Sandwich panels

Advantages of Sandwich Panels

• Cost-effectiveness – Sandwich panels with a core made of polyurethane (PUR), the newer polyisocyanurate (PIR), or mineral wool are cost-effective compared to other building materials such as traditional bricks, concrete, or steel.
• Speed of Installation – Prefabricated halls made from sandwich panels can be constructed quickly and easily. The panels have standardized dimensions, which makes their transport and installation easier. Installation procedures using suction cups and cranes speed up the work, and the assembly is relatively inexpensive per m².
• Insulation Properties – Sandwich PUR/PIR panels excel in thermal insulation capability. Their structure with excellent thermal resistance helps maintain a constant temperature inside the hall, which naturally leads to energy savings for heating or cooling in cold storage or freezer facilities.
• Durability and Longevity – Sandwich panels are resistant to weather conditions and corrosion. The surface treatment of the panel is designed to withstand certain corrosive environments, and manufacturers state a minimum lifespan of around 25 years. The panels are smooth and require only minimal maintenance.
• Flexibility and Expandability – Prefabricated halls made from sandwich PUR panels are flexible, which means their size, shape, and configuration can be easily adjusted according to the specific needs of the customer. Prefabricated halls can also be easily supplemented with windows, doors, or extended in the future.

Fire Resistance of Sandwich Panels

Sandwich PUR panels must have a certain degree of fire resistance; however, panels with a PUR foam core are not themselves non-combustible. PIR or IPN panels perform better, as they do not spread fire, but they are still not classified as DP1 construction in Czech legislation, but rather in category DP3. Sandwich panels with a mineral wool core fall into category DP1 and have excellent resistance of 30 minutes or more. Sandwich panels with a PIR insulation core achieve fire resistance of 15 to 30 minutes. The panels do not spread fire across the surface in fire-hazardous areas and in real fires have been proven not to propagate flames.

The Czech technical standard ČSN 73 0810 defines the classification of the behavior of building structures (types DP1, DP2, and DP3) in the event of fire as a whole. The standard monitors how products may increase the intensity of a fire and whether they may affect its load-bearing capacity and stability.

Types of Structural Parts:

• DP1 – these are structures (mineral wool panels) that do not increase the intensity of fire during the required fire resistance period, and the essential components of the structures consist of products with a reaction to fire class A1 to F under certain specifications, which are described precisely in this standard.
• DP2 – these are structures made from load-bearing parts of reaction to fire class B to D or even B to E, provided that the stability of the structure does not depend on them (e.g., insulation). The insulation must be located inside the structure, while the surface layers of the structural parts are made of non-combustible products of reaction to fire class A1 or A2.
• DP3 – these are structures (PUR and PIR panels) that may increase the intensity of fire during the required fire resistance period, and there are no material restrictions applied to them; in other words, these are all building structures that do not meet the requirements for classification into category DP1 or DP2.

Surface Treatment of Sandwich Panels

The load-bearing element of the panel is the external and internal painted profiled sheet metal, which determines the strength in combination with the thickness of the insulation and also determines the lifespan of the panel. The painted sheets are treated with an anti-corrosion surface finish, namely a double-sided hot-dip galvanized zinc coating, and then a final surface finish of a specific type of paint is applied to the sheet according to the corrosive environment and intended use (chemical or food industry operations).

Types of surface treatment of sandwich panels from the manufacturer KINGSPAN:

• Polyester (PES) – intended for panels in standard corrosive environments, with thicknesses from 25 ?m (microns) on the exterior and from 15 ?m on the interior. Typically, a 5-year warranty.
• Polyurethane (PU - PA) – for higher requirements in corrosive environments, with thicknesses from 50 ?m, or for standard corrosive environments where a longer warranty is required, up to 10 years.
• Plastisol 200 – special surface treatment for chemical environments, with paint thicknesses from 200 ?m.
• Plastisol 150 – Foodsafe – surface treatment for food industry operations must have certification for direct contact with food, meeting all hygiene standards. Typically in thicknesses up to 150 ?m.

Warranties for panels are determined by the manufacturer based on the corrosive environment.

Roof Sandwich Panels

Minimum roof slope:

• > 6° for panels joined along their length
• > 4° for panels not joined along their length

Roof Sandwich Panels with IPN/PIR Foam

Roof sandwich panels excel in long lifespan, a wide range of uses, and above all excellent thermal properties, especially with a PIR/IPN core. There is a wide variety of panel thicknesses, from 40 mm up to 160 mm for the highest quality insulation. The supplier Kingspan also offers a special Quadcore core, which has about 15% better U = W/m²*K than standard IPN panels.

Roof Mineral Sandwich Panels

Minimum roof slope:

• > 8° for panels joined along their length
• > 5° for panels not joined along their length

Roof mineral sandwich panels excel in long service life, a wide range of uses, and above all, excellent fire properties. Most commonly used in the area of fire belts and DP1-type (non-combustible) structures. Compared to PIR/IPN core, they have worse thermal properties by up to 100%.

Wall Sandwich Panels

Support Span:

• 4 - 6 m depending on panel type

Wall panels with exposed fixings from KINGSPAN are available in several types, differing in application and fire resistance:

• Wall insulation panels KS1000/1150 NF 

Wall sandwich panels with IPN/PIR foam KINGSPAN a.s. 

Facade system with exposed fixing elements -  KS1000/1150 NF 

KS1000/1150 NF panels are wall insulation panels with exposed fixing, with an IPN or QuadCore™ insulation core. They are especially suitable for cladding the external walls of all types of buildings, and can also be used for internal partitions and ceilings. For wall applications, it is possible to choose between horizontal and vertical panel installation. These panels offer excellent properties, especially in the field of thermal insulation. The panels are factory-fitted with sealing tapes on both the exterior and interior sides of the longitudinal joint.

Type: wall panel

Fixing: exposed

Insulation core: IPN or QuadCore®

Module: 1000; 1150 mm

Thicknesses: 40 - 200 mm

Lengths: 1.85 - 12.5 m; up to thickness 120 - 1.85 - 14.5 m (18 m oversize)

Color: according to current Kingspan offer

Facade system with exposed fixing elements -  KS1000/1150 NC

KS1000/1150 NC panels are wall insulation panels with exposed fixing, with an IPN or QuadCore™ insulation core. The panels are supplied as standard without sealing tapes in the joint. They are intended mainly for food industry purposes, cold stores or freezers, where sealant is applied into the joint, or for internal partitions without requirements for airtightness. For vertical structures, it is possible to choose between horizontal and vertical panel installation.

Type: wall panel

Fixing: exposed

Insulation core: IPN or QuadCore®

Module: 1000; 1150 mm

Thicknesses: 80 - 200 mm

Lengths: 1.85 - 12.5 m; up to thickness 150 - 1.85 - 14.5 m (18 m oversize)

Color: according to current Kingspan offer

Wall panels with PIR foam Balex Metal s.r.o.:

Facade system with exposed fixing elements -  Balextherm