Recticel Plylok PIR Flat Roof Insulation Board Specification

We have given some though into which product is best to present with the winter season upon us and decided to start from the probably most vulnerable part of your home – your roof. Namely, regardless of whether you are a proud owner of a converted loft or your top floor is placed directly under the roof space, it is important to take good care of your roofing construction which, obviously also includes proper insulation. Now, the very insulation material will depend on the type of roof you have, since different set of rules apply on pitched and flat roofs, which must be considered prior to identifying your investment. If you were once convinced that flat roofs are more appealing, then you have also probably encountered some problems that are commonly associated with flat roofs (such as adequate ventilation, waterproofing, etc) and need a proper solution. Well, we are here to ease your mind since the following few lines will be dedicated to Recticel Plylok PIR Flat Roof Insulation Board Specification.

Now, the basic difference between a pitched and a flat roof is in the pitch, since flat roofs have a very low or no pitch, which means that they imply a specially designed waterproofing system that will allow all the water to run down the roof (instead of settling on the roof top and potentially freezing) into gutter or drainage system. The surface of flat roofs is usually made of cement in warmer climates where the risk of water freezing and cement breaking under the pressure is lower, whereas the alternative is timber flat roof structure for colder climates.

Another criterion for classifying flat roofs derives from flat roof insulation, i.e. the position of the chosen insulation material. With cold flat roofs, the surface of the roof is not protected by insulation but insulation is placed between the joists, under the structural deck. On the other hand, warm roof constructions include placing insulation above the structural deck, thus maintaining optimal temperature at both levels and consequently reducing potential thermal movement which can lead to thermal bridging problems during both seasons. Finally, warm roof structures can also be classified as sandwich ones where the insulation material is placed under the waterproof covering and inverted roofs where the insulation material is placed over the waterproof covering.

Now, there are a few important things you should keep in mind when it comes to flat roof insulation. The fist one referring to proper ventilation (is necessary), the second one referring to proper waterproofing system (an additional vapour control layer, if necessary) and the third, practical thing you should keep in mind refers to the necessity of lifting up your roof cover, please note that adding flat roof insulation between the joists, within the structure zone, will include lifting up the roofing, so this is something you should calculate into your budget and why not use the opportunity to replace or repair any damaged tile or other roofing element, if necessary.

Now that you are familiar with some flat roof basics, we should move on the Recticel Plylok PIR flat roof insulation board basics, being among the solution for adding another layer of protection to your flat roof. We are talking about a multifunctional PIR insulation board that is compatible with every warm roof waterproofing system and will not only improve the thermal performance of the roof structure, due to great thermal conductivity value of 0,022 W/mk, but also upgrade the stability and robustness of the entire structure due to a few integral elements that are bound into one high quality board. Namely, the rigid PIR core is faced on both sides with reflective aluminium foils and bonded to 6mm thick plywood. Now, if you remember what we spoke of earlier, an important issue with every flat roof is proper ventilation. Well, with this product you will not have to worry about that since roof ventilation is not required, as interstitial condensation is put under control with the insulation added which maintains the temperature at the same level within the roof structure as it is within the building.

In case an additional vapour control layer is required, one should be installed as at least 1000mm polythene sheet added to the supporting timber structure with the Recticel Plylok PIR boards laid on top. Please note that the boards are designed to endure the pedestrian maintenance traffic on the roof surface, whereas any heavier traffic or loads are expected, it would be best to consult a professional and maybe opt for adding specific walkways in order of preventing any damage to the boards during and upon installation. If installed in accordance with the given instructions, the boards have practically indefinite life span and require no special maintenance upon installation. Another aspect that should be taken into account when installing Recticel Plylok PIR insulation boards refers to the roof drainage where you should make sure that the roof has a 1:80 finished fall. Also, in order of providing optimal performance of installed insulation, it is important to provide continuity in the insulation and thus prevent thermal bridges from appearing within the construction. This can be done by adding some rock wool insulation at the roof junctions and eaves which should close the cavity. Also, you should make sure to extend the cavity wall insulation above the roof at parapets and upstands, so that no discontinuity between the wall and flat roof insulation appears.

The bottom line is that if you follow all the required steps in installation, take care of some extra aspects that particularly important with roof insulation in general, then you will end up with a solution that is easy to install, highly compatible, very durable and maintenance-free and to top all that contains no harmful gasses that could potentially harm the environment.

We're excited to announce that Plylok roof insulation boards are now available at our online shop. Feel free to send your quote enquiries to info@insulationshop.co or order directly from our insulation shop.