The use of foam glass in insulation - the pros and cons. Foam glass large overview of the material What impacts is foam glass resistant to
What a person does not come up with in order to simplify his existence with his own hands. How many heaters have been invented to create thermal insulation of buildings - do not count.
The most popular of them are on everyone's lips, and you can read reviews about them almost everywhere. These include mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, penoizol and even wood concrete ().
But there are also more exotic heat-insulating materials, which, nevertheless, also do an excellent job with the tasks. One such material is foam glass.
1 Foam glass features
What is interesting initially, in the form of a heater itself, foam glass was not conceived as insulation material. It was invented by accident, in the thirties of the last century, when many experiments were carried out with various waste materials.
While mineral wool was already on the market, but was not as popular as . A similar fate awaited glass wool. But the emergence of the ability to melt minerals and glass in furnaces with high pressure still had an impact.
A few inquisitive minds from American company we decided that we could try to create some kind of material from glass waste and mineral crumbs. As a result, the first foam glass production was launched.
We will not fully describe the production of foam glass and how it works, if we check the technical documentation. That is the corresponding GOST. But even GOST to an inexperienced person is unlikely to be able to clarify this process to the end. Too complicated algorithms and chemical formulas are used there.
Yes, and it is worth noting that the equipment for the production of foam glass is also bad jokes. It is very expensive and quite roomy. These are large furnaces, with the possibility of aggregating materials, adding chemicals. And to everything else, they are also attached to the foam formers.
The remelted raw material with the addition of astringent chemicals is added inside the foam former, where all this mass is saturated with gases.
As a result, a porous material is obtained from a frozen raw material, which slightly resembles glass. As you can see, the production of foam glass with is a complex and confusing business.
Moreover, each manufacturer comes up with his own or improves the already finished technology for creating products. This is how Foamglas foam glass, Neoporm foam glass, ETIZ, etc. appeared. Each material has its own characteristics, properties and even structure.
For example, Foamglas foam glass is characterized by increased strength. Yes, and it is a product of a very well-known company in construction circles.
But ETIZ gas glass (another name for foam glass, since the material has pores that are formed due to the passage of gases under pressure through the product) is distinguished by open pores and very low weight. It is vapor-permeable, which is a kind of unique feature of the ETIZ company alone.
1.1 Release form
Produce foam glass in different forms. This must be understood. GOST clearly standardizes the release forms, but each manufacturer may prefer one or another option.
If we talk about basic forms, then foam glass is produced in the form of:
- Light granules like ;
- Blocks.
The technical characteristics of foam glass in the form of granules are quite unique. This is a very light material that does not corrode at all. It does not eat fungus or mold, it does not form damage. Foam glass in granules is almost eternal. Difficult to find more resistant to external influences material.
However, this does not apply to its density. The main disadvantage of foam glass lies precisely in its low density. Moreover, both in the form of granules and in the form of blocks.
Of course, thermal insulation will withstand medium loads, but only medium ones. The density of foam glass is not much higher than the density of high-quality polystyrene foam.
Most often, in granules, foam glass trims the house from the frame. The granules are added to the adhesive, kneading in the form of a filler. The result is an adhesive with thermal insulation properties or even analogues of plasters with foam glass.
By the way, some manufacturers immediately noticed and appreciated the possibility of adding foam glass granules to the solution, launching a whole line of similar products. Now glue with the addition of foam glass can be matched to any house or structure.
And what is very important, such glue or plaster can really increase the thermal insulation properties of the insulated structure. At least that's what the reviews say.
The second, and much more popular release option is blocks and. Foam glass blocks are rigid relatively light elements. They are in many ways reminiscent of polystyrene boards or mineral wool samples, which in our time insulate any suitable house.
However, as we noted above, each manufacturer can choose the option that suits him here. So, Foamglas foam glass is mainly sold in the form of large blocks. ETIZ foam glass is packaged in the form of thinner panels with a large plane. And there are many such variations.
2 Foam glass properties
Let us now analyze the specific properties of foam glass, and also divide them into positive and negative.
Like any other insulation, foam glass has both pros and cons. It's quite normal. Before ordering foam glass insulation, you must first study these properties, so as not to be disappointed later.
