WA200 XPS Board Freeze Thaw Resistant Closed Cell Panel For Cold Climate Facade Insulation

Internal wall insulation sits on the warm side, but the wall behind it still freezes and thaws, and the board has to survive the movement that comes with it. The WA200 board keeps more than 90% of its compressive strength after 50 freeze thaw cycles, which is why it is used where the insulation is fixed to a masonry wall that stays cold and damp through the winter. The fluted face gives the adhesive a mechanical key, and the tongue and groove edge closes the joint between panels.

The foam body is uniformly closed cell, so freezing water cannot expand inside the material and break the cell walls. That is what separates a freeze thaw resistant XPS board from a board that merely has a low water absorption figure on paper: the strength retention after cycling is the property that predicts how the wall behaves after ten winters. The WA200 XPS board is supplied in standard sizes of L 1200 / 2400 mm, W 600 / 1200 mm, THK 30 - 140 mm, and the board can be cut on site with a fine toothed saw or a hot wire, which keeps the cut face closed.

Technical Data

Applications

Specified for internal lining of external walls, where the structure behind the insulation stays cold and goes through freeze thaw cycles.

• Internal Insulation System for External Walls (IISEW)
• Rendering internal insulation
• Stud-framed cavity insulation
• Adhesive-bonded internal insulation
• Walls that stay cold and go through freeze thaw cycles

Key Advantages

• Retains over 90% of compressive strength after 50 freeze thaw cycles.
• Fluted face gives a mechanical key for adhesive and render.
• Tongue and groove edges close the joints between panels.
• Closed cells limit water absorption to 1.5% by volume or less.
• 60 mm thickness suits internal linings where floor area must be kept.

On site the Freeze Thaw Resistant WA200 XPS Board is handled as a finished product: no coating, no wrapping and no curing is needed before the next layer goes on. A Freeze Thaw Resistant WA200 XPS Board sample and the batch test sheet are available on request, so the specified figures can be verified before the order is placed.

Installation Notes

• Boards are laid with joints staggered and edges fully engaged over the whole face.
• Surfaces in contact with adhesive or membrane are cleaned and primed before the board is bedded.
• Boards are cut oversize by 10 mm where a tight fit into a frame or reveal is needed, then trimmed.
• Finished layers are protected from site traffic until the covering layer is in place.

FAQ