What Thermal Insulation Material?

gpa

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Need to replace hull insulation as old stuff (tile like) is falling apart.
I'm having trouble finding a suitable replacement material.
Would prefer flexible sheet and stick it to hull.
Obviosly needs to be fire retardant and low smoke/fume.
Anyone out there managed to solve this?
Regards
 
If price is not a problem then Armaflex or Korex are among (or are) the best materials. Both are closed cell, flexible and self extinguishing - commonly used as the hull insulation on quality metal boats. Is glued on and should last as long as the boat.

John
 
There has been big developments in insulation materials for use in building recently, a call to your local insulation specialist [e.g.Warren Insulation or S I Boards] may get you a recomendation. Could be cheaper than chandlery prices also.
This stuff is supposed to be good, not really for boats but worth a call?
http://www.tri-isosuper10.co.uk/
 
As Ships Cat suggests Armaflex is OK being closed cell and reasonably (but not totally) fire and fume retardant. Google for UK manufacturer in Lancashire. Korex I think is a US product and therefore more expensive. You are already on the right track ensuring that it is not only fire retardant but fume retardant though. I have seen expanded polystyrene used in boats by amateurs. I am sure if they just set light to a piece and got a whif of the highly toxic black fumes they would not have it on a boat! Actually some of the UK building regs tightening up have spawned a load of new materials based on powder bound glass fibre with a foil surface which are rather good. Go and visit a builders merchant and have a look.
 
I am not sure where Korex is made but in googling trying to find out after reading Mike's post I discover that there are a few other things with the name "Korex", so as Mike already knows I am referring to the closed cell nitrile/vinyl foam one - I think full name of the product is Korex KNV-201S, but commonly is just "Korex".

I should add another point if looking at other products they should be closed cell or otherwise completely impervious to water through their structure (and not just faced with a seal), especially if in a metal boat, else will sooner or later lead to tears.

One can also get fire retardant polyurethane foam sheets but these are not flexible (unlike non fire retardant sheets) and their brittleness and grit off the cut edges means they have to be faced on both sides with a rigid metal/ply/fibreglass facing. They can really only be used on flat surfaces but we specified a little in our own boat where space was at a premium and the surfaces flat and has worked out ok (I had previous experience with it in another industry).

John
 
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