In fact, modern manufacturers have learned how to create foam glass quite High Quality. Practically any house can be insulated from beginning to end with foam glass alone. In this case, you can use both plates and heat-insulating glue or plaster.
If we talk about the positive properties of foam glass, then the following list emerges.
Main advantages:
- stability of shape and size.
- Durability for .
- Can be mounted on glue, like conventional heaters.
- No reaction to any manifestations of corrosion.
- Ecological purity.
- Moisture protection.
- Vapor permeability (optional).
Let's separate the last two points. The fact is that the reaction to moisture and vapor permeability, as properties, in foam glass can either be present or absent.
This is possible due to a change in the original technology for creating the material. For example, Foamglas foam glass is produced with closed cells. They are completely isolated from each other, and therefore the material does not allow moisture, steam, air or anything else to pass through at all.
With it, you can finish the house on the facade, the outer parts of the foundation, etc. Glue for such products will also have to be selected separately, although the difference there is not so big.
But the manufacturer of foam glass ETIZ decided to go the other way. His pores in the blocks are mostly open and connected to each other by a system of channels.
That is, if you insulate the house with foam glass from the outside, then most likely it will let moisture through to the walls. Especially if you are not going to use a special waterproof adhesive for fixing the boards, as well as additional insulation.
However, this material also has disadvantages. Main cons:
- Impressive cost.
- Reacts negatively to shock, has a not too high density.
- For some designs, the weight of the plates may become excessive, the house will have to be calculated for the load, and then it will be determined whether it is convenient to use foam glass for insulation.
In terms of cost, everything is already clear, the expensive production process and a lot of equipment affect the price. However, you need to understand that if you decide to decorate the house with foam glass thermal insulation, you are unlikely to regret it.
It's even easier with punches. Through the smelting process, the blocks still remain materials that were originally assembled from broken glass, and therefore their strength is rather mediocre.
However, this does not apply to all such products. There are cases when almost the entire house was assembled from foam glass. In the work, of course, slightly different materials were used, but here the differences concerned rather chemical formula foam glass.
2.1 Mounting technology
Foam glass is mounted on walls as simply as any other material of the same type and. In form and essence, these are ordinary blocks. They can be placed on the walls, mounted on glue or laid in a pre-assembled frame.
It should only be noted that the weight of foam glass is still greater than the weight of mineral wool or polystyrene, and therefore it must be fixed more reliably.
It is advisable to choose a special glue. First, it provides better adhesion, and secondly, it withstands loads from the weight of the structure well.
As insurance, the blocks can be additionally fixed with dowels. But only very carefully so as not to accidentally destroy the plate completely.
If we are talking about foam glass plaster, then it’s still easier. It only needs to be applied to the wall using the same technology as a conventional solution. True, such a composition dries a little faster, which must be taken into account.
Since, in addition to glass and blowing agent, manufacturers can add various impurities to foam glass, the color of the resulting product can vary from light brown and blue to black. In addition to color, the characteristics of foam glass from different manufacturers also differ. In particular, some types of foam glass have greater vapor conductivity and / or better thermal insulation properties. And some types of foam glass are so strong that they can be used as a thermal insert under bearing wall. In addition to the advantages used in the production of foam glass, for example, an outdated production technology may also have disadvantages, such as the release of hydrogen sulfide during the operation of foam glass.
Types of foam glass:
- granulated foam glass(gravel, crushed stone, sand),
- block foam glass (blocks, plates and shells from foam glass).
- (ICM Glass / ICMGlass, Kaluga region). Foam glass crushed stone (PSShch).
- / Saitaks (Dmitrovsky plant of innovative heat-insulating materials and composites, Moscow region). Granulated foam glass (gravel and crushed stone), granulated ceramic foam, plaster and masonry mixture based on foam glass. The granules contain hydrogen sulfide.
- ("STES-VLADIMIR", Vladimir). Thermal insulation boards, shaped products (shells, segments, knees), fractional heat-insulating crushed stone.
- (Moscow region). Granulated foam glass.
- (Krasnoyarsk). Foam glass plates.
- (LLC "Novouralsk plant of heat-insulating products TEZIZ", Sverdlovsk region). Plate foam glass thorn-groove, foam glass crumb. Foam glass Thesis is not clean, contains an astringent component, due to which vapor permeability is carried out.
