounted - siding, lining, etc.