Nuances of using granulated foam glass. Insulation with foam glass: step-by-step instructions Floor insulation with granulated foam glass

One of best warmth And soundproofing materials is foam glass. This insulation was created by Soviet scientists in the 30s, but due to the high cost and imperfect manufacturing technology, it did not receive widespread. Three decades later, Canadians found practical application for it, where foam glass was used as thermal insulation for a building. This material entered mass construction relatively recently, when all the shortcomings were taken into account and production costs were reduced. The article will discuss how to insulate with foam glass.

What is foam glass

This inorganic thermal insulation material has a porous structure. During the production process, the glass melt is heated at high temperatures, the added gas-forming substance forms bubbles with a diameter of a millimeter to a centimeter. Porosity varies between 80-95%.

Foam glass photo

The color of the products can be different: cream, green or black. This property depends on the source raw material, because crushed quartz, sodium sulfate, sedimentary rocks, and irrecoverable glass cullet are used in production.
The insulation is offered in the form of granules, slabs and shaped products (pipe shells). Foam glass blocks are popular and can be of the following sizes:
- length - 200, 250, 400, 475 mm;
- width - 125, 200, 250, 400 mm;
- thickness - 80,100, 120 mm.
Installation is carried out using mechanical fastenings, cement mortars, mastics and other adhesives. The fixation method is selected depending on the type of surface (concrete, iron, wood).

Characteristics of foam glass

This is a lightweight material, its density is 120-200 kg/m. cube
As for the compressive strength, then this indicator very high and varies from 0.5 to 1.2 MPa.
Thermal conductivity is even better than that of wood - 0.06 W/m*s versus 0.09 W/m*s, respectively.
The absorption index of sound waves by a 100 mm thick slab is 50 dB, which provides increased comfort.

The amount of sorption is negligible and does not exceed 4% of the volume.
The temperature range for using the material is very wide - from -200 to +500C. At higher temperatures (from +540C), the slabs begin to deform, but do not emit toxic gases or vapors. Heat resistance makes it possible to use foam glass in facilities that have increased fire safety requirements.
Chemical inertness is at a high level. The material does not interact with acids, alkalis, petroleum products and other aggressive environments.

Advantages of using foam glass

In addition to high physical and technical characteristics, absolute environmental cleanliness can be noted among the advantages. The material is recommended for use in buildings with increased sanitary and hygienic conditions.
The mats do not change their size throughout the entire service life. Glass cells do not deform under operational loads and seasonal temperature changes. Thus, the formation of cold bridges due to compression, sagging, swelling or shrinkage is prevented.

Foam glass is not subject to rotting and the development of corrosion processes. It is also not attractive to microorganisms, mold, fungi and rodents, which indicates biological resistance. Thanks to the above advantages, the service life of the blocks is at least 100 years.
Thermal insulation material is easy to process. It can be cut, drilled and sawed without forming crumbs or cracks. It goes with almost all types building materials: cement, brick, iron surfaces, holds finishing compounds well.

Disadvantages of foam glass insulation

The main disadvantage is the high cost, because the manufacturing process itself is a complex technological task. To produce insulation in the form of a shell, you need additional equipment, which entails an increase in the cost of the finished product.
One more drawback can be noted - low resistance to shock loads. But this indicator is not critical, since the insulation is not subjected to such tests.

Attention! "Analogues"

There is a cheaper analogue on the market, which is made from liquid glass. The finished product is not durable or moisture resistant. At its core, it is porous glue.
The only advantage of this material is its low cost, which can be 2 or even 3 times less than that of foam glass products made from solid raw materials.

Foam glass application

Due to its thermal insulation properties, the material is used:

V civil engineering. It is widely used for thermal insulation of utility lines. This material is used for “warm floors”, used roofs, attic spaces, basements, foundations. They also insulate internal and external walls;

in sports facilities. Block and granular material is widely used in the construction of ice arenas, swimming pools, playgrounds and other objects that have special requirements;
in industrial facilities. Foamed glass melt works to reduce operating costs due to high thermal resistance. Therefore, its use is relevant not only for ground-based, but also underground structures, for example, such as: buried tanks and other containers;
in the national economy. Crushed foam glass makes it possible to erect buildings on clayey and marshy soils. It provides reliable thermal insulation of farms intended for breeding poultry, cattle, etc.;

in the improvement of personal gardens. Foam glass bulk material has found its application in the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses. Performance characteristics allow you to shape the relief on the site, equip pedestrian paths, create gabions, use in drainage systems and diversions groundwater. They also insulate buried containers.