- (CJSC "Modis", Yaroslavskaya oblast). Granulated foam glass.
- (LLC "Penokam", Perm). Plate (block) and granulated foam glass (gravel, crushed stone, sand).
- (LLC "SBKT", Tula region) - granulated foam glass and foam ceramics.
- (Moscow region) - granulated foam glass, foam glass crushed stone, dry mixes with foam glass, dry filling from foam glass of various fractions.
- (Novgorod region) - granulated foam glass.
- (United Industrial Initiative, Moscow Region). Blocks, plates, shaped products (shells, segments, elbows, boxes) made of foam glass. Imports products of Pittsburgh Corning, in Russia manufactures shells, segments, elbows, conical segments, prefabricated structures.
- (JSC "Gomelsteklo"). Block foam glass and foam glass chips.
When buying foam glass products, be sure to pay attention to the thermal insulation properties and strength characteristics. They can vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Advantages of foam glass:
- Good heat and sound insulation
- Waterproofing, vapor barrier
- Environmental friendliness (does not emit toxic substances), sanitary safety
- Incombustibility, fire safety
- durability (retains physical properties 80-100 or more years)
- Wide temperature application range (from extremely low to extremely high temperatures of hundreds of degrees)
- Does not absorb or accumulate odors
- Resistant to rodents and pests, tk. does not contain organic compounds
- Resistant to aggressive media, including acids and organic solvents.
- Insoluble in water, not eroded by water, allows the construction of floating structures.
- Dimensional stability (no shrinkage due to rigid, non-shrinking structure)
- Low coefficient of linear thermal expansion
- Strength
- Not a breeding ground for fungi, mold, microorganisms
- Broken glass and glass production waste can be used for production
- High cost, especially slab foam glass
- Fragile structure, so it is important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Very low vapor conductivity, which in some cases can lead to moisture being trapped between the wall and the insulation, and, as a result, the appearance of fungi and mold is not excluded.
- Damaged by strong alkalis and hydrofluoric acid.
- Lack of plasticity of the plates (there is a risk of cracking due to the mobility of the base or walls)
Please note that some manufacturers offer foam glass plates, although they contain gypsum, cement, basalt wool, ... Such products, of course, have little to do with real foam glass, their characteristics can vary significantly. For example, one of Russian manufacturers offers innovative "foam glass" based on soda glass; this material has low strength and limited moisture resistance; it is not an analogue of soda-lime glass. Real foam glass has a melted structure, providing moisture resistance, frost resistance, durability, operational stability, incombustibility, strength and durability. The durability of foam insulators from "liquid" glass drops sharply when exposed to water vapor, because. contains silicates.
Some manufacturers suggest using polyurethane adhesive or bituminous mastic for laying foam glass plates. In the case of its use, environmental friendliness is of course lost.
Andrey Kuryshev in his program "" talked a lot about the merits of environmentally friendly foam glass insulation. Unfortunately, since the program went on the air, this heat-insulating material has risen in price greatly. In this regard, the practice of using foam glass in Russia remains very small.
Insulation with foam glass, especially when used on the facade, must be carried out correctly. In this case, it does not hurt to pay attention to the recommendations of manufacturers. Since foam glass reacts with alkalis, it is strictly forbidden to use cement-based glue for blocks. Foamglas, for example, offers an adhesive based on modified bitumen.
- "Since the outer surface of the material consists of many cut cells, the foam glass is easily and firmly glued with mastics, it is well plastered, combined with aluminosilicate binders (cement, lime-cement mortars)."
- "Three-layer walls. Blocks are recommended to be used as the middle layer of three-layer brick walls made of ceramic or silicate brick on cement-sand or cement-lime mortar, as well as from other small-piece materials, for example, structural lightweight concrete, cellular concrete, aerated concrete, gas silicate, etc."
- "Two-layer walls. Blocks are recommended to be used as thermal insulation of two-layer walls. Insulation is placed directly on the inner surface with glue, mastic or mechanical fixation."
But since foam glass can react with alkalis, and also due to cement shrinkage, these recommendations should be used carefully.
