What insulation fixings are
Insulation fixings are those pieces that are used to anchor insulation boards to the walls, roofs, floors and ceilings that they are meant to protect. They improve thermal efficiency wherever they are installed, and in addition to the areas just mentioned, they can also be used in the soffits — arches, beams, overhangs and other structures on the underside of a building. The particular insulation fixings described throughout this article are sold by various stores all over the Internet; the store where each item may be bought, and the parts of a building where they are designed to be installed, are given along with its description. Since not all kinds of wood are compatible with a given insulation fixing, that information too has been included.
Fixings used with polystyrene boards
The European store Albau sells two types of insulation fixings for polystyrene boards: hammerset and screw fixings. The first category includes the following five items, each of which is available in many lengths; see their website (http://albau.eu/t/category/insulation-fixings/fixings-for-polystyrene-insulation-boards/hammerset) for a list of those:
1, 2) Termoz CN 8 and PN 8 — a compound nail that anchors the fixing into the substrate
3-5) three Rawlplug items — Each has a pin, which is made of metal in two of them and plastic in the third. In addition to polystyrene boards, these can also be used with polyurethane, cork, mineral wool, light wood wool boards, wood fiber and lightweight recycled panels.
Albau also sells four types of screw fixings, which are used to fix “heat-insulation combination insulation material boards.” Fixings of both types just discussed that are used with mineral wool insulation boards are also available, as are cavity wall ties and accessories (this last group includes draining nozzles, insulation-retaining flanges and drills).
Fixings used with concrete
Engineers have also created insulation fixings to be used with heavy materials in aerated and lightweight concrete, and honeycomb clay and solid brick. The expansions on such fixings are made extra long to accommodate weaker materials.
External wall insulation fixings
The next two fixings described are specially made for a particular part of the building and are available from the British manufacturer Insofast (URL http://insofast.co.uk/insofast-products/insulation-fixings/ewi-fastener.html). They have only three parts — a wheel, a screw and a shank — thus making for a reduction in the amount of work that needs to be done in installing them. They can be fixed with either a hammer or an SDS drill adapter and have reduced cold bridging and a tiny pilot hole that enables them to be fixed into both concrete and masonry. They can also be fixed directly into a lightweight block without the need for pre-drilling. Polystyrene and phenolic foam can both be used with these.
Flat roof fixings
These fixings, which also have reduced cold bridging, are even simpler in construction — simple screws with shallow dome heads that will not leave any sharp edges. Their fire resistance is high, and if the joints or rafters should split, these fixings will alleviate the rift. They can be used with Kingspan, Recticel and other roofing boards whose ply-faces are 6 mm (¼ inch) thick.
Insulation fixings are those pieces that are used to anchor insulation boards to the walls, roofs, floors and ceilings that they are meant to protect. They improve thermal efficiency wherever they are installed, and in addition to the areas just mentioned, they can also be used in the soffits — arches, beams, overhangs and other structures on the underside of a building. The particular insulation fixings described throughout this article are sold by various stores all over the Internet; the store where each item may be bought, and the parts of a building where they are designed to be installed, are given along with its description. Since not all kinds of wood are compatible with a given insulation fixing, that information too has been included.
Fixings used with polystyrene boards
The European store Albau sells two types of insulation fixings for polystyrene boards: hammerset and screw fixings. The first category includes the following five items, each of which is available in many lengths; see their website (http://albau.eu/t/category/insulation-fixings/fixings-for-polystyrene-insulation-boards/hammerset) for a list of those:
1, 2) Termoz CN 8 and PN 8 — a compound nail that anchors the fixing into the substrate
3-5) three Rawlplug items — Each has a pin, which is made of metal in two of them and plastic in the third. In addition to polystyrene boards, these can also be used with polyurethane, cork, mineral wool, light wood wool boards, wood fiber and lightweight recycled panels.
Albau also sells four types of screw fixings, which are used to fix “heat-insulation combination insulation material boards.” Fixings of both types just discussed that are used with mineral wool insulation boards are also available, as are cavity wall ties and accessories (this last group includes draining nozzles, insulation-retaining flanges and drills).
Fixings used with concrete
Engineers have also created insulation fixings to be used with heavy materials in aerated and lightweight concrete, and honeycomb clay and solid brick. The expansions on such fixings are made extra long to accommodate weaker materials.
External wall insulation fixings
The next two fixings described are specially made for a particular part of the building and are available from the British manufacturer Insofast (URL http://insofast.co.uk/insofast-products/insulation-fixings/ewi-fastener.html). They have only three parts — a wheel, a screw and a shank — thus making for a reduction in the amount of work that needs to be done in installing them. They can be fixed with either a hammer or an SDS drill adapter and have reduced cold bridging and a tiny pilot hole that enables them to be fixed into both concrete and masonry. They can also be fixed directly into a lightweight block without the need for pre-drilling. Polystyrene and phenolic foam can both be used with these.
Flat roof fixings
These fixings, which also have reduced cold bridging, are even simpler in construction — simple screws with shallow dome heads that will not leave any sharp edges. Their fire resistance is high, and if the joints or rafters should split, these fixings will alleviate the rift. They can be used with Kingspan, Recticel and other roofing boards whose ply-faces are 6 mm (¼ inch) thick.