Insulation boards

[jimbob]

Hi,
I have just been trying to do some research on insulation boards for electric UFH. I am looking at 6mm boards due to floor height restrictions, and I would have thought costs should be comparable for different brands, due to the product being essentially the same. Some boards however (eg Ekoboard) are cheap at about £5 per board, while others are vastly more expensive at £12-£14 per board (Warmup, Marmox, Varme).
(If I had to guess I would say that the more expensive ones are maybe cement faced whereas the cheaper aren't, but what are the advantages of this? I can only imagine it would be a lot more difficult/messy to cut than non cement faced...)
Can anyone tell me please what is the difference between these boards to justify the price difference? I don't mind paying more if the quality and/or insulating properties are superior, but don't wish to waste money just for a brand name.
Cheers
Jimbob

 

[diamondtiling]

Hi Jimbob,
In a word friend, stick with marmox or lux boards, the cheaper versions are just that, cheap, they are difficult to work with and do not give out the same thermal efficency as their more expensive cousins. I tried the cheaper type once....................ONCE!!

 

[pjrich]

The basic difference between the Ekoboard and construction boards such as Marmox, PCS, Thermopanel, etc is the cement re-inforcing. Construction boards have a fibreglass mesh and cement polymer on both sides.

The thermal values are very similar (Marmox, PCS, Thermopanel & Ekoboard have the same U value) and in fact the Ekoboard board has better thermal resistance than Wediboard.

We sell both types of board, but because of the cost Ekoboard is more popular. In excess of 20,000 boards are sold by us each year.

It really is down to your own preference, if you'd like to discuss your requirements or would like a price for either type of board please contact me.

Warm Regards,

 

[bert&ernie]

Hi Jimbob,
In a word friend, stick with marmox or lux boards, the cheaper versions are just that, cheap, they are difficult to work with and do not give out the same thermal efficency as their more expensive cousins. I tried the cheaper type once....................ONCE!!

Have you got proof to show this????

The basic difference between the 2 different types is the reinforced skin. Those boards that have the 'skin' are called construction boards and have a higher point loading.
Those that do not are purely insulation boards and have a lower point loading.

If you are going onto a concrete subfloor then i would defo go for Ekoboard. If you are going onto a wooden floor that has not been overboarded then go for Thermopanel but will need to be at least 10mm. If the wooden floor has been overboarded you can then use Ekoboard.

The difference in insulation performance between the 2 is pretty much non existant.

Good Luck!

 

[diamondtiling]

Why would I ever need proof? The cheaper boards are like I said, cheap, they fit the people on a tight budget, lux, marmox and similar are far superior to work with, the post from u heat says there is no real thermal difference between them and I would say that he is the expert. I would imagine that a layer of cement would increase their thermal capabilities by a fraction though.

 

[bert&ernie]

I am not disputing that fact that the boards like Ekoboards are cheaper.

Your original comment was "they are difficult to work with and do not give out the same thermal efficency as their more expensive cousins"

Now being difficult to work with i can understand if you have not used them before but saying they do not have the same thermal properties as another type of board without knowing the facts is wrong!

I can also understand why you think that a layer of cement would help the thermal efficiency of the boards as cement has always been recognised for its thermal properties!!!

 

[diamondtiling]

I can also understand why you think that a layer of cement would help the thermal efficiency of the boards as cement has always been recognised for its thermal properties!!!

So as you rightly point out the cement increases the thermal value, thanks for agreeing with me.



:beatdeadhorse5:

 

[bert&ernie]

lol, never mind.

Try looking up the thermal properties of cement and see what you come up with!!

 

[diamondtiling]

I know, thats why I put the horse up there.

 

[pjrich]

I'm sorry but I can't believe what I'm reading.

Are u guys seriously stating that cement has insulative properties!!!

The majority of underfloor heating systems use a cement based tile adhesive or a sand/cement screed to conduct the heat through.

The insulative part of the construction board is the extruded polystyrene (XPS) in the middle, the thermal conductivity of the cement polymer is high in comparison to XPS.

 

[bert&ernie]

At least there is one thing i can agree on from Diamond that is U heat is the expert!!

 

[may richie]

Ive always use Marmox as they seem to be industry standard

 

[Dan]

Thermal Conductivity (W/mK)

Marmox =0.027
| Wediboard=0.033
Aquapanel=0.027
Ekoboard=0.027​

As you can see, Marmox and Ekoboard have exactly the same thermal properties. Though a 10mm ekoboard has 10mm of insualtion, and 10mm of marmox has only 8mm of insulation. Meaning like-for-like ekoboard will have MORE insulation!!! NOT LESS!!!


The reason marmox is expensive is because it goes through a process of having cement stuck to it. As it can be used as a tile backer board too! Ekoboard is PURE insulation, and at the time of tiling over it, you're adding your own cement to it!

So it's better, cheaper, and JUST FOR INSULATION, why pay more for Marmox when you're not using it on a wall or bath panel as a tile backer board with insulation properties?!?!?!

 

[Dan]

Ive always use Marmox as they seem to be industry standard

So you've always used marmox as floor insulation?

I can understand you using it on walls as a sort of plasterboard replacement should you want to insulation your shower area or whatever.

Though paying for a process to add cement to it when you're going to tile over it on a floor situation is crazy - and crazy isn't the industry standard.

There was only marmox once, (which is why the older tilers are just satuck to using that) and it was £22+ vat per board covering less than a square meter. Since people realised it was being used mainly for floor heating when the floor heating market took of electric-wise in the UK some time ago, many manufacturers who sold the blue stuff to marmox noticed they didn't need to go through the process of adding cement, as you can effectively tile the blue board to the floor, and then tile over it, and what do you have? A cheap blue board with cement either side.

Since then, checkout the price of marmox. It's come down drastically. And it's due to them loosing market share. And that only means it must be being done a lot the other way, the ekoboard way. And it is! So give it a go and save yourself a pretty penny!

 

[Dan]

Hi,
I have just been trying to do some research on insulation boards for electric UFH. I am looking at 6mm boards due to floor height restrictions, and I would have thought costs should be comparable for different brands, due to the product being essentially the same. Some boards however (eg Ekoboard) are cheap at about £5 per board, while others are vastly more expensive at £12-£14 per board (Warmup, Marmox, Varme).
(If I had to guess I would say that the more expensive ones are maybe cement faced whereas the cheaper aren't, but what are the advantages of this? I can only imagine it would be a lot more difficult/messy to cut than non cement faced...)
Can anyone tell me please what is the difference between these boards to justify the price difference? I don't mind paying more if the quality and/or insulating properties are superior, but don't wish to waste money just for a brand name.
Cheers
Jimbob

Warmup insulation & tile backer boards, marmox tile backer boards and varme insulation / tile backer boards are all pretty much the same.

They're tile backer boards with insulation properties.

Ekoboard is JUST a floor insulation board for electric underfloor heating.

Your overengineering somewhat if you're using marmox on floors mate. You wouldn't use an epoxy grout throughout a bathroom wall tiling job would you? It's sort of that scenario when you're using tile backer boards such as Marmox, Wedi, Aquapanel (which are different in a few ways) for floor insulation.

As I said above, in fact, 10mm marmox has 8mm insulation in it. 0mm ekoboard has 10mm insulation in it, it's pure!