Knauf Insulation has developed the range of Polyfoam® Insulation Products to address the growing demand for warm pitched roofs in both new build and refurbishment projects. The range offers a versatile line-up of products which fully meet the challenges presented by this type of construction. The performance of the products and flexibility of the range allows the creation of an optimum insulation solution; one that is thermally efficient, cost effective, lightweight and easy-to-install.

Apart from achieving thermal compliance (‘Part L’ of the Building Regulations / Part J of the Scottish Technical Standards require elemental U-values for warm pitched roofs of 0.20 W/m2K for new build and 0.30 W/m2K for refurbishment work), key challenges are the ease of installation and keeping the thickness of insulation material above the rafters to a minimum. The Polyfoam range offers three, purpose-designed products in a variety of thicknesses enabling a highly flexible approach to be taken when creating insulation solutions across a project.

Polyfoam® Raftersqueeze is designed to fit between rafters irrespective of their spacing. Despite being a rigid board, grooves parallel to the long edges enable it to be compressed and this allows it to be simply push-fitted – ‘squeezed’ – into place. Doing so gives immediate retention, overcomes the common problem of timber irregularity and makes installation both very quick and very easy.

Polyfoam® Sarking Board System is designed for new build roofs with rafters at 600mm centres and consists of two components; a 75mm thick, ‘T-shaped’ Polyfoam top board and a layer of Polyfoam Raftersqueeze. The inverted ‘top hat’ cross sectional profile of the top board both locates the board correctly – so its main thickness is where it should be, between the rafters – and keeps the thickness of insulation on top of the rafters to a minimum. A layer of Polyfoam Raftersqueeze is fitted between the rafters, so increasing the total thickness of insulation to that needed to achieve thermal compliance.

Polyfoam® Pitched Roofboard is designed for use with pitched roofs where rafters are not at 600mm centres. The boards have rebated, shiplap edges on all four sides which means that the joints between individual boards do not have to be above supporting timbers – a feature which makes installation both easy and very quick.

“We’ve developed a versatile range of easy-to-use products that provide the industry with the best possible method of creating warm pitched roofs,” said Mark Thompson, Knauf Insulation’s Foam Market Development Manager, adding “…no matter what the exact construction details are, the Polyfoam range allows the optimum insulation solution to be developed in both a simple and practical manner.”

Polyfoam warm pitched roof products are made from high performance, 100% ozone friendly, extruded polystyrene which gives excellent insulation properties. The rigid boards have a high compressive strength, are lightweight, easy to store and handle, simple and easy to install and are supplied in polythene packs.

To support the range, Knauf have published a comprehensive brochure – the Knauf Polyfoam Guide – along with a series of product specific datasheets that contain a wealth of information and make for essential reading. Advice is also available from the Knauf Insulation Technical Advisory Service on 01744 693885.

For more details about Knauf Insulation products, or to obtain copies of Polyfoam literature, please visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk or call 08700 668 660 quoting ID: PR06203.

® Polyfoam is a Registered Trademark of Knauf Insulation.