Insulating a house with foam chips reviews. Insulating the attic with foam plastic

You can insulate a house, apartment, garage, shed, outbuilding, and even a bathhouse with polystyrene foam. But the latter must be insulated carefully, following certain rules. But are there construction sites that cannot be insulated with foam plastic? Yes, they do exist. You cannot insulate a basement or a building with a ventilated facade with polystyrene foam. Why?

The advantages of polystyrene foam as insulation are very wide. But its capabilities as a material with certain physical and chemical properties have some negative nuances. What are the pros and cons of polystyrene foam? This is what this article is about. But first, the positives.

Advantages of polystyrene foam

One of the thinnest insulation materials

Among all insulation materials, ordinary polystyrene foam, also known as expanded polystyrene, has almost the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient. What does it mean? This means that its thickness as insulation will be the smallest compared to other materials. Here is a list of these materials in increasing order of their ability to conduct heat:

Penoizol (50 mm).
Foam insulation (75 mm).
Mineral wool (125 mm).
Wood (340 mm).
Brick wall(900 mm).
Concrete (2132 mm).

Note:

the thickness of the materials at which their equality as heat insulators is achieved is indicated in brackets;
penoizol is liquid material, which consists of several components. When they are mixed, it swells and hardens. At the same time, it acquires a porous light structure similar to a hardened one. polyurethane foam. Its main disadvantage is toxicity. Therefore, it can only be used for insulation non-residential premises. Usually, it is poured into a specially prepared cavity inside the wall.

The lightest insulation

Find out weight polystyrene foam boards very simple. All manufacturers indicate the density of the material on the packaging:

15 kg/m 3;
25 kg/m3;
35 kg/m3.

And the density of one cube is its weight. That is, one cube weighs 15, 25 and 35 kg, respectively. By the way, this is how you can check the quality of the material you buy. If the package says 25 kg/m3, and the tested package of sheets weighs less, don’t hesitate. You were a little misled.

Sometimes the manufacturer bypasses this point. For example, a package with a declared density of 25 kg/m 3 will contain sheets with a actually lower density. But this packaging will have something of its own beautiful name. And a pack of sheets with a real declared density will be called differently: “ Warm house", "Standard" or "What else is there." But, in any case, the lighter the pack, the lower the density of the insulation. Remember this.

For work, you can use foam of any density. The main thing is to understand that the lower it is, the more fragile and fragile the sheet will be in your hands. But the use of such sheets, for example, on the first floor of a building is not recommended - the facade can easily be damaged by an impact. Therefore, the denser the sheet, the better.

One of the most inexpensive insulation materials

It's really the cheapest industrial material for insulation. At the same time, two types are used in construction practice:

sheet foam;
foam chips or balls.

Today, the selling price for both of these species is approximately equal. Most likely, this is due to an increase in demand for balls. Most often they are used for roof insulation. Cement-sand mixture mixed with balls and poured onto the ceiling. It turns out warm, durable and inexpensive.

Polystyrene foam is a very multifunctional insulation material.

Here are its main areas of application:

wall insulation;
roof insulation;
floor insulation;
insulation of the basement of the house.

Insulating walls with foam sheets has become a classic today. The result is very warm, relatively inexpensive, quite durable and reliable. In terms of service life, polystyrene foam covered with a layer of plaster can last for a very long time. Manufacturers guarantee the service life of facades made of polystyrene foam boards without major repairs for 30 years. They say that in Germany, houses insulated with foam plastic are insured for longer periods. Up to 100 years.

When insulating a roof, polystyrene foam chips or balls in a cement-sand mixture are most often used.

Extruded polystyrene foam is used for the floor and base. It differs from conventional foam in its manufacturing technology, being more dense and durable. But its price is much higher.

A little more positive about polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam is the most convenient and pliable building material to work with. It can be cut with a knife or hacksaw. You can easily make any hole or recess in it. This property is very much used by builders when designing shaped elements of a building facade. Cornices, ledges, window frames and other architectural elements should be made from such comfortable material very simple.

Due to its lightness, the foam element can be glued to the facade anywhere. Well, after the glue has dried, it can easily be further processed, for example, with a drywall plane.