Increased efficiency

When choosing the thickness of the slabs, it is necessary to take into account thermal insulation properties material used to build a house. So, for external insulation of brick, concrete and silicate walls, foam glass slabs with a thickness of 120 mm are used.
For buildings made of wood, foam and expanded clay concrete blocks, this thermal insulation material with a thickness of 80-100 mm is suitable.
Internal insulation work is carried out using foam glass 60 mm thick. The plates are fixed using adhesives, thin dowels and steel L-shaped brackets.

Granular material is used for the “warm floor” system, foundation and interfloor (attic) floors. It will fill all voids and provide the necessary thermal insulation. The calculation of layer thickness is based on the temperature conditions of the region of residence.

Foam glass installation

To attach the mats, a special foam glass adhesive is used. It is applied to the reverse side and 2 side walls. Cement-containing solutions and bitumen-based compositions are evenly distributed around the perimeter.
If there are minor bulges or depressions on the surface, then it is recommended to apply the adhesive mixture to the foam glass in “slaps” (at least 5 pieces per slab). With this method, glue consumption will increase, but the base will become as smooth as possible.
For wooden surfaces use special dowels. This is explained by the fact that wood is subject to thermal expansion. In this connection, the slabs must be fixed mechanically, which will allow the foam glass blocks to “move” after the wood.
Before installing the slabs on vertical surfaces at the level of the plinth, a horizontal strip under the level is installed. This can be a beam or a metal profile; if necessary, wedges are placed between the base and the rail. The empty space is filled with foam.
The first row of insulation is installed on a profile that acts as a support. After the adhesive composition has hardened, the support is dismantled. To be safe, it is better to remove the horizontal bar upon completion of all work.

Foam glass mats are mounted on walls and sloping roofs from bottom to top, on horizontal surfaces(for example, on interfloor ceilings, foundations) in the direction - “towards you”, that is, from the far corner.
Laying of foam glass products is carried out close to each other with the obligatory displacement of one row relative to the other (with bandaging of the seams). If, in addition to glue, you plan to additionally use dowels, then their fastening is done after the binder mixture has completely dried.
Thermal insulation boards around windows or doorways, chimney pipes and other elements are mounted in solid figures. Joining foam glass blocks on corner lines is not permitted.

Foam glass laying technology

Knowing the method of fastening this material, you can easily and quickly insulate any objects under construction. Proper placement of all layers will help increase the efficiency of thermal insulation.

Unique physical and technical properties make it possible to reduce the thickness of the “pie” and abandon the use of wind and moisture-proof membranes. Below are the most common uses of foam glass slabs.

Wall with heavy cladding. Products made of foam glass are glued to reinforced concrete or brick surfaces. Additional fixation is performed mechanically(4-5 dowels per slab). After the entire perimeter has been laid, they proceed to installation. metal profile, intended for facing stone. This option is also applicable for arranging the basement.

Plastered wall. On brickwork or walls built from foam or aerated concrete blocks, foam glass mats are attached using an adhesive composition. Before applying the finishing material, the slabs are covered with an overlapping mesh (at least 100 mm). It is fixed with disc-shaped dowels with pressure washers. The thickness of the plaster layer can be up to 30 mm.
Wall with facing brick. The brick base is covered with foam glass slabs. It is more convenient to insert flexible connections after laying the insulation, and not before its installation. Next, the masonry is erected from facing bricks. Here you can also use granular material, which is poured between the main and facing wall as the latter is being erected (the distance between the masonry is at least 250 mm).
Wall under profiled sheet. Wall surfaces are covered with foam glass mats. A sheathing of wooden slats or metal profile. Fasteners are selected depending on the material from which the walls are built. Profiled sheets are installed using the appropriate technology (from bottom to top and from left to right, overlapping horizontally and vertically).

