Knauf Insulation has launched Rocksilk® KrimpactTM Facade Slab, a rock mineral wool slab designed specifically for external wall insulation systems. The new product combines those features for which rock mineral wool is justifiably well known – excellent thermal, acoustic and fire insulation properties – with the company’s new KrimpactTM Technology to produce the ultimate, external wall insulation material.

Adding insulation to the outside of a building means first cladding it with an insulation material and then covering this with a suitable waterproof finish, usually a cement or polymer based render. The insulation material used is critical to the success of any external wall insulation system – without one that successfully faces up to all the challenges, all systems will struggle to make the grade.

Most external wall insulation systems use either ‘standard’ rock mineral wool slabs or expanded polystyrene (EPS) slabs. Both have advantages, both have disadvantages. Technically, a combination of excellent thermal, acoustic and fire insulation properties makes rock mineral wool the best potential solution. In fact, as rock mineral wool is totally non-combustible, no fire stops are needed and this means that only one material has to be installed. Providing the strength and rigidity to protect the render usually requires the use of high-density slabs, however these are often heavy, making them difficult to handle and install. The commonly used alternative is expanded polystyrene which, although it’s light, easy to use and has good thermal performance, doesn’t have a high compressive strength and has poor acoustic and fire insulation properties. But now there’s a better option!

Rocksilk® KrimpactTM Facade Slab is purpose-built, designed specifically for use as an external wall insulation material. Being rock mineral wool means the slab has excellent thermal, acoustic and fire insulation properties as ‘standard’ and, thanks to the ‘insulation-engineering’ with KrimpactTM Technology, these attributes are more consistent. The slabs also have greater strength and impact resistance than standard rock mineral wool slabs, and this allows comparatively lighter ones to be used.

“Of the two current options – rock mineral wool and EPS – rock mineral wool is definitely the best technical solution for external wall insulation systems. Having said that, although it’s good, it’s not fantastic!” said Mark Thompson, Knauf Insulation’s Market Manager for the non-residential buildings sector. “We’ve developed a purpose-built product specifically for external wall insulation systems and, by improving the advantages and overcoming the disadvantages, we’ve created one by which all others will be judged.”

Rocksilk® KrimpactTM Facade Slab is available in five thicknesses to provide optimum choice and in one handy size of 900mm x 600mm to allow easy handling and installation. Installation itself can be either bonding and, or, mechanical fixings direct to the external wall, the fibrous nature of the material allowing minor imperfections in the original surface to be absorbed without affecting the flat finish of the surface to be rendered. Similarly, the slabs knit together to prevent gaps at the joints that risk either a cold bridge through the insulation or a weakness under the render.

Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® KrimpactTM Facade Slab is one of a number of new, high performance products resulting from the company’s multimillion-pound investment at its rock mineral wool production facility in Queensferry, North Wales. A combination of new technologies has allowed the development of high-strength, rock mineral wool slabs with uniform density and consistent performance characteristics. New state-of-the-art fiberising equipment has been installed along with equipment that utilises KrimpactTM Technology, an advanced manufacturing technique that aligns the fibres formed during manufacture.

For further information, including product specific datasheets, please visit Knauf Insulation’s website at www.knaufinsulation.co.uk or call the enquiries hotline on 08700 668 660 quoting RR 389 05.

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