The densest stone wool insulation. Insulation of the house with stone wool. Advantages of stone wool

With the advent of the first cold weather, people living in private homes begin to think about warming their homes. They face the question: what better fit, mineral wool or stone wool? Both belong to the same class of heaters, but each has its own advantages, disadvantages and other qualities, while there are many differences that are paid attention to when choosing.

The market of manufacturers is huge, the assortment is diverse and it is necessary to understand all the criteria. Therefore, in the article we will talk about the production of each of the cotton wool, the differences and main characteristics, the most successful and no qualities for warming different types of houses - urban and rural.

Construction work using mineral wool

Differences between stone and mineral

When we are told about mineral wool, we do not understand what it is. To make it easier for people to understand, Everyday life it is called, oddly enough, glass wool. That is, the basis is a material that is mined from mineral rocks, has excellent sound insulation, thermal insulation and consists of small fibers.

Glass wool.
Stone wool.
Slag.

After considering the types of mineral, the question of which is better disappears in itself, because the basis is the same, but the production technique is different. Worth sorting out.

They differ from each other mainly in the composition and content of raw materials.

In large-scale production of this type, such a rock as basalt is used. Crushed into small pieces, taken to production, heated to a melting point (1000 degrees). The resulting liquid mass is inflated, after cooling, small fibers are obtained. Further, for transformation into the final product, the liquid is combined with a solution of phenol-formaldehyde. In the end, you should get plates that resemble cotton wool, but more structured.

Fiber Density

Mineral raw materials:

Broken glass and quartz sand. Resinous substances are not required to glue the material. Disadvantages - crumbles during installation, can get into the lungs, there is a possibility that sharp parts will damage the skin, problematic in operation.

Waste from the metallurgical industry. They are made from clay and carbonate, which reacts with potassium. Disadvantages - can not be used for the home, as it is toxic and causes unnatural reactions of the body (allergies, general deterioration in health).
. Produced from environmentally friendly materials and does not harm health. Serves as the most popular for warming of roofing constructions.

Also, for the manufacture of subspecies - glass wool and slag wool, quartz sand and remnants of broken glass in production are melted down, less often full glass.

Mineral wool rolls

The difference between stone and mineral insulation

Appearance. Stone wool is produced and produced in slabs. The rest are rolls or mats, soft in structure.
Glass wool is an environmentally friendly product, because phenol solutions, etc. are not used in the manufacture.
For one type of mineral product, quartz sand is needed in combination with broken glass.
Type 1 insulation is better protected from water penetration.
Keeps heat better.
It is much easier to transport to the right place because it is light in weight.
On stone wool, the risk of mold formation is low.
The fibers are in a cross direction. This has the advantage of being practical.
Stone is not able to allocate different kind toxins.

Density of stone wool

That is, when compared, the first subspecies of mineral wool turned out to be more reliable, stronger.

The composition includes dolomite, mounting adhesive and limestone.

At the same time, the service life of both heaters is the same - half a century. But with careful use and careful attitude, it can last up to 20 years in a person's house.

What is better for a home in the city?

You need to know that stone mineral wool has a lower sound conductivity, which becomes the best indicator if you need to get rid of unnecessary noise in the house. Especially if built in a big city.

Also, this material has high vibration resistance properties. And this is the ability to comply with the parameters presented by the manufacturer. It can be used for work places with high temperatures.

Cons of stone wool:

Due to the structure and physical conditions, when installed, gaps appear between the plates, the quality of thermal insulation is greatly reduced.
It is easy to make a mistake, so it is better to trust professional builders.
This type of mineral wool is not the most budget option.

Installation of stone wool with front side Houses

Which type of wool is better: stone or mineral?

The installation of both watts is not much different from each other.

Stacked on different surfaces: horizontal and vertical.
Stone wool is less plastic, brittle, has good water repellency, good sound insulation.
Basalt does not crumple over time and under the weight of roofing materials.

What is the difference:

The density of stone wool is much higher than mineral wool. The soft component bends strongly and easily passes water. Additionally, you will have to impregnate or cover protective material. But when moisture penetrates, mold will form, it will appear bad smell and you will have to change the coating to a more reliable one. This will be difficult due to the thinness of the fibers, they crumble a lot.
To create good strength, acrylic is added to glass wool.
Also, it responds well to physical impact, that is, it stretches and does not break, does not cause allergic reactions and does not harm the skin. Glass wool resembles cotton in structure.
Mineral wool is harder to install in a vertical surface due to the softness of the structure.
If insulation of the pipeline is required, then mineral wool is excellent.
Stone insulation retains its basic characteristics longer.

Important! Stone wool is much more expensive than mineral wool and its analogues due to the above properties. Basically, because of the durability, strength, dense structure, which does not allow moisture and extraneous sounds into the home.

Installation of mineral wool. You can see that it looks like silk.

Both materials fully comply with the indicators from the manufacturers. But each is better or worse for warming in certain parts of the house.

Installation of stone mineral slabs in the attic

If you want to create thermal insulation for the pipeline, then mineral wool is better, as it is soft, flexible and will not allow pests (mice) to get to the protected part. And for the insulation of walls and floors in the house - stone wool. Because its solid structure without the possibility of further compression allows you not to change the material for many years. It also does not let in moisture and sounds that interfere with a quiet life. Ideal for living in the city and in a private house in winter.

