WHY SPECIFY EXPOL?

Rigid

EXPOL provides insulation solutions that can not be achieved by other insulation products. EPS and XPS are both rigid foams that hold their shape which means their insulation performance does not diminish over time. EXPOL Underfloor Insulation is one of the only insulation products on the market that is suitable for use in exposed timber floor situations with out the need of lining. This is backed by a BRANZ appraisal and shows the advantages of rigid foam products.

Insulation

EXPOL produces and supplies some of the country's most efficient insulation materials. Our products include EPS which has a long established reputation for its exceptionally high insulation qualities. EXPOL Platinum board (a variation of EPS) can achieve an insulation efficiency of 0.032W/mK while EXPOL-X (XPS) boasts as much as 0.031W/mK. All Expol products have been tested for thermal performance by a variety of institutions, including BRANZ, to ensure all products are manufactured to specification.

Lightweight 

EPS offers an exceptionally lightweight solution to so many applications in construction. This is not surprising when you consider that, as a result of advanced manufacturing technologies, EPS is effectively 98% air captured within a 2% cellular matrix. The advantages in on-site handling and transportation bring significant economic benefits whilst considerably reducing health and safety risks associated with the lifting of heavier materials. It is therefore an excellent substitute for infill materials and ballast where it also brings load and fill times down in time-critical build projects.

Sustainability
Credentials
At every stage of its life cycle, from production to recovery or recycling, EPS offers exceptional eco-credentials and is therefore ideally suited to the new generation of eco-friendly building projects. All manufacturing processes comply with current environmental regulation. It is chemically and environmentally non-aggressive and it can be – and is – easily recycled into long-life products through an expanding nationwide network of collection points.

High Strength and Structural Stability

In spite of its light weight, the unique matrix structure of EPS brings the benefits of exceptional compressive strength and block rigidity. This means it is ideal for use in many construction and civil engineering applications, particularly as a structural base infill, for example in road, railway and bridge infrastructures. Strength tests performed on EPS which was first placed in the ground almost 30 years ago show that it is just as strong today – the tested strength routinely exceeding the original minimum design strength of 100kPa. EPS bridge foundations, which have been subject to many years of sustained loading, show 'creep' deformation of less than 1.3% - only half as much as had been theoretically predicted. Most importantly, EPS stability does not deteriorate with age.

Resistance to Water Ingress

After almost 30 years in the ground, samples of EPS retrieved from locations as little as 200mm above the groundwater level all have less than 1% water content by volume, whilst blocks which are periodically entirely submerged show less than 4% water content – performance notably superior to other foamed plastic materials.