These were strengths foam insulation. But, like any other material, it also has its weaknesses. What are the disadvantages of polystyrene foam and why can’t it be used to insulate a basement or ventilated facade?

Disadvantages of polystyrene foam

To make the right decision, in addition to all the positive things, it will be very useful to know some of the negative aspects inherent in polystyrene foam. There are several of them.

Foam plastic is a flammable material

No matter what the manufacturer writes on the packaging, polystyrene foam burns and melts when in contact with fire. Therefore, you need to make sure that the fire does not get close to it. The consequences can be very dire.

This is why polystyrene foam cannot be used on a ventilated façade. Direct contact with air and the void between the insulation and the surface of the facade create all the conditions for good burning. Emptiness, by the way, works as an additional air draft.

Polystyrene foam releases hazardous substances

During the process of natural aging - destruction, polystyrene foam releases styrene monomer. Its smell can be clearly heard if you put a pack of foam sheets in a closed room. After a while, a characteristic bad smell. That is why you cannot use foam insulation inside residential premises. But, unfortunately, few people know about this.

By the way, this is why you need to insulate a bathhouse with polystyrene foam carefully and carefully. When heated to 90 degrees Celsius, the release of volatile compounds hazardous to human health becomes very large.

Polystyrene foam is hygroscopic

That is, it attracts moisture. No matter what they say, he does it, although not quickly, but confidently. Therefore, insulating a damp, cold basement with ordinary polystyrene foam would be a very bad idea. It is better to use extruded polystyrene foam for these purposes. It has a different internal structure due to which it does not attract moisture.

To test this statement, you can put a piece of regular polystyrene foam and extruded. After a while you will get two materials with different moisture content. One will be heavy and wet, and the second will be dry and light.

Polystyrene foam works as a vapor barrier

This is another serious disadvantage that few people think about at the design and construction stage. It manifests itself especially well in houses that are built entirely from polystyrene foam blocks.

During breathing, a person exhales warm water vapor with the air. This steam must escape from the room. The main direction of steam movement is up and to the sides. The ceiling and walls act as a kind of steam outlet; they “breathe”. In a building insulated with polystyrene foam, good forced ventilation. Otherwise, in winter it will be possible to collect water on the windows with buckets, and the room will be very humid.

Styrofoam is a good home for mice

This is a proven fact. Small gray rodents live well in ordinary polystyrene foam. For them, this is a kind of paradise - warm, soft and safe. Whatever this happens, it is necessary to limit as much as possible the contact of the insulation with places where rodents can enter. This can be done with mineral wool or metal inserts. Rodents don’t like mineral wool, but they won’t be able to chew through a metal insert. They also do not live in extruded polystyrene foam.

In this article we managed to list the main positive and negative properties polystyrene foam As an insulation material, polystyrene foam has a very wide range of positive qualities. But as a material, it has significant disadvantages. Therefore, the use of polystyrene foam in insulating the home itself must be approached carefully and thoughtfully.

By the way, the name itself - “foam plastic”, came to us from the times Soviet Union. Then the first import supplier of polystyrene foam boards was a company whose name included the word “Foam”. It turned out like with a copier - the name of the company became a designation for a whole class of copying devices. The same thing happened with foam plastic.

Currently, during the construction of buildings, internal and external energy-saving cladding is very often carried out using bulk materials. The world market offers a huge selection of similar options for insulation. This article will explain what types there are loose insulation materials for walls and ceilings, which types of insulating fills are best to choose for walls, and which ones for floors and ceilings.

Types of bulk insulation

Manufacturers of loose granular heat insulators offer quite a wide range of big choice material. Bulk insulation is made from paper, stone, resin, polymers and even clay. Let's figure out what the advantages and disadvantages of certain types are, and also describe the main technical characteristics.

To replace insulation in a house correctly, you need to have some experience. Recommendations from specialists will also help with this. You need to mix everything in the right proportions, choose a hygroscopic material, or foam crumb can be used.