Glass wool has become an environmentally friendly product, because no harmful solutions are used in the manufacture, which can harm human health (cause allergic reactions, itching, damage internal organs due to ingestion).

First, let's establish that the general term "mineral wool insulation", according to the technical document GOST 52953-2008 “Heat-insulating materials and products. Terms and Definitions", refers to three types of materials used as heaters - stone wool, slag wool and glass wool:
«

3.17 mineral wool: Heat-insulating material having the structure of wool and made from molten rock, slag or glass.

3.17.1 glass wool

3.17.2 rock wool

3.17.3 slag wool

Therefore, when a question arises before the customer: basalt insulation or mineral wool - which is better, clarification is required. Using the terms "mineral wool", as well as "mineral wool for wall insulation", we will mainly talk about stone wool.

For comparison, we present specifications three types of mineral wool:

It can be seen that stone wool has the best performance in almost all parameters.

Origin of stone wool

The idea of producing heat-insulating materials from molten rocks arose in the 19th century after observing the processes that occur during volcanic eruptions, when thin threads were formed from hot magma splashes under the influence of wind. Such a heater as stone wool as building material was first obtained from waste products of metallurgy - blast-furnace slag - at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, first in the USA, and then in Great Britain and Germany. However, these first experiments were not widely used on an industrial scale due to the imperfection of technologies.

The greatest success in the development of production methods and high quality materials was achieved in the 30s of the XX century by the specialists of the Danish company, which first produced mineral wool boards for insulation. building structures and became known by the main type of product produced Rockwool (literally "stone wool"). Since then, Rockwool has been manufacturing basalt slabs for insulation. different kind, constantly expanding the range of manufactured materials and today has become one of the leaders among the world's best manufacturers of thermal insulation based on basalt wool.

In Russia, the products of the TechnoNIKOL company are very popular, a generally recognized domestic manufacturer of various building materials that produces heat-insulating slabs made of mineral wool, which are in no way inferior in quality and range to Rockwool materials, so here we will consider in detail the production technology, varieties, properties and scope of stone wool produced by TechnoNIKOL.

Stone wool production technology TechnoNIKOL

The raw material from which mineral wool insulation is made includes the bulk of inorganic components - gabbro-basalt rocks with the addition of dolomite, as well as organic elements - phenol-formaldehyde resin, water repellent and dust remover.

First, the inorganic components are mixed in the raw material preparation unit, weighed and fed in a precisely defined amount into a vertical coke cupola furnace, where the mixture is melted at a temperature of 1600 °C. The molten mass enters the centrifuge, consisting of several rotating rollers, where drops of molten stone mass are broken under the influence of centrifugal forces, stretching into thin threads, then under the air flow they enter the fiber precipitation department, in which they are treated with an air-drop mixture of organic elements - phenol-formaldehyde resins with water repellent and deduster. The composition of the mixture was developed in our own research center, is the know-how of the company and is not subject to disclosure. The main effect of the development is that in one mixture it was possible to combine binding, water-repellent and dust-removing qualities.

Further, the mass of basalt fibers enters the pendulum spreader and corrugator-prepressor, in which it is formed into a sheet of basalt mineral wool certain thickness, density and structure. In the corrugator-prepressor, the fibers are given different direction, which increases the elasticity of the material and tensile strength.

On final stage the formation of a heater, the fabric passes through a thermal chamber, where, at a temperature reaching 250 ° C, the process of hardening of the binder mixture takes place. After that finished material cut at the cutting unit with circular saws on mats, where certain sizes of insulation are specified. Then the finished mats are packed in batches in shrink film and sent for sale.

Stone wool properties - pros and cons

Basalt slab as a heater, sound insulator and fire protection has many positive properties:

low thermal conductivity in the range of 0.035–0.042 W / (m ° C), approximately in the same range as that of expanded polystyrene;
almost zero hygroscopicity - no more than 0.095% per day, which does not allow moisture to penetrate into the mass of insulation, while maintaining its properties in any adverse conditions. The inaccessibility of the material for moisture penetration excludes the possibility of reproduction of microorganisms unfavorable to health, such as mold and fungus, in the body of the insulation;
high vapor permeability in contrast to closed-cell foam materials like expanded polystyrene or polyurethane foam. Basalt thermal insulation as part of the building envelope ensures the evaporation of any amount of moisture that forms on the adjacent surfaces of walls, ceilings or roofs, eliminating the negative effects of moisture. This quality of the material makes it possible to use it for thermal insulation of structures with high level humidity in rooms such as saunas, laundry rooms or baths;
high fire resistance is one of the unique properties of basalt wool. Mineral stone wool slab belonging to the NG category, that is, non-combustible materials that can only melt when high temperature, is used not only as a non-combustible insulation for walls and ceilings, but also as a fire-retardant material that covers metal and reinforced concrete structures in order to improve fire protection;
in addition to thermal insulation, wall insulation with mineral wool significantly increases their soundproofing properties due to the structure of stone wool, most of the volume of which is filled with air between randomly located stone fibers that dampen sound vibrations;
has a high resistance to aggressive substances - oils, alkalis and acids, products household chemicals, as well as high biological resistance to the influence of microorganisms - fungus and mold, which allows us to talk about the high durability of the material. From the experience of using stone wool in construction, it has been established that the durability of this insulation is guaranteed to reach 50 years or more;
stone wool minplate is an environmentally friendly material, since it is based on molten basalt fiber, which does not emit any substances harmful to humans. However, a reservation should be made here - polymer resins are used as a binder for stone wool, making up no more than 5% of the total volume and capable of releasing harmful substances when exposed to fire - this happens only during a fire;
stone wool products are easy to process, slabs and mats are cut with a regular hacksaw to the desired size.

