How much does Penoplex brick replace? The latter is not the name of the building material. This is what one of the most popular brands producing polymer thermal insulation boards sounds like. Here we mean extruded polystyrene foam, one of the best insulation materials, existing on this moment. It is worth understanding in what respect it can be compared with brick.
Clarification of terms
First of all, you need to understand to what extent expanded polystyrene can replace brickwork. These are completely different building materials.
Considering that both materials take part in the construction of external walls of buildings, only one comparison is appropriate between them - in terms of thermal conductivity. It is this characteristic that is meant when posing the question, but it needs to be reformulated correctly: what thickness of Penoplex and brick will create the same thermal resistance. In terms of other characteristics, the comparison is not in favor of the polymer.
Thermal conductivity indicators
The ability to resist the passage of thermal energy flow is characterized by the thermal conductivity coefficient λ, expressed in units of W/m 2 °C. As a rule, sellers of various insulation materials provide the value of this coefficient for products in a dry state. At the same time, regulatory documents require calculations to be made based on real operational indicators, the values of which are not so impressive.
The materials in question are available in several varieties. Brick is made from different materials and by various technologies. Brands of extruded polystyrene foam differ in density, which affects its thermal conductivity. Operating thermal indicators for products different types look like this:
- masonry made of solid ceramic brick, λ=0.7 W/m 2 °C;
- the same, from silicate, λ=0.76 W/m 2 °C;
- brickwork from ceramic hollow products with a density of 1000 kg/m 3, λ=0.47 W/m 2 °C.
The list shows the values for the finished brickwork, erected on cement-sand mortar. For other types of solutions, the indicators will be slightly different. The characteristics of extruded polystyrene foam of different densities are strikingly different:
- Penoplex with a density of 30 kg/m 3, λ=0.037 W/m 2 °C;
- the same, density 50 kg/m 3, λ=0.038 W/m 2 °C.
It is noticeable how much less the thermal conductivity of polymer insulation is than that of a brick wall. But these numbers are abstract and therefore difficult to understand for the average person. To understand the situation, we need to bring all the indicators to one concept - thickness. To do this, it is necessary to determine one more characteristic - heat transfer resistance R, expressed in units of m 2 °C/W.
Thickness calculation
Heat transfer resistance R is related to thickness building structure, and its minimum value established regulatory documents, varies depending on climatic conditions in the region. For example, in southern regions Russian Federation The walls of residential buildings must have a heat transfer resistance of at least 2.1 m 2 °C/W. It is proposed to take this value as a basis and calculate how much brick and Penoplex will be needed to comply with it. The minimum indicator is calculated using the formula:
δ=Rxλ, where:
- δ—thickness value wall structure, m;
- λ is the thermal conductivity of the material from which the wall is built, W/m 2 °C.
- R is the heat transfer resistance, in the example it is 2.1 m 2 °C/W.
If we take the thermal conductivity coefficient of ordinary brickwork λ = 0.7 W/m 2 °C, then in the southern regions of the Russian Federation the thickness of walls from ceramic product should be: δ=2.1x0.7=1.47 m.
The same wall, but made of Penoplex with a density of 30 kg/m 3, will have a thickness: δ = 2.1x0.037 = 0.077 m, or 77 mm.
The difference between the materials will be 1.47/0.077=19. The brickwork must be so many times thicker than the expanded polystyrene layer in order to achieve the same thermal insulation value of the building. Full picture showing comparison of different types brick walls and polymer insulation, is reflected in the table:
Now the table clearly shows how much worse the thermal conductivity of a brick wall differs from extruded polystyrene foam.
It is easy to conclude that in order to comply building codes To save energy, these materials must be combined; they cannot exist separately in the form of a wall structure.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiv2o06iaQs
Brick lacks thermal insulation properties, and Penoplex lacks load-bearing capacity. Together they will give an excellent result: it is enough to insulate the masonry of 1.5 hollow products with 50 mm sheets of expanded polystyrene, and overall cross section the fence will be only 0.43 m long.
What kind of brickwork does a 5 cm thick sheet of foam plastic replace? And 8 cm?
