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Mc01-Full-fill with built-in glasswool

Mc01 - Masonry cavity walls - Full-fill with built-in glasswool

Advantages

  • Low system width
  • Low cost
  • Readily available from local stockists
  • All products have BBA Certification for all exposure zones
  • Product guaranteed to resist moisture penetration
  • 35 year performance heritage
  • Compression fit between slabs prevents moisture penetration and cold bridging at joints
  • Crown Dritherm Cavity Slabs are Zero ODP and Zero GWP insulation products
  • The manufacture of Crown Dritherm Cavity Slab products has a very low environmental impact
Mc01 Masonry Cavity Walls - Full fillCrown DriTherm Cavity Slab BBA Logo

Products

Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab and Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab 34 and 32 are a range of lightweight semi rigid or rigid slabs of glass mineral wool with a water repellent additive. It is dimensioned to fit between wall ties at standard spacings. Its manufacture has a very low impact on the environment and is classified as Zero ODP and Zero GWP*
* Ecohomes and Code for Sustainable Homes classification

Typical construction

Brick or block outer leaf (which may be rendered), brick or block inner leaf with cavity fully filled with Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab. Internal finish of plasterboard on dabs. For buildings from 12m to 25m high, BBA Certificate No 95/3212 imposes additional requirements. For additional information see the BBA Certificate or contact our Technical Advisory Centre on 01744 766666.

Guarantee

All products in the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab range are formally guaranteed for 50 years to resist the transmission of liquid water from the outer masonry leaf to the inner masonry leaf in new external cavity walls and to maintain the original manufactured thermal conductivity at normal building temperatures. Masonry includes bricks, blocks and dressed and reconstituted stone. The guarantee is available by application from Knauf Insulation.

Performance

Thermal performance

  • Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab has a thermal conductivity of either 0.035 W/mK or 0.037 W/mK depending on thickness (Table 35)
  • Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab 34 has a thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/mK (Table 34)
  • Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab 32 has a thermal conductivity of 0.032 W/mK (Table 34)

 

Table 34: Typical U-values for masonry cavity walls fully insulated with Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab
 

U-values (W/m2K) for brick outer leaf/cavity/100mm block inner leaf, plasterboard on dabs

Insulation

Thickness

(mm)

Dense

block

( λ=1.13)

Medium

block

( λ= 0.51)

Lightweight

aggregate

( λ=0.34)

Standard

aircrete

( λ=0.16)

Lightweight

aircrete

( λ=0.11)

Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab 32
300 (3x100) 0.12 0.12 0.11 0.11 0.11
200 (2x100) 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.14 0.14
170 (2x85) 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.15
150 (2x75) 0.19 0.19 0.18 0.18 0.17
130 (2x65) 0.22 0.21 0.21 0.20 0.20
100 0.27 0.26 0.26 0.24 0.23
85 0.31 0.30 0.29 0.27 0.26
75 0.34 0.33 0.32 0.30 0.28
65 0.38 0.37 0.36 0.33 0.32
Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab 34
300 (3x100) 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.12
200 (2x100) 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.16
170 (2x85) 0.18 0.18 0.17 0.17 0.16
150 (2x75) 0.20 0.20 0.19 0.18 0.18
100 0.28 0.28 0.27 0.25 0.24
85 0.32 0.31 0.31 0.28 0.28
75 0.36 0.35 0.34 0.31 0.29

Notes: The U-values have been calculated assuming that all walls are lined with plasterboard on dabs. Block sizes assumed to be 440 x 215mm, mortar joints assumed to be 10mm wide, wall ties assumed to be stainless steel with a cross-sectional area of no more than 12.5mm2 for structural cavities up to 175mm wide. Above 175mm use two part wall ties, these typically are stainless steel and have a cross sectional area of 60mm2. The U-values have been calculated to BS EN ISO 6946: 1997 and BR 443.

 

Table 35: Typical U-values for masonry cavity walls fully insulated with Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab
 

U-values (W/m2K) for brick outer leaf/cavity/100mm block inner leaf, plasterboard on dabs

Insulation

Thickness

(mm)

Dense

block

( λ=1.13)

Medium

block

( λ= 0.51)

Lightweight

aggregate

( λ=0.34)

Standard

aircrete

( λ=0.16)

Lightweight

aircrete

( λ=0.11)

