They say, “the shortest road is the one you know.” By choosing time-tested materials, for example, TechnoNikol Rocklight insulation, we save time and effort. On the other hand, before making a decision, you need to check all the facts, find out the technical characteristics, and find out reviews from those who have already used this insulation. This article covers all of the above.
Definition : TechnoNikol Rocklight are semi-rigid slabs made of stone (basalt wool).
Peculiarities
The definition implies the features or advantages of this insulation, namely:
- Fire safety. The insulation is NG class, which means it does not contribute to the spread of fire. For many consumers, this factor is decisive when choosing stone wool insulation. The latter is preferred over polystyrene foam, which releases toxic substances when burned.
- High vapor permeability. The thermos effect is only good for tea in winter. But the room must, to a reasonable extent, not only retain, but also REMOVE heat or moisture. Otherwise, over time, a living room or office would turn into a steam room.
- Convenience and simplicity when insulating. Mineral wool Rocklight provides for installation without wet processes. And this type of installation is faster, more convenient and simpler.
- Low thermal conductivity. For the central regions of Russia, 50 mm insulation is recommended, although there are much denser options.
Application
Insulation of houses
TechnoNIKOL Rocklight is widely used in construction. When constructing frame houses, this is an indispensable material and an excellent alternative to foam plastic .
Since imported analogues are much more expensive, choosing this insulation will often be the best option. With the help of Rocklight, floors, walls, roofs, and internal partitions are insulated. Thermal insulation is often used in country house construction due to its good characteristics and low cost. When arranging an attic, this material is indispensable.
When constructing internal partitions and ceilings, Rocklight 50 mm is well suited. It does not need to protect the residents of the house from frost, so greater thickness is not needed.
Many people use cotton wool for external insulation of the house and cover the building with siding. This option is very economical.
Installation of slabs
The installation itself is quick and can be handled by a non-professional. The sheets are simply laid in the desired place and secured either with glue or with the use of fittings. The joints between the plates are filled with polyurethane foam to avoid the appearance of cold bridges.
Important point. Before laying insulation, care should be taken to waterproof the material to protect it.
When insulating a roof, it is best to leave a ventilated space between it and the sheets. The same applies to external walls. This isolates the insulation from condensation.
Many people successfully use cotton wool to insulate floors. Here, Rocklight's shortcomings will not be so noticeable, but its effectiveness will be felt immediately.
How Rocklight is born
Basalt wool is a mineral in origin. To put it simply, it is a stone. This very material is heated to a huge temperature: more than 2000 degrees and the rock begins to melt, forming fibers, which are then separated from each other.
Then the fibers are dried and ground using special machines. As a result of all processes, cotton wool is formed, which is 98% air.
Rocklite insulation is 98% air
Now the non-flammable properties of this material become more clear: the stone does not burn. But it is worth saying that different compositions are used to glue these same fibers. And some, especially scrupulous researchers, believe that such mixtures contain the notorious formaldehyde. When burning, naturally, these substances will enter the atmosphere.
Where is the material used?
TechnoNicole Rocklight, as already mentioned, is a semi-rigid mineral slab. It can be used in:
- Vertical;
- Horizontal;
- Sloping surfaces.
BUT! No external load. According to the TechnoNikol company website, the material has a compression rate of 30%, and the density varies between 30 to 40 kg per m3. This density will be quite enough to withstand the vertical load under its own weight when the insulation is used in frame structures. But, it will not be enough with additional load. Therefore, this thermal insulation is not used in wet facades, but only in curtain walls.
If we give more specific examples of the use of Rocklight, we can highlight:
- Sound and heat insulation of interior partitions;
- Insulation of the facade under siding and other hanging systems;
- Creating an attic microclimate.
For example, in the video below, representatives of TechnoNikol recommend Rocklight as insulation for the attic.
What is stone wool?
Rock wool is made from volcanic rock. In its natural form, it is a solid material, so that it takes on a “cotton” shape, it is melted and separated into fibers. Depending on the manufacturer, one or another technology may be used for this procedure (centrifugal or spinneret drawing, blowing, windrowing). Basalt treated in this way becomes free-flowing, and so that it does not crumble and so that it can be formed into a certain shape, the fibers are treated with an adhesive substance.
Phenol-formaldehyde resin is the same adhesive, in any case, it is used more often than its analogues. It glues the fibers together, thereby making layers of the required thickness. The stone wool is then treated with a special oil to make it water-repellent. The last stages of production are cutting and packaging of insulation.
Photo of facade insulation with stone wool
Main characteristics
The table below shows all the main technical characteristics of the insulation for those who like to know all the subtleties.
TechnoNicole Rocklight characteristics
| Indicator name | Unit measurements | ROCKLIGHT |
| Compressibility, no more | % | 30 |
| Flammability | degree | NG |
| Thermal conductivity | λ 10 | W/m·S |
| λ 25 | 0.039 | |
| λ A | 0.04 | |
| λ B | 0.041 | |
| Vapor permeability, not less | mg/(m h Pa) | 0.3 |
| Humidity by weight, no more | % | 0.5 |
| Water absorption by volume, no more | % | 2 |
| Content of organic substances, no more | % | 2.5 |
| Density | kg/m 3 | 30-40 |
You can notice that the density of Rocklight is slightly lower than that of Technoblock Standard. And the compressibility is completely inferior by 3 times or more. But, this may not be a disadvantage in itself; rather, it all depends on the approach and application.