- I read the answers and I'm confused. What kind of tusk do you need to be in order to answer the question about the equivalence of brick and foam plastic and compare their load-bearing abilities... Of course, they compare thermal conductivity...
- 5 cm of penoplex is half a meter of brick!!! And don't listen to the reindeer herders!
- Both brick and foam are different.
Formally, the thermal conductivity of red brick is 10 times greater than that of highly porous foam. (0.56 and 0.05 W/m*deg - respectively)
That is, feel free to multiply the thickness of the foam by 11 and get the thickness of the brick wall.
- Hello, the best! 😉
You forgot to mention the conditions (parameters) of the assessment...
1) If you mean thermal conductivity? .
The engineer answered you.2) If we are talking about mechanical strength?. .
Polystyrene foam is NOT a replacement for brick. Especially in earthquake-prone regions.3) Durability?
The brick will last longer.4) Impact resistance environment(changes in temperature, humidity, etc.) ?
Foam plastic, in this case, is not even a building material...5) Safety (physiological, chemical, environmental)?..
Again, the comparison will be in favor of baked clay (brick)...And generally speaking.. . That's not what they teach you... ;-(
Polystyrene foam is NOT available a good choice material for construction or finishing of premises.
And in this ODIN is absolutely right...Good luck to you! 😉
- none
- Extruded polystyrene foam Extraplex with a thickness of 20 mm is equivalent in its heat and sound insulating properties to a brick wall with a thickness of 370 mm
You can insulate your home different ways, for example, using polystyrene foam, which has high performance characteristics. These include: practicality, environmental friendliness, light weight, ease of installation, immunity to temperature changes, as well as affordable price. But the main advantage is the low thermal conductivity of polystyrene foam, which allows for excellent energy saving.
What determine the characteristics of the material?
The ability to conduct heat is influenced by many factors, in particular:
- Layer thickness. Sometimes, in order to achieve high-quality energy saving, you have to use a large number of isolation. For example, the thermal conductivity of 5 cm foam plastic boards will be lower than 1 cm with the same density.
- Structure. The porous structure leads to increased insulating properties, because the cells contain air that perfectly retains heat.
- Humidity. During storage, slabs must be protected from moisture. This is due to the fact that liquid does not have a very favorable effect on the characteristics of thermal insulation foams: the more it accumulates, the worse it is.
- Average layer temperature. Its increase leads to a deterioration in the efficiency of the insulator.
Types of foam plastic and their indicators 
The construction market offers great amount insulation boards. In general, polystyrene foam has low thermal conductivity, but this varies depending on its type. Examples: sheets marked PSB-S 15 have a density of up to 15 kg/m3 and a thickness of 2 cm, while the described indicator is up to 0.037 W/(m*K) at an ambient temperature of 20-30 °C. Its value for sheets 2-50 cm marked PSB-S 35, with a density of no more than 35 kg/m3 and 16-25 kg/m3 marked PSB-S 25 of the same size is 0.033 W/(m*K) and 0.035 W/ (m*K) respectively.
The dependence of the thermal conductivity of foam insulation on its thickness is best seen when comparing it with various materials. So, a sheet of 50-60 mm replaces twice the volume mineral wool, and 100 mm are equivalent to 123 mm of expanded polystyrene foam, which has approximately similar characteristics. Loses badly and basalt wool. But the thermal conductivity of Penoplex is slightly lower than that of polystyrene foam: in order to obtain normal temperature conditions indoors, you will need 20 and 25 mm respectively.
How do you know which sheets to buy?
To most effectively apply one or another insulation method, you must choose correct sizes material. Calculations are performed according to the following algorithm:
- Find out the total thermal resistance. This is a constant value that depends on the climate in a particular region. For example, for the southern regions of Russia it is 2.8, and for Middle zone- 4.2 kW/m2.
- Calculate the thermal resistance of the wall itself using the formula R = p / k, which can be done knowing its thickness (p) and the coefficient of ability to conduct heat (k).
- Based on constant indicators, find out what resistance value the insulation should have.
- Calculate the required value using the formula p = R * k, where R is the value from the previous step, and k is the calculated thermal conductivity coefficient for the foam.
