Styrofoam crumb - how to use? Insulation of the attic with foam plastic Insulation of walls with foam plastic reviews.

It is POSSIBLE to insulate a house profitably, quickly and reliably

How to insulate a house? - a question that almost every resident of Melitopol and the region who lives in a private house asks himself.

The topic of insulation is especially relevant today, when energy prices are rising, and with them the cost of a communal apartment. In addition, all people who live in an uninsulated house are aware of other unpleasant problems: cold walls, fungus, poor sound insulation, heat loss. The result - health problems, discomfort, additional waste family budget for warmth.

Of course, all these difficulties can be solved by insulating walls, floors and roofs. But choosing methods of insulation, the average Ukrainian involuntarily faces another problem - the price of materials and work often turns out to be "unbearable".

How to be? Refuse insulation and hope for a subsidy or take a loan and pay high commissions to the bank for many years.

To date, there is a technology that offers a very simple and affordable solution - insulation of houses with foam chips.

What is the essence of such insulation?

During the insulation process, granular foam is blown into the internal cavities of the walls of the house.

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reference
Styrofoam chips are polymerized round crushed balls with a diameter of 2-4 mm, which are made from crushed polystyrene foam waste. The original properties are preserved during the crushing process. "Crusher" is used as a moisture resistant, heat and sound insulating construction material. Insulation made of foam chips is of high quality and reliable. Insulation with foam chips is considered the most reliable cold-resistant method of thermal insulation of floors, walls or ceilings.
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How does the warming process take place?

Holes with a diameter of 55 mm are drilled in the walls, their number can vary from 20 to 30 pieces, depending on the area of ​​wall insulation. Very important point- the minimum layer for pneumatic laying of a foam ball should be at least 5 centimeters. After all the holes are made, the foam balls are blown into the cavity under strong air pressure and compacted. Filling the air cavities of the walls is carried out using a special blower. This technology allows you to completely fill any hollow structures. Under the influence of air flow, balls with a diameter of less than 4 mm evenly fill all the bumps and cracks.
Insulation with foam plastic occurs in one working day, and can be performed regardless of the season. Most often, work of this kind is carried out in spring, summer or autumn, however, if necessary, and during the period of winter cold, there is no strict binding to the time of year.
The uniformity, softness and elasticity of the foam balls contribute to the fact that they can take any shape of the filled space. They are an excellent substitute for other traditional heaters (expanded clay, polystyrene, mineral wool), since the latter do not completely fill the required space and eventually move away from the insulated surface, which can lead to cold bridges and, as a result, the appearance of a dew point.

The advantages of choosing this type of insulation:

1. Saving the family budget
The cost of "crushed" and work with it is significantly lower than the "usual" methods and materials for insulation.

2. Time saving
Private house, with an area of ​​100 m2, is insulated in one day!

3. Attractive properties of foam chips
- thermal insulation (complete filling with small granules air cushion removes any cold bridges in a warmed place);
- sound insulation (granules have a rough surface, which does not conduct sound vibrations well);
- environmental friendliness (the material is non-toxic and safe for people);
- depreciation abilities (when squeezing, the balls do not lose their structure and quickly return to their previous shape);
- operational qualities (operating temperature range from -190°C to +87°C);
- moisture resistance (lack of absorbent properties, the material does not absorb moisture and
does not prevent the exit of excess moisture from the wall);
- fire resistance (granules are treated with a refractory substance fire retardant);
- simplicity of work and transportation (has small weight and as much as possible fills necessary space);
- Has no smell and does not cause allergic reactions.

Thus, the technology of insulation with foam chips becomes best solution when choosing a warming, high-quality and economical material among the majority of traditional substitutes.

Styrofoam crumbs are polymerized rounded balls with a diameter of 3 to 7 mm. Foam crusher (as this type of crumb is often called) is obtained by industrial crushing of foam plastic production waste. Economically, this method is more efficient, because due to this method of processing the foam, it becomes cheaper as a primary material, and the initial properties of the foam during crushing remain the same.