Internal walls (partitions). Indoor work is not much different from the external installation of the presented insulation. Also, insulation is attached to the surface, which is covered with a layer of plaster (you can mount the profile under plasterboard sheets).
Roofing for roll materials. Reinforced concrete slab if necessary, coated with a bitumen-polymer primer, ensuring high level moisture protection. Next, hot bitumen-based mastic or an adhesive solution is applied to the foam glass block and fixed to the surface with gentle pressure. The finished canvas is treated with hot bitumen. Fused with a torch waterproofing layer EPP, and then EKP-type roll material.

Roof with a slight slope for sheet coverings. Foam glass blocks are glued to the reinforced concrete floor. You can use special adhesive compositions or bitumen mastics. Upon completion of the work, the foam glass surface is covered with a hot bitumen-polymer mass. To increase the waterproofing of the roof, fused rolled materials are used. After hardening, a sheathing is made corresponding to one or another roofing material.
Wooden roof. A continuous flooring is installed on the rafters. A layer of bitumen-based waterproofing materials is spread on top of it, which is fastened mechanically. Next, foam glass is installed, then waterproofing material. Now the surface is completely ready for laying any roofing material.
Insulation of floors with foam glass. Foam glass slabs are laid tightly on top concrete base or a compacted layer of sand or cement. Here the thickness of the slab will depend on the expected loads. Next, polyethylene is laid in 2 layers, and then the entire cake is filled with sand-cement mixture. This base is completely ready for arrangement with various finishing materials: linoleum, parquet, ceramic tiles, etc.

Foam glass products have the characteristics necessary for effective thermal insulation of buildings for any purpose. They combine: low heat transfer rates, ease of installation, long service life, fire and biological resistance, environmental safety for both humans and structures.

Foam glass video

Despite the high cost of this material, laying foam glass will cover all costs due to the absence of additional layers of the cake and due to the minimal amounts in heating bills.

Cullet

Granular foam glass produced in the form of particles having a close to spherical shape. Production is based on the foaming of individual, pre-rounded semi-finished granules in a rotating continuous kiln.

Slab foam glass obtained by foaming billets in continuous tunnel ovens. At the exit, the material is sent for long annealing and then to a sawing machine to give the slabs precise geometric dimensions.

Roof insulation

Cullet

In Russia, at least 5 million tons of glass are formed annually in solid materials alone. household waste. Foam glass production is a method of converting cullet from landfills into a highly efficient, energy-saving material.

Production of granulated foam glass

Granular foam glass produced in the form of particles having a close to spherical shape. Production is based on the foaming of individual, pre-rounded granules- semi-finished products in a rotating continuous kiln.

Production of slab foam glass

Slab foam glass get foaming of workpieces in walk-through tunnels ovens . At the exit, the material is sent for long annealing and then to a sawing machine to give the slabs precise geometric dimensions.

Insulation of horizontal surfaces

Granulated foam glass easily fills any unevenness and can serve not only as a heat insulator, but also as a deflection

Insulation of vertical surfaces

Granulated foam glass fills any cavities and creates reliable thermal insulation protection.

Roof insulation

Slab foam glass is an indispensable rigid, waterproof, durable thermal insulation material for roof insulation.

Thermal insulation of process equipment

All over the world, slab foam glass is used at facilities where compromise is unacceptable - nuclear power plants, submarines, factories, etc.

About the features of the production of foam glass and its use as insulation, the positive and negative properties of the material, preparing the floor before thermal insulation, performing basic work, leveling and decorative finishing surfaces.

Contents of the article:

Floor insulation with foam glass is a technology based on the use of high-quality and modern thermal insulation material. The many positive qualities inherent in it put it in a leading position among all insulation materials. Today, foam glass can be used in insulation of residential buildings and industrial facilities.

Features of floor thermal insulation with foam glass

This insulation is made of foam glass, consisting of a huge number of glass cells. It is this structure that determines the stability of its characteristics even over time.

By chemical composition it is close to ordinary glass, and the main difference lies in the production method. The basis is the same broken glass that is involved in production process at all glass factories. It is crushed to a powdery state and sent to the oven, where under the influence high temperatures it melts and swells.

The mass is cooled evenly and allowed to spread over the mold. The finished material contains cells filled with gas, which serve as a product of boiling and release of coal. The resulting glass in foamed form increases in volume up to 15 times. As soon as finished product completely cooled, it is sawed into separate blocks.

