Largely manufactured from recycled glass (e.g. windscreens) and mineral base materials such as sand and without the use of binding agents. The ingredients are melted into molten glass, which is cooled and crushed into a fine powder. The powdered glass is poured into molds and heated (below the melting point) in a "sintering" process that causes the particles to adhere to one another. Next, a small amount of finely ground carbon-black is added and the material is heated in a "cellulation" process. Here, the carbon reacts with oxygen, creating carbon dioxide, which creates the insulating bubbles in the (material). CO2 accounts for more than 99% of the gas in the cellular spaces.
Cellulose insulation is a material made from recycled newspaper. The paper is shredded and inorganic salts, such as boric acid, are added for resistance to fire, mould, insects and vermin. The insulation is installed either blown or damp-sprayed depending on application.
Wood fibre
The success of wood fibre insulation derives from an attractive environmental profile combined with a whole bag of functions including rigid insulation, sheathing and sarking for timber frames, roofs and flooring as well as flexible insulation for studs and rafters.
Wood of course is renewable, it sequesters carbon during its growth and product production is relatively free from pollution. The insulation value of wood fibre boards is not as dimensionally efficient as some of the orthodox petro-chemical materials - but it's no slouch either - typically coming in with a 'k value' range of between 0.038-0.043 W/mK depending on format.
Hemp
Hemp fibres are produced from hemp straw of the hemp plant. Most hemp is imported, but an increasing amount of home-grown crop is becoming available. Hemp grows up to a height of nearly 4 metres within a period of 100-120 days. Because the plants shade the soil, no chemical protection or toxic additives are required for hemp cultivation. The product is composed of, usually, 85% hemp fibre with the ballance made up of polyester binding and 3-5% soda added for fire proofing.
Straw
Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such asbarley, oats, rice, rye and wheat.
Loft roll insulation is designed to help to retain heat in your attic which would typically escape through the roof. Rolls are 1200mm wide and ready-cut to fit between loft rafters or wooden joints in the loft ceiling, reducing the potential for unwanted gaps and ensuring high levels of insulation. Loft rolls are easier to install correctly than other insulants such as PIR rigid insulation boards because they adapt to any slight imperfections in the substrate and knit together, eliminating any air gaps. The products come as complete rolls, pre-split for easy application. The first bottom layer is laid between the joists – the horizontal beams that make up the floor of the loft, then another layer is laid at right angles to cover the joists and make the insulation up to the required depth. The optimal thickness of the first space bottom layer is 100mm followed by a 170mm cross layer. For instance, if you are insulating a virgin loft, the easiest way is to roll 100mm thick insulation between the joists. Once this layer has been laid, then lay 170mm insulation across the top of the joists at 90 degrees to the joists. First bottom layer of the insulation is also required to be level with the bottom of the rafters. Installing loft insulation rolls is a relatively easy task for the homeowner, as well a great way to save on your heating bills. Common additional loft roll layers are: 150mm, 170mm or 200mm. The rolls are both lightweight and non-combustible (with an A1 Euroclass rating), with average thermal conductivity of 0.044 W/mK. Attic insulation roll is also qualified for government grants. Loft insulation grants are available to completely cover the cost of having insulation professionally installed by installers. If you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, you should be entitled to a 100% free grant that does not need to be paid back. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that loft insulation roll remains a cost-effective way to make savings of up to £150 per year on your heating bills by preventing up to 25% of your home’s heat from escaping through the roof.
MOST POPULAR LOFT ROLL | BEST LOFT ROLL | COSTS
If you consider the fact that common spacing of UK rafters are 400mm or 600mm, loft roll is absolutely the best type of insulation that can be used to insulate your loft. Rolls are 1200mm wide and ready-cut to produce three, 400mm centre wide rolls, or two, 600mm wide rolls and manufactured to a minimum density of 10kg/m3 meeting the requirements outlined within related Building Regulations. It means you have no offcuts and you can insulate the loft yourself. Moreover, rolls work out cheaper therefore they become the most favoured option from all of available loft insulation types. Loft insulation roll normally cost as of 2022 around £25-27 per roll. That is why it is one of the most popular type of insulation, mainly due to the fact it’s been around for so long and is widely available from most building merchants such as Screwfix, B&Q or Wickes. Most popular loft roll turned out to be the 100mm Knauf Earthwool Combi-Cut 44 followed by 100mm ISOVER Spacesaver Glass Mineral Wool. If you are looking for the cheapest place for loft insulation, an online insulation shop is the way to go. It is because products come to you directly from the manufacturer without involving middlemen.