Stone wool has several disadvantages that are easily eliminated if certain methods of working with the material and its operating conditions are observed:

There is a perception that stone wool is harmful to health. Indeed, during the installation of structural insulation, cutting and other processing of stone wool mats and slabs, tiny particles basalt fibers, which can be harmful to health if they come into contact with the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. In this regard, thermal insulation work must be carried out with the obligatory use of protective overalls, gloves, goggles, masks and respirators. After insulation with stone wool, structures are always closed with cladding or plastering, which is better for operation when the ingress of fiber particles into the air is excluded and access to the premises of harmful phenols from the binder is difficult;
tendency to caking of the material over time under the influence of its own weight, especially in vertical structures - in multi-layer walls or ventilated facades. This disadvantage is easily overcome by fasteners, evenly distributed over the entire area of the structure;
obligatory use of vapor barrier from the side of the premises. From the outside, a material should be used that does not prevent the free exit of water vapor through the material, which is used in almost all enclosing structures, except for insulation with polyurethane foam.

Varieties of stone wool and its areas of application

Stone wool products, in accordance with the requirements of two regulatory documents: GOST 21880-2011 "Stitched heat-insulating mineral wool mats" and GOST 9573-2012 "Heat-insulating mineral wool boards with a synthetic binder", are subdivided into mats and slabs of different rigidity, having their own designations and specific areas of application, which can be seen in the following table.

Marking of mineral wool mats and plates and their areas of application

The density of mineral wool for insulation is the main indicator by which the scope is determined.

Basalt wool from leading manufacturers and its characteristics

Here we consider basalt insulation, the characteristics of which give a complete picture of the properties of various varieties of this material and areas of application - Rockwool insulation.

Basalt wool, the technical characteristics of which are given in the table, has a recognized best properties, when compared with other well-known manufacturers that began to be used in the construction industry much later, such as Nobasil, Turkart, PAROC, Knauf, Isoroc, etc.

Mineral wool TechnoNIKOL

TechnoNIKOL stone wool, the technical characteristics of which are given in the table below, is in no way inferior both in properties and in the variety of Rockwool products.

Technology of wall insulation with mineral wool

Mineral wool insulation is used for sound and heat insulation of the following enclosing structures:

exterior walls of buildings for subsequent plastering;
multilayer walls with insulation inside the masonry;
ventilated facades;
frame partitions;

The technology of wall insulation with mineral slabs for plastering consists in sequentially performing the following operations:

preparatory work - leveling in the presence of significant irregularities, cutting off protruding metal elements, cleaning and dedusting;
fastening plates of brand not less than P-160 in density using a polymer-mineral adhesive and additional fastening with dowels with a galvanized metal core - at least 8 pcs / 1 m². The lower row of plates is installed on a perforated metal corner with a section of 25x25x0.5 previously fixed on the wall;
covering the heat-insulating layer with a protective adhesive composition up to 8 mm thick with reinforcement with a plaster polymer mesh;
application of plaster white color up to 4 mm thick;
painting with facade paints on the basis of architectural design for the design of facades.

The heat-insulating thickness of the insulation is selected on the basis of calculations, taking into account the conditions of the climatic region in which the facility is being built.

The procedure for performing the work of wall insulation for plastering is detailed in the manual P 1-99 to SNiP 3.03.01-87 "Design and installation of thermal insulation of the outer walls of buildings for plaster", published in Belarus and the Russian Federation.

Walls can be insulated mainly from the outside. The option - wall insulation from the inside with mineral wool plus drywall - should be used only in the option when external insulation is not possible for any reason. In this case, the walls are insulated from the inside with mineral wool with an indispensable device for a ventilation gap between the insulation and the sheathing to prevent the deposition of condensate moisture inside the structure.

Learn more about the principles of outdoor and internal insulation can be read in the article "".

Thermal insulation of multilayer walls

Insulation of multilayer walls is carried out in the process of brickwork or the construction of walls from small-sized or large-sized blocks. Insulation in the form of mats or plates of grades P-40 or P-50 is placed in the air gap between the inner wall and the facing layer in terms of rigidity.

The internal masonry and the facing layer are connected by metal or polymer anchor rods, which are installed in a checkerboard pattern with a step of 600x600 mm. When installing anchors, they should be placed, if possible, at the joints between the slabs, otherwise the anchors should be passed through the slabs.

When laying the facing layer, it is necessary to provide ventilation holes- entrance in the lower part of the wall, exhaust in the upper part, which are vertical joints not filled with mortar in the amount of at least 150 cm² per 20 m² of wall area.

Installation of ventilated facades/h3>

For the installation of insulation using a system of ventilated facades, a frame made of metal thin-walled profiles is pre-mounted on external walls made of concrete, reinforced concrete or brick. Profiles are installed in horizontal and vertical directions with the expectation that insulation boards fit between them.

Insulation boards, the grade of which should be at least P-75 in density for buildings up to 12 m high (1-4 floors), and not less than P-120 for buildings over 12 m high (5 or more floors) are installed between the frame elements and fastened with dowels with wide plastic caps. For buildings up to 12 m high, each insulation plate is fastened with two dowels, for buildings above 12 m, the insulation plate is fastened with four dowels.