There are 2 main forms in which foam glass is produced: cast blocks and granules. The granular form can have varieties such as sand, crushed stone and gravel, which respectively indicate its size. They also differ in production technology. As for the blocks, broken glass is mixed with derivative gases that coal emits.

When granulating, glass is also crushed first, but the melting process occurs at a higher temperature, reaching 1000 degrees Celsius. Soda is also added to the raw material, quartz sand, limestone and sodium sulfate. As a result, grains are formed, which can be from 1 mm to 1 cm in volume and have different shape, usually round, oval, closed. The porosity of such material usually ranges from 80-90%.

Floors in buildings insulated with such material should consist of the following layers:

The immediate base is soil;
The base, which can be concrete, as well as beam, bulk, based natural materials etc.;
Thermal insulation made of foam glass, which can be made in a load-bearing version or free;
Surface for finishing coat;
Final finishing.

In a number of areas, foam glass is particularly effective, for example:

If it is necessary to insulate large areas at once.
Excellent for objects that are in one way or another connected with the aquatic environment (swimming pools, water parks, saunas).
Strength and fire resistance make it possible to use it in the construction of high-rise buildings.
Can be used for restoration work in old buildings.
The material is relevant for thermal insulation of basements and underground premises.
It is used to insulate pipelines due to its ability to cope well with any temperature changes.
This material is widely used in the nuclear industry, at chemical and oil industry enterprises, due to its fire resistance, as well as resistance to aggressive and acidic environments.

Advantages and disadvantages of floor insulation with foam glass

This material has received many praises for its practical use in insulation. First of all, it is excellent thermal insulation, but there are other aspects that our readers will be interested in learning about:

Environmental safety along with material hygiene.
High frost resistance, allowing its use even in regions with harsh winters.
Low flammability and complete non-flammability.
Simplicity of installation, which does not require significant qualifications, as well as ease of processing with conventional tools to suit any size.
To connect foam glass blocks, it is enough to use any building mixture, glue, or bitumen.
Resistance to chemically active reagents and acids in particular.
No release of harmful fumes and toxic substances.
Resistance to destruction while maintaining the original shape and size.
Low material density.
Wide scope of application of this insulation (can be used for thermal insulation of floors, as well as roofs, balconies, loggias, basements, ceilings, etc.).
Huge service life, which can reach 100 years.
The material is not susceptible to erosion, mold and mildew, since it does not contain any biological compounds, thanks to which they can insulate unventilated rooms.
High strength, which allows you to do without additional fasteners during installation.
Moisture resistance, which is due to the fact that the material does not allow water to pass in either direction.
Sanitary safety based on the fact that the cells are equipped with micro-holes that create a positive microclimate and make the air clean.
Household insects or rodents will not be able to live in foam glass.
Soundproofing and more.

Important to consider negative aspects foam glass, which may interfere with its use, especially in residential areas. The material is particularly fragile, caused by any possible deviation from the production technology. Since the heat insulator is not elastic, but, on the contrary, is not subject to compression, it can crack when other structural elements are displaced.

One more point: the material is based on glass, and the insulation blocks are characterized by significant mass. This forces us to carefully calculate the loads on load-bearing structure. Foam glass itself does not cope well with shock loads. If it has been cracked, it becomes unsuitable as insulation.

Despite the fact that the insulator is considered durable, this is not always useful. After all, other materials that are involved in the construction of the building may not be designed for such a long service life. But when dismantling the structure and replacing it, it will be difficult to keep the foam glass blocks intact.

One of the key disadvantages of this heat insulator is its relatively high production cost. This is due to the expensive equipment that is used for the production cycle.

Foam glass floor insulation technology

Plates from this heat insulator can be laid not only on concrete, but also on wooden floor, as well as on dry sandy bases. By using foam glass blocks, it is possible to eliminate deformation and subsidence of the material, as well as provide reliable thermal insulation and perfect water resistance.

Preparatory work before installing foam glass

Among the materials we will need the following: the insulation itself - foam glass for the floor, a leveling mixture, mounting foam, the material that will be used for finishing cladding, construction tape, waterproofing material or a mixture, nails, screws, dowels, glue, reinforcing mesh, cement, sand.

