The difference between basalt and mineral wool: which is better. What is the difference between basalt wool and mineral wool? How to distinguish basalt wool from mineral wool?

When building a house or adding an extension to it, many are faced with the problem of choosing high-quality insulation. There are many materials available on the construction market, so to determine which one is more suitable, it is worth learning about some of them in more detail. Many people cannot decide what to choose - stone, basalt or mineral wool. But when choosing, it is worth considering the features of using insulation, since the named types belong to the same class. To understand whether mineral or basalt wool, it is worth considering in detail all the features of materials of both types.

Features of basalt wool

The described insulation is also called stone wool. It is made from fiberglass by melting basalt rock. It should be noted that this breed is also used in other areas. For example, it is often used in the construction of roads, monuments and sculptures.

Slab basalt wool is very different from mineral wool, so it is unreasonable to talk about which insulation is better. When choosing, you need to know exactly under what conditions it will be used. At the same time, each type of heat insulator has its own advantages and disadvantages, which are important to consider. If all fastening rules are followed, both types of material retain heat well.

The basis of the described insulation is fiberglass. During the manufacturing process, additives are used that promote fiber binding. The resulting material has a loose structure, due to which it has good thermal insulation characteristics. Thanks to the space between the fibers, the temperature in the rooms is kept at the same level. This means that when using such insulation, the house will be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Often, for insulation, foiled basalt wool is purchased, which is protected from steam and moisture.

Advantages and disadvantages of basalt wool

High quality stone wool has many advantages. These include:

But the described material also has disadvantages. An example is the presence of a large number of seams at joints. If the material is fastened incorrectly or the thermal insulation layer is deformed, the thermal insulation properties may be reduced. In addition, the material has a high cost, so not all land owners who want to build a house can purchase it.

When working with basalt slabs, you must wear safety glasses. This is due to the fact that it can crumble. It should be noted that foil-coated basalt wool does not have this drawback.

The difference between stone wool and mineral insulation

If we consider the features of basalt slabs, it is worth noting a number of their advantages over other heat-insulating materials.

Considering the structure of the described heat insulator, you can notice that short and thick fibers are located inside the material. This allows you to increase the degree of plasticity of the material. This also minimizes the likelihood of material shedding while being secured to the walls.

Features of mineral wool

If we compare the cost of mineral wool and basalt slabs, it is worth noting that the former can be purchased at a lower price. This is due to the fact that the production process does not require large expenses. At the same time, mineral wool is transported in packages and does not require much space during its transportation. Mineral wool is also lightweight, which simplifies the transportation process.

The advantages of mineral wool include:

• Not high density;
• chemical passivity;
• no tendency to ignite.

In addition, mineral wool fibers are twice as long as basalt slab fibers. This makes the material more elastic. Due to its good flexibility, mineral wool can be laid in difficult places. It should be noted that mineral wool has better soundproofing characteristics than basalt wool.

If we talk about the disadvantages of the material, it is worth noting the large amount of shrinkage. This is explained by the gradual crystallization of fibers inside the material. When choosing mineral or basalt wool, you should find out about the density of the insulation. Depending on this parameter, you can select the conditions for using the material.

Which material is better

To determine which one the material is suitable It’s up to you to compare the described insulation materials in more detail. Glass wool has a lower cost than cotton wool boards. At the same time, mineral wool has less weight, so it is easier to transport.

If mineral wool loses its shape during transportation, it is enough to leave it for a while and it will return to its original shape. Moreover, such insulation can be used if the insulated surface has complex geometry and many irregularities.

But based on the described advantages, one should not draw final conclusions. Before choosing, it is necessary to take into account the operating conditions of the insulation. In some situations it is worth choosing mineral wool, and in others stone wool. That is why it cannot be said that, for example, basalt slabs are better.

If we consider insulation from the point of view of their service life, it is worth noting that mineral wool can be used for less time. Stone wool can be used for 50 years.