In 2004, the UE "NIPTIS Institute" developed and approved the recommendations "Application of heat-insulating blocks made of foam glass in the insulation of buildings and structures." In them you can find both recommendations for calculating thermal insulation and design recommendations, including those relating to two-layer and three-layer walls, light plaster and heavy plaster, wall insulation with inside, roof insulation and attic floors, thermal insulation of socles.
Despite the shortcomings of foam glass, if durability, environmental friendliness, fire safety and inertness are needed, then there are practically no alternatives. At the same time, slab foam glass is very expensive. In addition, foam glass is afraid of alkalis, so cement slabs cannot be used. In addition, in the case of slab foam glass, the issue of blocking moisture in a multilayer wall is not solved.
Instead of foam glass plates, you can use a well brickwork with backfilling of foam glass granules or foam glass crushed stone. In addition, foam glass is an ideal heat-insulating material for basements, plinths, ceilings, attics, where its heat-insulating properties are complemented by vapor opacity.
I was looking for material for linen insulation, and came across foam glass. To be honest, I first heard about the material and for a week I plunged into the study of this unusual (unusually expensive) insulation. I share the results of my research.
- inorganic, environmentally friendly high-strength and lightweight insulation that looks like pumice stone. Chemical composition foam glass is identical to household glass based on oxides of silicon, potassium, sodium, aluminum, magnesium, calcium.
Foam glass was presented in 1932 at the All-Union Conference on Innovations in Construction. The material was presented by the legendary physicist-crystallographer A.I. Kitaygorodsky. By the end of the thirties, the French, British, Czechs, Germans and Americans already had patents for the production of foam glass. The war slowed down research in this area and the first factories appeared in the Union only in the seventies. However, production volumes exceeded 100,000 m3 per year and the product was in demand.
The production of foamed glass is extremely energy-intensive and difficult to control technical parameters, so it became unprofitable in the late 80s - of the four plants, only Gomelsteklo remained (apparently, it closed the line quite recently). But over the past 5 years in Russia and Ukraine, the production of a variety of foam glass has been adjusted at prices competitive to European ones. We sorted out the history of the material in a nutshell, let's move on.
How foam glass is made
Broken glass, recyclables are ground with a blowing agent (coal, coke, soot, anthracite) and poured into molds, mixed with other additives. The mold is approximately 10% filled, the entire volume will be filled during the formation of glass foam. Roasting takes place in a tunnel kiln at a temperature of about 1000°C. In the process of glass melting, the blowing agent increases the mass by 14-15 times and the mold is filled.
For foam glass granules the technology is different: cullet is washed and dried, crushed, then ground with blowing agents and the charge is granulated. Next, the granules are dried and placed in a rotary kiln, where the granulate is poured quartz sand to prevent soldering. Foaming takes place at a temperature of 780 to 820°C.
The prime cost of foamed glass is very high due to the energy intensity of production and expensive equipment (line equipment for 20 m3 per day costs about $1 million).
Types of foam glass:
- Blocks (slabs)
- Granules
- Shapeless fight (construction rubble).
Properties and characteristics of foam glass
The solid phase in foam glass is about 10%, so it has a low density. The average bubble diameter is 2000 µm, and the bubble wall thickness is 20…100 µm. Cellular glass can be obtained with a density of at least 100 kg/m3 - this is the ultimate strength. Mostly manufacturers have produced and continue to produce material with a density in the range of 120-160 kg/m3. Such foam glass has high thermal insulation properties, while maintaining acceptable strength characteristics and ease of processing. The density of foam glass determines its thermal conductivity and strength, these characteristics can be compared by specifications, for example, in Penosital:
The ratio of density, thermal conductivity
and strength of foam glass according to TU 5914-001-73893595-2005 (Penosital)
Foam glass does not contain micropores capable of absorbing moisture from environment. Any moisture that may linger in the glass microspheres cut during molding drains from the material after removing it from the water. Therefore, for all types of cellular glass, a slight amount of water absorption is usually observed, depending more on the method of measurement and the size of the cells. The most “water-absorbing” is foam glass battle, crushed stone.
All properties of foam glass are determined by its structure, which is melted glass cells filled with gases. The differences are determined by the size of the cells, the presence of more or less free defects in the bridges between the cells.