Among the tools you need to prepare: a construction knife, paint brush, electric drill, hammer drill, construction level, spatulas of various widths, hammer, usually a trowel.

First of all, the floor surface is cleared of remnants of the previous coating. After this, it is assessed what state it is in at the moment. Minor defects are easy to remove - these include potholes, bumps, and the like. They can be knocked down with a hammer and sealed with leveling mixtures.

But special attention should be paid to the presence of gaps between the slabs if the lower floor of the building passes under the room. You can seal them the same way cement mortar, which will be used to create the screed. Therefore, the cracks are filled with it, leveled with a spatula and left in this form to dry completely.

If the defects are properly corrected, the floor is cleared of debris, dust and dirt. Final cleaning is done with a vacuum cleaner. Now the surface is ready for priming. These works do not require special skills at all - just arm yourself with a roller, but you will have to cover it 2 times. A second coat is applied after the first one has completely dried.

To create a mortar for the screed, M400 grade cement is used; the sand must be purified, and not just river sand. A mixture of 3 parts cement and 1 part sand is mixed and diluted with water until a homogeneous mass is created, without lumps. The proportions must be observed, and the solution itself must be continuously stirred so as not to cause premature hardening and subsequent cracking.

To insulate the walls, you can use damper tape, which is available at any hardware store. It will not allow the moisture present in the solution to seep to the lower floors. In addition, it compensates for all temperature changes, and also acts as waterproofing in corners and at joints. Gluing it is very simple: remove its protective layer from the tape and press it firmly against the wall, at the joints it is glued overlapping, and the excess is cut off from below, from the floor.

Pour the screed onto the prepared floor together with an assistant. One person constantly stirs the solution. Begin pouring from the side of the wall opposite the entrance to the room. To create flat surface use special beacons. The solution is leveled with a trowel, but for tightening it is better to use the rule.

Although the screed will harden within a day, complete drying will take about a week. During this time, the surface will need to be lightly moistened 2 times a day to prevent it from cracking.

Instructions for installing foam glass on the floor

To make a foam glass insulated floor, the following sequence of operations is necessary:

Pour onto a previously prepared surface thin layer sand, which must be pre-cleaned. The layer thickness is approximately 0.5 cm.
We lay a reinforcing screed on top of the heat-insulating layer. In the case where there is cold water under the thermal insulation basement, it is necessary to form the main insulation with inside fencing bars.
Place granules on the floor. They must be evenly distributed and lightly compacted without using force.
Then, the filling and bonding mixture is prepared in the working container. The proportions of cement and sand should be approximately 1 to 5.

For those who are interested in fast and simple technology foam glass insulation, the following algorithm can be proposed. First, laitance is prepared and mixed with granular material. Using a level, construction beacons are placed on the floor surface. The prepared solution is poured into the spaces between the guides and distributed evenly according to the rule. Once the screed has completely hardened, you can lay the tiles on top.

Finishing the floor

Let's consider the option of laying floor tiles after the insulated surface has completely hardened. First you need to complete the final leveling of the floor. It is best to use special ready-made mixtures, which are sold in construction departments. Filling is done from the far end of the room, with gradual progress towards the door. It is necessary to wait for the surface to dry completely, which usually takes 2-3 days.

As flooring usually used ceramic tiles. Before you start laying it, it is advisable to cover the floor with a primer, which will give the joint greater strength. As soon as the primer paint has completely dried, the tiles are laid out in the room to see how they lay down and to be guided by the pattern. If you have to cut the material, it is better to place individual pieces in inconspicuous places.

They begin to lay tiles from the distant corners of the room. During the work, it is secured using a special glue, which is diluted according to the instructions. It would be good if there were special markings in accordance with which the tiles would be laid. This will ensure that the geometry and pattern are preserved.

The adhesive mixture is applied to the floor using a spatula, the tile is placed on top and tapped firmly with a hammer. The glue must be poured so that it is evenly distributed on the surface. Its consumption will reach 8 kg per 1 m2. In order to form seams between the tiles, it is necessary to install special crosses. During the entire installation process, be sure to check the levelness of the floor using a building level.