Expanded clay

It is likely that this is the oldest and most well-known type of raw material. IN modern construction Expanded clay can easily be called a “classic” of bulk heat insulators. This species has good advantage– light weight and porous structure. It is produced by firing light alloy clay and is an environmentally friendly raw material. Expanded clay does not burn and practically does not absorb moisture, does not enter into any chemical reactions, mold does not grow in it, and mice do not live in it.

The main disadvantage is that while expanded clay may absorb moisture, it does not release it well - a wet insulation layer is very difficult to dry.

There are three types of this raw material:

expanded clay sand (screenings);
expanded expanded clay crushed stone;
expanded clay gravel.

It should be noted that this bulk heat insulator is much cheaper than its competitors. It can be mixed with sawdust, but the insulation layer should be slightly larger, since wood has a slightly lower resistance to heat transfer.

Granulated polystyrene foam

We often hear this bulk insulation under a different name - polystyrene foam. If you look closely at a sheet of polystyrene foam, you can see that it consists of many balls. If you loosen them well, their density decreases and their volume increases.

This type of heat insulator is mainly used when filling voids in already ready-made designs. The crumbs are simply blown out using a special device, and it is very important to bring the process to maximum compaction. The disadvantage of this raw material is that it can shrink over time.

Its use is possible for insulation of floors, ceilings, sloping roofs. But there is still debate about the use of polystyrene foam in this area:

on the one hand, it is a lightweight material that is used to insulate walls and roofs or is used as an additive to concrete (polystyrene concrete);
on the other hand, they warn about its toxicity and flammability.

This material began to be used in the form of insulation relatively recently, and its properties have not yet been fully studied. Expanded polystyrene does not absorb moisture, but it is very afraid high temperatures air.

Vermiculite

Many people don’t even know what vermiculite is, despite its natural origin. The basis of this thermal insulation material is mica, which explains its layered structure. During the production of vermiculite, the addition of chemical additives and impurities is avoided, which allows its frequent use in insulating loggias, balconies, and residential premises.

When this heat insulator is covered with a layer of 5 cm, heat loss is reduced by 75%, and with a thickness of 10 cm, heat loss is guaranteed to decrease by 92%. The service life is unlimited because there are no perishable impurities in it. The insulation does not burn and is non-toxic.

Even if a particular area gets very wet, this insulation will evenly distribute the moisture over the entire area, and then completely remove it outside. Thanks to this “smart” property, all the consequences of getting the heat insulator wet are minimized. Mold and pathogens will not develop in it, and the load on the foundation from structures with this type of insulation will be minimal.

And it can also be mixed with sawdust in a 50/50 ratio.

Wood sawdust

Sawdust is the name given to particles of processed wood obtained by sawing; outwardly they look like fine dust. These bulk insulation materials have traditionally been used for centuries. And yet, due to its tendency to absorb moisture, sawdust rots over time. Many people mix them with other materials, such as clay or vermiculite. It is important to know that only fine sawdust, which is obtained when processing wood on modern high-speed machines, can be used as insulation.

Cellulose insulation - ecowool

This bulk insulation is a mixture of shredded newsprint (81%), antiseptics (12%) and fire retardants (7%). This type of heat insulator first began to be used in the global construction market about a hundred years ago, but in Russia it became known about ten years ago. The main antiseptic component is boric acid, and as a fire retardant (fire retardant element) - borax. Thanks to these substances, ecowool fully lives up to its name. The material is non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

The disadvantage of ecowool is the rapid absorption of moisture, which leads the insulation to shrinkage, therefore in regions with high humidity its use is not recommended. Cellulose insulation is ideal for construction complex structures, since the fibers of the material fill all the voids in the energy-saving finish.

Foam glass in granules

Foam glass is produced from broken glass, which is crushed into the smallest particles, melted, then mixed with coal. As a result, this alloy produces carbon dioxide, which forms air bubbles in the foam glass structure. The production of this heat insulator is quite expensive, as a result of which it is very rarely used in private construction. But it is often used at industrial facilities or in the construction of high-rise buildings.

This material is found in two fractions - in the form of granules and crushed stone. Its advantages are that it does not absorb water, does not burn, does not allow steam to pass through, and has high strength during compression and bending.

Most often, this bulk insulation is used for ceilings due to its light weight. Foam glass can be used for the manufacture of cement mortars, for example, when pouring screeds or foundations, replacing ordinary crushed stone.

