{"id":2044,"date":"2021-06-21T00:36:16","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T00:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/?p=2044"},"modified":"2026-06-21T01:23:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T01:23:02","slug":"sandwich-panel-core-materials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/sandwich-panel-core-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandwich Panel Core Materials: How to Choose Between EPS, PU\/PIR, Rock Wool and Glass Wool"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Industry insight \u00b7 Materials<\/p>\n

Sandwich Panel Core Materials: How to Choose Between EPS, PU\/PIR, Rock Wool and Glass Wool<\/h1>\n

The steel facing gets all the attention, but the core inside the panel quietly decides three things you live with for 25 years: whether the building meets fire code, what you pay to heat or cool it, and what the panels cost up front. Here is how the four common cores really compare \u2014 so you don\u2019t over-spec or under-build.<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

\"Sandwich
A PU\/PIR wall panel: coated-steel skins bonded to a rigid insulating core \u2014 the same build shared by every sandwich panel, whatever the core inside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Cross-section
An insulated sandwich panel is two coated-steel skins bonded to an insulating core. The steel is broadly similar everywhere \u2014 the core is what you are really choosing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Four cores dominate the market: EPS, PU\/PIR, rock (mineral) wool and glass wool. Choosing between these sandwich panel core materials isn\u2019t about which is \u201cbest\u201d in the abstract \u2014 each wins on a different axis. The trick is knowing which axis your project is actually graded on. Work through them in this order.<\/p>\n

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01<\/div>\n
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Start here \u2014 fire.<\/p>\n

The one property that can disqualify a panel outright<\/h2>\n

Fire performance is the only spec that can fail your building before it\u2019s even occupied \u2014 and it\u2019s graded differently depending on where you build. China\u2019s GB 8624 sorts materials into four classes: A (non-combustible), B1 (flame-retardant), B2 (combustible) and B3 (easily flammable). Europe\u2019s EN 13501-1 uses a finer seven-class scale (A1 to F), and North America uses ASTM E84. GB 8624 was aligned with the European system but isn\u2019t a strict one-to-one match, so always check which standard a datasheet quotes. The split that matters underneath all of them: mineral cores don\u2019t burn, organic cores do.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rock wool and glass wool are non-combustible \u2014 Class A under GB 8624, A1 or A2 under EN \u2014 with rock wool withstanding well over 1000\u00b0C. PU and PIR are flame-retardant, Class B1 (EN class B); PIR is the stronger of the two, charring and self-extinguishing rather than feeding the fire. EPS is combustible \u2014 Class B2, though a flame-retardant grade can reach B1 \u2014 and standard EPS melts and drips as it burns. Since Grenfell, many markets now require non-combustible (Class A) cores for facades and tall buildings outright, so check the local code before anything else.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\"Reaction
Reaction-to-fire, simplified. If your code or insurer demands a non-combustible (A-class) core, the decision is largely made for you.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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02<\/div>\n
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Then \u2014 thermal performance.<\/p>\n

Your heating, cooling and panel-thickness bill<\/h2>\n

Insulation is rated by thermal conductivity<\/a>, \u03bb (lambda), in W\/(m\u00b7K). Lower is better \u2014 a lower \u03bb means you hit the same U-value with a thinner panel, which saves both energy and wall space. This is where the organic cores pull ahead.<\/p>\n

PU and PIR lead clearly at roughly 0.020\u20130.023, so for a given performance they give you the thinnest, lightest panel. EPS and the mineral wools sit higher, around 0.034\u20130.041. That gap is decisive for refrigerated buildings, where every extra millimetre of wall is lost internal volume \u2014 which is why cold stores and freezers are built almost exclusively with PU\/PIR.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\"Thermal
Lower \u03bb means a thinner panel for the same insulation. PIR leads on pure thermal; the mineral wools give it up in exchange for fire safety.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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03<\/div>\n
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Then \u2014 weight, sound, moisture, cost.<\/p>\n

The trade-offs that decide close calls<\/h2>\n

Weight follows density: EPS is the lightest core at roughly 15\u201320 kg\/m\u00b3, while rock wool runs 100\u2013120 kg\/m\u00b3 \u2014 heavy enough to add up across a large roof and affect your structural load. On acoustics, rock wool is the clear winner, which is why it shows up in workshops, gyms and anywhere noise matters. For moisture, the closed cells of PU\/PIR resist water well, while mineral wools must be kept properly sealed.<\/p>\n

