EPS FACADE BOARDS

EPS (Expanded PolyStyrene) facade board is a closed cell, thermoplastic foam material made of 98% air and just 2% plastic. This high percentage of trapped air makes it an excellent premier insulator. It is widely used on Exterior Insulation Systems such as K-Rend. The EPS facade board has many advantages. The big advantage of EPS is that it has no thermal drifts or loss of R-Value over the time. There is also no off-casting on site because the blowing agents are trapped inside the polystyrene beads. Since it is impermeable to water, it is mold and mildew resistant. In fact, EPS leads the other insulation products when it comes to R-value per £. This ratio of R-value to the total price of manufacturing and installation per sq. m. The manufacturing costs of EPS are generally lower compared to other EWI insulating materials like Rockwool mineral wool or Phenolic Boards. The facade EPS board may seem like a simple EWI insulation material but in reality, it is strong and has been used around the globe for decades. EPS facade board is also a very practical, economic and efficient insulation product which can be applied to all areas of building construction to provide superior standards of thermal insulation. The closed-cell nature of EPS means it is a cost effective yet durable product and is lightweight, non-toxic, and is completely recyclable. EPS has been proven to remain strong even after decades of use. The cellular structure of EPS is water resistant, vapor permeable and possesses zero capillarity though neither liquid water nor water vapor influences its mechanical properties, however it can attract termites and ants.

EPS FACADE BOARDS PRODUCTION PROCESS

EPS facade expanded polystyrene is a common insulating material obtained from expanded polystyrene granules. In the production process, air-filled spheres are created, which are then forced into a mold, where they are formed into a block. Depending on the degree of foaming, polystyrene of different densities is obtained. As a standard, a block of polystyrene is cut with the hot wire method, creating boards of various lengths and thicknesses. In the first stage of production, known as pre-expansion, the expandable polystyrene is exposed to steam and high temperature. This makes the granulate several times larger in volume. It is transported to special silos, where it is seasoned for several hours. Thanks to this, its structure stabilizes. In the next stage, the seasoned pearls go to the machine, which again, under the influence of steam and high temperature, forms them into large cuboids, the so-called polystyrene blocks. EPS does not use any CFCS or chlorofluorocarbons or hydrohlorofluorocarbons in the blowing process. It is also 100% recyclable.

EPS POLYSTYRENE SIZES

EPS expanded polystyrene material can easily be used to achieve low energy building standards. Boards come in easy to fit size 1000mm x 500mm, smaller than Jablite HP EPS 70 1200mm x 600mm sheets. EPS facade range includes the following readily available product thicknesses:
10mm ǀ 20mm ǀ 30mm ǀ 40mm ǀ 50mm ǀ 60mm ǀ 70mm ǀ 80mm ǀ 90mm ǀ 100mm ǀ 110mm ǀ 120mm ǀ 130mm ǀ 140mm ǀ 150mm ǀ 160mm ǀ 170mm ǀ 180mm ǀ 190mm ǀ 200mm ǀ 210mm ǀ 220mm 

EPS FACADE BOARDS INSTALLATION

The boards are very easy to install and do not require any specialist tools. During construction works, the outside temperature of the air, the substrate and the built-in material must not be less than + 5 °C and not more than + 25 °C. It is light and easy to handle. It is easily cut to size and requires no specialist trades to fit. Unlike Kingspan K5 phenolic board, it can be rasped to provide a flat finish across an elevation. The boards can be either adhered and mechanically fixed or applied within a TS Rail framework system fixed to the substrate. It is worth recalling that each polystyrene should be glued with the circumferential-point method. After applying the glue, it should be on at least 40% of the board surface. Dot and dab method should not be used anymore, but still many contractors stick polystyrene only to "dabs", insisting that they have been doing it for years and it is fine. White color reflects the sun better than grey, hence it is often not necessary to rasp the white EPS, saving several hours of work for an average installation. During installation, and in service, contact with hot-water pipes or other surfaces where the temperature is likely to exceed 80°C for continuous periods should be avoided.

WHICH EPS FACADE  BOARD IS BEST FOR ME. WHITE OR GREY ?

Two of the most frequently installed types of insulation are white and grey expanded polystyrene. Each product has proponents claiming one out performs the other. However, it is key to understand each product may be more suited for a particular use than the other. In addition to the different densities of EPS that can be manufactured, Expanded Polystyrene is offered in different grades and colours of material that affect its thermal performance. Either white or grey expandable polystyrene boards can be used as part of a render system to provide an efficient and cost effective solution. While both are polystyrene products and are used for some similar applications, that is where the similarity stops. 

White EPS, while still offering a high thermal performance, requires slightly thicker levels to achieve the same thermal performance as graphite-enhanced grey EPS. For example, while a project may call for 120mm of white EPS, the same thermal performance can be achieved with 90mm of grey (graphite) EPS. White EPS is said to be slightly easier to work with when installing external wall insulation systems. This is because white EPS reflects the sun better than grey EPS, meaning it’s not necessary to rasp the insulation, as it will not become as “greasy” when exposed to the sun’s heat. Taking this step out of the installation of external wall insulation can save several hours and cut costs for the contractor and customer, however, grey EPS is still used in the majority of cases as a higher thermal performance can be achieved with less material.

Grey EPS is mainly intended for investors who want to achieve the standard of an energy-saving or passive house. The difference between white and grey polystyrene is the presence of graphite, which is added to the expanded polystyrene during the production process. As a result, you get polystyrene with a grey tint, but more importantly - also with increased thermal insulation properties. It allows the use of a thinner layer of insulation without compromising the insulation parameters of the wall. The technical conditions regarding the maximum heat transfer coefficient through external walls mean that investors are forced to insulate their houses with thicker and thicker layers of insulation. 

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