From the characteristics of the raw materials used (glass and blowing agent) follow main qualities of the material:
- High chemical inertness (in recent years, some manufacturers offer foam glass resistant to alkalis).
- Exceptional durability.
- Zero flammability.
- Hydro-vapor impermeability.
- Does not change thermal properties during operation.
- Biostability.
- Doesn't shrink.
- Low coefficient of linear thermal expansion.
"Specialists" in marketing offer the so-called vapor-permeable foam glass, which is not foam glass in the general sense. This is a heater based on liquid sodium glass with open pores. It is used exclusively inside heated rooms. On the facades, steam freezes in the pores and breaks the fragile cellular structure into sand.
Is there some more the analogy problem: foam glass crumb mixed with various binders and additives (gypsum, basalt, cement, sawdust, etc.), which is sold under the name foam glass. The price of such "products" may be lower by an order of magnitude, but they have nothing to do with the original.
The issue of environmental friendliness: foam glass is obtained from sulfate-containing glasses, in the cells of which hydrogen sulfide is closed from reduced sulfur. It is also present in the structure of the initial product in the solid phase in the form of sulfides. Sulfides react with water vapor in the air and undergo a hydrolysis reaction that releases hydrogen sulfide into the air. Last years brand manufacturers try not to use such glasses, but this entails changes in production line and price increase. It must be understood that the amount of hydrogen sulfide in cellular glass is negligible and is felt only when the block is cut.
Application of foam glass
I bring a plate from the "Building Complex of the Middle Urals" for March 2006
| Specifications | Areas of use |
| Environmental Safety | Any type of construction, including in the food and pharmaceutical industries. |
| High thermal resistance | Thermal insulation in industrial and civil construction, reducing the consumption of building materials, reducing the thickness of walls, increasing the reliability and durability of the road surface; thermal insulation of pipelines and gas pipelines. |
| Zero flammability | Thermal insulation in high-rise construction; creation of refractory structures; insulation of pipelines and other equipment operating at temperatures up to 600C. |
| Low material density with high strength | Reducing the load on the foundation and the ability to build even on weak soils; superstructure of the upper floors of buildings; thermal insulation of ceilings, roofs, floors; granulate - an indispensable filler for durable lightweight panels; production of pontoons and other floating structures. |
| Chemical inertness, high corrosion resistance | Production of reusable insulation; unlimited operating time; non-shrinkage (long-term stability sizes); construction of tanks and pipelines for acids and oil products; effective protection of granaries, utility and residential premises, tk. not destroyed by rodents and insects. |
Due to the variety of thicknesses and form factors of slabs and blocks, you can choose individual option. Foam glass is cut with a saw for aerated concrete.
Thermal insulation of hot pipes with figured foam glass can really pay off, as it can be used at temperatures up to 550 ° C without the need for regular replacement. The material is resistant to both steam and air, as well as oil products and oils.
Bulk foam glass used in well masonry and in bulk floors, as a conditional alternative to expanded clay. However, the foam glass breaker is very sharp and cuts the waterproofing films-substrate, it is impossible to clot it. It is better to use granules, especially since they are melted closed pores and will not hold water in broken cells like crushed stone.
Features of foam glass installation I do not consider, because all technical solutions you need to find out directly from the manufacturer from which you will buy it. For each place of application of the material, there are rules for installation and processing associated with some of the nuances of foam glass. The Belarusian Institute NIPTIS has developed recommendations for the use of foam glass blocks, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the document.
Features and disadvantages of foam glass
There are factors that limit the use of this heater in wet facades and as a filler for lightweight concrete. The limitation is due to the alkali-silicate reaction that occurs between glass and concrete, cement, all mixtures and plasters containing reactive silicon oxide. Cement-based formulations enter into alkaline reaction with the formation of a gel and fall off the glass (or the glass peels off the facade).
It is impossible to glue foam glass to the bearing surface with compounds that gain strength during drying due to the water and vapor impermeability of foam glass - they will not gain strength at the points of contact with glass.
Shrinking solutions are also not suitable, as they destroy the glass cells with which they have come into adhesion and collapse.