In this case, basalt wool can be laid on the ceiling, walls and under flooring. This insulation can be used in any conditions and still maintain its characteristics. Mineral wool cannot be used in some cases. An example is situations where the insulation may be constantly exposed to moisture. Under the influence of water thermal insulation characteristics are decreasing.

During the construction of residential buildings, many professionals use TechnoNIKOL basalt wool.

Brands of basalt wool

When purchasing stone wool, it is worth considering the area of ​​application of this material. If you choose the wrong type of insulation, this may result in a reduction in its service life. The choice should be made based on data on the density of the products:

1. Lightweight boards with a density of about 35 kg per cubic meter. Such products are used to insulate the internal surfaces of walls and partitions. This type of material is also fixed to the ceiling and used for insulating pipelines.
2. Soft slabs with a density of 75 kg per cubic meter are most often used for insulation attic floors and attic.
3. Semi-rigid products. The density of this type of material is 125 kg per cubic meter. They are used for insulation of horizontal enclosing structures, as well as during insulation of floors and ceilings.
4. Rigid slabs have a hardness of 175 kg per cubic meter. Most often, such products are used in cases where it is necessary to insulate the roof or facade of a building.
5. Plates of increased rigidity are used to insulate roofs and ventilated facades. Their density is 200 kg per cubic meter.

Having considered these values, you can easily choose insulation for your own home. When purchasing basalt and mineral wool, you should not focus only on cost.

Sergey Novozhilov - expert on roofing materials with 9 years experience practical work in the field of engineering solutions in construction.

If you are starting the stage of insulating a room and are at a loss with the choice of material, then basalt-based stone wool would be an excellent solution. Such fibrous insulation belongs to the mineral category, and is produced on the basis of rock waste, including basalt. Hence the name - stone (basalt) wool. Therefore, the question “which is better – stone wool or basalt wool” is at least formed incorrectly. Let us emphasize once again that stone wool is insulation based on basalt (stone) rocks.

Types of insulation material

• Glass wool is a material made from glass production waste and some sand.
• Stone wool is insulation made from basalt rocks.
• Slag wool is a material produced from waste from the metallurgical industry.

In the material below we will look at basalt insulation, formulate its description and study it in detail technical specifications to understand that it is better and more convenient to use this type of material for insulating rooms and industrial equipment.

Stone insulation production technology

Basalt insulation is made from waste from the mining industry, but most of the constituent substance is given to basalt. The stone wool production process looks like this:

• All waste first rocks, crushed almost to a powdery state, are heated at a temperature of 1300-1500 degrees Celsius. At this moment, the main substance melts to the state of thin fibers. In this case, the process of fiber formation is stopped depending on the required rigidity of the slabs basalt insulation. That is, if you need soft stone wool, then the fibers will be slightly longer and thicker. If the purpose of production is semi-rigid or rigid slabs, then the fiber is made thicker and shorter.
• Then, in special tanks, the fibrous base is mixed with air masses, which allows the fibers to be cooled and fixed in a chaotic manner relative to each other.
• Next, phenolic resins are added to the resulting mass as a binder. They do not allow the fibers to move from their occupied position, which means that the structure of the stone heat insulator will remain unchanged subject to operating conditions.
• The final stage of production of basalt insulation is the pressing of slabs while simultaneously being exposed to a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius.

Important: as a layer of insulation that reduces the hydrophobicity, metallized sheets are used, which are either glued or sewn with metallized thread. This type of stone slabs behaves especially well when insulating facades under wet finishing or when insulating saunas and baths.

Insulation format and structure

By type of purpose, all basalt-based insulation materials can be divided according to shape and structure. So, there are the following types of insulating material:

• Plates. The most popular thermal insulator. Used for insulation of flat horizontal/vertical and inclined surfaces. Easy to install, lightweight and easy to cut.
• Mats (rolls). They have a softer structure and are used if the object does not experience an increased load-bearing load. They can also be used for insulation of ventilation and industrial equipment with increased fire hazard.
• Cylinders. A special subtype of basalt wool used for insulating highways for various purposes, including gas pipelines.