Application of Styrofoam crumb:

Expanded polystyrene chips are widely used in the industrial and construction and repair sectors. Styrofoam crusher is mainly used as a building material and an excellent insulation. Foam insulation is considered the most economical and reliable method for thermal insulation of foundations, floors, walls or roofs. Consider the basic principles and methods of use:

• Filler: foam chips are filled with holes and cavities in the ceilings between the walls, in brickwork or for leveling surfaces. Thanks to its technical characteristics, the foam granules can take any shape, which avoids any cold bridges. High strength allows you to avoid deformations, unlike heaters such as expanded clay and mineral wool.
• Floor screed with foam chips: the process of preparing polystyrene concrete takes place in several stages. Initially, a solution is prepared: take a small amount of water and cement, mix until a creamy consistency is obtained. The second stage: while continuing to mix the solution in a concrete mixer, add foam plastic crumbs. The material ratio depends on the expected thermal insulation result. The higher the percentage of foam granules, the greater the thermal insulation properties of your screed. However, the following must be taken into account, if the material is not properly distributed, the density may decrease. For example, if you are planning linoleum on the floor, the percentage of using foam plastic granules should be less than when laying parquet.

If you yourself want to make a floor screed with foam chips at home, then to obtain a solution, you must follow the following proportion (*recommendations of the builders):

• 4-5 buckets of Styrofoam crumbs
• 2 sand buckets
• 1 bucket of cement
• 1 bucket of water

It is important to note that when working with polystyrene chips, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of use and observe safety precautions: avoid open flames, do not use various chemical solutions.

Styrofoam crumb - effective material for insulation of concrete floors, will last a very long time and will not lose its operational properties. Comfort and warmth guaranteed!

Int-Deco offers to buy a foam plastic crumb in Kiev or with delivery in Ukraine. The crushed foam is packed in plastic bags of 0.33 m3.

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Styrofoam for insulation

One of the most popular materials for insulation can be considered foam crumb. The choice of consumers is justified, since it is a high-quality, environmentally friendly material that will help make the house warm and comfortable without significant damage to the family budget.

Styrofoam crumb properties and applications

Styrofoam crumb has a number of advantages in comparison with other heat-insulating materials.

Styrofoam crumb - what is it

Styrofoam chips or granules are bulk material, which is noted for its versatility and is a foam ball with a diameter of approximately 5-6 mm.

Characteristics and properties of foam chips

Styrofoam granules have all the properties of a solid sheet, but unlike foam boards, granules can take the form of any container where they are placed. Expanded polystyrene granules have a number of features:

1 Conducts almost no heat. Styrofoam is tens of times higher than the thermal insulation of conventional concrete and almost ten times ceramic brick.

2 Safe for people, does not contain toxic substances, does not cause allergic reactions, odorless, no organisms live in it.

3 Light weight. For comparison, 1 cubic meter of foam chips weighs about 15 kg, and plywood - about 500 kg.

4 Wear resistance. Data from laboratories that test polystyrene foam will determine the durability of the material - approximately 80 years.

5 Very resistant to temperature changes and able to withstand drops from -170 to +90.

6 Sound insulation due to the elasticity of the granules, cellular structure, which reduce sound vibrations.

7 Ability to restore the primary shape during deformation.

8 Ensuring air exchange of the surrounding space, i.e. unlike conventional foam, the granules are able to "breathe". This prevents the greenhouse effect and future mold growth.

Styrofoam crumb is characterized by the following criteria

1 The density of the material from which the balls are made. The high density of the substance determines the increase in the mass and strength of the granule.

2 The diameter of the granules can be varied from 1 to 8 mm by setting right size when crushing.

3 Flammability. That is why this material is used in the inner layers of the walls. To increase fire resistance, fire retardant is added to the foam. After that, the material becomes self-extinguishing.

Advantages of foam plastic

All materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. Styrofoam granules are no exception.

There are such advantages in using foam chips:

Less weight of the final structure.

Savings for future finishing materials due to heat and sound insulation properties.

Ease of use.

Low cost.

Cons of using foam chips

The soft structure of the foam makes the screed from such a solution not so wear-resistant.

The need for isolation from air due to its flammability. Foam concrete is capable of rapid destruction if it comes into contact with air.

Varieties of foam chips

There are two ways to obtain foam pellets and, accordingly, two types of them:

Primary processing, when a special technology is applied to foam the polystyrene beads. This is an expensive process.

Crushing of foam plastic waste. This is a secondary production, therefore it is more cost-effective. The remains of the foam are placed in special machines that crush the material until smooth. If necessary, you can set the desired diameter of the ball.

The cost of styrofoam granules

The efficiency of foam plastic was noted as quality material for warmth compared to others. Depending on the characteristics of the foam pellets and the way they are produced, the price per cubic meter may differ significantly. The smaller the diameter of the granule, the higher its price. Styrofoam chips obtained by crushing are much cheaper than those obtained by primary foaming.