300 (3x100) 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.12
200 (2x100) 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.17 0.17
170 (2x85) 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.17
150 (2x75) 0.22 0.21 0.21 0.20 0.20
130 (2x65) 0.25 0.24 0.23 0.22 0.21
125 (75+50) 0.25 0.24 0.24 0.22 0.21
115 (65+50) 0.26 0.26 0.25 0.23 0.22
100 0.30 0.29 0.29 0.27 0.25
85 0.35 0.34 0.33 0.30 0.28
75 0.38 0.37 0.36 0.33 0.31

Notes: The U-values have been calculated assuming that all walls are lined with plasterboard on dabs. Block sizes assumed to be 440 x 215mm, mortar joints assumed to be 10mm wide, wall ties assumed to be stainless steel with a cross-sectional area of no more than 12.5mm2for structural cavities up to 175mm wide.  Above 175mm use two part wall ties, these typically are stainless steel and have a cross sectional area of 60mm2. The U-values have been calculated to BS EN ISO 6946: 1997 and BR 443.

Fire performance

All products in the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab range are classified as Euroclass A1 to BS EN ISO 13501-1.

Moisture resistance

All products in the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slabs range contain a water-repellent silicone additive to ensure that no liquid water is able to pass through the slab and reach the inner leaf of masonry.

Tests by the British Board of Agrément confirm that the range of Crown DriTherm Cavity Slabs will not transmit water to the inner leaf. Nor will they transmit moisture by capillary action across the cavity or from below DPC level.

Vapour resistance

All products in the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slabs range have negligible water vapour resistance, allowing water vapour to pass freely through the slab.

Installation

The thickness of Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab and the cavity width should be designed within the tolerances given in Table 35 (right). It is not possible to compress Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab during installation because its resilience will be enough to dislodge bricks before the mortar has set. Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be kept clean and free from mortar droppings. All joints should be closely butted. Any cutting and fitting should be neatly done and not distort the layers of glasswool which comprise the material – see ‘Problems to avoid’ on opposite page. DPCs should be installed to ensure that penetrating water is directed only to the outer leaf.

The illustrations above outline technique only, and do not imply that the outer leaf must be built first.

Construction practice will vary from site to site. Where design details differ from those illustrated please do not hesitate to contact Knauf Insulation for any clarification required.

Wall ties

Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab is supplied in 1200 x 455mm slabs for use between wall ties at 450mm vertical centres. Standard butterfly, stainless steel wire ties and vertical twist ties are suitable, as are all ties with a positive drip which will penetrate the top edge of the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab halfway across its width. The use of any other type of tie should be referred to Knauf Insulation. Advice should also be sought from the wall tie manufacturer as to the maximum cavity width for which the use of a specific tie is approved.

Generally, rows of wall ties should be at 450mm vertical spacing and at horizontal spacings of not more than 900mm or as otherwise required by the structure. Where whole rows of ties are at different vertical spacing, Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be cut to course, allowing an extra 5mm for compression to form close butt joints. Where extra ties are required, e.g. at the side of openings, Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be cut and fitted carefully around them. When off-cuts of Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab are needed, the slabs can be cut with a long bladed knife or bricklayer’s trowel.

Further recommendations

Above, below and beside openings, where cut strips of Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab may be needed, particular care should be taken to fit closely and ensure work is clean and free from debris. At the end of the day’s work, or during rain, any exposed Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be covered. If Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab is terminated vertically at an open cavity, a vertical DPC must be fitted up the inside face of the outer leaf to ensure that any mortar droppings on exposed edges do not bridge the cavity.

 

Table 36: Permitted deviations in cavity widths

Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab size and nominal cavity width Thickness (mm)

Permitted cavity deviation (mm)

150 or more -0 or +20
125 -0 or +15
100 -0 or +15
85 -0 or +15
75 -0 or +15
65 -0 or +10
50 -0 or +10

 

Installation sequence

1

Build up the first stage of one leaf ofmasonry to include the first row of ties
above the commencement of the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab. Clean mortar squeeze from the masonry and snots from any ties or cavity tray.
Installation 1

2

Position the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab against the masonry, sothat the wall tie drips are halfway across the top edge of the slabs. The Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be cut to course if necessary. Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be taken below DPC level (preferably by at least 150mm) to provide edge insulation, with no risk of capillary action. Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab does not wick. Always bring Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab to course with wall ties.
Installation 2

3

The following leaf is then built to the toplevel of the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab.
Do not let the second leaf overtake the Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab so as to create a trough (but see 5 regarding choice of leading leaf).

Installation 3

4

Proceed similarly with successive stagesof the wall. As with normal masonry cavity
construction, no mortar should remain in the cavity. Particular care should be taken to keep slab joints closely butted and free from mortar. To facilitate keeping the top edges of slabs clean it is recommended that a cavity board be used.