The insulation layer is covered with a windproof membrane made of a special film, then the frame with insulation is lined with various facade materials- siding, porcelain tiles, composite panels etc. Between the surface of the insulation and facing materials an air gap must be left for ventilation. For buildings up to 12 m high, the air gap must be at least 15 mm; for buildings over 12 m, the air gap must be at least 40 mm.

The thickness of the insulation is taken according to the calculation. In many cases, a small thickness is sufficient, for which, for example, Rocklite stone wool 50 mm thick can be used.

The device of frame partitions

When filling frame partitions, a frame of thin-walled steel profiles or wooden beam, consisting of racks mounted on soundproof pads, and horizontal crossbars. The pitch of the posts and the distance between the crossbars are selected in accordance with the dimensions of the mineral wool boards used, with the expectation that the boards fit snugly in the space to be filled. To fill the frame partitions, a mineral plate with the P-50 or P-75 brand in terms of density is used.

After filling the frames of the partitions mineral wool boards they are sheathed on both sides drywall sheets or other sheathing materials with subsequent finishing.

Expert opinion website

According to portal experts, stone wool is one of the the best heaters for many reasons. When the customer, when choosing a heater for own house asks himself the question: which insulation is better - polystyrene foam or mineral wool, you should choose stone wool, because, despite approximately equal thermal conductivity, mineral mats and basalt wool slabs outperform polystyrene and other materials in terms of other qualities - fire resistance, environmental friendliness, vapor permeability and durability.

Stone wool insulation is one of the proven methods of performing work that reduces heat energy losses, both when laying insulation on the outside of the building and on the inside.

Stone wool is a fibrous heat-insulating material made from silicate melts of rocks and volcanic rocks, as well as basalt.

Stone wool has a number of advantages in comparison with other types of insulation, which determine the scope of its use and the variety of places of application.

Description, types and features of production

Stone wool is produced, as already mentioned above, from melts of various rocks. The most common type of stone wool is a material made on the basis of basalt, such insulation is also called "basalt wool".

Stone wool is made in special furnaces, in which natural rocks of mountain, volcanic origin or the same basalt are melted at high temperatures.

The rock in the liquid state is drawn into fibers, to which binding components are added, after which the threads (fibers) are treated with special solutions that improve the technical characteristics of the resulting product.

After that, the threads are thermally processed again, as a result of which their polycondensation occurs and the insulation is formed in the specified geometric dimensions.

When forming stone wool slabs, resins based on phenol and formaldehyde are used.

Types of stone wool

Depending on the stiffness of the resulting insulation, basalt wool is classified as:

Soft.
Medium hardness.
Rigid.

The soft type of stone wool is made from fibers of the smallest thickness, which, when formed into a slab, create a large number of air cavities that determine the product's ability to retain heat.

This type of insulation is prone to destruction under the influence of external mechanical loads, therefore it is used in the construction of roofs, ceilings, floors and other building structures, which, when finishing sewn up with other materials.

The material of medium hardness is made of thicker and, accordingly, stiffer fibers, which allows it to be used for insulation of facades, engineering structures (ventilation and cable ducts, heating mains), as well as other types of work (sound and fire safety) at similar facilities.

Rigid type of stone wool, used in places where there are significant mechanical loads.
Products of this type are placed under concrete screed and plaster directly on their surface with a reinforcing layer device.

Stone wool is produced in the form of slabs (medium hardness and hard type) and rolls (soft type), as well as special cylinders used for thermal insulation of pipelines.

Main technical characteristics

The characteristics that define physical properties stone wool are:

Thermal conductivity.
The ability to transmit heat through its surface. The thermal conductivity coefficient for this type of insulation is from 0.032 to 0.048 W / (m * K), depending on the type and raw materials used.
Hydrophobicity.
The ability to absorb moisture. For this material, this indicator is less than 2 percent of the volume of the product, which indicates that stone wool practically does not absorb water and can be used in rooms with a humid environment (bathrooms and showers, kitchens and bath rooms as well as basements and exterior finishes).
Vapor permeability.
The ability to pass substances in the vapor state. The vapor permeability coefficient for stone wool is 0.3 mg / (m * h * Pa). With the penetration of water vapor on the surface of the insulation, condensate does not form, moisture is not absorbed into the structure of the material.
Fire resistance.
The ability to resist the spread of flames. Stone wool is not combustible material, which does not support combustion. The material is able to withstand high temperatures, above 1000 * C, while not melting and preventing the spread of fire.
Soundproofing.
Stone wool is a good sound insulator that can dampen sound waves.
Strength.
Due to the fact that the insulation is made of a large number threads, even soft-type products have a certain margin of safety, and medium-hard and hard ones can withstand significant external mechanical loads.
Resistance to chemically active substances and biological organisms.
This material is chemically passive. He does not enter chemical reactions with materials (wood, metal, plastic and others) and is not susceptible to the formation of microorganisms and mold, and is also not affected by rodents.
Environmental Safety.
Although resins based on phenol and formaldehyde are used in the production of stone wool, their quantity is insignificant, then this material is considered environmentally friendly, moreover, in the production process, these substances are neutralized.
Geometric dimensions.
The thickness of the sheets (roll) is a multiple of 50.0 mm, while this value is the minimum possible, and the maximum produced size is 200.0 mm. When selling stone wool in rolls, its length can be 10.0 m (depending on the thickness), and its width can be 1.2 meters. When sold in slabs, the size is 1000x1200 mm.