Aerated concrete crumbs

It is a mixture of porous crushed stone and sand, made by crushing aerated concrete blocks and waste. His factions are always different sizes(reach up to three centimeters) and often varied irregular shapes, but this does not affect the quality of insulation in any way - the shape of the filled layer does not change.

It is used not only as bulk insulation, but also as an additional bedding for sound insulation in walls and ceilings. Excellent support optimal humidity and air exchange. Often this material is used instead of expanded clay in lightweight concrete mixtures, for example, when pouring a foundation. In this case, this component additionally insulates the foundation and protects it from swelling.

The cost of aerated concrete chips is low, which does not prevent its use as inexpensive drainage and insulation of road surfaces. The only drawback is the dusting of small pieces when filling.

Perlite

It is produced by melting volcanic ore (sour glass) at a temperature of 1000 degrees. When the ore is heated, the water present in its structure evaporates, and the material acquires a porous structure. The volume of raw materials sometimes increases up to 90%. Ready-made granules do not absorb moisture, but allow steam to pass through. For better insulation With this raw material it is treated with bitumen, then the particles stick together and turn into a single insulating layer of any shape.

The main characteristics of this bulk insulation are that it does not burn, does not absorb moisture, allows steam to pass through, and is chemically inert. During insulation, the disadvantage is the inability to use membranes, since they become clogged with perlite dust.

Granular penoizol

In everyday life it is also called thermal wool or foam insulation crumbs. This heat insulator is based on hardened urea resin. The manufacturing process consists of crushing the polymerized material into fractions measuring 10-15 mm. Such granules retain elasticity. The benefit of such insulation is that when it is crushed, the volume of the crumb increases several times.

to his appearance penoizol is similar to snow flakes; at first glance it can be easily confused with expanded polystyrene, but it is still different from it. Its structure is smaller and quite soft, it is very light in weight - suitable for insulating both walls and ceilings. It is not subject to combustion and does not absorb moisture.

To properly fill this heat insulator, you need to use a special blowing machine, since it will take much longer to do it manually.

Features of raw materials

Having familiarized ourselves with the main types of bulk insulation, we can summarize that it is always secondary raw materials. It is produced by processing various wastes ranging from cellulose to minerals. Bulk heat insulators in most cases are pure environmental raw materials. Their common drawback is the need to create a facing partition: the insulation is poured between it and the main ceiling, for example, a wall.

Foam chips(crushed) - a heat-insulating material used as insulating backfill in inter-wall voids, under floors, as well as insulation in cement mortars.
Foam chips are an excellent substitute for expanded clay, 5 times warmer and 40 times lighter.
It is successfully used as backfill in open cavities (walls, ceilings, floors), as a component of warm and lightweight concrete. Such lightweight concrete used for screeding floors, roofs, load-bearing and internal walls.

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ADVANTAGES OF FOAM CHIPS

It is perfect for inter-wall ceilings and uneven surfaces in wall voids, inter-wall partitions, floors, underground, attics (on joists, boards and other materials), where it is inconvenient to lay slabs, and is also used instead of expanded clay.

High-quality foam chips have many advantages! The main advantages of the material include:
Environmentally friendly - does not contain substances harmful to humans. For example, polystyrene, from which foam granules are produced, is used to make packaging for various products and tableware.
Resistance to various atmospheric conditions - effectively protects surfaces from moisture.
Excellent thermal insulation properties– foam balls come in different diameters and shapes. As a result, it increases total area contact of foam granules with air, so the material is excellent for insulation various rooms and objects.
Excellent sound insulation - the material has excellent wave absorption properties. It is often added to cement and poured into cavities during renovation or construction.
Durability - foam granules do not change shape, physical or chemical properties under the influence of changes in temperature or humidity.

Due to its structure and properties, foam granules are considered a reliable and inexpensive packaging material: they are actively used to protect especially fragile products.

Blowing with foam chips is one of those services that our company has been offering to its customers for several years. This is done for heat and sound insulation of residential, office and industrial premises. IN last years This method of insulating houses has become very popular due to the fact that there is a steady increase in prices for utilities, and the cost of insulation itself is relatively low, and allows you to save a significant amount of money in the future.