Installation 4

5

Building may proceed leading with eitherthe inner or the outer leaf. When leading
with the inner leaf it is recommended to build a trough not more than one brick deep at horizontal joints in Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab. The mortar joint should be struck flush inside the cavity and any mortar droppings must be cleaned off before the next Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab is fitted. 

Installtion 5

 

 

Problems to avoid

Problems 1 Problems 2
Do not push slabs into the cavity. Mortar snots may be dislodged and bridge the cavity. This can happen all too easily where a change in the leading leaf occurs and care should be exercised at such positions to ensure correct application. Do not tear or impale Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab. If there are protrusions into the cavity, Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab should be carefully cut to fit, particularly where there are extra wall ties around openings.
Problems 3 Problems 4
Do not position Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab on slabs which have not been cleaned of mortar droppings.  When using small off-cuts, the face of the slabs and not the edge, shall be positioned against the wall surface.

Typical specification

NBS Plus Logo

All external walls to be insulated during construction by completely filling the cavities with Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab/34*/32* ......mm thick. (*Delete as appropriate)

The first run of wall ties to be located at 600mm centres horizontally (at a level to be decided by the specifier). Subsequent runs of wall ties to be at not more than 900mm centres horizontally, or as otherwise required by the structure, and at 450mm vertically. All work under construction must be protected overnight and during adverse weather conditions in accordance with BS 5628: Part 3: 1985.

Alternatively, refer to NBS clause: F30/10,150

 

Typical section

Mc01 Masonry Cavity Walls Detail

Wider Cavities

With the move towards carbon neutral housing, the use of wider cavities in masonry cavity walls is likely to become much more common.

Crown DriTherm Cavity Slab and Rocksilk DriTherm Cavity Slab can be installed in multiple layers to fully fill cavities up to 300mm wide. Proprietary cavity closers and folded steel lintels are widely available for cavities up to 100mm wide. For cavities over 100mm wide, the choice of proprietary products is more limited. For cavities over 150mm wide, the detailing of openings may need to be altered radically.

Jambs

Cavities over 150mm wide present particular problems at the jambs. One solution to this is to use a plywood liner to the opening that can also double up as a former for the window frame. The diagrams below indicate this option for a 200mm wide cavity.

Large Cavity - Jambs Solution

The plywood box answers a number of problems:

  • It closes off the cavity
  • It can be sealed against the inner and outer leaf to limit air leakage
  • It provides an accurate template for the window frame
  • The temporary polythene front cover provides weather protection until the window frame is installed
  • The window frames can be installed after the brickwork is complete –lessening the risk of damage from mortar, etc.

Eaves detail

Lintels

The use of separate lintels for the inner and outer leaf becomes more common and practical as the cavity width increases. Separate lintels not only avoid the thermal bridging problems of one piece steel lintels, but they also provide the designer with a greater level of design freedom. A concrete or aircrete lintel for the inner leaf is a simple, economic and firesafe option. The lintel in the outer leaf can be anything from reconstituted stone to plain brickwork supported on a steel angle.

Large Cavity - Separate Lintels

Large Cavity Lintels 2

Wall ties

Large Cavity Wall TieCrown DriTherm Cavity Slab is supplied in 1200 x 455mm slabs for use between wall ties at 450mm vertical centres. For cavities up to 75mm wide, stainless steel wire ties are recommended by Knauf Insulation because:

  • Stainless steel has a thermal conductivity of 17 W/mK, compared with 50 W/mK for mild steel
  • Wire ties have a much smaller cross-sectional area than flat metal ties For these two reasons, stainless steel wire ties present a smaller thermal bridge through the cavity insulation than other types of metal wall tie.

For cavities up to 175mm wide, double triangle stainless steel wire ties are available up to 300mm long.

These ties conform to BS EN 845-1 as a Type 3 tie. It is recommended that they are embedded 85mm into the inner leaf to help keep the cantilevered section of the tie horizontal during the build.

With the use of wider cavities, it is anticipated that other designs of stainless steel wire ties will be developed for cavities up to 175mm wide. For cavities over 175mm wide, Knauf Insulation recommend the use of two part stainless steel ties. These are available from Ancon and Wincro Metal Industries. These ties overcome the problem of keeping a long tie horizontal when built into the inner leaf. However, they have a much greater cross-sectional area than wire ties and their thermalbridging effect must be taken into account when calculating the wall U-value. They are suitable for cavities up to 300mm wide.

For Technical Advice Call 01744 76 66 66