What is wood wool, what are its technical characteristics, the pros and cons of the material, the criteria for choosing high-quality products, an overview of manufacturers and a short do-it-yourself installation guide.
Disadvantages of wood wool
Like any other insulation, wood wool has certain disadvantages. First, it is relatively high cost. The price of wood insulation is significantly higher than analogues made from artificial raw materials. This is a standard minus of any natural heat insulator. Secondly, wood wool, despite the presence of special additives, is capable of burning, since it is a material based on wood fiber. However, according to the technical characteristics, the insulation spreads fire rather poorly and is capable of self-extinguishing.
Selection criteria for wood wool
You should buy this insulation only from trusted manufacturers who have all the necessary documentation confirming the quality. Consider these recommendations when choosing a material:
- Inspect the packaging with the product … Some manufacturers use deciduous tree chips as raw materials. It is short and not as elastic as coniferous. As a result, the material may be less dense and settle over time. If the package contains dust, it is recommended to refuse to purchase such products.
- Examine the composition of the insulator … It is necessary to take into account not only the components that make up the wood wool, but also their percentage. The amount of additives should be no more than 10%. Otherwise, it is difficult to talk about the environmental friendliness of such material.
- Inspect the slabs … The cut must be uniform. The density of a quality insulator at the edges and in the center is also the same. Keep in mind that the thickness of the slab should be equal over the entire area. If you notice that the opposite sides differ in thickness, then do not purchase such products. During installation, there will be problems with joining, unwanted "cold bridges" will form.
Wood wool price and manufacturers
Currently, there are not many factories in the world that manufacture wood wool. The production of wood insulation is established by the following companies:
- Steico … This manufacturer produces wood fiber boards and mats of various types and grades. Steico wood insulation is marketed under the Flex brand. This is a quality material that has earned numerous positive reviews around the world. The slabs are 50 and 100 millimeters thick. Their density is 60 kilograms per cubic meter. Packing price - from 3500 rubles.
- Woodex … A Russian brand that produces a variety of wood fiber insulation products. Plates have different thicknesses and densities from 50 kilograms per cubic meter. The price for a package of Woodex wood insulation is from 2500 rubles.
- Gutex … The company produces flexible resilient wood fiber boards. The trade name for wood wool is Gutex Thermoflex. The material has excellent sound and heat insulation characteristics. The density is 50 kilograms per cubic meter. The average price per pack is 3000 rubles.
Brief instructions for installing wood wool
This insulation is installed in the same way as for ordinary stone wool. The only difference is that during installation, you do not need to use fasteners, since wood wool is more resilient and elastic than its synthetic counterpart. We carry out work in the following sequence:
- We fix a vapor barrier film on the wall, if necessary (for wet rooms, such as baths, saunas).
- We install a crate made of wooden beams. The step should be equal to the width of the slab.
- We begin to fill the prepared cells with wood wool so that the slabs enter the swath and are held on their own.
- We collect the layer of thermal insulation from the bottom up.
- If gaps appear during the installation process, fill them with scraps of material.
- After covering the entire surface with a layer of insulation, you can start finishing work. As a rule, drywall sheets or decorative panels are installed on top of the crate.
Watch a video review of wood wool:
Wood wool is a new generation tile insulation material. It is environmentally friendly, practical and reliable. Such insulation will not only serve for a long time, but also provide a healthy indoor climate. And it will not be difficult to install it with your own hands.