As an example, it is worth finding out what layer of slabs with a density of 30 kg/m3 is needed for a wall of one brick (about 0.25 m) in one of the southern regions. The total thermal resistance should not be less than 2.8 kW/m2, despite the fact that the coefficient determined using special tables is 0.047 (W/m*k). Now you need to find out other parameters.
Coefficient for sand-lime brick k = 0.7 (W/m*k). You should calculate its thermal resistance:
R = 0.25 / 0.7 = 0.36 (kW/m2).
The same indicator is calculated for insulation:
R = 2.8 – 0.36 = 2.44 (kW/m2).
It remains to find out the thickness of the insulating layer:
p = 2.44 * 0.047 = 0.11 m.
You can also calculate this value for other conditions, for example, for a wall of 0.51 m, 70 mm insulation is suitable. Thus, when selecting the required sizes of polystyrene foam, time and money for laying the wall are saved. So, 10 cm of material with a density of 15-17 kg/m3 replaces the masonry of one brick, and if you take denser sheets, this will allow you to do without two rows of stone. It is traditionally believed that 2 cm of insulation is equivalent to about 50 cm of brick.
Due to the fact that the range of insulation materials on the market building materials, very large - each consumer can choose the type of insulation that suits him.
One of these insulation materials is penoplex. It's synthetic insulating material for internal and external insulation.
Specifications
- the insulation is resistant to mechanical stress - resists compression;
- moisture-resistant material – does not accumulate moisture;
- practically non-flammable - does not ignite;
- the material acts as a sound insulator - absorbs extraneous noise;
- durable insulation - not affected by fungus, does not rot;
- Light weight - easy to install.
All of these qualities give penoplex versatility of use and allow it to stand out among other insulation materials. Produced in the form of sheets, which consist of pressed under the influence of high temperature expanded polystyrene.
Penoplex sheets have a little more weight than regular foam, but the thickness is the same: 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm. Most often, the thickness of penoplex determines the area of its application.
Note: There are no locks for installation on sheets with a thickness of 20 mm; they are provided for sheets with a thickness of 30 mm or more.
Application and installation
Facade
The use of penoplex has fairly high quality indicators, but will not be available to everyone, since the price of such insulation is several times higher than the price of all similar products (foam 25 or 35 density).
To carry out the work you will need:
- clean the walls from dust, debris and grease stains;
- Using a facade roller or a wide brush, prime the base to strengthen it before carrying out the main work;
- made on a special one and then fixed using foam dowels;
- The final finishing of such a facade after insulation with penoplex is most often decorative plaster- “Bark beetle” or “Lamb”.
All types of penoplex and any thickness are used for walls. The choice will depend on the financial capabilities of the consumer and the characteristics of the building itself.
Note: insulation should be reinforced with façade plastic mesh which will keep decorative finishing and will protect it from blow-outs and chips.
Base
This insulation option provides:
- gluing penoplex around the entire perimeter of the house at the base level according to the type of facade insulation - with glue, but with additional fastening with dowels;
- after this, the insulation must be covered with a special insulation plaster, which can maximally isolate the entire penoplex from the effects of the environment;
- The base is finished in a variety of ways: basement siding, profile sheet, clinker tiles and even decorative plaster.
Take note: To insulate the base, penoplex with a thickness of 40-50 mm is used for maximum protection.
Foundation
The most heat is lost through the part of the house that is closest to the ground - the foundation, so its insulation requires a special approach, and penoplex will be the ideal material for this.
The process of carrying out work on insulating the underground part of a building is very simple:
- Foundation – bearing wall house, which is located below ground level, is cleared of any remaining solution.
- Next, waterproofing is applied over the entire area of the base insulated with penoplex. It could be bitumen mastic or dry waterproofing mixture. The work is best done with a wide brush. (On how to properly waterproof strip foundation with your own hands, you can read in).
- Next comes the process of installing penoplex - gluing each sheet separately onto the same mastic or special glue for insulation. Foam dowels are used as additional fasteners. The only condition is a continuous coating, which will complicate the escape of heat and prevent the accumulation of condensation.
- Penoplex must be covered with a waterproofing film and only then the accompanying drainage work must be carried out.