Stone wool: application

This material is universal, due to its technical characteristics.

In construction, stone wool is used for:

installation of ventilated facades of buildings for various purposes;
insulation of building structures both inside and outside buildings;
warming engineering communications and elements of buildings made of various materials;
for isolation of fire-hazardous zones and objects that normally operate at high temperatures;
for soundproofing objects and buildings for various purposes.

Is there any harm to health during installation

The rules of work and safety measures, as well as possible negative impacts on the health of a person working with stone wool, are regulated by the Interstate Standard “GOST 9573-2012 Heat-insulating mineral wool slabs on a synthetic binder. Specifications".

The very basis of the insulation (natural breeds used) are safe substances, but resins containing phenol and formaldehyde in their composition are potential sources of danger to human health, while different researchers give completely contradictory conclusions on this matter.

It is believed that due to a special production technology that ensures the neutralization harmful substances, as well as their low content per unit volume of insulation, stone wool is an environmentally friendly material.

Stone dust formed on the surface of the insulation has a negative impact on human health if it enters the respiratory tract. In this regard, when working with stone wool, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment - respirators, masks and protective gloves.

How to choose stone wool

When choosing stone wool, it is necessary to pay attention to the peculiarities of performing work with its use, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this insulating material.

Features of use

The criteria for choosing stone wool are:

Compliance of technical characteristics with the place of use and destination.
Environmental friendliness.
Price.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of using stone wool determine its technical characteristics, these are:

Excellent thermal insulation parameters.
Good soundproof characteristics.
Fire safety.
Versatility of use.
resistance to chemicals, microorganisms and rodents.
Small degree of water absorption.
Long terms of operation.
Environmental Safety.
Ease of installation work.

Disadvantages are also present, but they are much less than advantages, these are:

Relatively high cost.
During installation, dust is present, which adversely affects human health.
When performing installation work, it is necessary to seal the joints between individual sheets (strips) of insulation.

Installation work

When installing stone wool, a lot depends on right choice the type of material used (soft, medium hardness, hard) and its suitability for the place of application.

When mounting on various building elements and structures, it is necessary to follow general recommendations doing the work, somehow:

When insulating a roof with a significant slope, it is necessary to use stone wool with a thickness of at least 150 mm and a density of 40 kg/m3.
During construction interior partitions, the density of the insulation must be at least 50 kg / m3, which will ensure both thermal insulation and sound insulation in the required parameters.
When installing a ventilated facade or insulation outer wall, it is necessary to use plates with a thickness of at least 100 mm, with a density of at least 80 kg/m3.
When using stone wool when installing a ventilated facade, it is better to use two types of insulation stacked on top of each other. At the same time, loose, having a lower density, fits to the surface of the wall, and more dense - outside.

Installation of stone wool is carried out in the following sequence:

On the surface to be insulated (wall, interfloor overlap) a vapor barrier or waterproofing (floor) is installed.
A frame is mounted, in the internal space of which a heater will be laid.
The frame can be made of lumber (timber, edged board) or galvanized perforated profile.
To fasten the frame to the surface to be insulated, nails, expansion anchors or anchor bolts are used that correspond to the material of the surface to be insulated.
The elements of the frame are interconnected by self-tapping screws and connecting elements(perforated corners, plates, etc.).
The step of the frame guides corresponds to the width of the insulation.
Basalt wool is laid in the frame, while using special adhesive compositions (liquid, dry mixtures or gas-filled) applied to the insulated surface or insulation.
When laying the insulation, it is pressed against the surface to be insulated.
At vertical arrangement sheets (strips) the insulation is fixed with special expansion dowels with a wide cap (fungi).
The joints of sheets and strips of insulation are sealed with mounting foam and special adhesive tapes.
After the installation of the insulation is completed, the waterproofing is laid. Finishing coat is being installed.

When laying stone wool, you will need cutting tool(construction knife), by means of which sheets (strips) are cut to the required length and textured elements are cut out on the surface to be insulated.

The use of stone wool as an insulating material has become quite widespread due to its availability, good technical performance and the ability to perform work using it on its own, without the involvement of qualified personnel.

Used for home insulation thermal insulation materials. Among them, stone wool is of particular interest due to its popularity. It is often used for insulation industrial buildings, apartments, houses in the private sector. But not everyone understands what it is. This article describes the varieties of stone wool, its characteristics, and also provides the best manufacturers guaranteeing reliability and high quality.

What is stone wool?

Stone wool is made from volcanic rock. In its natural state, this solid material so that it acquires a "cotton" shape, it is melted and separated into fibers. Depending on the manufacturer, one or another technology (centrifugal or spunbond drawing, blowing, windrowing) can be used for this procedure. The basalt treated in this way becomes free-flowing, and so that it does not crumble, and in order to be able to form a certain shape from it, the fibers are treated with a sticky substance.

Phenol-formaldehyde resin is the same adhesive, in any case, it is used more often than analogues. It glues the fibers, thanks to which they make layers required thickness. The stone wool is then treated with a special oil to make it water-repellent. Last steps production - cutting and packaging of insulation.

Photo insulation of the facade with stone wool

Varieties of stone wool

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Stone wool happens different type. Basically, it is divided into types according to density.

