Description and types of foam glass, where the material is used, what are its advantages and disadvantages. Roof insulation technology and features of working with this heat insulator. Insulation of the roof with foam glass is a guarantee of high-quality durable thermal insulation of the entire structure, during the construction of which this operation must be given close attention. The material allows you to maintain the desired microclimate in the room and significantly save on heating. Let's consider in more detail its advantages and disadvantages, as well as the installation technology.
Description and features of the manufacture of foam glass
There is a wide range of insulation materials on the building materials market, but one of the most reliable is foam glass, which has been actively used in various areas of construction relatively recently, but whose popularity is steadily growing.
The material was created in the first half of the 20th century, but due to the complexity of manufacture and significant cost, it did not receive mass distribution. After several decades, the improved insulator began to be actively used abroad for sound and heat insulation of various structures. In the CIS countries, foam glass began to be widely used relatively recently.
Foam glass is made from silicate raw materials and, due to the honeycomb structure, is often called cellular or foamed glass. The production of the material is quite laborious and includes the following stages:
- Grinding of silicate raw materials;
- Mixing with gas generating components;
- Laying the resulting mass into molds and firing in a furnace;
- Softening of raw materials, turning it into a viscous, liquid, foaming mixture;
- Cooling of material, formation of slabs, blocks or granules;
- Processing and packaging.
In terms of its composition, foam glass is almost identical to ordinary glass. The only difference is the presence of the first gas-filled pores. Modern insulation is produced using innovative technologies, using the latest equipment.
Foam glass is subdivided into block and granular. Blocky represents blocks, slabs, or shells. Granulated products - crushed foam glass, gravel or sand. Important! Despite the fact that in terms of performance, granular foam glass is inferior to block counterparts, due to its affordable cost, the demand for it is quite high.
Advantages and disadvantages of foam glass
Foam glass has many advantages that make it a versatile sound and heat insulating material. Among its advantages, we highlight:
- Long service life … According to the information specified in the instructions, the material can be used without loss of properties for about 100 years.
- Resistant to erosion … After all, foam glass does not contain components that can be washed out by water.
- Protection against oxidation … This is due to the presence of oxides of aluminum, silicon, magnesium, sodium, calcium in the material.
- Resistant to temperature extremes … The unique composition of the material allows it to be used in various climatic conditions without deteriorating its performance properties.
- Resistance to deformation … Foam glass does not change shape under mechanical stress.
- Strength … According to this indicator, foam glass significantly surpasses other heat-insulating materials, does not require additional fastening during installation.
- Fixed dimensions … The presence of gas-filled cells does not allow the material to change geometry under the influence of various factors. Its operational properties also remain original.
- Resistance to biological, chemical influences … The material is immune to mold, fungus, microorganisms, and various chemicals. These features make it possible to use foam glass in unventilated rooms, to protect granaries, industrial refrigerators, vegetable stores from all kinds of pests.
- Soundproofing … Foam glass is distinguished not only by first-class thermal insulation properties, but also by excellent sound insulation.
- Fire resistance … The material is resistant to high temperatures and in the event of a fire only melts without emitting harmful substances.
- Ecological cleanliness … In the manufacture of foam glass, materials that are safe for human health are used, which allows it to be used in residential premises. In addition, the presence of micro holes in the foam glass enables it to "breathe", maintaining a certain microclimate in the room.
The presence of the above advantages significantly distinguishes foam glass among similar heat-insulating materials, making the demand for it invariably high.
Despite the numerous positive properties of the material, it also has some disadvantages:
- Labor intensity of manufacturing … Foam glass is produced on modern equipment using the latest technologies. This negatively affects the cost of production. In terms of price, foam glass is inferior to many similar heat-insulating materials.
- Fragility … The material is prone to cracking and must be handled according to the instructions.
- Lack of steam permeability … Despite the resistance of foam glass to fungus, mold, the surface underneath it does not possess such properties, and the lack of steam conduction can cause it to become infected with microorganisms.
- Lack of elasticity … This causes the material to crack under the influence of external factors.
- Severity … The foam glass is quite heavy and the load on the supporting structure must be calculated before use.
When insulating the roof with foam glass, be sure to take into account the disadvantages listed above. Indeed, in some cases it will be wiser to use another, more suitable insulation.