According to its structure, basalt rock can be:

• Soft. More elastic insulation. Unlike slabs, it has a lower density and is most often sold in mats and rolls.
• Semi-rigid. This type of mineral material is most often sold in two types - cylinders or slabs. This structure has proven itself in the best possible way in construction work for private and industrial purposes.
• Rigid slabs. This material has the highest density and is used where there are high load-bearing loads on the facility, as well as an increased fire hazard of the equipment. High-rigidity boards are especially often used in industry.

Characteristics of basalt-based insulation

To understand the difference between basalt (stone) wool and glass wool (or polystyrene foam), let’s study in detail the technical characteristics of basalt insulation. So, they look like this:

• Thermal conductivity. For stone wool, the level of thermal conductivity ranges from 0.032 to 0.048 WT/(m*K), while polystyrene foam and foam rubber have the same values. Glass wool is slightly larger and transmits heat faster, but not significantly.
• Fire resistance. This criterion is important when choosing insulation. So, it is worth knowing that stone wool begins to melt only at a temperature of 1114 degrees Celsius, but does not ignite. At the same time, foam plastic is capable of burning at a temperature of 400-500 degrees. In addition, basalt wool can have the advantage of being prone to self-extinguishing when melted, while polystyrene foam will also release harmful fumes of styrene and phenol into the atmosphere.
• Hydrophobicity. Here the insulation is slightly inferior to expanded polystyrene. But not critical. The percentage of water absorption by stone wool is only 2%. At the same time, foam plastic does not absorb water at all. However, if stone wool gets wet for a long time, the structure of the slabs and mats will still lose its original state.
• Vapor permeability. Here the indicator is 0.3 mg/(m*h*Pa). This suggests that breathable walls made of wood or brick can safely let their vapors out without fear of being subject to the negative and destructive effects of condensation. It will successfully pass through the basalt wool structure and come out. That is, moisture is not harmful to either the walls or the insulation.
• Soundproofing. Basalt wool perfectly dampens noise both from outside and inside apartment partitions. Therefore, this type of insulation is especially in demand by developers whose properties are located in noisy areas.
• Density Here the density level of slabs and mats can vary from 30 to 159 kg/m3. Accordingly, with an increase in the density of fibers in the structure of basalt wool, its rigidity also increases.

• Durability. Stone insulation is not prone to deformation over a long period of time. The exception is a large amount of water that gets on the insulation. Thus, stone wool can withstand compression from 5 to 80 kilopascals.
• Environmental friendliness. Plates and mats of basalt insulation, although they contain phenolic resins, are still considered an environmentally friendly material, since more phenols have already been neutralized at the stage of insulation production. Therefore, slabs and mats can be used both outside and inside objects.
• Chemical and biological inertness. Basalt insulation does not rot, does not rust, and does not react with metal and other aggressive environments. At the same time, no microorganisms or living creatures are able to live in the material.

Important: when working with stone wool, despite the ease and simplicity of its operation, it is necessary to use protective clothing. Because the slabs may crumble slightly when cutting, which produces allergenic pollen. And when installing sections of insulation, all joints should be covered with scraps of basalt fiber material.

Since basalt-based mineral insulation has different densities and shapes, you need to be guided by the following principles when choosing a material:

• To insulate a sloping roof, it is better to use a material whose thickness is at least 15 cm and whose density is from 40 kg/m3.
• To achieve high-quality sound insulation in interior partitions, you can use insulation with a density of 40-60 kg/m3. This will be enough, but there is no point in overpaying.
• To insulate the external walls of a house, it is recommended to use basalt insulation slabs with a thickness of 10 cm and a density of at least 80 kg/m3.
• If a ventilated façade is to be installed in two layers, then it is advisable to use two types of material – soft wool and then a harder one. At the same time, closer to the walls it is necessary to arrange more soft material, and closer to facade finishing– hard slabs.

