Expanded polystyrene is considered one of the most popular insulating materials. It is used to insulate the facades of buildings. The material is produced in the form of plates with different thicknesses.
When purchasing insulation, it is recommended to immediately buy glue. With this mixture, the panels are mounted on the facade.
Extruded polystyrene foam adhesive is made from high quality Portland cement. Modifying additives and quartz aggregates are added to it. Glue for polystyrene foam is convenient and safe to use. The solution has high adhesive properties to organic and mineral bases. The mixture helps to securely fix the insulation on the facade. After hardening, the mortar becomes vapor-tight, waterproof and resistant to temperature extremes.
Before installing the insulation, it is necessary to prepare the base. The surface is cleaned of dirt, dust, traces of paint, stains of grease or oil and other substances that reduce adhesion. Styrofoam adhesive must be applied on a dry and strong base. It is recommended to repair foundation defects (cracks,potholes) with repair mortar.
Before application, water at room temperature is added to the dry mixture and mixed with a drill with a nozzle. Water is taken at the rate of 0.18 liters per kilogram of dry mix. The result should be a solution of a homogeneous consistency. After the mixture is left for five minutes, then stirred again. Ready glue for expanded polystyrene can be applied within two hours. The material consumption is five and a half kilograms per square meter.
Expanded polystyrene boards can be mounted on the facade in several ways. The beacon method is used in cases where there are irregularities up to a centimeter on the base. In such situations, the adhesive composition is applied in the form of beacons, which are evenly distributed over the surface. The strip method of application is used when mounting plates on a surface with irregularities up to 0.5 cm. In this case, glue for polystyrene foam is applied around the entire perimeter of the insulation plate and in its center. Stripes are applied along the perimeter with breaks. This prevents air pockets during installation.
When using these two methods of applying the adhesive mixture, surface irregularities are compensated. In this case, the solution should cover sixty percent of the surface of the styrofoam plate.
There is also a continuous method of applying the solution to the insulation material. This method is used in the presence of irregularities on the base up to three millimeters. In this case, the mixture is applied to the plates evenly over the entire surface usingnotched trowel.
Installation of plates is carried out immediately after applying glue to them. For better adhesion of the solution to the base, the insulation is pressed against the surface. Expanded polystyrene plates are mounted one to the other in the same plane. The width of the seam should not exceed two millimeters.