The use of foam granules in various fields

Foam chips insulate attics, walls, interfloor ceilings and floors.

1 Attic insulation. A significant percentage of heat is lost through the roof. Styrofoam granules are an excellent option for attic insulation due to the low degree of moisture absorption and resistance to temperature changes.

2 Wall insulation. In addition to the main characteristics, the foam crumb takes the form of a container in which it is located, this is especially important when insulating a facade with curly elements.

3 Insulation of interfloor ceilings. Noise isolation and the specific weight of the final structure are important in the formation and insulation of interfloor floors. Styrofoam chips are also useful for floor insulation if there is a basement under the house that is not heated and is required additional insulation.

Brief summary

Consumer interest in foam pellets is justified by its versatility and low price. Due to its unique properties, foam plastic chips are in demand in many areas from construction and furniture manufacturing to the creative process of design and fishing.

The cost of foam pellets depends on specifications the granules themselves and the method of their production.

Insulation 10 mistakes

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Leveling the ceiling with "warm" plaster based on expanded polystyrene crumbs

Aligning the ceiling by applying plaster in thick layers is not always justified: a reinforcing mesh will need to be fixed, and if the ceiling level drops significantly, the layer will not withstand and collapse. Adding Styrofoam balls to the plaster will help you in this case, as well as in the repair of walls, masonry in the well, joints of the exterior panels of the house and internal floor slabs, attics, roofs and floors. When connecting polystyrene foam balls with a cement-sand or concrete mortar, the finished mixture perfectly keeps the heat inside the room.

To work with the ceiling, we need the same tools as for ordinary plastering and at least two plastic buckets.

After cleaning the ceiling from old layers, carefully prime the ceiling with a “fur” roller. For concrete slabs suitable primer "Betonokontakt". Complex and hard-to-reach places prepare the ceiling several times with a brush.

The drying time of the primer is printed on the packaging - from different manufacturers different time from 3 to 8 hours. Experienced craftsmen never follow the recommendations for curing, but try the surface to the touch. If the ceiling is still damp, then it is worth waiting, otherwise leveling the ceiling will be in vain - a further layer will collapse in a few weeks.

Polymeric plaster mortar prepared from Styrobond glue in a 1: 1 ratio to M400 cement in a bucket. Mix everything with a drill with a mixing attachment until smooth, gradually adding water until the density of "sour cream". If the mixture seems too thick, you can add a little water to it.

Now we add polystyrene foam, and you have 2 options: use ready-made crumbs, which are sold in hardware stores by weight, or take a regular foam plate and crumble it over a bucket. The crumb fills a separate clean bucket by 75%, then add half from the first bucket adhesive solution that you just made. The proportion of crumb solution will be somewhere 1:2.5. Stir the composition until all the styrofoam granules are colored in dark color.

If your screed (cement + sand) is too high, then it is better to give up unnecessary overloading of floor slabs, and use a lighter material - expanded polystyrene concrete. Its composition is simple: cement not lower than M400, expanded polystyrene balls and a foaming agent "Saponified Wood Resin" (SDO). Aligning the ceiling with expanded polystyrene concrete makes the layer not only light and warm, but also not subject to shrinkage and cracks.

Table 1. Methods for the manufacture of expanded polystyrene concrete

Description	Advantages	Flaws
"Encapsulation" when you need to reduce the density of the material. The granules are covered with cement glue, and the voids are not filled with sand. Without special equipment and chem. It is impossible to prepare such a mixture with additives!	Possibility of production of PS concrete, the density of which is less than 200 kg/m3, the use of granules of the same size	Mixture segregates when pressurized or transported, low bending strength (in case of block)
"porization" of the solution, which involves replacing the sand with air granules	The possibility of producing PS concrete, the density of which is less than 300 kg / m3, and the change in this indicator in a wide range	A stable characteristic is quite difficult to obtain due to the complexity technological process: bubbles are lost when stacking, transporting or squeezing
Creation of PS concrete with a high-density structure that will not let water through even at a pressure of 2 MPa	All the advantages of the 2nd method + stability and preservation of its characteristics during transportation, spraying. Products are even formed from such PS concrete using a 3D vibropress	It is necessary to have special equipment

Leveling the ceiling with styrofoam plaster requires the presence of a powder or mortar LMS, but if you can’t find it in your store, then you can do without it. A screed without LMS will not be as warm and light as with this additive, but better than a conventional cement and sand screed.

