Coniferous wood is used exclusively for the production of wood fiber panels. For the production, wood from FSC forests is used, managed with permanently sustainable methods.
The raw material - wood - is cut into smaller pieces, which are thermally and mechanically brittle as a semi-finished material using a plant called a shredder. The fibers are then mixed with water to create an aqueous suspension. This suspension is overheated and carried to the drainage system; here a carpet of fibers is formed, or the base of the new panel. The panels subjected to drainage are finally subjected to a drying process so that they can reach the final degree of humidity.
They are not used. This type of production is a humid process, in the course of which through the effect of water and heat, the natural materials present in the wood fiber (lignin and hemicellulose) are reactivated, which will subsequently ensure a resistant binding.
The difference exists in the fact that during the production of wood fiber panels with dry procedure it is necessary to add the glues (mostly of polyurethane origin), while in the wet procedure there is no need for them.
Only the base panels with a thickness of 20 mm can be produced wet. The greater thicknesses (up to 120 mm) are produced by overlapping different layers of the base panels. An ecological starch based on modified natural starch is used for their binding.
Yes, from several points of view, starting from the raw material to the possibility of recycling. The timber used for production is a material that grows and comes from local woods, managed through permanently sustainable development systems. The production processes themselves are respectful of all the elements of the environment. Fibertherm insulation boards are totally recyclable, they can be composted or burned without danger.
Fibertherm wood fiber panels are exclusively made of natural materials that have no influence on health. The main component is wood fiber (up to 98%). To perfect some features, some materials of an exclusively natural nature are added, such as paraffin and natural native starch. Unlike most fiber insulation materials, our panels do not contain any percentage of formaldehydes (which are among the carcinogens).
In some panels (Fibertherm Protect and Isorel) in order to increase the water resistance, natural hydrophobic material is added. It is not just a surface finish, but the hydrophobic material is inserted in the process itself of forming the fibrous suspension; therefore the materials have a high water resistance throughout the thickness on both sides.
During the wet procedure production of Fibertherm wood fiber panels all the aromatic substances, which are pleasing to insects and woodworms, disperse and escape from the timber. On the other hand, the final product has a humidity level of about 7-8%. From a biological point of view, insects that attack wood love coniferous wood when the humidity is above 15%.
The thermal insulation must ensure the protection of the building from heat losses during the winter months (winter thermal protection) and at the same time it must protect the internal rooms from overheating in the summer months (summer thermal protection). The thermal insulation should work well even in conditions of humidity coming from the air and with water vapor.
The thermal conductivity is the main characteristic of thermal insulation from the point of view of the protection of buildings from heat losses. It represents the ability of the substance to conduct heat and is expressed with the coefficient of thermal conductivity λ. The lower its value, the more effective its isolation. Most insulating materials have a coefficient of thermal conductivity of about 0.039 W/(mK).
It is the coefficient according to which the thermal insulating characteristics of building structures are evaluated. Indicates the thermal flow passing through these structures and is expressed in units W/m²K; and closely related to the thermal conductivity of the materials used in building structures. The lower its value, the lower the heat losses caused by building structures will be.
The thermal and storage capacity of the insulation strongly contributes to the formation of an excellent climate inside the buildings, particularly during the summer months, when usually the rooms are not pleasantly overheated. If the materials present in the building structures have a high storage capacity, they can more effectively mitigate temperature fluctuations.
The thermal displacement is closely related to the accumulation capacity of building materials; represents the temporal deviation of extreme temperatures; for example, the most extreme afternoon outdoor temperatures are transferred inside in the following hours and at the same time their value is attenuated.
The ability of the material to pass water vapor (diffusion capacity) is a very important capacity of insulating materials since inside the buildings a large quantity of water vapor is formed. The passage of water vapor through the structure is a very important phenomenon in order to avoid the subsequent formation of condensation; the presence of condensation inside the structures represents a danger for their useful life.
The diffuse resistance factor μ indicates how many times the resistance of a material is greater in passing water vapor than a layer of air with the same thickness and with the same temperature. Furthermore, another common indicator of water vapor diffusion is also constituted by the equivalent thickness diffused with d; this thickness is calculated by multiplying the diffused resistance and the thickness of the material; indicates the thickness of the air in meters, with a diffused resistance equivalent to that of the building material. Materials with a diffusion factor of less than 10 are considered materials with very high diffusion capacity.
