Glass Mineral Wool

When referred to generically, the material may be described as ‘glass wool’ or ‘glass fibre’. It is different from stone mineral wool insulation.

How is glass mineral wool insulation made?

A molten glass formulation is spun into fibres, which are then sprayed with a binder before being shaped into a blanket. The blanket is cured by passing it through a curing oven, where it is also compressed into its final shape. Finally, the material is cut to size and packed.

Glass wool can be supplied as either slabs or rolls depending on how the product will be handled and installed. The aim is to supply products that require very little cutting, and generate minimal waste. In addition, typically with ISOVER glass mineral wool up to 80% of the material is manufactured from recycled materials.

The manufacture of glass mineral wool insulation, including the testing and declaration of its performance characteristics, is covered by the harmonised European standard EN 13162.

What is the performance of glass wool insulation?

The glass wool manufacturing process creates a product with a random fibre structure, and the density of the fibres can be altered to create products with characteristics suitable for different applications, with benefits including:

• Low thermal conductivity.
• Acoustically insulating.
• Excellent fire performance.
• Easy installation.

The random fibre structure of glass mineral wool traps pockets of air, helping to reduce air pressure variations passing through the quilt and acting to dampen the energy of the sound. Density in itself is not a measure of performance. As well as acoustic insulation, the trapped air also acts to give the material its thermal insulation properties. Glass mineral wool insulation products also achieve the highest possible ratings when tested in accordance with British or European standards for fire performance. Most types of glass mineral wool can be classified as ‘non-combustible’ or ‘of limited combustibility’.

In what applications is glass mineral wool insulation used?

Glass mineral wool is a popular thermal insulation option for the external walls of buildings, including as a full fill masonry cavity wall insulation, or installed within a timber frame. It also features within both masonry separating walls and timber frame separating walls.

The Robust Details scheme, which outlines a variety of separating (party) wall constructions that can be used as an alternative to pre-completion testing, features both generic and proprietary glass mineral wool specifications to help achieve the stated performance.

Internal floors should be insulated with glass mineral wool to reduce sound transmission between adjacent rooms. Internal partition walls, whether constructed from timber studs or metal studs, must be constructed to comply or exceed national building regulation requirements. Going a little beyond that minimum requirement can result in a substantial improvement in occupant comfort.

In pitched roofs, glass mineral wool laid at ceiling level is a common loft insulation solution. It can also be fitted between rafters when building a ‘room in the roof’, maybe as part of a loft conversion project, to provide both thermal and acoustic comfort.

Glass mineral wool is also used significantly in the lagging of ductwork and pipework and other similar HVAC applications.

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Insulation products to consider

Product Name	Thickness Range	Sizes	Lambda
Isover Acoustic Partition Roll (APR 1200)	25-100mm	Width 2 x 0.6m, Length 9.17 - 20m	See datasheet
Isover Acoustic Slab	50-100mm	Width 600mm, Length 1200mm	See datasheet
Isover Cladding Roll 37	120mm	Width 1.2m, Length 5.05m	0.037
Isover Cladding Roll 40	80-200mm	Width 1.2m, Length 4.1 - 10.2m	0.040
Isover Climcover Roll Alu2	25-50mm	Width 1.2m, Length 9 - 18m	See datasheet
Isover Climcover Roll Alu2 Strong	25-50mm	Width 1.2m, Length 7.5 - 15m	See datasheet
Isover Climcover Slab Alu2	40-50mm	Width 600mm, Length 1200mm	See datasheet
Isover Climcover Slab Alu2 Standard	40-50mm	Width 600mm, Length 1200mm	See datasheet
Isover Modular Roll	60-100mm	Width 1.2m, Length 9.17 - 15.5m	0.043
Isover RD Party Wall Roll	75-150mm	Width 2 x 0.455m, Length 4 - 8.5m	0.036
Isover Spacesaver	100-200mm	Width 1.16m, Length 5.2 - 12.18m	0.044
Isover Spacesaver Plus	100-200mm	Width 1.16mm, Length 3.5 – 7m	0.040
Isover Timber Frame Batt 32	50-140mm	Width 570mm, Length 1175mm	0.032
Isover Timber Frame Batt 35	90-150mm	Width 570mm, Length 1175mm	0.035
Isover Timber Frame Batt 40	90-140mm	Width 570mm, Length 1175mm	0.040
Isover Timber Frame Party Wall Roll	50mm - 100mm	Width 1.2m, Length 6 - 12m	0.036
Isover Timber Frame Roll 32	90-140mm	Width 2 x 0.57m, Length 2.7 - 4.2m	0.032
Isover Timber Frame Roll 35	90-140mm	Width 2 x 0.57m or 3 x 0.4m (140mm only), Length 4 - 5.3m	0.035
Isover Timber Frame Roll 40	90-140mm	Width 2 x 0.57m, Length 6.5 - 10.13m	0.040