Kingspan Kooltherm Phenolic Insulation Board

What Is Phenolic Insulation?

Phenolic foam is comprised of phenolic resin, a blowing agent, and an acid catalyst. It is used to make lots of different products, one of the most popular being insulation boards. It has over 90% closed-cell formation, making it extremely rigid and easy to handle. You do not have to worry about rot or fungal growth when you choose phenolic insulation boards. The rigid thermoset core is protected by two facings, which act as another barrier against the elements. 

To make phenolic insulation boards, Kingspan applies a layer of wet phenolic directly onto a facing. The foam expands and meets a top layer to achieve the desired thickness. When phenolic dries, it becomes tacky. It adheres to the top and bottom facings. Kingspan cooks the resulting board under immense heat, then cures it in a second oven. Cooked and cured phenolic is a distinct pink colour, which is distinguishable from yellow PIR foam. The boards have low thermal conductivity values and provide the best thermal protection that you can buy.

Difference Between PIR and Phenolic Insulation

Phenolic foam is often confused with PIR insulation. These two materials share a lot of similarities. Both PIR and phenolic are rigid thermoset foams that function as insulating cores between two facings. The main difference between them is the materials and the manufacturing process. 

PIR foam is made from isocyanate and polyol. PIR insulation boards are manufactured in much the same way as Kingspan Kooltherm insulation. The main difference is that PIR insulation has to be cured for much longer than phenolic insulation. Whereas phenolic boards are cured before they are packed, manufacturers cure PIR boards after they have already been packed. The boards cure in a temperature-controlled environment for one day per each 25mm of thickness. Phenolic has better thermal performance than PIR, reaching lows of 0.018 W/mK compared to the 0.022 W/mK of PIR. 

Both phenolic and PIR foam have combustible properties. However, they do deliver excellent protection against moisture and are ideal for areas with high rainfalls. You do not need to worry about rot or fungi growth when you invest in this type of insulation. 

Kingspan Kooltherm Standard Range

Kingspan creates a wide range of insulation boards. Their standard Kooltherm range contains the first phenolic insulation boards that Kingspan made. They can improve the thermal envelope of your home, but not as much as the newer boards in the K100 range. Kingspan Kooltherm insulation boards in the standard range have thermal conductivities between 0.020 and 0.023 W/mK. They have a lot of applications including ceilings, walls, and floors. 

Kingspan Kooltherm K100 Insulation

The Kingspan Kooltherm K100 range contains the most popular phenolic foam insulation boards in the UK. K100 boards are a newer addition to the Kingspan range and benefit from an improved manufacturing processes. They have a thermal conductivity value of 0.018 W/mK. If you want to improve the thermal envelope of your home, look no further than this range.

Kingspan is known for taking an environmentally-friendly approach to insulation. K100 boards are manufactured in an eco-friendly way. Kingspan uses a blowing agent with zero ozone depletion potential and a low global warming potential. Eco-concious individuals can reduce their energy consumption with Kingspan phenolic insulation.

Kingspan creates a board for every kind of insulation need. You can install K100 Kooltherm insulation in floors, walls, and roofs.