Scope of foam glass
Numerous advantages make foam glass a unique insulation used to improve the thermal insulation characteristics of the following structures: outbuildings, private and country houses, medical institutions, underground structures, sports facilities, educational institutions, offices, industrial facilities.
The versatility of the material and its first-class performance properties allow it to be used to improve the thermal insulation properties of almost any surface, for example, roofs, ceilings, floors, walls.
The scope of use of foam glass depends on its type. Tiled material, composite mortar or gravel has proven itself well as insulation for flat and pitched roofs. In recent years, foam glass inversion roofing has been very popular. Panels made of gravel material and block foam glass are indispensable for wall insulation. In addition, the voids between the cladding and the wall can be filled with dry foam glass granules. For more effective thermal insulation with a monolithic method of building walls, a special mixture of granules and cement mortar is used.
Rigid foam glass blocks are used for floor insulation. They are mounted on a dry concrete or wood base. The granules can be mixed with cement and used for screed floors.
Foam glass chips are actively used in road works, since in terms of operational characteristics they are significantly superior to similar materials, for example, expanded clay. It allows you to ensure the stability of the layers of the road surface during movement or freezing of the soil. For this, foam glass chips are poured onto the geotextile, on which the road surface is laid.
The presence of numerous advantages makes foam glass plates indispensable for insulating various foundations and basements. Including those that are subject to increased exposure to moisture. Foam glass granules can be used to improve the thermal insulation properties of tiled foundations.
Foam glass granules are used for thermal insulation of various technological equipment and pipes.
Important! Among the advantages of the material are excellent moisture resistance, increased resistance to high temperatures and others.
Roof insulation technology with foam glass
Roof insulation with foam glass is carried out in several stages. Let's consider each of them in more detail.
The choice of foam glass
When choosing block products, pay attention to the structure of the material, its dimensions, which should be the same. To obtain the best result, the material is recommended to be used for insulating a new roof. The choice of granular varieties is more difficult, as a lot depends on the manufacturing companies. It is recommended to carefully read the documentation available for the material.
Try to purchase material from well-known brands that have been working in the building products market for a long time and have numerous positive reviews. Despite the fact that their products are somewhat more expensive than little-known manufacturers, you will know that you have bought high-quality foam glass that will reliably serve for many years.
Before purchasing, calculate the required amount of material, taking into account its optimal thickness. Such a calculation can be carried out both independently and using the services of specialists.
Instructions for installing foam glass on the roof
The base surface must be prepared, all significant defects are eliminated. The material is fastened with a special foam glass glue, which is evenly applied to both side walls and the back of the product.
If there are small defects on the base surface, for example, depressions and protuberances, it is advisable to apply glue to the material with “slaps”. There should be at least five of them for one product. This method allows you to achieve the most even base, with a slight increase in glue consumption. If the base surface is wooden, special dowels are used, since wood is prone to thermal expansion. Thanks to the mechanical fixation of products, they are able to follow the tree, which has a positive effect on their performance. If it is planned to lay roll materials on the roof, then a bitumen-polymer coating is applied to the base surface, which ensures proper moisture resistance. Next, a special glue or mastic is applied to the foam glass, after which, with a slight pressure, the product is fixed on the base surface. Then the coating is treated with hot bitumen.
Intending to mount the sheet covering on the roof with a slight slope, blocks of foam glass are glued to the base concrete surface with bitumen mastic or special glue, after which the products are processed with a special compound. To increase waterproofing, roll materials are used. Having coped with this, you can proceed to the sheathing corresponding to the selected roofing material.
If you are going to lay a wooden roof, a special flooring must be installed on the rafters, on which the waterproofing material is spread and fixed. Foam glass is installed on top, and then a moisture-resistant coating. Installation of foam glass on the roof is done from the bottom up. Products are stacked close to each other with a mandatory offset of one row relative to the other. If not only glue, but also dowels are used for fixing, the latter are fastened only after the adhesive has completely dried. If there are chimneys and similar structures on the roof, the foam glass is fixed around them in solid figures.
Important! It is not recommended to do the joining of the material on the corner lines. How to insulate the roof with foam glass - watch the video:
The presence of numerous advantages, first-class performance characteristics makes foam glass a unique heat-insulating material. It is used in various types of construction work, because in addition to its thermal insulation properties, the insulator also has fire resistance, durability, water resistance, and environmental friendliness. Its popularity is also greatly influenced by its ease of installation.