We do the application of plaster on the prepared ceiling in two passes. The first stage is a layer from the 1st bucket (thickness up to 3 mm), then immediately apply the mixture from the 2nd bucket. The iron is constantly wetted with water. Drying time - 3 days, after which we proceed to level the ceiling with gypsum putty from 1 to 5 layers. Each layer should dry well before applying the next (1-3 days).

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Currently, during the construction of buildings, internal and external energy-saving cladding is very often performed using bulk materials. The world market offers a huge selection of such options for insulation. This article will analyze what types of bulk insulation for walls and ceilings are, which types of insulation backfills are better to choose for walls, and which ones are for floors and ceilings.

Types of bulk insulation

Manufacturers of bulk granular heat insulators present a fairly large selection of materials. Bulk insulation is made from paper, stone, resin, polymers and even clay. Let's see what are the advantages and disadvantages of certain types, and also describe the main technical characteristics.

To replace the insulation in the house was carried out correctly, you need to have some experience. The recommendations of experts will help in this. It is necessary to mix everything in the right proportions, choose a hygroscopic material, and foam crumb can also be used.

Expanded clay

It is likely that this is the most ancient and well-known type of raw material. V modern construction expanded clay can be safely called the "classic" of bulk heat insulators. This species has good advantage– light weight and porous structure. It is produced by firing 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 start in it, mice do not live.

The main disadvantage is that, with the possible absorption of moisture, expanded clay does not give it well - it is very difficult to dry a wet insulation layer.

There are three types of this raw material:

• expanded clay sand (screening);
• expanded claydite 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, while the layer of insulation should be slightly larger, since wood has a slightly lower resistance to heat transfer.

Granulated polystyrene foam

We often hear this loose insulation under a different name - polystyrene foam. If you look closely at a sheet of expanded polystyrene, you can see that it consists of many balls. If they are well loosened, then their density decreases, and the volume increases.

This type of heat insulator is used mainly when filling voids in ready-made structures. The baby is simply blown out with special device, while it is very important to bring the process to maximum compaction. The disadvantage of this raw material is that over time it can shrink.

Its use is possible for warming the floor, ceiling, sloping roofs. But there is still controversy about the use of expanded polystyrene in this area:

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

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

Vermiculite

Many do not even know what vermiculite is, despite its natural origin. The basis of this heat-insulating 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 the insulation of 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 drop by 92%. The service life is unlimited because it does not contain any perishable impurities. The insulation is non-flammable and non-toxic.

Even with a strong wetting of a separate area, this insulation will evenly distribute moisture over the entire area, and then completely bring it out. Thanks to this "smart" property, all the consequences of wetting the heat insulator 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 also it can be mixed with sawdust in a 50/50 ratio.

sawdust

Sawdust is called particles of recycled wood obtained by sawing, outwardly they look like small dust. These bulk heaters have been traditionally used for more than one century. And yet, due to their tendency to absorb moisture, sawdust rots over time. Many are mixed with other materials such as clay or vermiculite. It is important to know that only small sawdust can be used as a heater, which are obtained by processing wood on modern high-speed machines.

Cellulose insulation - ecowool

This loose insulation is a mixture of shredded newsprint (81%), antiseptics (12%) and flame retardants (7%). In the world construction market, this type of heat insulator was first used 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 flame retardant (fire-retardant element) - borax. Thanks to these substances, ecowool fully justifies its name. The material is non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

The minus of ecowool is the rapid absorption of moisture, which leads to shrinkage of the insulation, therefore, in regions with high humidity its use is not recommended. Cellulose insulation is great 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 tiny particles, melted down, then mixed with coal. As a result, carbon dioxide escapes from this alloy, which forms air bubbles in the foam glass structure. The manufacture 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 in 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 let steam through, and has high compressive and flexural strength.

Most often, this loose insulation is used for the ceiling due to its light weight. Foam glass can be used for the manufacture cement mortars, for example, when pouring a screed or foundation, replacing ordinary crushed stone.

Aerated concrete chips

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

It is used not only as a bulk insulation, but also as an additional bedding for sound insulation in walls and ceilings. Perfectly maintains optimal humidity and air exchange. Often this material is used instead of expanded clay in the lungs. concrete mixtures, for example, when pouring the 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 it from being used as an inexpensive drainage and insulation pavement. The only drawback is the dusting of small pieces when backfilling.