Soft cotton, she roll insulation. Its density ranges from 10-50 kg/m. cube Thermal conductivity coefficient 0.033 W/m*S. It is used in the improvement of pipelines, frames, ceilings, partitions.
A semi-rigid board can have a density of 60 to 80 kg/m. cube The coefficient of thermal conductivity is 0.039 W / m * C. It is often used for facades, roofs, ceilings or sandwich panels.
Rigid board has a density of 90-175 kg/m. cube The coefficient of thermal conductivity is 0.046 W / m * C. This insulation is used for surfaces that are subject to significant mechanical stress. It can be a floor, a roof, a foundation, underground pipelines, etc.

At the time of purchase, the density of the material is always indicated in the form of a letter marking. Soft stone wool - PM, hard - PZh, and semi-rigid - PP. The numbers that are written next to these letters with a hyphen indicate the density itself. Most often found on sale: PM-40, PM-50, PP-70, PP-80, PZH-100 and PZH-120.

In terms of geometric characteristics, there is no single classification, because different manufacturers can offer completely different products. Here, many depend on where exactly the insulation will be laid. But the thickness of stone wool from different manufacturers is identical. It is sold in thicknesses of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mm.

Photo of stone wool in a roll and slabs

There is another classification according to the type of packaging.

Stone wool rolls can be plain or with foil on one side to increase heat-reflecting properties. The length of such material in a roll can be from 3 to 50 meters, and the width is 0.6-1.5 meters.
In slabs - typical The used for the facade. The slabs are produced in widths of 60-120 cm and lengths of 120-150 cm.
Shaped - this is the one that has a round shell. It is used to insulate pipelines.

Properties and characteristics of stone wool

Stone wool is often compared to other types of similar material. Namely with glass wool, slag and mineral wool. Below are comparative characteristics, allowing you to navigate in one or another parameter of all types.

Parameter	stone wool	Mineral wool	glass wool	slag wool
Average fiber diameter (µm)	5-15	4-12	4-12	4-12
Fiber length	20-50	16	15-50	16
Thermal conductivity (W/m2*k)	0,033-0,046	0,077-0,12	0,038-0,046	0,46-0,48
Use temperature	-190 to +700°C	-60 to +600°C	-60 to +450°C	-60 to +250
Sintering temperature	700-1000	600	450-500	250-300
Heat capacity	500-800	1050	1050	1000
Compressibility (%)	Up to 40	40	60	60
Elasticity	71	60	55	50
Flammability class	NG - non-combustible	NG - non-combustible	NG - non-combustible	NG - non-combustible
Sound absorption	0,87-0,95	0,75-0,95	0,8-0,92	0,75-0,82
Vibration resistance	No	No	No	No
Binder (%)	2.5 to 10	2.5 to 10	2.5 to 10	2.5 to 10
Hydration per day (%)	0,035	0,095	1,7	1,9
Chemical resistance to water	1,6	4,5	6,2	7,8
Chem. resistance to alkaline environment	2,75	6,4	6	7
Chem. acid resistance	22	24	38,9	68,7
Release of harmful substances	Yes, if there are harmful binders	Yes	Yes	Yes
The need for binders	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
causticity	No	No	Yes	Yes

Advantages and disadvantages

Experts note both the advantages and disadvantages of stone wool, so before buying it for insulation, you need to weigh the pros and cons. What are the advantages of stone wool?

The material is lightweight, which allows it to be carried and laid without effort during the warming of the room.
This is a time-tested heater.
High insulating properties.
Stone wool is not afraid of temperature changes. Regardless of the weather, it does not expand and does not shrink, it keeps its shape and retains its properties.
The basic characteristics are the same regardless of the manufacturer. So, for example, insulation from Rockwool and Isobox have similar parameters and qualities, but differ in terms of price, additional raw materials used for production and other details. Hence the price difference.
The material is not combustible.
Depending on the quality of the insulation, vapor permeability can vary from 0.3 to 0.55 mg / m hPa. The higher the index, the better this property is expressed.
Laying stone wool is quite simple, even without practice.

Now about the disadvantages of stone wool.

Contrary to misconceptions, it does not scare away rodents. Mice and rats are not afraid of it and can safely live in it.
The environmental friendliness of stone wool is often called into question due to the fact that the fibers are held together by resins during production. Manufacturers rarely explain what these resins are, their exact composition and whether they are harmful, so the question remains open.
During the laying of stone wool, dust is generated, which is highly recommended not to be inhaled. Therefore, you can only work with it in a respirator.

Photo of stone wool TechnoNIKOL and Rockwool

Where is stone wool used?

Since the 20th century, stone wool has become widespread. Since it is 95% natural material, it is used for warming the most various types buildings.

Walls. As a heater for the facade, this material is very popular. Thermal insulation properties prevent heat loss in winter and keep cool in summer.
The floors are often insulated. It allows you to make screeds, provides sound insulation.
Roofs (flat and pitched) are partially insulated with this insulation. True, it is not recommended to use only stone wool, but it is suitable as part of the protection.
Partitions inside rooms are often made with the participation of this material. It provides additional sound insulation.
Bearing beams and columns, reinforced concrete floors, transit ducts, cable and pipe passages can be made using stone wool. This provides fire protection and additional safety to the inhabitants of the premises.

The best stone wool manufacturers

Stone wool is produced by many manufacturers, but not all of them guarantee quality and durability. In order not to regret buying in the future, you should focus on leading manufacturers.