Important: when buying basalt-based insulation, pay attention to the packaging. As a rule, the manufacturer packages the material in shrink film, which prevents moisture from getting inside. And if the packaging is torn or damaged in places, it is better to refuse such a purchase. It is quite possible that during the process of storing or transporting the insulation, moisture has already entered it, which reduces the thermal insulation properties of basalt wool.

Manufacturers and cost of basalt insulation

The most popular on the Russian market are basalt insulation from the following manufacturers:

• This manufacturer has insulation of any density and shape. Most often, the slabs are packaged in 12-24 pieces. into the package. The cost of basalt wool from Knauf starts from 16 USD. per package.
• Here the insulation also has two types - rolls and slabs. The cost of slab insulation starts from 14 USD. per package.
• The cost of insulation from this manufacturer also starts from 14-24 USD. per package.
• A new manufacturer of basalt-based insulation, but already proven. The cost of the material starts from 24 USD. for packaging in slabs or rolls.

We hope that the characteristics and cost of basalt fiber material given in the material will help you make right choice and provide high-quality insulation for your facility.

Mineral basalt wool is one of the highest quality and most effective insulation materials. Why? I will tell you about all the properties of this material and conduct experiments so that you can answer this question yourself.

Stone wool - what is it?

Basalt wool (stone wool) is a type mineral wool, fibrous thermal insulation material, intended for insulation of building structures, pipelines, thermal insulation of chimneys.

Thermal insulation materials of this group have similar properties and characteristics. But there are also differences that play an important role and affect the quality of home insulation.

The question of which is better, basalt insulation or mineral wool, loses its meaning, since basalt wool itself belongs to mineral insulation. In addition, glass wool and slag wool also belong to mineral wool.

Today, stone wool is used quite widely. The material is produced by a lot of manufacturers, including many domestic companies. Some of them produce good quality products.

Particularly popular are slabs for insulating facades, foundations and roofs, although mats are also popular for insulating floors and.

This type of mineral wool is distinguished by excellent performance, durability, and resistance to various destructive factors. It is easy to work with, it is completely safe and does not have many of the disadvantages inherent in other types of mineral wool. Moreover, this excellent remedy for sound insulation.

Scope of application

Mineral wool based on basalt fibers is widely used. This is a universal insulation.

The main areas of its application:

1. Insulation of enclosing structures: walls, floors, ceilings, ceilings, roofs, foundations;
2. Insulation of pipelines;
3. Soundproofing of walls and partitions;
4. Thermal insulation of pipes with hot liquids and gases;
5. Fire protection of load-bearing structures made of steel, cable ducts, pipe penetrations, reinforced concrete floors, air ducts.

Types of fibers

There are two types of basalt fibers: thin (BTV) and ultra-fine (BSTV). The latter are approximately 10 times thinner than the former, and products made from them have better characteristics.

Due to the high cost of products made from BSFF, it is advisable to use them at temperatures above 180 °C, since superthin fiber demonstrates much greater heat resistance: its limit is 900 °C.

Technical properties

Basalt wool is the best fiber insulation available today. To prove this, let's look at the numbers. So, the technical characteristics of basalt wool:

Analysis of the technical characteristics makes us understand that basalt wool is an effective and high-quality insulation material, which is characterized by a wide range of applications and a low thermal conductivity coefficient.

Effect of application

To demonstrate the effect of using stone wool, we will use a special device - a thermal imager. It records the intensity of thermal radiation. The closer the image color is to yellow and orange, the higher the temperature.

Now we point our device at the facade of the house, which has not yet been insulated with stone wool. This is what is displayed on the device screen:

Now you need to wait until the building is insulated. For the purity of the experiment, it is necessary to measure heat loss on the same house, so you will have to wait until the completion of the façade insulation work. So, we point the device and see:

Main Features

Property 1. Water absorption

To move away from the dry and not everyone clear language numbers, I will provide a visual demonstration of the hydrophobicity of basalt wool:

Unlike other fibrous insulation materials, stone wool practically does not absorb or accumulate moisture. This is a significant advantage.

