What is the difference between pink and blue foam board?

Both are manufactured using the same process and contain similar chemical components. The two products also have the same insulating power. However, blue foam boards are manufactured by Dow Chemical Co. whereas the pink foam boards are manufactured by Owens Corning company.

What is blue foam board used for?

DuPont Styrofoam™ Insulation (Blue Board) is a nonstructural, rigid board insulation manufactured of Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS). Blue Board can be used both on exterior and interior walls to give you a continuous insulation barrier that can increase effective R-value of the wall by up to 20%.

Is pink foam board waterproof?

Foam board insulation products are generally considered water and mold resistant but expanded polystyrene foam boards (EPS) have air bubbles that can collect moisture and become wet. Moisture makes it hard to prevent mold from growing, making the foam board also prone to mildew growth.

Which foam board insulation is best?

Polyisocyanurate: Known as polyiso for short, polyisocyanurate foam has the highest R-value per inch (R-6.5 to R-6.8) of any rigid insulation.

What is pink foam board?

Pink and blue rigid foam insulation boards are made from polystyrene resin that is melted and then forced through a die to form it into the desired shape. As insulators, pink and blue boards perform virtually identically, with an insulating value of R-5 per inch of thickness.

Which Foam Board? Polyiso vs XPS Insulation

What type of foam is pink foam?

Expanded Polystyrene Insulation

Pink and blue foam boards are two types of extruded polystyrene insulation products. There are also expanded polystyrene insulation products which are far less costly than the pink and blue foam boards.

Is pink foam safe?

Breathing in the powder after sanding is also a hazard. People have terrific difficulty getting hold of these materials almost entirely because of them traditionally being called “Pink or Blue Foam” which is, sadly, now an obsolete term.

What is the R-value of 2 inch blue Styrofoam?

A wall utilizing STYROFOAM T-MASS Technology with a 2-inch exterior layer and a 4-inch interior layer of concrete along with a 2-inch layer of STYROFOAM extruded polystyrene insulation would result in a material R-value of approximately 11.33.

How thick should foam board insulation be?

Most panels range between 3/8″ and 2.5″ in thickness, though other dimensions and thicknesses are usually available through custom order.

Does foam board insulation need a vapor barrier?

Foam insulation usually does not require a vapor barrier. For some foam insulation types, such as closed-cell spray foam and foam board insulation, the insulation itself stops the movement of most water vapor.

What type of insulation should I use in a bathroom?

When it comes to finding the best insulation for your bathroom walls, spray foam and fiberglass-based insulation materials are both good choices. In terms of pricing, fiberglass insulation is more budget-friendly to use than spray foam insulation.

Does foam board insulation mold?

Foam building insulation, in both spray foam and foam board products, is resistant to mold growth but as we will explain here it is not absolutely mold-roof, and on occasion we do find mold growth on the surface of even closed-cell foam, in open-celled foam (rare), and on th surface of EPS and other foam insulating ...

What insulation should I use in basement walls?

Rigid foam sheets are best for DIYers who are insulating basements prior to framing the walls. Rigid foam also works well when the concrete or block walls are smooth and flat. Rigid foam insulation is easy to use. In addition to scoring, it can be cut by an ordinary wood saw.

What is pink insulation made of?

The glass which forms the raw material for pink insulation is made of silica, a compound consisting of silicon and oxygen atoms. It has no true melting point, but gets softer the more it is heated. For the manufacture of insulation, the glass is heated until it can be extruded into fibers of very small diameter.

Is blue foam board flammable?

Blue Board is combustible and should not be used in living spaces without a thermal barrier (typically gypsum board [wall board]). Maximum use temperature is 165° F.

Which side of foam board insulation faces out?

If you're wondering whether to put the foil side of foam insulation board shiny side in or out, consider whether you want to make the space inside warmer or cooler. If you want to make the space warmer, the foil should face inside so it can reflect radiant heat back into the room.

Can you put drywall over foam board?

Drywall, which is actually a mineral called gypsum, resists fire. It also helps insulate and soundproof the room. The most common way to hang drywall over rigid foam insulation is to glue and screw it into place.

What is the thinnest insulation with the highest R-value?

Aerogel insulation offers the highest R-value of any insulating material at less weight and thickness—ideal for construction, refineries, pipelines, and thin-gap thermal barriers.

Should you tape insulation board?

The key benefit of using foil tape with insulation is that it reduces or prevents any air leakage. It is suitable for use with foil-faced PIR boards, multifoils and vapour control layers. However, some insulation products require specific foil tapes in order to guarantee this.

What is blue foam called?

Styrofoam is a trademarked brand of closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), commonly called "Blue Board", manufactured as foam continuous building insulation board used in walls, roofs, and foundations as thermal insulation and water barrier.

Are foam boards toxic?

Most rigid polystyrene foam insulation boards, both the EPS and XPS types, contain the toxic flame retardant HBCD, which was banned by the European Union in 2015.

What type of foam is in foam board?

The most common types of material used to make foam board insulation include polystyrene, polyisocyanurate (polyiso), and polyurethane. Polystyrene is a colorless, transparent thermoplastic, according to the U.S. DOE.

Is pink insulation foam?

Pink Panther Insulation Foam. This Insulation Is Moisture Resistant XPS Insulation Foam Board. It Does Not Crumble Into Small Pieces Like Styrofoam.