It is best to use penoplex with a maximum thickness of 50 mm for insulation.
Balcony
This part of the apartment is responsible for preserving the heat that escapes through the balcony block, so you need to act here with all responsibility.
Work on insulating a balcony with penoplex is carried out in stages:
- Leveling all insulated surfaces.
- The foam is fastened by driving in fasteners - dowels for insulation.
- Before decorative painting, the penoplex is completely plastered and left for 12-24 hours until the adhesive mixture dries completely.
When using PVC or MDF lining the process will be slightly different:
- the penoplex is fastened by driving in fasteners - dowels for foam plastic;
- foam sheets are very quickly and reliably fixed between the sheathing;
- finishing the balcony with clapboard does not require an additional insulating layer.
Take note: To insulate the balcony, penoplex with a thickness of 20 or 30 mm is used to increase the usable area.
Floor
Extruded polystyrene foam occurs by joining sheets using existing grooves.
Note: According to the technology, the entire insulation is covered with a waterproofing film, which is very rarely done by craftsmen due to the inconvenience of installing the screed. Next comes the reinforced layer - masonry mesh, which is laid over the entire surface to be reinforced, and everything is poured cement screed for the floor.
If you plan to install a wooden floor, then sheets of Penonlex are laid between the joists, having previously covered the floor with a waterproofing film.
Installing a heated floor with insulation such as penoplex is completely safe even without the use of additional insulation.
Floor insulation in apartment building will also create an additional layer of sound insulation. It is advisable to use insulation sheets of maximum thickness - 40-50 mm.
Considering all of the above, we can conclude that such insulation as penoplex can be used in any premises and under any conditions. weather conditions. The options described are not all; for example, penoplex can be used to insulate even a garage. The only condition will be the thickness of the foam sheet, on which the quality of the insulated surface directly depends.
We bring to your attention a video dedicated to comparing different types of penoplex:
As practice shows, about a quarter of a building’s heat is lost through the roof. Moreover, a poorly insulated roof can cause increased humidity in the house. After all warm air, rising upward, encounters a colder layer of air under the roof. As a result, condensation forms.
Therefore, roof insulation with foam plastic is perhaps one of the most optimal options ensure high-quality heat retention and regulation of humidity levels in the room. Subject to the selection of high-quality foam and correct installation roofing sheets will provide significant energy savings. IN winter time You will be able to save on heating and, in the summer, on air conditioning.
How safe is it to insulate external walls with polystyrene foam?
There are a lot of disputes about the safety and necessity of using expanded polystyrene (or polystyrene foam). The main reason for their appearance is poorly performed insulation work, the use of uncertified material or foam plastic that is not intended for such a role (for example, flammable polystyrene foam).
In fact, high-quality and well-executed insulation of external walls with polystyrene foam guarantees complete safety of the home. Accumulation of dampness, fire danger and other factors do not threaten if the work used polystyrene foam specifically designed for wall insulation.
How to insulate a brick wall with polystyrene foam? What thickness of foam should I use?
The question is quite broad, so it is difficult to provide exact data. If the technology for installing foam plastic sheets for all types of surfaces is almost identical, then the calculation of the material for foam insulation of a brick wall is carried out in each region separately. The thickness of the sheets is primarily affected by climatic conditions region, the area of the house and the thickness of its brick walls. For example, in the Moscow region for comfortable stay It would be ideal to build houses from bricks 1.5-2 meters thick. In fact, houses from solid brick have a thickness of about 0.7 meters. Depending on a number of factors, foam sheets 50-100 millimeters wide are suitable for insulating such an object.
I heard that for maximum energy savings you need to insulate the ceiling with foam plastic. Is it so?
Insulating the walls of a private house means almost halving energy consumption for heating. This has already been proven in practice. But the positive result will be noticeably reduced if the ceiling of the house is not insulated. From 15 to 20 percent of the heat will simply evaporate, mixing with the cold air. In addition, there is a high probability of condensation formation, which is also not very good for the condition of the house and its inhabitants. Therefore, insulating the ceiling with foam plastic is an obligatory part of comprehensive work on energy saving and organizing comfortable living in an insulated room.