LOFT ROLL RECOMMENDED THICKNESS
According to current Building Regulations recommended thickness for loft insulation should be at least 270mm. This figure can vary slightly, depending on the type of materials used. By insulating your loft to the recommended depth of 270mm you can save wasted energy and money. All lofts in new build homes will have been designed to carry storage loads of 25kg per square metre plus the weight of a person walking in the loft (BS 6399-1:1996). Currently, the recommended R-value for attic insulation is between 6.1 and 7, a combination of thickness and conductivity. Knowing where you stand with the recommended R-value for attic insulation will ensure that you receive the right insulation for your home.
TYPES OF LOFT ROLL
Generally speaking, there are several types of loft insulation, depending on your needs. Loft rolls are available in the following forms such as stone or glass mineral roll. Each roll has different parameters. Other ingredients are used in the production of these rolls. Both types of wool are ideal for insulating your loft. Moreover, both are carefully fabricated to add merest to the all-inclusive mass of the building structure.
STONE WOOL ROLL
Stone wool roll is made of basalt - volcanic rock melted at a temperature of over 1400°C. Stone wool roll is composed of raw materials of volcanic origin, so you can expect its excellent acoustic insulation. Rock wool roll has a higher density and is therefore more durable. On the other hand, glass mineral roll, as it has a lower density, can be better compressed than stone wool roll - compressed to reduce its volume.
GLASS WOOL ROLL
Glass wool roll requires glass cullet together with quartz sand, which is smelted at a slightly lower temperature, approx. 1000-1200°C. Glass mineral wool roll using glass mineral wool as a sound absorbent layer in partitions and floors significantly improves their acoustic performance, whilst only adding minimally to the overall mass of the structure.
SHEEP'S WOOL ROLL
Sheep’s wool roll insulation is manufactured entirely from the wool of a sheep. Often with the finished product containing an adhesive to securely bond the wool together to create roll and rope insulation products. Sheep wool insulation has the fantastic benefit of being not only a thermally insulating loft product but also one that offers acoustic insulation as well. Thanks to all these qualities and its sustainable and renewable makeup, it makes it a firm favourite amongst UK customers. Leading brands Thermafleece and SheepWool Insulation make up our range, with 400mm and 600mm joists.
ACOUSTIC ROLL SIZES ǀ MANUFACTURERS
Rolls are 1200mm wide and ready-cut to produce three, 400mm centre rolls, or two, 600mm wide rolls and manufactured to a minimum density of 10Kg/m3 meeting the requirements outlined within relevant sound related Building Regulations. Loft Rolls are available in various thicknesses covering 11m2, 15m2, 15.6m2, 24m2. Rolls are delivered in polythene wrap, which is designed for short term protection only. They should be kept indoors or undercover and off the ground to stay fit for use. Range of acoustic rolls features products from industry-leading manufacturers such as Isover, Knauf, Ursa, Terra, Rockwool or Superglass. The rolls of loft insulation you can buy come in lots of seemingly random thicknesses, for example 50mm, 60mm, 75mm, 80mm 100mm, 120mm, 150mm and 170mm. The reason for this is that the insulation manufacturers are trying to make it easier to hit the 270mm thickness spot.
ROCKWOOL®
ROCKWOOL provides three variations of Roll to deliver products that are quick and easy to install, whatever the application. ROCKWOOL Roll products are suitable for a wide range of applications including roof spaces in all types of building and as an overlay for ceiling tiles in suspended ceilings. ROCKWOOL Roll, Twin Roll and Rollbatt are medium density thermal insulation products with acoustic properties and Euroclass A1 fire resistance. TwinRoll is pre-split into 2 x 100mm thick layers in a pack, for quick and easy installation. 100mm is installed between the rafters, and then 200mm over the rafters. Rollbatt is pre-split into either 2 x 600mm widths or 3 x 400mm widths.
Products
ROCKWOOL Roll ǀ Twin Roll ǀ Rollbatt
KNAUF®
Knauf acoustic roll is designed for use in internal wall and floor applications to offer sound absorption and noise reduction properties. It is non-combustible with the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification and is manufactured using Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, ECOSE® Technology. Knauf rolls are designed to fit between studs to close joints, reducing the potential for unwanted gaps and ensuring high levels of sound insulation. Knauf Acoustic Roll provides a high level of sound absorption, whilst also improving the thermal and fire performance of the wall, floor or partition. Using Knauf Glass Mineral Wool as a sound absorbent layer in partitions and floors significantly improves their acoustic performance. In internal walls Glass Mineral Wool complements plasterboard linings by absorbing airborne sound, and reducing reverberation, and is particularly effective at preventing the hollow sound that can occur in partitions with unfilled cavities. Knauf Glass Mineral Wool products have been awarded the DECLARE `Red List Free’ label. Having the ‘Red List Free’ label means that there are no ingredients in the product that are on the red list - including formaldehyde or phenol.