On price, EPS is cheapest by a wide margin; PU\/PIR and rock wool sit at the top, with glass wool in between. But the cheapest panel isn\u2019t always the cheapest building \u2014 a low-cost EPS wall can lose its edge over 20 years through higher energy use and, in the wrong application, fire or insurance penalties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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The four sandwich panel core materials at a glance<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Core<\/th>\nFire class (GB \/ EN)<\/th>\n\u03bb (W\/m\u00b7K)<\/th>\nWeight<\/th>\nCost<\/th>\nBest for<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
EPS<\/td>\nB2 \/ EN ~E \u2014 combustible<\/td>\n0.034\u20130.038<\/td>\nLightest<\/td>\nLowest<\/td>\nBudget warehouses, low fire-risk walls & roofs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PU \/ PIR<\/td>\nB1 \/ EN B \u2014 flame-retardant<\/td>\n0.020\u20130.023<\/td>\nLight<\/td>\nHigh<\/td>\nCold storage, freezers, food & pharma<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rock wool<\/td>\nA \/ EN A1\u2013A2 \u2014 non-combustible<\/td>\n0.038\u20130.041<\/td>\nHeaviest<\/td>\nHigh<\/td>\nFire walls, fire compartments, industrial, acoustics<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Glass wool<\/td>\nA \/ EN A1\u2013A2 \u2014 non-combustible<\/td>\n0.032\u20130.040<\/td>\nMedium<\/td>\nMedium<\/td>\nLighter fire-rated builds, acoustics on a budget<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Figures are typical industry reference ranges; exact values depend on density and manufacturer. Always confirm against the certified datasheet for the specific panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"EPS
\nEPS panel \u2014 lightest, lowest-cost core for lower fire-risk builds.<\/span><\/td>\n		\"Rock
\nRock wool panel \u2014 non-combustible A-class core for fire-rated walls.<\/span><\/td>\n		\"PIR
\nPIR cold-room panel \u2014 closed-cell core for refrigerated builds.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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04<\/div>\n
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The shortcut.<\/p>\n

Three questions that pick the core for you<\/h2>\n

1. Does the code or insurer demand a non-combustible (A-class) core?<\/strong> If yes \u2014 common for facades, tall buildings, escape routes and many public projects \u2014 you\u2019re choosing rock wool or glass wool, full stop.<\/p>\n

2. Is the space refrigerated?<\/strong> Cold rooms, freezers and temperature-controlled logistics want the thinnest, most efficient wall, so PU\/PIR is the default.<\/p>\n

3. Is it a standard, lower-risk building on a tight budget?<\/strong> A dry warehouse or workshop with no special fire demand is the classic case for EPS \u2014 just price in the lifetime energy cost before you commit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Spec the core to the job, not to a sales sheet<\/h2>\n

The reason there\u2019s no single \u201cbest\u201d sandwich panel core material is that fire, thermal, weight and cost rarely point the same way \u2014 the right answer is the one that matches what your project is actually graded on. VIKKINS manufactures all four cores, so our advice isn\u2019t steered by what we happen to stock: rock wool when you need A-class fire safety, PU\/PIR when you need cold-store efficiency, EPS when budget leads and the risk profile allows it. Engineered in Canada, built in China, delivered to 90+ countries \u2014 send us the application and the local code, and we\u2019ll tell you which core actually fits.<\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s build something together<\/h2>\n

Tell us your project dimensions and use \u2014 we\u2019ll send a preliminary design and quote within 24 hours. Service in English, Spanish, or French.<\/p>\n

Dapatkan Penawaran Gratis<\/a>
\nHubungi kami melalui WhatsApp sekarang<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Industry insight \u00b7 Materials Sandwich Panel Core Materials: How to Choose Between EPS, PU\/PIR, Rock Wool and Glass Wool The steel facing gets all the attention, but the core inside the panel quietly decides three things you live with for 25 years: whether the building meets fire code, what you pay to heat or cool […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-insight"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2044"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2054,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044\/revisions\/2054"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vikkins.com\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}