TechnoNIKOL is a well-known manufacturer. Stone wool TechnoNIKOL comes out in series. For example, Rocklight - plates, cost from $ 12 per cubic meter. Teploroll - a roll, at a price of up to $ 23 per cubic meter. Technoacoustic - has excellent soundproofing properties. Price from 45 dollars.
Isover - French manufacturer. Notable lines are Isover Classic, Isover KL-37 and Isover KT-37. The price depends on the type of product and quantity, but on average you can find products from $13 and up.
Isobox - not an expensive type of stone wool from a domestic manufacturer. Products are produced in batches ("Light", "Inside", "Facade", "RUF", "Extralight") in automatic mode.
Ursa – famous company, the material of which is used for warming both residential, private houses, apartments, and industrial complexes. This company offers new version stone wool - Pure One, characterized by environmental friendliness and high performance. One roll will cost $23 on average. There are also products in slabs for about the same cost.
rockwool is the most popular brand. A lot of people heard about him and it's not surprising. The manufacturer focuses on quality and durability. Well-known stone wool lines are Roof Butts and Cavity Butts. The average cost of a package or roll is $15-23.
Knauf produces stone wool of various types. Thermo Plate 0.37 – a good choice for the floor, for the facade, partitions. The package contains 12-24 plates. The approximate cost is 15-22 dollars. Tormo Roll is an analogue in the form of a roll. It is recommended for warming any vertical and horizontal surfaces. The cost of one roll is from 18 dollars. There are also foil-lined products that start at $15 and up.

Photo of wall insulation with stone wool

Home insulation is an urgent problem of our time. Not only in new buildings, but also in the old housing stock, people are trying to reduce heating costs. Continuously rising energy prices put significant pressure on the family budget, widening the gap between income and expenses.

Having qualitatively insulated your house or apartment, we will ensure comfort for ourselves and our loved ones. The amount on the virtual "counter" of savings after this work will grow every year.

The only question that needs to be answered correctly is what material to use to keep the heat in your home? Answering it, we will consider stone wool and evaluate its advantages and disadvantages.

What is stone wool made of?

This material is made from basalt - a rock of volcanic origin. In order to get a soft fiber from a hard stone, it is melted. After that, the red-hot mass is divided into fibers using various technologies(blowing, windrowing, spunbond and centrifugal drawing).

The resulting semi-finished product has one significant drawback: the basalt fibers crumble, it is impossible to form a single array from them. Therefore, in the next step, an adhesive is introduced into the fiber.

Most often, phenol-formaldehyde resin is used in this capacity. It connects the fibers together, allowing you to form a carpet of the desired thickness. Further, the material is given water-repellent properties by treating it with mineral oil. The last operations are cutting the insulation and packing it.

It should be noted that the term stone wool is not often used in the construction market. The names more familiar to the mass buyer are mineral wool and basalt wool. To avoid confusion, it should be remembered that we are talking about the same material obtained from basalt rock.

One more note: mineral wool from basalt should not be confused with glass wool and slag. The first type of insulation is obtained from molten glass. The raw material for the second is blast-furnace slag. Today, mineral wool has practically ousted its closest competitors. Glass wool is noticeably inferior to it in terms of environmental friendliness. The quality of slag wool is low, so the demand for it has fallen.

Properties, types and characteristics of stone wool

Remaining essentially a natural stone, basalt wool has acquired best qualities insulation. From the rock, she inherited resistance to fire and high temperature. This material is not afraid of the aggressive effects of acids. The oil treatment made it impervious to moisture.

The fibrous structure provided the material with excellent heat and sound insulating properties and good vapor permeability - a very important characteristic of any insulation.

Speaking about stone wool insulation, many argue about the environmental friendliness of this material. The reason for concern is the phenol-formaldehyde resin, which is part of its composition and glues the fibers. However, upon closer examination, doubts dissipate.

The mass fraction of glue in this insulation does not exceed 3%. Studies conducted by sanitary control authorities have confirmed the safety of mineral wool for health.

The main reference point for the consumer in terms of environmental friendliness is the products of certified manufacturers who strictly observe raw material proportions and technology.

The main characteristic of insulation is density. Its heat-insulating ability is directly related to it. In addition, density is essential during installation.

According to this indicator, the material is divided into three categories:

soft (roll and plate) - 10-50 kg / m3;
semi-rigid (plate) - 60-80 kg / m3;
rigid (plate) - 90-175 kg / m3.

For the classification of insulation boards, alphanumeric designations of the "brand" are used. The letters indicate the degree of rigidity (soft - PM, semi-rigid - PP, hard pancreas). The numbers indicate the density (kg/m3). The most common brands are PM-40, PM-50, PP-70, PP-80, PZh 100, PZh-120.

The main characteristics of TechnoNIKOL Rocklight basalt slabs are a popular universal material for private construction.

Soft rolled wool (thermal conductivity coefficient 0.033 W / m * C) is used for insulation of interfloor ceilings, frame partitions, pipelines.

A semi-rigid board (0.039 W / m * C) is placed in multilayer sandwich panels, mounted on ceilings, ventilated facades and roofs.

Rigid insulation (0.046 W / m * C) is used where the surface experiences mechanical stress (floors, flat exploited roofs, foundations, underground pipelines).

Basalt wool has good sound-absorbing qualities. Its fibrous structure actively dampens acoustic air vibrations, reducing the noise level in the room. As soundproofing, it is used in internal frame partitions. At outer cladding facades, it performs the functions of heat and sound insulation.