Perlite

It is produced by melting volcanic ore (sour glass) at a temperature of 1000 degrees. When the ore is heated, the water in its structure evaporates, and the material acquires a porous structure. The volume of raw materials sometimes increases up to 90%. Ready granules do not absorb moisture, but pass steam. 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 is that it does not burn, does not absorb moisture, passes steam, and is chemically inert. During insulation, the disadvantage is the impossibility of using membranes, as they become clogged with perlite dust.

Granular penoizol

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

His appearance penoizol is similar to snow flakes, at first glance it can be easily confused with polystyrene foam, but it is still different from it. Its structure is smaller and rather soft, it is very light in weight - it is suitable for warming both walls and ceilings. It is non-flammable and does not absorb moisture.

In order to fill this heat insulator correctly, you need to use the help of a special blowing machine, since it will take much longer manually.

Raw material features

Having become acquainted with the main types of bulk insulation, we can summarize that it is always secondary raw materials. It is produced by processing various waste materials ranging from cellulose to minerals. Loose heat insulators in most cases are pure ecological raw materials. Common disadvantage they have the need to perform a facing partition: the insulation is poured between it and the main floor, for example, a wall.

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

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ADVANTAGES OF FOAM CRUMBER

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

High-quality foam chips have many advantages! The main advantages of the material include:
Environmental friendliness - does not contain substances harmful to humans. For example, from polystyrene, from which foamed granules are produced, packages for various products and utensils are produced.
Resistance to various atmospheric phenomena - effectively protects surfaces from moisture.
Excellent thermal insulation properties - Styrofoam balls differ in various diameters and shapes. As a result, the total area of ​​contact of the foamed granules with air increases, so the material is excellent for insulating various rooms and objects.
Excellent sound insulation - the material stands out for its excellent wave absorption. It is often added to cement and filled into cavities during repairs or construction.
Durability - foamed granules do not change shape, physical or chemical properties under the influence of temperature or humidity changes.

Due to its structure and properties, a foam granule is considered a reliable and inexpensive packaging material: it is actively used to protect especially fragile products.

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

This method of insulation is great for floors between walls, uneven surfaces and voids, inter-wall partitions, floor insulation, basement, attic, any place where laying sheet insulation is not possible.

The house is insulated with foam plastic using a special industrial installation under pressure. Due to the large air flow, a foam ball of various diameters is evenly laid and compacted in voids - almost to the density of sheet foam. Under the influence of pressure, the material clogs all the irregularities of the walls, cracks, potholes, thereby not giving the cold the slightest chance to penetrate into the room. It is also possible to carry out pneumolaying of such bulk thermal insulation materials like perlite, ecowool, etc.

crumb insulation

The advantages of using this material:

• Insulation with crumbs gives a kind of “thermos” effect, due to which indoors it is achieved comfortable temperature and the absence of its differences;
• Insulation with foam plastic is much cheaper than with mineral wool (by about 35-40%);
• The material itself is absolutely non-toxic to humans, does not emit harmful substances not immediately, not after a while;
• Loose foam balls do not start rodents;
• It has good vapor permeability - which means that the vapors freely go 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 damage to the material as fungus or mold, which in itself is very harmful. That is why the insulation of walls with polystyrene 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 interior walls and external (the so-called "well" masonry). Our company will help you turn this feature of your building into its trump card! In the voids between the walls, we blow foam chips, crushed basalt wool, perlite, etc., thus, the house becomes not only protected from heat loss, but also acquires additional sound insulation.

Insulation with styrofoam

Styrofoam insulation, namely the blowing of inter-wall voids, occurs as follows: holes with a diameter of 35 mm are drilled in the walls (for comparison, this hole is a little more than a five-kopeck coin), their number can vary from 5 to 10 pieces, depending on the area of ​​wall insulation. A very important point is that the minimum layer for pneumolaying a 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.

Styrofoam insulation outside takes three to four hours, can be performed regardless of the season. Most often, work of this kind is carried out in spring, summer or autumn, however, if necessary, we also perform during the period of winter cold, there is no strict binding to the time of year.
Our company has been operating in the field of thermal insulation of buildings for more than a decade. We have acquired rich experience and valuable skills. All this allows us to assert - to cooperate with us is profitable, fast, reliable!

Lightweight, spherical polymer pellets foamed with isopentane gas or produced from the remnants of expanded polystyrene are called foam chips. This is a durable and environmentally friendly material that has found wide application in the construction and repair industry.