This method of insulation is excellent for ceilings between walls, uneven surfaces and voids, partitions between walls, floor insulation, basements, attics, and any places where laying sheet insulation is impossible.

Insulation of a house with polystyrene foam occurs using a special industrial installation under pressure. Due to the large air flow, a foam ball of various diameters is evenly placed and compacted in the voids - almost to the density of sheet foam. Under the influence of pressure, the material clogs all the uneven walls, cracks, and potholes, thereby not giving the cold the slightest chance to penetrate the room. It is also possible to carry out pneumatic placement of such bulk materials thermal insulation materials, such as perlite, ecowool, etc.

Insulation with crumbs

Advantages of using such material:

Insulation with crumbs gives a kind of “thermos” effect, due to which indoors comfortable temperature and the absence of its changes;
Insulation with foam chips is much cheaper than with mineral wool (about 35-40%);
The material itself is absolutely non-toxic to humans and does not emit harmful substances neither immediately nor after a while;
Loose foam balls do not harbor rodents;
It has good vapor permeability - which means that vapors freely escape outside, and the movement of air between what is inside and outside is free. This will save the walls from the appearance of such unpleasant signs of material deterioration as fungus or mold, which in itself is very harmful. That is why insulating walls with polystyrene foam will not harm the criterion.

In our country there are many private houses that were built according to the same principle - they all have a fairly wide air gap between the internal and external walls (the so-called “well” masonry). Our company will help you turn this feature of your building into its main trump card! Into the voids between the walls we blow foam chips, crushed basalt wool, perlite, etc., thus, the house is not only protected from heat loss, but also acquires additional sound insulation.

Insulation with foam chips

Insulation with foam plastic, namely blowing in inter-wall voids, occurs as follows: holes with a diameter of 35 mm are drilled in the walls (for comparison, this hole is slightly larger than a five-kopeck coin), their number can range from 5 to 10 pieces, depending on the area of insulation of the wall. Very important point- minimal layer for pneumatic laying foam ball should be 3 centimeters. After all the holes are made, foam balls of different calibers are blown into the cavity under strong air pressure and compacted. The procedure is repeated until all cavities are filled with material.

Insulation with foam plastic from the outside occurs in three to four hours and can be done regardless of the season. Most often, work of this kind is carried out in spring, summer or autumn, however, if necessary, we also carry out work during winter cold, there is no strict connection to the time of year.
Our company has been working in the field of thermal insulation of buildings for more than a decade. We have acquired a wealth of work experience and valuable skills. All this allows us to say that working with us is profitable, fast, and reliable!

Lightweight, spherical polymer granules foamed with isopentane gas or produced from residual parts of expanded polystyrene are called foam chips. This is a durable and environmentally friendly material that is widely used in the construction and repair industry.

Properties and characteristics

Expanded polystyrene chips have the following properties:

thermal insulation (complete filling of the air cushion with small granules in the insulated area removes any cold bridges);
sound insulation (granules have a rough surface that does not conduct sound vibrations well);
environmental friendliness (the material is non-toxic and safe for people);
shock-absorbing abilities (when squeezed, the balls do not lose their structure and quickly take their previous shape);
performance characteristics (operating temperature range from -190°C to +87°C);
moisture resistance (lack of absorbent properties);
fire resistance (granules are treated with a fire retardant substance);
ease of operation and transportation (light weight and fills the required space as much as possible);
has no odor and does not cause allergic reactions;
economical (relative to low prices for the product and the possibility of reducing prices for other materials by mixing solutions with foam chips).

However, there are a number of restrictions on working with raw materials. Avoid exposing it to a direct open source of fire and do not add it to hot asphalt. Also, if dichloroethane, acetone, benzenes, ketones or their vapors contained in some varnishes and paints come into contact with the material, it is destroyed and almost completely loses its properties. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly follow instructions and safety precautions when working with granules.

Varieties and applications

Foamed polystyrene foam granules have a smooth spherical surface white with a diameter of 1 - 8 mm, which does not deform when compressed.