Based on the principle of sufficient humidity output from the interior rooms; their outer layer hinders the penetration of moisture from the external environment. These structures are open (no vapor barriers are applied). For these structures it is necessary to use materials with a decreasing value of the diffused resistance from the inside to the outside.
In accordance with the harmonized European standard EN 13 501-1 Fibertherm wood fiber panels are among the easily flammable materials, with class E as regards the reaction to fire. Fire resistance is equivalent to the resistance of other commonly used insulating materials, including for example polystyrene, polyurethane, etc.
They can be used on almost all building structures - roofs, perimeter walls, floors, floors. What is more convenient - to isolate from the outside or from the inside? It is more convenient to isolate from the outside. It is also safer in terms of possible condensation attributable to water vapor. Insulation from the inside is only recommended in cases where it is not possible to isolate from the outside. In this case, you need the assistance of a specialist.
Thermal bridges arise in places where the thermal insulation layer is interrupted due to materials with worse thermal conductivity (eg in the midst of beams on a sloping roof). On the roof, the proportion of beams on the entire roof area can be 20%, where the conductivity of the wood is four times lower than that of the Fibertherm panels. Our Joist product has recently been improved with insulation of the beam, thermal bridges can be limited by using an additional amount of insulation, below or above the beams.
The advantage consists in limiting the thermal bridges that arise in the area of the beams; A further advantage of this type of insulation is the aesthetic aspect of the roof structure from the inside, with the use of a wooden roof.
Fibertherm and Protect panels are anchored by counter-strips through an insulation layer, up to the beams; anchoring is carried out using special screws or nails.
The vapor barrier has the function of preventing the infiltration of water vapor into the building structure (it is mainly applied to roofs). In certain circumstances it is possible to design the building structure with Fibertherm panels even without using vapor barriers. These possibilities must be subjected to respective calculations for each individual structure, taking into consideration the real conditions.
Overall, Fibertherm products do not enjoy good compression properties in space. If you intend to use them in precisely defined structures (eg between beams or in a wooden frame), they must be cut to size. However, to facilitate the work there is the compressible Fibertherm Flex product.
Fibertherm Protect panels are widespread and open; therefore they have a high water resistance. They are applied as safety waterproof insulation without the need to use diffuse membranes. Unlike the membrane, the Fibertherm Protect panels are also equipped with additional thermal insulation and are able to limit the thermal bridges that arise on the beams.
All along their perimeter the Fibertherm Protect panels can be equipped with the male / female system, thus guaranteeing a perfect joint without the need to resort to adhesives. For roofs with slope < 20° joints are glued with butyl rubber or polyethylene tape.
As an external formwork they can be exposed to weather conditions for up to 3 months. In winter, however, the panels cannot stand under the weight of snow.
They can be used on a ventilated and contact façade as a perimeter wall insulation for a wooden frame structure, and also on solid wood or Xlam bases.
On the ventilated facades the panels are fixed by means of strips equipped with screws according to the base material (wood, brick, porous concrete, etc.). Later, the wooden façade is applied to the strips. On the facades of contact the panels are fixed first on the perimeter wall and then the plaster is applied according to the manufacturer's instructions. In both cases the panels are laid from below, at a minimum of 30 cm above the ground level. A complete Fibertherm thermal insulation system is available.
Yes. All Fibertherm panels have high pressure resistance (min. 30 kPa); therefore they are particularly suitable as thermal and acoustic insulation on dry floors and on wet screeds. For wet screeds it is necessary to separate the panels using a waterproof insulation.
They are laid on a dry basis perpendicular to the floor covering. The individual rows are laid on the reciprocal binding with a space between the panels equal to 2 mm. For walls and other resistant elements, an expansion space of 10 mm must be maintained.
The lower thicknesses (up to 10 mm) must be cut with a knife. To cut thicker layers, the electrical equipment usually used for cutting wood material (circular, band, straight) is used. It is necessary to ensure a sufficient intake system.
Thanks to their high density Fibertherm panels enjoy perfect shape resistance and do not degrade even over several years. These assumptions are confirmed by experiences that testify to the use of wood fiber panels even beyond the age of 40.