Walltite spray-foam insulation from BASF has mastered the ultimate challenge – providing effective insulation to the walls and roof of a house built from shipping containers.
And not just any house, but an amazingly beautiful design icon featured on TV’s Grand Designs.
Described by presenter Kevin McCloud as both “paranormal goo” and “the right solution”, Walltite was the only practical way to provide insulation to the corrugated metal walls without causing a condensation issue.
Walltite is a closed cell polyurethane spray foam. Because it is sprayed directly onto the surface it can accommodate any shape or unevenness in the wall – in this case it follows the contours of the metal walls of the containers that form the basis of this stunning contemporary house. Other, more conventional insulation solutions, would have left gaps which would have caused a serious condensation problem.
As Kevin McCloud pointed out, the house needs not only to be beautiful, but also to be warm and comfortable to live in. For owner and architect Patrick Bradley the conversion of the metal boxes into a living space started with the insulation.
Walltite was sprayed over the walls to a depth of 125mm to give airtight insulation with a U-value of 0.2 W/m2K. It was used over all the walls and the ceiling and described by Patrick as “100% - or maybe slightly more for this application. It’s really worth installing the right insulation as it will save energy for the life of the building.”
Walltite is only supplied via approved Foam Master contractors who have received the technical training and back-up from manufacturer BASF to provide the highest standard of installation. In this case the contractor was Alpha Insulation whose MD Gary Johnston has been overwhelmed by the response to the programme.
“I’ve had calls from as far away as Australia asking how the system works – people don’t know about spray foam insulation and this project really shows how it can be used.”
Patrick Bradley set out to design a beautiful home that is also practical and functional. Set in a rural idyll it is perhaps not surprising that part of Patrick’s ambition for the building was that it should achieve the highest possible levels of energy efficiency – Walltite plays a key role in helping to realise this ambition.
Walltite is not, however, a product only for such specialist applications. It is gaining awareness as an effective insulation solution for new build walls, roofs and floors. It is also particularly suited to renovation projects and can be used to retrofit into cavity walls.