Granulated polystyrene foam produced by heating glassy PS beads at temperatures above 80°C and subjecting them to isopentane vapor pressure, which foams the polystyrene into a granule. After this, they are dried and cooled. Such balls become very dense and elastic, which allows them to withstand heavy loads and also be used in the temperature range from -65°C to +75°C.

Due to many specific properties, this material is widely used in industry. Insulation with foam chips is considered the most reliable cold-resistant method of thermal insulation of floors, walls or roofs. In addition, it is added to building mixtures and solutions for the purpose of lightening and insulation. Granular foam is used as a filler for upholstered furniture or children's toys, as bulk packaging material, in the production of polystyrene concrete and as a filter component in water purification. The balls are also used as bait when fishing, to lighten structures in unmanned aerial vehicles and when lifting sunken ships.

Varieties of granules differ in physical and mechanical characteristics. Important indicators The durability of expanded polystyrene foam are:

dimensions that comply with standards (the granule diameter must be from 1 to 8 mm, and maximum deviations in linear dimensions must be less than 0.5mm);
coverage density of the space being filled (from 8 to 30 kg/m 3);
correct geometric shape and color (spherical white balls);
compressive strength with a low probability of deformation (0.005 - 0.026 kg/cm2);
low thermal conductivity of dry granules at a temperature of 25°C (0.053 - 0.036 W/mxK).

The product is packaged in plastic bags with a volume of 0.25 - 1 m 3.

The price of foam chips ranges from 1270 to 1400 rubles/m3.

Characteristics and application of "Crushed"

Foam chips "Droblenka" are polymerized round crushed balls with a diameter of 2 - 7 mm, which are produced from recycled (crushed) PS waste. This manufacturing method helps to reduce the cost of this material with a partial loss of its primary shape in the foam. However, other original properties are preserved during the crushing process.

“Crushed” expanded polystyrene is used as a moisture-resistant, heat- and sound-insulating building material. The insulation made from foam chips is of high quality and inexpensive.

In addition, crushed polystyrene foam is used:

insulating foundation slabs and walls;
in the production of polystyrene concrete;
in the form of shock-absorbing bedding;
for installation of roofing coverings with flat slope;
for mixtures with concrete or cement with foam chips;
for thermal insulation of trench pipes;
for the manufacture of cement-sand screed;
as the best backfill material for walls with an air gap.

The technical characteristics of crushed foam plastic should approximately correspond to the parameters of granular PS. At the same time, the distinctive indicators of the quality of “Droblenka” are the absence of large parts of uncrushed foam in the material and the low number of deformed elements.

The product is packaged in plastic bags of 0.5 and 1m3.

Prices for crushed polystyrene foam are several times lower than for granulated polystyrene and range from 150 to 250 rubles/m3.

Application of foam chips

Application can be carried out in several ways: by backfilling, laying or blowing.

The backfilling process is quite simple. Hollow spaces in inter-wall ceilings, cavities in walls, uneven surfaces, underground space, the attics are filled with balls in an amount sufficient to level or fill the required space;
The laying technique is carried out using foam concrete made from a mixture of cement and crumbs. To obtain the laying material, 60 kg of sand-cement mixture, 0.5 liters of plasticizer, 60 liters of granules and 8 liters of water are poured into a compact concrete mixer. Then everything is mixed. However, the solution must be made sufficiently viscous, since the balls may float to the surface while laying the screed;
screed with foam chips is performed in two stages. First, the first half of the screed (rough) is poured, and after it dries and hardens, the second half (finish). The screed is periodically moistened to avoid cracking and low surface strength. So after final stage works, the floor structure with foam chips becomes insulated, lightweight, moisture-resistant, and fire-resistant;
blowing is carried out using a specialized blower. This technology allows you to completely fill any void structures. Under the influence of air flow, balls with a diameter of less than 8 mm fill all irregularities and crevices in an even layer.

The homogeneity, softness and elasticity of foam balls means that they can take any shape of the space being filled. They are an excellent substitute for others traditional insulation(expanded clay, foam plastic, mineral wool), since they do not completely fill the required space and over time move away from the insulated surface, which can lead to the appearance of a dew point or cold bridges, and then to destruction wooden elements the buildings.

