The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Rockwool panels for thermal insulation in greenhouses

If you&#;re considering an external wall insulation project, you might have come across the term &#;mineral wool&#;. This is a high-performance type of insulation material made from stone or glass fibres. Mineral Wool is often referred to as &#;Rockwool&#;.

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Rockwool is best-known for being non-combustible (fireproof), but it also has many other great features!

In this blog, we&#;ll take a look at some questions you might have about mineral wool insulation. We&#;ll outline what mineral wool is, its features and benefits. Consider this your ultimate guide to Rockwool Mineral Wool Insulation!

Read on to find out more about Rockwool insulation!

What is mineral wool?

Mineral wool is a type of insulation material that is made from stone and minerals that have been spun into strong fibres. As you can imagine, being made from stone fibres means that mineral wool creates a high-strength and durable thermal insulation material.

There are two main types of mineral wool &#; fibreglass wool (made from glass fibres) and stone wool (made from stone or rock fibres). Both are derived from natural materials, and therefore are naturally resistant to the elements. This blog post will focus on stone wool insulation &#; specifically Rockwool.

Let&#;s find out more about this type of insulation!

What is Rockwool?

When considering mineral wool as an insulation material, you may have come across &#;Rockwool&#;. But what is it and is Rockwool the same as mineral wool?

Rockwool and mineral wool are the same. Rockwool is simply a brand of mineral wool insulation; it has simply become synonymous with mineral wool.

A unique feature of Rockwool insulation boards is that they are 3 times denser than fibreglass batts. This makes them a sturdy and long-lasting way to insulate your home.

At EWI Store, we stock Rockwool dual-density slabs &#; which are designed specifically for EWI systems. This means that the top layer of insulation is a higher density than the rest of it. This creates a suitable and even surface to render onto.

Let&#;s look at some of Rockwool&#;s unique features!

Rockwool features

Rockwool is a high-performance type of stone wool. It is one of the best insulation materials available on the market. Rockwool uses naturally derived minerals to provide high-strength, durable, and non-combustible thermal insulation to buildings.

Below is a breakdown of Rockwool&#;s unique properties:

• Fire: Euroclass A1 &#; non-combustible.
• Thermal: 0.036 W/mK.
• Strength: Tensile strength perpendicular to faces &#; 10 kPa.
• Acoustic insulation: reduces noise pollution.
• Breathable.
• Water-resistant.
• Sustainable: 97% recyclable and long-lasting.

These incredible properties make Rockwool a great material for largescale, commercial projects &#; not just residential homes. This is why it is becoming increasingly popular among architects, as it provides an overall high level of safety and protection to your home.

Is Rockwool fireproof?

Yes! Rockwool is completely fireproof!

Fire resistance is valid concern for many homeowners and installers of commercial projects. Therefore, you will be glad to learn that Rockwool is indeed fireproof. In fact, Rockwool mineral wool insulation boards have the highest possible fire rating (Euroclass A1) for non-combustibility. This means that in the case of a fire, it won&#;t burn or contribute to the fire.

As such, Rockwool is an incredibly safe external wall insulation material and has therefore become increasingly popular among architects and largescale. Investing in mineral wool as your chosen insulation material, will give you peace of mind knowing the exterior of your building is protected from fire.

Another key feature of Rockwool slabs that was mentioned earlier is that it provides excellent acoustic insulation.

Is Rockwool good for soundproofing?

This means that Rockwool (and mineral wool generally) is great for soundproofing your building! Soundproofing is especially useful in areas of high traffic and noise pollution, such as urban areas or next to roads.

So, if you&#;re looking to reduce noise pollution to your home or building, Rockwool is a really great option that comes with many other benefits too!

How to install a Rockwool EWI system

As mentioned, Rockwool is a really great and versatile insulation material. It is also easy to install and is compatible with many other EWI products. Let&#;s look at how you would go about applying it to a substrate.

You should always apply primer to your substrate before installing mineral wool insulation. Use the EWI-310 Universal Primer on smooth substrates and the EWI-301 Water Based Primer on brickwork.

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Then, install a starter track, and follow with EWI-225 Premium Basecoat. We recommend that you apply Premium Basecoat around the perimeter of the Rockwool slabs and 3 dabs in the centre. This way, you can achieve an even surface before rendering!

You can read more about rendering onto Rockwool Mineral Wool insulation in our complete guide!

Is Rockwool sustainable?

You might be surprised to learn that Rockwool insulation is actually one of the most sustainable external wall insulation materials available on the market.

Rockwool are a company committed to sustainability and improving their environmental impact. This means that all Rockwool products are made with sustainable materials and practices in mind. For example, Rockwool insulation is approximately 97% recyclable!

Rockwool mineral wool is made from naturally occurring materials. This means that it doesn&#;t release any environmentally harmful, ozone-depleting greenhouse gases.

Not only this, but Rockwool&#;s incredible fire-proofing qualities make it a highly sustainable material too. This is because a building fire pollutes the immediate environment with large volumes of harmful gasses and chemicals. This depletes the o-zone layer, but also affects residents nearby. Rockwool&#;s fire safety features ensure this will not occur.

