Softwood fibreboards WLS 040 – 046
Insulation boards
Plaatisolatiematerialen
Plattendämmstoffe
Mats for thermal insulation
Mattenisolatiematerialen
Mattendämmstoffe
Loose-fill and blow-in insulation materials
Stort- en inblaasisolatiematerialen
Schütt- und Einblasdämmstoffe
Speciality products
Speciale producten
Spezialprodukte
Eigenschaften
Softwood fibreboards are used for thermal and sound insulation in houses. In addition, this insulation material provides good thermal protection in summer and, thanks to its ability to absorb and release moisture, can help improve the indoor climate. Softwood fibreboards can be used in almost all applications: internal and external insulation of ceilings, walls and floors.
Depending on the intended applications, the individual products differ in terms of their flexibility and compressive strength. Some high-compressive-strength boards are suitable for use in external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS).
Rohstoffe und Herstellungsverfahren
Raw materials: softwood wood chips, paraffin, latex (where applicable), PUR resin (diphenylmethane diisocyanate), water glass, white glue
In the ‘dry production process’, the wood is first ground into wood chips and impregnated with the water-repellent paraffin. The treated fibres are then dried in a continuous-flow dryer. To bind them together, the fibres are glued with PUR resin, formed into mats and allowed to cure. Alternatively, softwood fibreboards can also be produced using the ‘wet process’. In this process, the ground wood chips are mixed with water to form a pulp, to which additives (paraffin, latex) are added. The pulp is formed into a fleece, from which 50 per cent of the water content is removed using vacuum suction units and press rollers. The boards are then dried to their final moisture content in a recirculating air dryer. For thick boards, the individual boards are glued together using white glue.
The advantage of the wet process is that, as a rule, no binders are required. Furthermore, thinner boards can be produced. In the dry process, on the other hand, less energy is required for production and there is no need to glue individual boards together afterwards to achieve greater board thicknesses.
Technical Specifications
Property | Unit | Parameters | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal conductivity λR | W/(mK) | 0.039–0.043 | 0.045 | 0.047–0.050 | 0.070 |
| Bulk density ρ | kg/m³ | 110–200 | 175–180 | 150–270 | 230 |
| Heat storage capacity c | J/(kgK) | 2100 | 2100 | 2100 | 2100 |
| Building material class | -- | B2 | B2 | B2 | B2 |
| Water vapour diffusion resistance μ | -- | 3–5 | 5 | 3–5 | 5 |
| Primary energy content | kWh/m³ | 372–781 | 372–781 | 372–781 | 372–781 |
| Water-repellent effect | -- | yes | yes | yes | Yes |
| Can it withstand pressure? | -- | yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
*Comparative U-value: 1.0 W/(m²K)
Provided the slabs are not damaged or soiled, they can be reused. In some cases, they can also be recycled. Furthermore, they can be sent for thermal recovery or disposed of at a construction waste tip.
DIN EN 13171; Z-23.15-1417, Z-33.43-931, Z-23.15-1452
Gesundheit und Ökologie
Waste from the wood-processing industry is used to manufacture softwood fibreboards. Another positive environmental aspect is the short transport distances and the predominant use of renewable raw materials. However, paraffin and, in some cases, latex are also used – substances derived from the fossil fuel crude oil. The boards produced using the dry process also require a binder, for which diphenylmethane diisocyanate – a substance that is not entirely harmless – is usually employed[i]. During the manufacturing process, this substance is converted into harmless polyurea. Tests failed to detect diphenylmethane diisocyanate in the softwood fibreboards, or the concentration was below the detection limit. Although no binder is added to the boards produced using the wet process, the amount of energy required for their manufacture is higher.
Formaldehyde has been detected in tests on products manufactured using both processesviii. Formaldehyde is classified as carcinogenic and mutagenic. The substance does not generally enter the product via additives, but occurs naturally in wood and diffuses outwards in small quantities. Overall, the product is relatively harmless from a health perspective; however, compromises must be made with regard to environmental aspects.
[i] Environmental declarations: EPD-GTX-2011111-D (2011), EPD-GLU-2010111-D (2010); Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V., Königswinter
- many areas of application
- A widely used product
- sound-insulating, heat protection in summer
- high primary energy content
- higher price level
- contains, in some cases, critical binding agents