Thus, the foam chips become the best solution when choosing insulating, fireproof, high-quality and economical material among most traditional substitutes.

They have firmly entered almost all areas of modern industry and National economy. Most artificially synthesized materials are widely used in construction industry as insulation.

One of the most common polymers with a wide range of uses is better known as polystyrene foam. The material is used in the form of slabs, sheets or complex structures. Small fractions of polystyrene foam – polystyrene foam chips – are also in great demand.

Due to low cost, availability and good consumer and technological qualities, the material has found many areas of application - from raw materials to creating various decor, to the base of lightweight concrete.

Production and main types

Foam chips can be obtained in two ways:

primary. To do this, polystyrene balls are foamed using a special technology. As a result, the so-called “primary” is obtained - granules of a certain size. This technology is quite expensive and the resulting raw materials are practically not widely used in the construction industry;
recycling. This is a secondary production method, the basis of which is pieces of foam packaging and other leftover polystyrene foam. Raw materials are placed in special devices - crushers, which crush the waste to a homogeneous fraction. The crumb diameter can be set in the machine settings. The resulting fraction is called “secondary” or “crushed”. The low cost of production has allowed this type of raw material to be widely used in many areas.

Main Applications

Foam chips, the use of which is determined by the size of the fraction and the method of production, is widespread in the construction industry.

The main use of “crushed” is the basis for lungs and. When producing polystyrene concrete, a certain amount of granules is gradually added to the solution, and the entire mixture is placed in a concrete mixer. The resulting solution is poured onto the floor, making a warm and light screed. Using a polymer concrete screed not only significantly insulates the floor, but also saves costs concrete mixture, and given the significant reduction in the total mass of the solution, the load on the foundation is reduced.

The second way to use “crushed” is pneumatic insulation. The waste is turned into a liquid composition, which is pumped under low pressure into the interwall space of houses. This method is considered the most effective when insulating old private houses.

It was these structures that were built with an additional air chamber between internal wall and outdoor. In Soviet times, this was not a tribute to fashion, but significant savings building material, since a layer of 10-15 centimeters was equivalent to another row brickwork. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to take advantage of the full potential of the invisible layer - construction technologies of those times it was not possible to make the air chamber sealed and in winter time lost the house most heat precisely because of this design.

The insulation process itself occurs as follows:

first, experts study the possibility of insulating a house using this method;
then, at regular intervals, holes are drilled in the outer wall using a hammer drill;
liquid polystyrene foam is supplied through a hose under slight pressure into the cavity, which fills the space between the walls;
The holes are closed with special plugs.

Despite the advantages of using molten foam chips in this way, the method has some disadvantages. The most significant of them is the lack of ventilation, which leads to the accumulation of moisture in the form of condensation, gradually destroying the load-bearing structures. wooden structures Houses.

The third popular way to use crushed polystyrene foam is to fill the space between walls with dry granules during construction. without mixing with cement mortar. In the end it turns out high-quality insulation with the possibility of unobstructed ventilation. Compared to standard façade cladding foam boards, this method is much cheaper.

Additional uses of granules

Granulated polystyrene foam is used not only in construction, but also in other industries. First of all, this furniture manufacturing. There, the crumbs are used to fill frameless models of armchairs, sofas or poufs.

The next industry is the direct production of other configurations, as well as packaging materials and permanent formwork at monolithic construction. Some manufacturers use exclusively “primary”, others add some of the “crushed”.

One of the promising uses of granular foam is as an absorbent for outdoor septic tanks. Tests have shown almost complete absence of odor and higher efficiency compared to modern drugs based on bacteria.

As additional directions, granulated raw materials are used for various items decor. Synthetic snow based on foam plastic has become very popular and quite widespread. One of the hits of the last two or three years has been ball plasticine, the basis for which is fine-grained polystyrene foam and a binding gel.

Brief summary

Granulated polystyrene foam, the use of which is not limited to manufacturing polymer concrete, has become widespread in other areas due to its low cost and unique properties. Depending on the size of the fraction and the method of production, the cost cubic meter granules can vary greatly. The most expensive is the fine-grained granule"primary" polystyrene foam, and most affordable option- large “crushed”