Questions and answers · Expanded polystyrene (styrofoam)
Properties of expanded polystyrene (styrofoam)
Safety. The material is produced, used and disposed of without harm to the environment or human health. Expanded polystyrene is 100% reusable, and is the cleanest and safest thermal insulation material. It is also used as packaging for food, in toys, and so on.
Good thermal resistance. Expanded polystyrene consists of 98% still air trapped in its closed cellular structure. Still air, as is well known, is the best natural thermal insulator. The polystyrene plastic content of the material is only 2%, and this combination gives PSB-S boards their remarkable thermal insulation properties. Expanded polystyrene keeps these properties both in damp conditions and at low temperatures.
Soundproofing and wind protection. When insulating with PSB-S expanded polystyrene boards, no additional wind protection is needed. The sound insulation of structures is also improved.
Moisture resistance. PSB-S thermal insulation boards are not hygroscopic. The moisture absorption of expanded polystyrene is significantly lower than that of mineral wool. Even when immersed in water for a long time, PSB-S thermal insulation boards absorb only a few percent of water by volume weight, which allows them to be used to insulate foundations with the insulation in direct contact with the soil.
High load resistance. Short-term and long-term load resistance is one of the most important properties of expanded polystyrene. And it is significantly higher than that of mineral wool.
Dimensional stability. PSB-S insulation remains stable in the building structure throughout the entire service life of the building: it does not settle, shrink or shift within the structure.
Durability. Over the entire life of the building, the quality of the properties of PSB-S insulation does not deteriorate. The material's minimal moisture absorption preserves its load resistance and thermal insulation capacity in damp conditions. Expanded polystyrene does not form a nutrient medium on its surface for microorganisms to grow, does not rot, mold or sweat, and is chemically resistant.
Ease of use. Thanks to their low weight, PSB-S expanded polystyrene boards are easy and light to handle and can easily be cut into pieces of the required size with ordinary tools. For the builder it is extremely important that no protective equipment is needed when working with expanded polystyrene: it is non-toxic, odorless, produces no dust when processed, and does not irritate the skin.
Low flammability. All PSB-S thermal insulation materials are made from raw material containing a flame retardant and meet the requirements of GOST 15588-2014 and GOST R 56148-2014. The operating temperature of expanded polystyrene is from -200 to +85 °C.