Here, we cover the major benefits of Rockwool, its shortcomings, and what other options are available to insulate your walls in your home or commercial project.
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Rockwool has a number of things going for it. Here are some of the benefits of choosing Rockwool Comfortboard 80 to insulate your project:
Made from natural and recycled raw materials
Excellent fire resistance with no smoke production or flame spread
Termite and insect resistant
High compressive strength
Provides acoustic sound absorption
Rockwool Comfortboard 80 is designed for use on the exterior side of the wall for continuous insulation. It's installed with 3-inch washers and nails, and is attached to sheathing over a vapor barrier or house wrap. Other applications can include foundation walls and under concrete slabs.
Rockwool is a great option for some projects, however this type of insulation isn't always the best for every application. Some of the shortcomings of Rockwool Comfortboard include:
It's heavy, at over 50 lbs. per 4' x 8' board at 2' thickness, which makes installation laborious.
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At R4.2 per inch, Rockwool Comfortboard 80 is a middle-of-the-road option when it comes to thermal R-value performance.
Rockwool Comfortboard 80 can be difficult for homeowners to obtain because it is not typically stocked in big box stores, so it can be a challenge to obtain, and pricier to purchase.
Luckily, there is an alternative to Rockwool Comfortboard 80. Polyiso is a comparable option to Rockwool when it comes to installing insulation on walls. Taking it a step further, polyiso outperforms Rockwool when it comes to installability, thermal performance, and price point. If you're looking for a less expensive, lightweight alternative to Rockwool'without sacrificing on performance, consider polyiso.
Polyiso can be installed in the same locations and applications as Rockwool as a continuous insulation, but with significantly less weight bearing on your installers and your walls. Since polyiso is made out of foam, it's inherently lightweight and can be carried and maneuvered easily by a single installer without suffering from the fatigue of lifting heavy Rockwool boards, which may require two installers per board, or smaller board sizes.
It's hard to beat the thermal performance of polyiso. At R6 per inch, it's one of the best thermal insulation options for walls. With polyiso products like Rmax Durasheath® building envelope insulation, you can achieve an R21.8 with just 3-½' thickness, whereas achieving this same R-value with Rockwool Comfortboard 80 requires over 5' thickness.
Polyiso insulation is affordably priced at just over a dollar per square foot for a two inch thickness. Rockwool, on the other hand, can be quite pricey at nearly two dollars per square foot at the same thickness. Since you're getting less thermal insulating power for the same thickness, that's a double whammy.
Polyiso is more readily available for purchase by ordinary homeowners, because it is available at building supply stores. Rockwool Comfortboard 80, on the other hand, can be a specialty item that is not stocked in stores and often requires a special order and larger quantities.
Polyiso has a unique advantage over most other wall insulation types, including Rockwool Comfortboard 80'it can be tailored to meet your project's needs by applying an appropriate facer. Because polyiso not only accepts, but requires a facer during production, it gives you the choice between different performance properties that you want to incorporate.
For example, if you're looking for an air and vapor barrier, you can find an all-in-one solution with Rmax's ECOMAXci® FR Air Barrier. Rockwool, on the other hand, is vapor permeable and requires a second product to add vapor protection.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Rock Wool Felt. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.