All the problems described above are somehow solved by some manufacturers. Blocks are covered with bitumen, pasted over different materials to avoid problems with cement compositions and prevention mechanical damage fragile edges of the material. There is also a direct melting method, when zirconium dioxide is added to the cullet and alkali resistance is provided. Another solution is the partial crystallization of glass, in which the material no longer tends to enter into an alkali-silicate reaction.
The type of pores in foam glass affects the thermal resistance of the material. It is good when the glass has closed cells of 1-2 mm. Vapor-permeable foam glass is much worse in this indicator.
Manufacturer-recommended specialized polyurethane adhesives are rarely available. retail, are very expensive and do not have 100% analogues. More precisely, there are analogues in terms of compatibility with glass, but they do not have the recommended temperature and moisture resistance.
To insulate the facade of the building, foam glass is too heavy, taking into account the impact protection for it (strength grade 11). It is not easy to work with it, as the material is fragile, although it has high compressive strength.
Foam glass price
I will quote the cost of Ukrainian foam glass in dollar terms.
| Foam glass in slabs 600x450 (450x450) mm | |||
| Thickness, mm | Vapor permeable, $/m2 | Vapor proof grade 1, $/m2 | 2nd grade, $/m2 |
| 30 | 4 | 7.15 | 6.8 |
| 40 | 5.2 | 9.5 | 8.7 |
| 50 | 6.6 | 12 | 11.4 |
| 60 | 8 | 14.3 | 13.7 |
| 70 | 9.2 | 16.7 | 16 |
| 80 | 10.55 | 19.1 | 18.2 |
| 100 | 13.2 | 23.9 | 22.8 |
| 120 | 15.8 | 28.6 | 27.4 |
| Fractionated foam crumb (fraction up to 150 mm) | 57.8 $/m3 |
I would consider foam glass insulation as a backfill for well masonry and as a waterproofing blind area - in these places the application expensive material 100% justified. But I would not use foam glass rubble.
Each person who started thermal insulation at home is interested in the issue of choosing a high-quality insulation material. As you know, you should prepare for winter in advance, since you will hardly be able to heat walls that are not insulated - thermal energy will be free to leave the premises. For this reason, you need to solve two problems at once:
- get a good heater;
- correctly install it, performing the insulation of the house.
Foam glass used as a heater has not only a slight thermal conductivity, but also a list of other characteristics. Let's get acquainted with the features of this material, its strengths and weaknesses, leading manufacturers and features of the installation.
Foam glass - what is it?
This kind of glass is considered a universal insulating material used both in the oil and chemical industries, and in construction. Roughly speaking, this is foamed glass mass.
In the manufacture of this material, silicate glass is used - at a high temperature (about a thousand degrees), it is softened, and then carbon is passed through it (this substance plays the role of a kind of blowing agent). Thanks to this, the glass mass foams. After the material cools down to 15-20 degrees, it acquires its unique properties.
Note! Foam glass, as well as mineral wool or expanded polystyrene, is used for thermal insulation of roofs, facades, walls, floors, etc. It can also be used to insulate balconies and loggias.
Video - Foamed glass
Price
To understand how profitable the purchase of foam glass is, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the average market prices of popular insulating materials in the domestic market. For the convenience of visitors, the data is presented in the form of a small table.
Table. Price comparison of popular heat insulators
|
Heaters |
Cost of 1 m3, rub |
|
Nanoglass in products (plates, blocks) |
|
|
Foam glass in granules |
|
|
Styrofoam |
|
|
Mineral wool |
|
|
mineral plate |
|
|
basalt slab |
|
|
Basalt wool |
|
|
Expanded clay bulk M400 |
|
|
Nano concrete blocks |
How to insulate the facade with polystyrene foam
Previously, we talked about the technology of facade insulation with expanded polystyrene, the advantages of the material and the method of laying plates, in addition to this article, we advise you to read this information
Disadvantages and weaknesses of foamed glass
Let's make a reservation right away that foam glass has a lot of advantages, it has unique technical specifications. Let's get acquainted with the most significant of them.
- The material is quite strong and durable.
- Installing it is quite simple, it is quite possible to cope with the procedure on your own.
- This heater is non-combustible.
- It is absolutely safe for the body, both in terms of hygiene and in terms of ecology.