Property 2. Vapor permeability

Again I will show you a visual demonstration of the properties of basalt wool. This time we check the vapor permeability of the material:

Image	Procedure
	Preparing water vapor. Place a metal container of water on the fire and bring it to a boil.
	We put a sample. We take a piece of slab 25x25 cm and cover our bowl of boiling water with it.
	We observe the effect. After a short time, you can observe how steam freely penetrates through the thermal insulation, despite its thickness.

Property 3. Strength

Compressive strength at 10% deformation ranges from 8 to 60 kPa. On average, this value is 40 kPa. But what does this mean? For clarity, I will show a photo of what will happen to the material after a pressure of 100 kPa.

As you can see, there are no tracks or other marks left on the surface of the slabs. The material returns to its original shape almost instantly.

As you can see, even cotton wool can withstand serious mechanical loads.

Now let's check the tear strength of the layers. This indicator determines whether plaster or tile can be applied to the surface of the material.

We glue plates with special hooks for cargo on top and bottom. After the glue has hardened, hang the load and increase the force to 80 kPa:

We are trying to increase the effort. We immediately get the result:

Property 4. Fireproof qualities

Stone wool has good temperature resistance, especially if we have BSTV. Again, let’s conduct a small experiment: we’ll direct the autogen to the surface of the stove and heat it above 700 degrees.

We see that cotton wool not only does not ignite, it does not react at all to the effects of fire. Moreover, you can touch the other side of the stove with your palm, and the surface temperature will not exceed 20 degrees. This once again demonstrates the high thermal insulation qualities of the material.

Rock wool or glass wool?

Despite fairly similar technical characteristics, basalt insulation has a number of significant differences from glass wool. These differences will help us understand which is better - glass wool or stone wool.

First, let's take the basalt insulation slab by the corner and try to shake it.

Now let's do the same with glass wool. The result is radically different.

Now fold the sheet of basalt wool in half.

We perform the same manipulations with glass wool. The result is again strikingly different from the previous experience.

Remember how we walked on stone wool slabs with our feet? Let's walk through the glass wool slabs. The result is different again.

In addition to this visual demonstration, you can recall the well-known feature of fiberglass insulation:

• This material causes severe itching upon contact with skin;
• In case of contact with eyes, seek medical attention;
• If you inhale glass wool dust, you can get bronchitis or asthma, and in some cases, lung cancer.

If we take slag wool or mineral wool based on basalt with admixtures of dolomite and limestone, we will see that basalt insulation is superior to all these types in almost all respects.

The difference between fiber-based insulation materials can be quite significant. One turns out to be a safe and durable product that demonstrates unexpected properties, the other turns out to be a source of disease and simply a low-quality material.

Pros and cons of basalt wool

Strong and weaknesses basalt insulation are presented in the table:

Let's check the sound insulation:

Conclusion

I looked at the features of insulation made from stone fibers and showed which is better - basalt wool or mineral wool. You learned about all the characteristics and properties of the material, and saw visual demonstrations of these properties. If you want to know more, watch the video in this article and ask questions in the comments.

On the market today building materials can be purchased different types insulation for renovation of premises. Basalt (stone) and mineral wool (glass wool, glass) are especially popular at present. Each of the materials has inherent specific features, its own characteristics, as well as advantages and disadvantages. While performing the same function, both materials are very different in both texture and manufacturing method. What is the difference between them?

What is the difference between basalt wool and mineral wool?

Basalt insulation is based on fiberglass. It is produced by melting gabbro-basalt rocks of mountain origin. A slab of this type of basalt wool is very different from the insulation of its mineral counterpart.

Both mineral wool and basalt wool have many pros and cons. The insulation underlying basalt wool contains fiberglass, actively mixed with special components, providing high degree efficiency, and supporting the hydrophobic functions of the insulation.