As soon as the whole tiles are laid out, they begin to install the pieces - incomplete products. You can trim them special tile cutter or even an ordinary hacksaw for metal. After laying all the products, the surfaces are allowed to stand for 3 days for the adhesive solution to dry completely. At this time, the floor must be protected from stress: do not bring furniture in, do not enter the room again, etc.

To give the surface its final appearance, the seams are sealed with a sealing compound. After this, it is washed with a damp sponge, and the remaining sealant is carefully removed. Thus, floor insulation with foam glass and final finishing finished.

You can resort to the procedure of grouting the joints, since the tiles are only smooth at first glance, but in reality they may differ by a millimeter. Seams can hide these flaws, including those that appear during the installation process. Grout not only prevents the accumulation of dirt and dust in them, but also performs an aesthetic function. Now you can arrange furniture and other interior items.

How to insulate a floor with foam glass - watch the video:

Foam glass is rightfully considered one of the highest quality and most durable thermal insulation materials. Thanks to your truly unique characteristics this material has found its application not only in individual construction, but even in the construction of industrial facilities. However, for all its advantages, the insulator is not so popular in comparison with other heat insulators, and there are reasons for this. In addition to a lot of positive properties and characteristics, foam glass also has significant disadvantages. Let's figure out what disadvantages of foam glass prevent it from becoming the first among

Expensive production

The problem is that this material uses cheap raw materials such as shrapnel broken glass or sintered rocks, but the manufacturing technology itself is quite expensive. In order to obtain granulated foam glass, a temperature of about 800-900 degrees and molds made of heat-resistant steel are required.

The manufacturing process consists of first heating and softening the glass powder obtained from the raw materials.
It is then foamed by burning a gas-forming agent - usually coal.
The material is then slowly cooled, resulting in foam glass.

The production of insulation is a rather complex and lengthy process, due to which the cost of seemingly cheap raw materials increases significantly.

Foam glass products

The end result of production is blocks with a cellular structure and granulated foam glass. Due to the use of special forms, block products have more high cost than the same volume of material in the form of granules.

Subsequently, the blocks are cut into slabs, which are used as thermal insulation in complex objects. For example, on roofs with a large area or structures of complex geometric shape, as well as for thermal insulation of underground structures. It is convenient to use foam glass slabs as thermal insulation for swimming pools, bathtubs and other buildings that operate under difficult temperature conditions, and all thanks to the special resistance of the material to water vapor.

Granulated foam glass is used, as a rule, as loose thermal insulation on roofs or as backfill under screed. The second use of this material is as a filler for various solutions for producing light screeds, plasters or foundation blocks.

Both products have the composition and characteristics ordinary glass, therefore, the advantages and disadvantages of foam glass are based on the properties of this material.

Strength properties of foam glass

This insulation is one of the most durable of all types of thermal insulation. However, we are only talking about compressive strength, which is important for thermal insulation materials, since it is this load that the insulator is usually subjected to. The particular importance of this parameter is due to the fact that with strong compression, the insulation may lose some of its properties: its moisture resistance is impaired, and the insulator begins to conduct heat.

Unlike foam plastic and fibrous materials, which are designed only for small internal forces, which significantly limits their use in some situations, foam glass is absolutely incompressible, and this allows it to take on part of the load.

Resistance to deformation

Foam glass does not deform under the influence of gravity, which prevents it from sagging, shrinking or shrinking. Thanks to this, the insulation does not require mandatory fastening to metal anchors or pins, which can create cold bridges. The material can be easily glued to hot bitumen, polymer or concrete mastics and specialized adhesives.

But not all strength characteristics of insulation are so ideal. The disadvantages of foam glass are based primarily on the properties of the original raw material, which has low resistance to mechanical shock. Therefore, the blocks are quite easy to break or damage. Moreover, even small surface defects can lead to a decrease in moisture resistance and an increase in thermal conductivity.

Service life of foam glass

The service life of the insulation is at least 100 years, which significantly exceeds the service life of most buildings without overhaul where its use is possible.

Foam glass was created back in the 30s of the last century, so today we can talk about the aging resistance of this material. Specialists carried out experimental studies, which showed that foam glass blocks over a period of 50 years did not lose their properties and remained practically unchanged.

However, this advantage is irrelevant in private construction, since low-rise buildings require reconstruction no later than after 50 years. Therefore, it is more advisable to use, although less durable, but cheaper thermal insulation materials than to use foam glass, the price of which is quite high (16,000 rubles / m 3).