- It is waterproof, which ensures maximum stability and strength of the entire object.
- Also this insulation resistant to a variety of aggressive influences.
- During operation, it does not shrink.
- Its cost is quite low, so it can compete with other materials.
- Finally, the heat insulator is resistant to low temperatures.
But foam glass also has some disadvantages, which you should definitely find out about before buying.
- So, it is quite fragile, as a result of which certain kinds of difficulties may arise during installation.
- Low aesthetic indicators - the material itself looks, to put it mildly, “not very good”, therefore, it needs further decorative finishing.
Note! If the insulation is installed in fire hazardous structures, then it is imperative to use polymer cement glue, which, as you know, is extremely elastic and has good adhesion.
Main characteristics of the material
Foam glass has, as we noted above, excellent characteristics. Let's take a look at the key features of each.
Water and vapor tightness
This material, as we already know, is waterproof. It does not absorb water and does not increase in size, and also reliably protects the structure from leakage. Moreover, it also simultaneously performs the function of a vapor barrier layer. This heat insulator is also durable, it retains its original thermal conductivity throughout its entire service life. And this period, by the way, is equal to the service life of the object itself.
stable dimensions
Due to the low thermal expansion index (especially when compared with foam), close to the coefficient of steel and concrete, which ensures excellent adhesion to the surface, and internal deforming stresses between these insulating layers are excluded in principle. It is also worth noting that the so-called "cold bridges" in this case are also absent.
Strength indicators
Foam glass has a compressive strength of 160 tons per square meter.
Chemical cost
The material is immune to almost all chemicals. The only exception is hydrofluoric acid, which, by the way, is not the most common substance on the planet. Moreover, the properties of the material are not affected by the biological environment, because it is impossible for any life form to develop in it.
It is worth noting that one of the main features of foamed glass is its unique property- other materials do not have this - "obstruction" for insects and rodents. This is, in fact, an excellent abrasive, and in nature there are no biological forms that can grind or gnaw abrasives without causing significant harm to themselves.
Safety
The insulation is safe both in terms of hygiene and in terms of environmental friendliness. The cullet used in its manufacture is 100 percent recyclable material, which can then be recycled into new products.
About combustibility
Foam glass does not burn, under the influence of high temperatures does not emit harmful gases and evaporation. If a fire occurs, but the insulator will prevent the spread of the flame (we are talking about the so-called "fireplace effect").
To find out in more detail what foamed glass is, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of one of the most popular brands in this industry.
Table. Foamglas foam glass parameters
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Name, unit measurements |
Indicators |
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Density, kg/m3 |
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Compressive strength MPa |
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Bending strength MPa |
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Thermal conductivity at 25 C, W |
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Thermal conductivity under operating conditions A and B, W |
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Water absorption, % |
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Vapor permeability, mg/(m*h*Pa) |
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Features of the production process
In the manufacture of foam glass, generally recognized standards are mandatory. For the manufacture, as noted above, cullet is used or, alternatively, the same materials that are used in the production of ordinary glass (sand, limestone, soda). After grinding, silicate glass is treated with carbon (for this, anthracite, coke, and so on can be added), in order to subsequently foam it when heated. When the material cools down, it acquires the cellular structure required by the standards. The cells themselves here are of a closed type, they can have both a hexagonal and a round shape.
The dimensions of the cells can be different - from tenths of a millimeter to a whole centimeter. As for the porosity of the insulation, here this figure varies between 80-90 percent. It is also worth noting that after foaming, the volume of the material increases by approximately 15 (!) Times.
Varieties of foamed glass
There are several types of foam glass, let's get acquainted with the features of each of them.
- Insulation made in the form of blocks and slabs.
- Loose heat insulator made in the form of granules.
- Molded insulator (this group includes shaped elements - adapters, couplings, connection fittings and others).
- Fight or a crumb of foamed glass.
Plates / blocks can be used in any construction industry, including in tandem with other building materials. When blocks are sawn off during manufacture, the waste remaining is used as foam glass chips. Granular material, as the name suggests, is made in the form of granules with different dimensions - from tenths of a millimeter to several centimeters.
