What is basalt cardboard and where is it used?

Basalt cardboard in foil and ordinary sheets for ovens has found wide application in construction, replacing hazardous asbestos and materials based on it. Today many owners of summer cottages and backyards want to know what it is, because such thermal insulation mats really have impressive capabilities. It is worth talking in more detail about what characteristics of fireproof cardboard make it popular and in demand.

Kiln basalt cardboard looks like fibrous mats of a certain size and small thickness. Outwardly, the material resembles mineral wool familiar to many, but in a completely new format. Basalt cardboard is designed to create fireproof insulation where it is especially needed: in stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, baths and saunas, including those built in private houses. This material was created as an environmentally friendly alternative to asbestos boards previously used for the same purpose. In contrast to them, basalt-based modules do not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere, provide absolute safety for human health or pets.

This thermal insulating material consists of a fibrous base with an element thickness of no more than 1-1.7 microns, as well as bentonite clay, which acts as a binder. The obtained sheets are characterized by high thermal resistance and are refractory. The fibrous component is obtained from natural stone - basalt, which is first melted and then passed through an extruder. During the production of cardboard, it is compacted, molded, cut into elements of the desired size. Refractory fiber material combines hardness and flexibility, its sheets are originally made from non-combustible components.

Basalt cardboard is a material with an excellent set of performance characteristics. The material is packed, marked and transported in accordance with GOST 25880-83, production is regulated by TU 95.2691-98. Among the main properties and parameters of basalt cardboard, several can be distinguished.

• Dimensions. The thickness of standard sheets starts from 5 mm, popular options are also available with indicators of 10, 12, 20 mm. The nominal dimensions are 60x120 cm.
• Service temperature limit. The material can be exposed to significant heating and freezing. It can withstand temperatures ranging from −200 to + 700 ° C. The material can withstand over 2000 freezing and heating cycles.
• Density 60-170 kg / m3. This is significantly higher than that of conventional stoves.
• Low humidity. It does not exceed 1-2%.
• Sound absorption coefficient. For low frequencies it reaches a value of 0.1, for high frequencies it reaches 0.45. These are rather high indicators, which allow to significantly expand the scope of application of basalt cardboard.
• Water vapor permeability. Plates "breathe", providing an opportunity to remove excess moisture and water vapor.
• Biological resistance. Basalt cardboard is not subject to decay, mold and mildew formation. He also does not attract rodents.
• Combustion. Basalt cardboard changes its properties when the temperature rises to + 750 ° C and above.To sinter the fibers, you need to heat up to + 1100 ° C or more, otherwise the material does not burn.
• Service life up to 50 years.
• Ease of cutting. Material without foil can be cut with a regular knife.

Refractory sheet material - basalt cardboard - consists of fibers that melt only at very high temperatures. That is why it is used as a thermal insulating element in stoves, fireplaces, and other sources of increased danger that are exposed to intense heating. Fireproof cardboard is available in several varieties, all of them are made from basalt fibers, but have different purposes and designs.

It looks like thin mats with a fibrous structure. Such sheets are easy to attach, they are adapted for indoor use. Classic basalt mats have good vapor permeability, do not disturb air exchange in the room. The sheets are 5-10 mm thick and can be easily cut with an ordinary knife. They shrink during operation; when moistened, they can deform for a short time.

This type of material comes with foil on one side. This coating provides increased efficiency of basalt cardboard. Thermal insulation reflects heat flows, directing them to warm up the entire room, and not just on the walls. The mats are fixed to surfaces using special wire fasteners or a resin-based adhesive. The second option is much less environmentally friendly, since when heated, potentially dangerous fumes can enter the atmosphere.

Foil basalt cardboard is made directly on a thin aluminum base, does not contain a mineral binder in the form of bentonite clay. This is the best option for thermal insulation material that can further reduce the sound transmission of the room.

The most environmentally friendly insulation material, often denoted by the abbreviation BIM. Basalt needle punch mat is more like felt, often supplied in rolls. It lacks any other components besides the stone fiber itself. The mats are formed using the needle-punching method, which somewhat complicates further work with them.

The main differences between basalt board and rock wool are the density of the material and the type of binder used. The basis of the materials may well be identical. But in mineral wool, a resin containing phenol and formaldehyde usually acts as a binder. This is not too dangerous in structures that are not in contact with sources of high temperatures. Basalt cardboard is always made from refractory and environmentally friendly materials that do not emit hazardous and toxic substances into the atmosphere.

Density also differs. For cotton wool, it is not too high, usually from 13.5 to 100 kg / m3. Cardboard has a more stable density. Most manufacturers adhere to parameters of 60-170 kg / m3.

Refractory basalt cardboard can be used for different purposes. Most often it is used as a protective wall cladding in rooms that are exposed to significant heating. As a thermal insulating component, it is suitable for:

• baths;
• ovens;
• boilers, flaps and dampers of heating equipment;
• industrial grade thermal installations.

The material is suitable for use as insulation in residential buildings and structures, in fireplace areas, as well as in the presence of open hearths.The foil layer makes it a good solution for soundproofing rooms. The reflective and absorbing characteristics of the boards help to distribute heat more evenly in the room, warming the air, and not the frame structure. Basalt sheet for the chimney is mounted in 1 layer, preventing burnout of bricks and other materials. With the help of refractory cardboard, you can both lay a warm floor, and insulate the surface of a conventional covering made of wood, concrete from the body of the furnace.

Initially, basalt cardboard was developed exclusively for use in industrial buildings and structures, but it quickly gained popularity in civil engineering as well. As an insulating layer, sheets are used in the decoration of cold rooms: balconies, loggias. It has proven itself well in operation in combination with wooden structures made of logs and beams, significantly increasing their fire safety. In industrial soundproofing plates, it is laid between the layers of gypsum fiber board and gypsum board.

Basalt cardboard is gradually replacing unsafe asbestos sheets from the market, previously used in household electrical equipment. The material is already used in electric heaters and refrigeration units in industry. When installing heating and water supply systems, the mains can also be thermally insulated using such sheets.