Rockwool Roof Butts - insulation designed to protect roofs. To understand the features of its application, you will need to familiarize yourself with the varieties and technical characteristics of the building material. The user should also know how to properly install insulation boards on the roof.
Description of types of insulation
The Rockwool company produces a wide range of roofing insulation, among which the following stand out:
- Roof Butts N;
- Roof Butts W;
- Rockwool Butts S;
- Ruf Butts Extra;
- Rockwool Butts Optima.
The first of the listed materials is used to protect the bottom layer of the coating in combination with samples used as an upper insulation layer (Rockwool Roof Butts B). Products with the "C" index are in demand when it is necessary to combine insulation with a sand screed, which guarantees reliable adhesion of various layers of protective coatings.
Rockwool Ruf Extra belongs to the original H-type slabs, consisting of two heat insulators: the lower thin one with a density of 130 kg / m³ and the more durable upper one with a density of 235 kg / m³. These products, in contrast to the "N" brand, have less weight, which facilitates their installation on any roofs. Slabs Ruf Butts Optima differ from other options only in their lower density (only 100 kg / m³), which allows them to be used to insulate the internal spaces of buildings.
The main characteristics of the insulation
The technical characteristics of products from the Rockwool company include:
- density;
- compressive strength;
- thermal conductivity;
- vapor permeability;
- moisture absorption by volume;
- the dimensions of the tiles.
According to the first indicator, most of the boards presented by the company are produced according to the principle of combined (double) density. Thanks to this, all Rockwool product samples are lightweight and easy to install. The highest density index, which is 190 kg / m3, is possessed by the products of Ruf Batts V. Next, there are slabs of the same type with a density close to 160 kg / m3. The product with the "H" index closes this row with an indicator of 115 kg / m3.
Compressive strength indicates the ability of a material to resist external factors that cause deformation and internal stress. This indicator is influenced by its structure (in particular, porosity). The most compressive strength is Ruf Butts B plates (at least 70 kPa). The least durable is Ruf Butts N with an indicator of at least 35 kPa. This is quite enough to use it as an intermediate layer between the outer coating and thermal insulation with the "B" index.
Thermal conductivity is determined by the amount of heat given off through the isothermal surface area. Similarly, moisture absorption and vapor permeability are assessed. These indicators are directly related to the porosity of the thermal insulation material and its other characteristics.
Distinctive features
The specifics of Rockwool heaters include the technology of obtaining material from the original product. Its raw materials are rocks of the basalt group, which are widespread all over the world and are therefore distinguished by their low cost.After being mined, the stones are loaded into special furnaces, where they turn into a liquid melt at high temperatures. The resulting mass then enters the centrifuges, in which it is sprayed into small jets. When cooled, the latter turn into thin long fibers with a diameter of up to 15 microns and a length of up to 50 mm.
The cured formations are first collected in a carpet film, which is then treated with binders and hydrophobic compounds. This is followed by pressing to give the material the desired density and forming mats of a given size. The use of this technology makes it possible to obtain a large number of cavities filled with air layers. The features of the structures under consideration, saturated with large volumes of air, are unique thermal characteristics.
Application area
The advantages of basalt heaters are the main reason for their widespread use in a wide variety of areas:
- thermal insulation of external surfaces of building frame or wooden structures using modern technologies;
- reliable thermal insulation of the plinths of the building facades;
- when certain conditions are met, they can be used to insulate the internal surfaces of buildings;
- protection of partitions, which makes it possible to increase their sound and thermal insulation properties;
- thermal insulation of floor coverings, including cement screeds and concrete floors;
- for the purpose of thermal insulation of pitched roofs and flat roofs, as well as for insulation of attic (mansard) rooms.
The use of Rockwool products for the stated purposes allows a wide selection of materials for universal purposes.
Laying methods for roofing slabs
- laying between elements of truss structures;
- mounting without fastening;
- ballast fixation;
- fastening with anchors.
Laying between rafters
After the slabs have adopted the natural shape of mineral wool, they should be prepared for laying, for which they are cut into pieces of the required size with a construction knife. The width should correspond to the distance between the rafter beams, with a deduction for an interference fit of about 20-25 mm. All these operations are performed in protective equipment (gloves, a respirator and tight clothing), which excludes the possibility of getting cotton wool particles into the respiratory system and skin. The cut blanks are then pushed into the niches formed by adjacent rafters; at the same time, the edges of the material are slightly bent outward due to the difference in size. The method is ideal for medium hard slabs.
Laying without fastening
The method of laying without fastening is relevant for products with medium and low stiffness. In this case, the workpieces are mounted over the entire floor area close to one another on a pre-laid waterproofing layer. In adjacent rows, they fit with a slight offset relative to each other. With this approach to insulation, the attic is unsuitable for living.
Ballast mount
The ballast method is used only when using slabs with a high density and stiffness. Ruf Butts blanks are laid out directly on the vapor barrier film, a layer of waterproofing is laid on top. The ballast holding the structure is placed on top. For unexploited attics, this function is performed by stone backfill, and in residential premises - paving slabs.
To fix the blanks of the RUF BATTS insulation to the base of the roof, anchors or dowels with a wide head are used. This type of fastening is in demand if the slabs have to be laid in two layers, of which the upper one is harder than the lower one.
Competitive advantages of Rockwool Roof Butts insulation
In terms of its quality indicators, Rockwool Roof Butts basalt wool competes successfully with the most common examples of heat insulators of this class.This possibility is primarily due to the environmental friendliness of the feedstock, the process of its processing and the final product itself. In addition, the RUF BATTS insulation guarantees effective sound insulation, which reduces the level of external noise by 43-62 dB. Its competitive advantages are also manifested in the fire safety of the material belonging to the KM0 class (absolutely not dangerous).
In terms of flammability, the heat insulator belongs to the NG category, which means absolutely non-combustible. Therefore, the plates are used not only for insulation work, but also for the purpose of creating fire barriers.
The peculiarities of the fiber structure of basalt wool, in addition to good sound insulation, provide the slabs with long service life with the absence of the slightest signs of shrinkage. When using these products, over time, dips and voids do not appear in the mass of the substance, its original form remains throughout the entire period of operation. According to the manufacturers, this period for Rockwool insulation is approximately 50 years.