Therefore, Rockwool mineral wool is an excellent option for those who are looking for a safe and environmentally friendly insulation material.

Find out more!

Want to find out more about the mineral wool installation process? Check out our complete guide! This walks you through the installation process and highlights the materials required for the system.

Don&#;t feel like reading? Give us a call on , one of our sales representatives will be happy to assist!

Check out the coverage rates of our mineral wool insulation boards below:

Thickness of board (mm)Coverage per pack (m2)502........72

With rising energy costs, a good return on investment may be obtained by adding insulation to heated buildings, such as the headhouse, office, work area or the boiler room. Insulation can provide benefits in both winter and summer; in winter by keeping the expensive heat in and in summer by keeping the heat out.

Insulation is basically trapped air and air is a good insulating material. Air entrapped in the small bubbles of foam or the small spaces in fiberglass retards heat flow. The small bubbles in a sheet of foam or in the small spaces in a batt of fiberglass entrap dead air. The thin film of air surrounding these spaces also retards the heat flow. Together a thermal resistance (R-value) is established. Technically it is measured in ºF &#; square foot &#; hour/Btu. The greater the R-value, the greater the insulation effect.

Insulation materials

Insulation has different R-values depending on the material and thickness. When you purchase insulation at a home center or lumber yard it will have an R-value printed on the package. For example, the R-values of common types of insulation and other construction materials on a per inch basis are:

Fiberglass - 4.0
Expanded polystyrene with smooth surface &#; 5.0
Polystyrene beadboard &#; 3.6
Expanded polyurethane &#; 6.2
Poured concrete &#; 0.2
Plywood &#; 2.8
Sheet metal wall &#; 0.78

How much insulation do you need?

The amount of insulation that should be installed depends on several factors including:

1. The climate where the structure is located. For example, the heat loss from a headhouse in St Paul MN will be nearly twice as much as in Cincinnati OH or Albuquerque NM .
2. The design temperature used. A headhouse heated to 70ºF will require 40% more heat than if it is heated to only 50ºF.
3. The amount of ventilation needed for moisture removal. This make-up outside air has to be heated during the winter. The heat from equipment and employees in the building can be conserved and used for heating the ventilation air if more insulation is installed.
4. The cost of fuel to heat the building or the cost of electricity to run fans or air conditioning. With increasing fuel costs, this is the major reason to install more insulation.
5. The local building code. The R-value for floors, walls and ceilings in some buildings is specified in the code to meet national energy conservation goals.

Choosing an insulation material

Most insulation materials reduce heat flow caused by conduction or convection. Those that have an aluminum surface may also resist radiant losses if the shiny surface faces inside and has an air space in front of it.

There are many choices in insulation and most insulation is available in several forms. When selecting insulation, consideration should be given to the following:

• R-value &#; Select a material with the highest R-value. When new construction is planned, build with 6" thick walls rather than 4" as more insulation can be used.
• Ease of installation &#; Blanket or batt type insulation is easy to install in walls during new construction but placing rigid board material on the surface or fill-type material blown in through holes may be the only type that can be conveniently installed to insulate an existing wall. Fiberglass or rock wool is commonly blown into attic space as it can be applied at 12" thickness or more.
• Fire resistance &#; Materials that create toxic gases or contribute to flame spread should not be used unless covered with a non-flammable material. There have been a number of fires in buildings that had unprotected, sprayed-on urethane foam insulation.
• Vapor barrier &#; moisture is a good conductor of heat. Moisture from inside the building that migrates into the insulation reduces the R-value and can contribute to deterioration of the wall. Either a vapor barrier as part of the insulation or a separate 6 mil polyethylene sheet should be installed on the heated side of the ceiling and walls. Fiberglass even with a vapor barrier is not a good choice for a connecting wall between an attached greenhouse and a headhouse as the moisture in the greenhouse is driven into the insulation by the high temperatures developed. Also polystyrene beadboard is permeable to moisture and should not be used where a vapor barrier is needed.
• Cost &#; a comparison based on total cost/unit R-value may be the best way to compare materials. Cost includes materials, labor and equipment if needed. For example, 12" of blown-in insulation with an R26 will have the approximate cost of 29¢ for the material, 23¢ for labor and 17¢ for the equipment to put it in place for a total of 69¢/sq ft. Nine inches of kraft faced fiberglass batt insulation with an R30 will cost about 55¢ for materials and 13¢ for labor for a total of 68¢/sq ft. Based on R-value the batt material is a better buy costing about 14% less. The above figures were adapted from Means &#; Light Construction Cost Data.

Although insulation can reduce heating cost considerably, windows with an R-value of 0.9 for single glazing and 1.4 for double glazing can have a significant impact. Infiltration of cold air around doors, windows and other openings also increases heat loss. Research on one group of homes found that infiltration caused 45% of the total heat loss in the average home.

Payback for investment to bring ceiling/wall insulation values up to a minimum of R40/R20 in northern states and R30/R20 in southern states is usually less than 3 years. As fuel prices increase, this payback will be shortened.

John W. Bartok, Jr., Extension Professor Emeritus
University of Connecticut , Storrs CT -
Natural Resources Mgt. & Engr. Dept.
University of Connecticut , Storrs CT

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