Products
Knauf Acoustic Insulation Roll | Earthwool Sound APR | Earthwool Loft Insulation Roll 44 Combi Cut
SUPERGLASS®
Superglass Multi Acoustic Roll provides excellent sound absorption performance in accordance with Approved Document E (England & Wales) and Technical Handbook Section 5 (Scotland) acoustic requirements. The flexible roll is perforated at 2x600mm and 3x400mm widths to allow easy installation between common stud/joist spacings and minimum on-site cutting and waste. Manufactured at a minimum density of 10kg/m³.
Products
Superglass Multi-Acoustic Partition Roll ǀ Acoustic Partition Roll (APR)
URSA®
URSA ACOUSTIC ROLL is a lightweight, non-combustible, unfaced glass mineral wool product for use as an acoustic insulation in timber or metal framed internal partition walls, timber or metal framed separating walls and timber separating floors. URSA acoustic mineral wool roll is manufactured from an abundant, sustainable resource and utilises at least 50% glass waste. It is non-hygroscopic and will not slump in normal use. Moreover, URSA ACOUSTIC ROLL does not use chemical blowing agents and so the Global Warming Potential (GWP) arising from it is zero. URSA ACOUSTIC ROLL has excellent sound insulation characteristics to help meet the Building Regulation and Robust Details requirements.
Products
URSA ACOUSTIC ROLL
ISOVER®
Isover glass mineral wool roll can provide high levels of acoustic performance in metal and timber internal stud walls as well as timber joist separating and internal floors. To support ease of installation, it is supplied in 600mm widths for an easy friction fit between stud centres. Isover acoustic roll achieves a Eurofins Gold certification, the highest accreditation for indoor air quality. When using ISOVER Acoustic Partition Roll (APR 1200), you need to satisfy yourself that use of the product meets all relevant national Building Regulations and guidance as well as local, national and other applicable standards relevant for your construction or application, including requirements in relation to fire and applicable height restrictions.
Products
ISOVER APR Acoustic Partition Roll ǀ ISOVER Spacesaver Glass Mineral Wool
TERRA®
URSA Terra Acoustic Insulation Roll is a highly-durable, non-combustible unfaced glass mineral wool sound insulation roll which offers high level of sound absorption and noise reduction in timber or metal framed internal partition walls, timber or metal framed separating walls and timber separating floors.
Products
URSA Terra Acoustic Insulation Roll | Sound Insulation APR
Video credit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0NwnQJwpfg
100mm Knauf Earthwool Loft Roll 44 Combi-Cut is a flexible highly-durable non-combustible glass mineral wool loft insulation roll manufactured using Knauf ECOSE Technology with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification used for insulation between and over the joists in cold lofts where pitched ro..
100mm URSA 10 Diverso Loft Insulation Roll is a lightweight easy to install, non-combustible, unfaced glass mineral wool loft insulation roll used as a loft insulation in cold pitched roofs.
URSA 10 Glass Mineral Wool Insulation Roll 100mm is perforated to allow it to be split into either 2 x 570..
150mm Knauf Earthwool Loft Roll 44 Combi-Cut is a highly-durable non-combustible glass mineral wool loft insulation roll manufactured using Knauf ECOSE Technology with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification used for insulation between and over the joists in cold lofts where pitched roofs are i..
150mm Loft Insulation Roll Glass Mineral Wool URSA 10 called loft board is an easy to install, non-combustible, unfaced glass mineral wool loft insulation roll used as a loft insulation in cold pitched roofs.
URSA 10 Glass Mineral Wool Insulation Roll 150mm is perforated to allow it to be split i..
170mm Earthwool Loft Roll 44 Combi-Cut is a flexible non-combustible glass mineral wool loft insulation roll used for insulation between and over the joists in cold lofts where pitched roofs are insulated at ceiling level.
Knauf Glass Mineral Wool 170mm (A1 Reaction to Fire) is easier to install ..
200mm URSA 10 Diverso Loft Insulation Roll is a lightweight yet tough, resilient and easy to install, non-combustible, unfaced glass mineral wool insulation roll that is used in roofs usually between or above the rafters.
Insulating pitched roofs with Ursa Loft Roll 200mm at horizontal ceiling le..
200mm Knauf Earthwool Loft Roll 44 Combi-Cut Class A1 is a flexible non-combustible glass mineral wool used for insulation between and over the joists in cold lofts where pitched roofs are insulated at ceiling level.
Knauf Glass Mineral Wool 200mm is easier to install correctly than other insulat..