Environmental resistance

In this case, we are talking about various types of influences of both chemical and biological nature. Thermal insulation materials made of foam glass are not destroyed by chemicals, the only exception being But this can hardly be considered a disadvantage, since this reagent can only be found in chemical production.

Since foam glass consists only of various elements, it is not susceptible to oxygen contained in the surrounding air, and therefore to oxidation.

Thanks to this same feature, the insulation is not subject to combustion. When exposed to high temperatures, it melts like ordinary glass, without emitting, unlike most heat-insulating materials, harmful gases and substances.

There is another factor that has an impact on the fire safety of the material - the lack of absorbency. Foam glass fully possesses this property and is not an absorbent material.

Non-hygroscopic material

Thanks to this characteristic, water has no effect on the insulation, no matter whether it is fresh or salty, since there are no soluble components in the composition, and the foam glass structure is closed cells into which moisture simply cannot enter. Thanks to these qualities, the material does not collapse under the influence of low temperatures. Therefore, insulation is often used as

In addition, foam glass, the characteristics of which are identical to those of ordinary glass, has a low coefficient thermal expansion, which means that it can easily withstand seasonal temperature changes, regardless of the region of use. One more positive property The material also provides high-quality sound insulation, and all thanks to the dense structure of foam glass.

Foam glass FOAMGLAS

However, the non-hygroscopicity and density of the material also causes some disadvantages of foam glass, in particular its rather large weight in comparison with other heat insulators. This significantly complicates the transportation of insulation, which significantly increases the selling price of the material. And installation becomes quite a problematic undertaking.

However, it allows you to correct this shortcoming. For example, the Pittsburg Corning Corporation produces FOAMGLAS foam glass, which is extremely light, while retaining all the properties inherent in this material.

Therefore, today foam glass is mainly mounted on building mixtures, which simplifies the installation of insulation. In addition, good adhesion of the material is also due to good adhesion of foam glass.

Biological effects

First of all, we note that foam glass is absolutely resistant to rotting, the formation of mold and fungi, since its composition simply does not contain a favorable environment for their reproduction. This factor is especially important in construction, when thermal insulation materials are often used in confined spaces. This property of foam glass makes it possible to guarantee the avoidance of destruction of both the heat insulator and the surface that it protects, be it a roof, a wall, or a foundation.

It is also important that foam glass cannot be damaged by plant roots. It is also completely inaccessible to insects and rodents due to its abrasive properties. This feature of the material has found its application in the arrangement of granaries, warehouses and food refrigeration rooms, when foam glass insulation is also an ideal protection against various biological forms.

What other advantages and disadvantages does foam glass have?

In addition to the main characteristics listed above, the material has several more distinctive properties.

Foam glass is very easy to process and give it the desired shape using ordinary cutting tools. This allows this insulator to be used for buildings of any geometric shape. But the industrial production of blocks is a rather complex process, leading to a significant increase in the cost of the material.

Foam glass insulation - absolutely environmentally friendly pure material, which has no effect harmful effects on human health. And more recently, it was produced using a technology that used hydrogen sulfide as a gas generator. Its smell was also transmitted to the finished material, so the use of insulation in private construction was quite limited due to unpleasant odor"rotten eggs"

Due to its environmental friendliness, foam glass is becoming one of the most popular thermal insulation materials today; moreover, after use, the insulation can be recycled again into a new product.

Cullet

Roof insulation

Cullet

In Russia, at least 5 million tons of glass are generated annually in municipal solid waste alone. Foam glass production is a method of converting cullet from landfills into a highly efficient, energy-saving material.

Production of granulated foam glass

Production of slab foam glass

Insulation of horizontal surfaces

Granulated foam glass easily fills any unevenness and can serve not only as a heat insulator, but also as a deflection

Insulation of vertical surfaces

Granulated foam glass fills any cavities and creates reliable thermal insulation protection.

Roof insulation

Slab foam glass is an indispensable rigid, waterproof, durable thermal insulation material for roof insulation.

Thermal insulation of process equipment

All over the world, slab foam glass is used at facilities where compromise is unacceptable - nuclear power plants, submarines, factories, etc.