The sound absorption coefficient of the material is in the range from 0.87 to 0.95. When buying, pay attention to it. The higher its value, the better the material dampens the sound.

Mineral wool does not have a single classification in terms of geometric dimensions. Each manufacturer offers its own "line" of heaters. For different brands, only the thickness of the material is the same - 50, 100, 150 and 200 mm.

Three types of stone wool are produced: rolled, in slabs and shaped (in the form of a round shell for pipeline insulation). To improve the heat-reflecting qualities and protect against external influences, a rolled mineral wool is used, on the surface of which a layer of metal foil is glued.

Length roll material can be from 3 to 50 meters, with a width of 0.6 to 1.5 m. The plate (semi-rigid and rigid) is produced from 60 to 120 cm wide and from 120 to 150 cm long.

There is also no strict gradation in terms of vapor permeability. This indicator is indicated in the certificate and can take a value from 0.3 to 0.55 mg/m hPa. The higher it is, the better the material passes water vapor.

By degree fire safety basalt wool belongs to the category of non-combustible materials (NG), withstanding direct heating up to a temperature of +1100 C.

Advantages and disadvantages of stone wool

Having considered the main characteristics of this material, we can draw conclusions about its advantages and disadvantages.

TO positive qualities minerals can be attributed to:

High heat-insulating ability;
Good vapor transmission;
fire safety;
Biostability;
Environmental friendliness;
Durability;
Ease of installation.

The main disadvantage of basalt wool is manifested at the installation stage. When working with it, dust is formed, consisting of small particles of stone fibers. They enter the respiratory system, causing coughing and irritation. Eliminating the damage caused by dust is not difficult. To do this, use standard personal protective equipment (masks or respirators). Also, the considerable cost of the material can be attributed to negative factors.

Installation rules

Most often, mineral wool is used for external wall insulation, attic floors and roofs. Styrofoam is better suited for thermal insulation of the foundation - an inexpensive and fairly rigid material that does not allow water to pass through.

Failure to comply with technology is costly!

stone wool for facade wooden house mounted after treating the walls with an antiseptic that protects them from decay. The surface of foam concrete and brick is cleaned of old paint and peeling plaster. The work on installing insulation is best done in the warm season on dry walls.

All window sills and door frames must be removed prior to installation. Since the thickness of the walls after sheathing with mineral wool will increase, you will have to buy new elements of window and door cladding.

Dry installation of insulation in the frame

There are two ways to insulate with stone wool: dry and wet. The first involves the use of a wooden or steel frame (battens), in the cells of which insulation is laid. In the second method, the plates are attached to the walls without a frame using glue and dish-shaped dowels.

"Wet" installation option

It should be noted that installation in the frame is most often used when constructing a ventilated facade. The crate allows you to create a gap between the insulation and outer lining(4-6 cm), through which water vapor is discharged into the atmosphere.

The plate dowel is used for both dry and wet installation.

Mineral wool is placed on glue and dowels in cases where a finishing layer (plaster, putty) will be applied on its surface.

Dry mounting technology (ventilated facade)

When mounting the frame, its slats are placed so that the distance between them is 1-2 cm less than the width of the slab or roll of basalt wool. In this way, a tight fit is achieved. Work on installing the battens begins from the corners of the building, using a level and a cord to install the guides in the same plane.

The roll is rolled from top to bottom. Plates, on the contrary, are placed from the bottom up. Having filled all the rows of the crate with insulation, a vapor barrier film is fixed to it, which performs the function of a wind protection. The joints of the film sheets are glued with construction tape. After that, holes are drilled in the wall and plastic dowels are hammered into them, fixing the mineral wool and the wind barrier.

The next operation is the fastening to the frame of the counter-battens (the second crate), creating a ventilated gap between the insulation and the outer cladding of the facade.

Construction of wall insulation by dry method (ventilated facade)

The general rule for the installation of mineral wool boards is to prevent the joints of the insulation from coinciding with the corners of door and window openings.

Basalt slabs can be installed in one or two layers. It all depends on the chosen thickness of insulation.

In some guidelines, two-layer installation is suggested as a way to protect joints from blowing. In this case, the plates are mounted so that the upper ones close the joints between the lower ones. With this option, the crate has to be placed in two rows perpendicular to one another.

With two-layer installation, maximum tightness of insulation is achieved

Wet installation method

With this option, the main role is played by the glue that fixes the mineral wool boards to the wall. It must have good vapor transmission so that condensation does not accumulate in the insulation. Be sure to consider this point when buying. The market offers special adhesive compositions designed to work with stone wool.

Sequence of work at wet method visible in the figure.

Construction of wall insulation with basalt wool on an adhesive solution

The installation of the plates begins after the installation of the starting profile, which closes the plates from below and prevents them from sliding until the adhesive composition sets.

A layer of glue is evenly distributed with a notched trowel over the plate and then pressed against the wall. Having installed a horizontal row, the insulation is additionally fixed with plastic dish-shaped dowels.

After finishing the wall cladding, a layer of glue is also applied to the surface of the material and a reinforcing fiberglass mesh is embedded in it. After leveling the surface with the rule, the solution is given time to dry. The final operation is plastering.

Manufacturers and prices

Behind last years a whole “clip” of high-quality stone wool manufacturers has formed on the market. These are foreign brands. Isover(Isover), rockwool(Rockwool) Paroc(Park). A domestic company competes on equal terms with them TechnoNIKOL. The products also have a good reputation. Russian company Izovol(Izovol).