One slab of basalt wool is much better than the same mineral wool insulation and is capable of retaining heat. This action occurs due to the fact that the composition of basalt wool is characterized by a high degree of looseness and fibrousness. The insulation has a structure that allows the layers of air located between the fibrous strips to constantly maintain a predetermined temperature. This building material is intended for insulation of private, cottage and multi-storey buildings.

The main characteristics of basalt wool include:

• Resistance to high temperature(combustion temperature from 600 degrees Celsius);
• Absence of toxic emissions in the material at the time of heating;
• Resistant to mold and stains;
• Simplicity and convenience during transportation;
• Long service life;
• Low thermal conductivity;
• High vibration resistance;
• Increased sound insulation (noise insulation);
• Moisture resistance.

However, the price of this insulation is quite high. In this regard, many very often choose polystyrene foam instead.

Mineral wool: photos and advantages of insulation

First of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that the cost of mineral wool is an order of magnitude cheaper than the price at which you can purchase its basalt analogue. This factor is associated with the availability and low cost of the production process of mineral insulation. This material, when packaged, will take up quite a bit of space, which is also an advantage.

Mineral wool weighs little. This, in turn, also affects its cost, since transportation costs are reduced.

In addition, this insulation is characterized by such an indicator as low density. It also speaks in favor of the material in terms of the fact that its lighter weight puts less load on the structure.

In addition, the material has the following qualities:

• Not prone to ignition, and always exhibits good performance in terms of biological stability and chemical passivity;
• There is no ability to initiate harmful processes, such as corrosion, in nearby metal surfaces;
• The length of mineral wool fibers is twice as long as that of basalt fibers. These structural features make cotton wool highly elastic.
• This material is used in structures where irregular patterns predominate. geometric parameters and uneven surface.
• The sound insulation of mineral wool is better than that of its basalt counterpart.

One of the main disadvantages of mineral wool is its tendency to shrink. This happens because after a certain period of time, fibers made using quartz and glass undergo crystallization. Just like basalt wool, mineral insulation has advantages. First of all, the following qualities can be highlighted: low density, low load on this structure, low weight, resistance to bio-impacts, high level elasticity.

Basalt and mineral wool: differences and applications

Both types of insulation can be equally used in the construction and insulation of a house. Their installation methods are also similar. First you need to adjust the material to size. After this, the material is laid between the rafters and secured to dowels. During installation, it is imperative to use a vapor barrier. Installation methods may differ only depending on the object that you will build.

In private homes, insulation is used mainly to insulate the following structures:

• Sten;
• Krishi;
• Facades;
• Polov.

The surface must first be primed, then apply glue, on which the insulation itself will be laid. On top of it, you need to re-apply another adhesive layer and a reinforcing mesh. It is advisable to reinforce everything under decorative coating, and as a final touch, apply plaster.

Which mineral wool is best for sound insulation and insulation?

The difference between basalt wool and its mineral counterpart is the presence of dense and short fibers, due to which the ductility of the material significantly increases. In addition, the likelihood of the insulation shedding during installation is quite low.

The increased flexibility and elasticity of the material also make it possible to use it for insulating structures that have an irregular geometric shape and an uneven surface. If we talk about the degree of sound insulation, then mineral wool has a higher level than its basalt counterpart.

Advantages of basalt wool:

• Long service life;
• Does not lose its main qualities;
• Doesn't burn.

However, it is impossible to say with certainty which insulation is better. Mineral wool is much easier to work with, while basalt wool is of better quality and more expensive.

Insulation: mineral wool or basalt wool, which is better (video)

You need to approach the choice of insulation for your home based on several factors. You can’t focus only on price or density. Other characteristics of the insulation need to be taken into account. The cost of mineral wool, for example, will cost you much less than a basalt insulation board. In addition, the mineral wool will not be so voluminous and will take much less area during its transportation than basalt. However, basalt wool will last you longer, and mineral wool at very high temperatures can significantly lose its beneficial qualities. And if we consider the issue of choice with economic point point of view, even though basalt wool is more expensive, taking into account all the pros and cons, its use will be the most profitable.