Properties and characteristics

Expanded polystyrene crumb has the following properties:

• thermal insulation (complete filling with small granules of an air cushion in a warm place 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);
• cushioning abilities (when squeezing, the balls do not lose their structure and quickly return to their previous shape);
• operational qualities (operating temperature range from -190°C to +87°C);
• moisture resistance (lack of absorbent properties);
• fire resistance (granules are treated with a refractory substance fire retardant);
• ease of operation and transportation (it is lightweight and fills the required space as much as possible);
• odorless and does not cause allergic reactions;
• cost-effectiveness (relatively low prices for the product and the possibility of reducing prices for other materials due to mixing solutions with foam chips).

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

Varieties and applications

Expanded polystyrene granules have a flat spherical surface white color with a diameter of 1 - 8 mm, which is not deformed during compression.

Granulated polystyrene foam is produced by heating glassy beads of PS with a temperature above 80 ° C and exposing them to isopentane vapor pressure, which foams the polystyrene into a granule. After that, they are dried and cooled. Such balls become very dense and elastic, which allows them to withstand heavy loads, as well as to use them 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 in order to lighten and warm. Finds granular foam application as a filler for upholstered furniture or children's toys, as a bulk packaging material, in the production of polystyrene concrete and as a filter component in water treatment. Balls are also used as bait when fishing, to facilitate structures in unmanned aerial vehicles. aircraft and when salvaging sunken ships.

Varieties of granules differ in physical and mechanical parameters. Important indicators of the durability of expanded polystyrene are:

• sizes corresponding to standards (the diameter of the granule must be from 1 to 8 mm, and the maximum deviations in linear dimensions must be less than 0.5 mm);
• coverage density of the space to be 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 / cm 2);
• low thermal conductivity of dry granules at a temperature of 25°C (0.053 - 0.036 W/mxK).

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

The price of foam plastic fluctuates in the range from 1270 to 1400 rubles / m 3.

Characteristics and application of "Crusher"

Styrofoam crumb "Droblenka" is polymerized rounded crushed balls with a diameter of 2 - 7 mm, which are made from recycled (detailed) PS waste. This manufacturing method contributes to the reduction in the cost of this material with a partial loss of its primary form in the foam. However, other original properties are retained during the crushing process.

Expanded polystyrene foam is used as a moisture-resistant, heat- and noise-insulating building material. Insulation made of foam chips is of high quality and inexpensive.

In addition, crushed polystyrene foam is used:

• in the insulation of foundation slabs and walls;
• in the production of polystyrene concrete;
• in the form of a shock-absorbing pad;
• for device roofing with a 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 filling material for walls with an air gap.

The technical characteristics of crushed foam should approximately correspond to the parameters of granular PS. At the same time, the distinctive indicators of the quality of "Crusher" are the absence of large parts of unground polystyrene in the material and the low number of deformed elements.

The product is packaged in polyethylene bags of 0.5 and 1m 3 .

Prices for crushed expanded polystyrene are several times lower than for granulated ones and range from 150 to 250 rubles/m 3 .

The use of foam chips

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

• the filling process is quite simple. Hollow spaces in interstitial ceilings, cavities in walls, surface irregularities, underground space, attics are filled with balls in an amount sufficient to level or fill the desired space;
• the laying technique is carried out using foam concrete made from a mixture of cement with crumbs. To obtain laying material, 60 kg of sand-cement mixture, 0.5 l of plasticizer, 60 l of granules and 8 l of water are poured into a compact concrete mixer. Then everything gets mixed up. However, the solution must be made sufficiently viscous, since the balls may float to the surface during the laying of the screed;
• screed with foam chips is performed in two stages. First, the first half of the screed (rough) is poured, and after it has dried and hardened, the second half (finish). The screed is periodically moistened to avoid cracking and low surface strength. Thus, after the final stage of work, the floor structure with foam chips becomes insulated, lightweight, moisture resistant, fireproof;
• blowing is carried out using a specialized blower. This technology allows you to completely fill any hollow structures. Under the influence of air flow, balls with a diameter of less than 8 mm evenly fill all the bumps and cracks.

The uniformity, softness and elasticity of the foam balls contribute to the fact that they can take any shape of the filled space. They are an excellent substitute for other traditional heaters (expanded clay, polystyrene, mineral wool), since they do not completely fill the required space and eventually move away from the insulated surface, which can lead to the appearance of a dew point or cold bridges, and then to the destruction of the wooden elements of the building.

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