Minuses
Although in general, TechnoNikol products have proven themselves in the market, as you know, there are no ideal things. This means that Rocklight also has its “dark” sides.
Firstly, users note that mice still eat it. And if they don’t eat, they definitely gnaw. Therefore, like polystyrene foam, insulation requires the construction of a dense frame through which unexpected inhabitants of your home cannot reach it.
Secondly, should this be attributed to the shortcomings of the insulation itself... or rather the approach to choice - flammability. Although TechnoNikol wool itself does not burn or melt, you still should not expect that in the event of a fire the insulation will work a miracle, say, in a wooden house. Walls made of wood, OSB or other flammable materials will burn and mineral wool, although it will not contribute to combustion, will definitely not be able to stop a huge fire.
Thirdly, we have already spoken above about the release of harmful substances (unconfirmed!).
Fourth, consumers complain about poor adhesion or contact with alkaline-based wall finishing materials.
In addition, they report the hydrophobicity of the insulation, the fragility of the sheets, and some say that even when purchased, the sheets in the package are deformed and wrinkled, which makes the installation of the slabs very difficult.
From the budget - optimal. Comparison with others, photos, nuances
Building your own home is a responsible and very expensive undertaking. And naturally, you want to save money in many ways, but only in such a way that it does not come at the expense of quality. We decided to insulate the roof ourselves. Frankly, we were looking for the cheapest roof insulation possible, but we couldn’t even imagine how terrible this kind of product could be, and how good it was that we came up with the idea of not buying a lot of one type of cup at once, but buying several options to try and choosing from them optimal.
It was decided to make the roof insulation 200 mm thick, and based on the location of the rafters and other things, it was optimally decided to make a layer of 50 mm + 100 mm + 50 mm in a checkerboard pattern. Cotton wool for roofs usually has an average density of about 35, which is enough for it to keep its shape. It is more convenient to work with cotton wool in sheets. Our width between the rafters turned out to be neither one nor the other, trimming could not be avoided. We tested three options from the same price category:
1. TechnoNIKOL Rocklight for pitched roofs.
All from the same price category, the price is about 20 USD. per cubic meter
At first they wanted to buy all the Parok insulation, because, well, firstly, it was Parok, and secondly, it was a little cheaper. But it’s good that we didn’t take him, because in the end he turned out to be simply terrible. I’ll briefly talk about the other two, because the review is not essentially about them, they are very soft, one just tears like a rag, like some rags, the second is terribly prickly, as if it were some kind of ordinary glass wool, you have to work with it in an astronaut suit , not otherwise. But TechnoNIKOL stone wool ultimately turned out to be the most acceptable.
The dimensions of the sheets are 1200*600, the widths were 50 and 100.
It’s easy to work with, you can cut (sawing), pay attention. a simple kitchen bread knife, or buy a knife-saw of the same type at a hardware store, but believe me, our kitchen knife worked with a bang.
The sheets are prickly, naturally, but not as much as the same Parok. Therefore, you need to work naturally, wearing clothes that cover your skin, gloves, goggles, and a respirator, and be sure to open the windows. Since we worked in the summer, and the temperature under the roof is, as you know, warmer, it was difficult to work, so, yes. I confess, this happened in a T-shirt and shorts and sometimes without a mask and glasses, and nevertheless, everything is fine, the main thing is to take a shower after, and blow your nose thoroughly after.
They have good sound insulation. We have metal tiles, many told us that metal is the most terrible and blah blah blah, that it will rain and we will have noise and commotion. Theorists are wrong! Everything is fine. We waited out a thunderstorm with a downpour under the roof, dampening well.
The only downside I can note is that not all sheets in the pack have the same density, i.e. The sheets may be harder, or they may be soft. But in general, working with it is not difficult, as for example with HotRock, which simply falls apart in your hands; such a sheet is not even possible to serve.
In general, for the money, very much so! I recommend!
TechnoNIKOL is the largest manufacturer and supplier of waterproofing, roofing insulation and thermal insulation materials in Europe.
The corporation's production capacity allows us to supply various objects with the required volume of materials and create unique products for individual orders.
The production of materials is based on 3 main aspects: compatibility of components, long service life and affordable price. The company's website presents a wide range of thermal insulation materials used in the industrial and private sectors.
Price
Below is the average cost of packing insulation.
| Size | Number of slabs per package | Volume, m3 | Slab area | Price |
| TechnoNicole Rocklight 1200x600x100 mm | 6 | 0.432 | 4.32 | 650 rubles |
| TechnoNicole Rocklight 1200x600x50 mm | 8 | 0.288 | 5.76 | 430 rubles |
| TechnoNicole Rocklight 1200x600x50 mm | 12 | 0.432 | 8.64 | 650 rubles |
Thus, 1 square meter of 50 mm insulation costs 73 rubles. If you choose insulation with a thickness of 100 mm, the price of the material will be exactly twice as high: 150 rubles per square.
In conclusion, watch the video summarizing the key advantages and disadvantages of Rocklight TechnoNIKOL:
