All about vermiculite slabs

Vermiculite - a rock of volcanic origin. Plates made from it are used as insulation and for other construction purposes. They surpass the popular mineral wool in many properties and will soon occupy the first positions in the list of heat-insulating materials.

Vermiculite, like any rock, has many impurities - aluminum, silicon, iron, magnesium, which enrich it with their presence. For construction purposes, the rock is processed at a high temperature (up to 1000 degrees), while it increases 25 times. The resulting material is called expanded (foamed) vermiculite.

Along with granules and other types of backfill, vermiculite boards PVTN are used in construction technology. For their manufacture, foamed vermiculite, consisting of small fractions, is pressed. In this way, the most heat-resistant insulation is obtained.

To date, vermiculite is the most fire-resistant thermal insulator and at the same time harmless, it belongs to minerals of natural origin, and there is nothing toxic in its composition.

The technical characteristics of vermiculite depend on the place of extraction, but basically the building material obtained from this rock has certain properties.

• The thermal conductivity of the product is noted.

• Good refractory component, slabs can be heated up to 1100 degrees.

• The materials are completely non-combustible.

• Smoke-free.

• They have high thermal insulation properties.

• Plates have excellent deformation resistance, even higher than that of perlite or expanded clay. They are not compressed or destroyed.

• They are a good soundproofing material, especially products with a higher density, compressed up to 20%. Due to their elasticity, they prevent the propagation of sound waves.

• They have high hygroscopicity, quickly absorb moisture, but due to their layered structure, they also quickly remove it, protecting buildings from decay.

• The slabs are endowed with a flat surface, convenient for use in construction.

• Vermiculite does not rot, it is not attacked by rodents, mold and bacteria.

• The material has high environmental performance.

• It is much more durable than basalt wool.

If we consider the material as a heater, in terms of its thermal conductivity, it significantly surpasses such popular products as expanded clay, mineral wool, and polystyrene. In this case, the layering of the structure helps. And 3-layer slabs in frame buildings cope with frost even in the northern regions.

Manufacturers of vermiculite boards adhere to their own standards, there are no uniform GOSTs for them.

Having high heat-insulating, non-combustible and sound-insulating properties, the material finds many places of use where it will be useful.

1. In the construction of houses, vermiculite is used as insulation for walls, roofs, floors. It provides fire protection to the building, as it does not catch fire, does not smoke and does not emit harmful vapors. Apartments in such houses are well protected from noise, which allows neighbors to live peacefully without interfering with each other.

2. Plates are used during the construction and decoration of baths, stoves and fireplaces, to protect walls in contact with the chimney.

3. They are used to insulate attics.

4. The material is a good insulating agent for pipes, gas ducts, boilers.

5. It is used as a packaging material for the transportation of fragile cargo.

6. Vermiculite is used in steel production, for example, for equipping arched open-hearth furnaces to preserve heat losses.

7. They are protected from fire by cable routes, structures made of wood and even reinforced concrete.

8. Plates are used to insulate industrial cold rooms to keep temperatures low.

9. As a strong sound absorber, the material is used in insulating chambers for testing automobile and aircraft engines.

For construction, vermiculite is used in granules and smaller fractions. But it is more convenient to work with pressed plates. They are easy to cut and process with cutting tools, using both manual and mechanical methods.

Work with vermiculite is not considered harmful, according to GOST 12.1.007-76, the material belongs to class 4, that is, it is low-hazard. However, when cutting slabs, safety precautions should be followed: protect the eyes and respiratory system from the ingress of construction dust.

This is how vermiculite is installed as insulation.

• Wall crate is made. It is better to carry it out according to the dimensions of the plates, then they can be tightly installed without extraneous fastening. If you did not guess the size, you need to fix the insulation with high-temperature glue or self-tapping screws.

• The installed slabs are covered with a diffusion membrane as a waterproofing layer.

• Then the cladding is mounted.

In some cases, vermiculite slabs are directly decorative cladding or painted. Attics and other rooms in which this material was used must be ventilated. With the correct use of vermiculite boards, their shelf life is unlimited.

Although the material has been used for about 80 years, it has recently begun to displace the usual mineral wool and expanded clay in construction.... The builders, finally, paid attention to its exceptional technical characteristics, to its environmental safety, since it consists of absolutely harmless natural components.