Video - Types and application of foam glass
Scope of the described insulation
Foam glass has a fairly long service life - it is about 100 years. This is an excellent option for isolation in private housing construction. Using it, you can isolate almost any structure, including buildings with special requirements for humidity and temperature conditions(for example, baths, swimming pools, etc., as well as fireplaces and chimney structures).
With the help of foamed glass blocks, objects of almost any shape can be thermally insulated, while the climate can be very different. Insulation in granules is cheaper than blocks, but is also somewhat inferior to them in terms of its insulating characteristics. In most layers, granules are used as backfills to insulate roofs, floors, external walls, as well as as a filler in various plaster and masonry mortars.
The crumb, in turn, is an effective loose heat insulator, which has a lot of advantages of foamed glass. With it, you can replace expanded clay or any other bulk insulation.
Note! Due to its resistance to high temperatures and chemical impact, foam glass is actively used in the insulation of reaction media and various equipment.
Instructions for using foamed glass as a thermal insulation material
Foamed glass is a universal insulation, which we have already talked about many times. This means that it can be used for a variety of structural elements of objects, let's consider in more detail each of the possible options.
Option number 1. Wall insulation with foam glass
In most cases, walls are insulated with foam glass. Usually produced external insulation, although due to its environmental friendliness, the material may well be used for internal insulation. The installation procedure itself is not complicated and includes the following steps.
Step 1. The surface is prepared first. Dirt, dust, as well as a layer of the previous finishing material(if any).
Step 2 The foam block is treated with a special adhesive (as an option, you can use an ordinary cement mortar instead). It is also worth noting that a hydro or vapor barrier layer is not needed in this case, since the foamed glass does not absorb moisture at all.
Step 3 The block is pressed against the wall as tightly as possible. What is characteristic, additional fasteners are not required here.
Note! The material is very fragile, for this reason it is recommended to use only adhesive composition. If dowels or self-tapping screws are used, the structure of the insulation may be destroyed.
Step 4 A plastering layer is applied over the heat insulator.
If foam glass is used for insulation, then the total weight of the structure is noticeably reduced, therefore, it is not necessary to lay a particularly powerful foundation. This point is especially relevant in cases where country houses are built on swampy soils (next to water bodies) or relatively weak ones.
Option number 2. Floor insulation
The blocks of this insulation do not shrink and are characterized by increased rigidity, which means that they can be used to isolate the floor. The algorithm of actions in this case should be as follows.
Step 1. The base is covered with a thin sandy "cushion" (about 50 millimeters thick).
Step 2 Heat insulator plates are laid on top of the sand.
Step 3 The gaps formed between the plates are blown out with mounting foam.
Step 4 A reinforced concrete screed is installed on top of the insulating layer.
For such a base, the arrangement of the good old plank floor is ideal.
Note! If the insulated floor is located above the basement, then it must be insulated from the inside, that is, from the heated side of the room.
Option number 3. Foundation insulation
Regrettably, but the problem of flooding is relevant for many owners of suburban areas. After all, if there is a high concentration of river organic matter in the soil, then the base and walls of the house will begin to dampen, as a result of which they will delaminate, begin to shrink, rot, and rust. In a word, the building material will be destroyed. Not the best way out from this situation is the frequent holding overhauls. It is preferable to take care of the problem while building the house, and it is better to use foamed glass for this.
If you protect the foundation with this insulation or basement, then this problem will disappear once and for all. After all, foam glass not only protects the structure of building materials, but also provides the most favorable climate in the room itself. This is possible due to the porous structure of the insulation, which remains throughout its entire service life.
Option number 4. Bath insulation
A distinctive feature of the bath room is not only a special, specific microclimate, but also the aggressiveness of the environment, caused by increased thermal and humidity indicators. A number of thermal insulators are simply unable to withstand such extreme operating conditions and release fumes that are harmful to human body. But foamed glass can be safely used to protect the bath. The warming procedure itself is carried out in the same way as in the case of household or utility rooms.
Video - Thermal insulation of the house with foam glass. First part
Second part
The third part. External plaster
Fourth part. Interior decoration
Summing up
Experienced experts assure that foam glass has simply unique characteristics that no other insulating material has. Thanks to this, the insulation has enjoyed such great popularity in the construction industry throughout its history (or even almost a century).
