The Ultimate Buyer's Guide for Purchasing Cold Room Sandwich Panel

Many sandwich panels are optimized for a specific application, such as roofing or cladding. However, you must ensure they meet local regulations and are suitable for your building. Here are the two most common applications and key considerations:

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Facade sandwich panels provide thermal insulation for the building’s exterior while shielding it from various weather conditions. Keep in mind that fire safety requirements are often stricter for taller buildings.

Roof sandwich panels must adhere to the aforementioned criteria while also taking into account variables such as roof pitch and roof loads which may include snow accumulation, maintenance equipment, and personnel. Some roof sandwich panels feature profiles that mimic traditional roofs, with tile patterns, a standing seam, or a corrugated design.

Sandwich panels can also be used for walls, partition walls, soffits, and doors. Your specific needs may influence the material and finish you choose.

Sandwich panels sometimes have special fixing or interlocking systems to make installation much easier and improve performance. Interlocking systems are particularly interesting for insulation, especially for flooring, roofing, or facades, ensuring a continuous barrier and preventing cold bridging. Ensure that the sandwich panel is compatible with other building materials chosen to avoid damage to the panels or compromising the building’s performance.

Before installing the panels, you should know the workflow and how the panels should be joined to other building elements such as doors and windows. The following is an example of a facade sandwich panel installation (but this can vary according to each type of sandwich panel and manufacturer): Once the first panel is secured, door and window profiles are installed. Subsequent panels must be correctly pressed down for tight fastening and to prevent thermal bridges.

The core of a sandwich panel can significantly impact characteristics such as thermal insulation, acoustic performance, fire resistance, and strength. The core structure typically consists of foam, honeycomb, or corrugated materials. In contrast to foam sandwich panels, honeycomb core panels prioritize strength over insulation. The most common materials for honeycomb cores include aluminum, polypropylene, or cardboard. For insulating sandwich panels, the most common foam core types are as follows:

Polyurethane (PUR) core sandwich panels offer high initial thermal insulation but lack optimal fire resistance. The polyisocyanurate (PIR) core is a variation designed to improve this performance by providing better fire resistance, thermal insulation, and stability.

Phenolic foam (PF) sandwich panels, while more expensive than PIR insulation boards, offer slightly higher thermal and fire resistance.

Polystyrene sandwich panels are often more affordable than PUR or PIR variants but tend to provide lower thermal and fire resistance. Flame retardants may be added during production to ensure that they meet fire safety requirements. Polystyrene sandwich panels come in two forms: XPS (extruded polystyrene) or EPS (expanded polystyrene). XPS is denser, offers higher thermal resistance, and is also more moisture/vapor resistant compared to EPS.

Mineral wool core sandwich panels are known for their excellent fire resistance as mineral wool is non-combustible. Although they tend to be heavier and less thermally insulating than PIR, they excel in acoustic performance.

The facing material of a sandwich panel can impact the performance and appearance of the panel. Below is a summary of the main types including metal, wood, and fiberglass.

The most common types of insulated metal-facing sandwich panels are aluminum and steel, which are often used for roofing and façades. While aluminum is more corrosion-resistant and lightweight, steel offers greater impact resistance. Metal panels are often finished with coatings for protection or aesthetics.

There is a wide variety of wood-faced sandwich panels, such as plywood and OSB, each serving different functions. These range from structural insulated core panels (SIPs) for structural wall systems to honeycomb core wood panels, which can be a lightweight alternative to solid wood panels for doors or furniture.

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Fiberglass-faced sandwich panels may be chosen for their lightweight nature and resistance to corrosion, with applications in furniture, wall panels, and partitions.

HPL or PVC-faced sandwich panels are usually available in different colors and patterns. They are sometimes applied as a protective and decorative coating over other facing materials, such as metal or wood.

The technical characteristics you should prioritize may vary depending on how you intend to use your sandwich panel. Here are some of the most common characteristics to consider:

• Density (kg/m2): Ensure the supporting structure can handle the load.
• Dimensions and thickness: These factors affect ease of installation and performance.
• Fire ratings: Euroclasse -1 in the EU and ASTM E84 in the US, as examples, are used to assess the combustibility and smoke emissions of materials. The required rating may vary depending on local regulations and the intended use of the sandwich panel.
• The λ-value: This measures the thermal conductivity of the insulation in W/mK (Watts per meter-Kelvin). A lower λ-value indicates better insulation.
• The U-value: This quantifies thermal transmittance or the amount of heat lost through the construction material in W/mK. A lower U-value signifies better insulation.
• Sound insulation in “dB Dw”: This describes the sound transmission loss between two spaces in dB. A higher value indicates better insulation.

Other characteristics include water vapor, air, and moisture permeability which could have an impact on the quality of the building envelope. The mechanical resistance and compressive strength could be important for panels subject to diverse loads such as wind, snow, people, or equipment.

Due to advancements in construction all around the world, we also need our solutions to be efficient, durable, and well-insulated.

With the help of PEB and prefab, we can also become a fast-growing manufacturing nation. For this kind of construction, PUF sandwich panels are widely used components. These panels, a crucial component, help prefab structures offer superior thermal insulation, savings in cost, and a great deal of structural strength. 

All these features make these panels highly suitable for commercial and industrial projects. To help our readers, we’ve explained different types of Puf Insulation Panels and their use cases in different industries in this blog below. 

Types of PUF Sandwich Panels

1. PUF Sandwich Panel

A PUF sandwich panel, as the name suggests has a polyurethane foam (PUF) “sandwiched” between two layers. These two layers are made of durable metal material. With this kind of construction, there is thermal insulation, durability, and strength. 

2. PUF Roofing Panels

PUF Roofing Panels are specifically designed for roofing applications. They provide superior insulation against heat and cold, reducing energy costs significantly. These panels are lightweight yet strong, making them easy to install and maintain.

3. PUF Insulated Sandwich Panels

These are an advanced version of the standard PUF sandwich panels we just read above. Here, additional layers are added for more insulation. If we want a facility where temperature control is necessary, such as clean rooms and cold storage, these panels are best suitable. 

4. PUF Insulation Panels

PUF Insulation Panels are designed to provide high thermal resistance and are used in various construction applications to improve energy efficiency and indoor climate control.

Applications of PUF Sandwich Panels

PUF Sandwich Panels find applications across multiple sectors due to their versatility and superior performance. Here are some key areas where these panels are extensively used:

Benefits of PUF Sandwich Panels

• Durability and Strength: These panels are strong and long-lasting because there is a PUF core and metal outer layer. It helps them stay harsh weather resistant.
• Superior Insulation: PUF Sandwich Panels provide excellent thermal insulation, maintaining optimal temperatures and lowering energy costs.
• Lightweight and Easy Installation: These panels reduce labour costs and construction time rapidly because they are lightweight, easy to transport, and quick to install.
• Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of applications, from industrial buildings to sports complexes, making them a preferred choice for various construction needs.
• Eco-Friendly: Sustainability is primary in construction, as it is responsible for a lot of waste and carbon emissions. Thanks to these panels, we can reduce energy consumption, and most of its material is recyclable.

Conclusion

No matter, if it’s an industry, sports, or institutional building, Puf insulated sandwich panels, will offer benefits that will suit the purpose, making them the best choice for commercial projects.

EPACK Prefab is the top Puf Panel Supplier in India, offering top-quality panels and related products. It is one of the fastest-growing end-to-end PEB solution providers for commercial projects as well. To find out the different use cases of these panels and PEB, check out our projects page. 

For more information, please visit Phenolic Foam Production.