GB2253184A

GB2253184A - Unitary insulating and weatherproofing article for use on the exterior of buildings

Info

Publication number: GB2253184A
Application number: GB9102958A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geert Kiekens; Tomas Cembrero
Original assignee: Dow Vertriebs GmbH
Current assignee: Dow Vertriebs GmbH
Priority date: 1991-02-12
Filing date: 1991-02-12
Publication date: 1992-09-02
Also published as: GB9102958D0

Abstract

A unitary structure for insulating and weatherproofing the exterior of a building which comprises a sheet (11) of weatherable plastic having bound thereto a plurality insulating panels (10), such that the panels are adjacent and abut to one another, and such that the sheet with the bundle insulating panels bound thereto can be rolled up into a bundle, which is easy to handle and transport. The panels may be mineral, rock or glass wool, polymeric foam, foam glass, cork, wood wool cement or expanded perlite. The weatherable sheets may be polymeric or blends thereof with bitumen. A bitumen layer may be disposed between the panels and the weatherable sheets. <IMAGE>

Description

UNITARY INSULATING AND WEATHERPROOFING ARTICLE FOR USE ON THE EXTERIOR OF BUILDINGS The invention relates to articles useful for insulating and weatherproof ing the exterior of buildings, such articles being especially useful for insulating and weatherproofing roofs, especially flat roofs. In another embodiment, the invention is a method of weatherproof ing and insulating the exteriors of buildings using such an article. This invention also relates to buildings which have been insulated and weatherproofed using the unitary articles for insulating and weatherproof ing structures described herein.

It is common practice to adhere or otherwise fasten rectangular boards of rigid insulation on a roof deck. Roofing felt is adhered to the top surface of the rigid insulation and the exterior surface of the roof is poured onto the felt. Since the sheets of insulation are laid individually the installation of the insulation is a time consuming job, and care must be taken to insure that each sheet tightly abuts the adjacent sheet to prevent loss of insulation value. Under windy conditions light boards are extremely difficult to handle.

It is usually the practice to deliver the required supply of boards of insulation to a building site prior to the roofing operation, and it is not uncommon for a contractor to experience a considerable loss before the insulation is utilized. The boards are readily damaged if struck by another object and are easily blown about due to their shape and low density.

The boards are also susceptible to theft from the building site due to their lightness in weight.

After the insulating layer of boards is placed on the roof, or exterior of the building, a layer is placed over the insulating layer, to weatherproof the structure. Such weatherproof ing is performed by placing a weatherproof material over the insulation. In the case of a roof such weather proofing material is generally one or more thermoplastic or elastomeric weatherproof sheets, or one or more layers of bitumen. The application of the weatherproof ing layer, or layers, can be very time consuming. Where a weatherproof membrane is used, the weatherproof membrane must be placed over the insulating layer, and affixed thereto. Frequently, the membrane or weatherproof sheet is affixed with an adhesive, such as contact adhesive, or a bituminous layer.In other embodiments, the weatherproof sheet or membrane is affixed or held onto the roof with the use of ballast, e.g. a layer of stones, or affixed to the roof by the use of mechanical fixation means, for example nails, bolts, screws. Typically such nails, bolts or screws are specially designed for such use.

This two step process for insulating and thereafter weatherproofing a roof, or wall of a building is time consuming, and expensive.

Annand, US Patent 4,326,631 provides a solution which is a rigid insulation applying assembly having an elongate core member with the central axis and a continuous length of insulating material wound on the core member and including a flexible base sheet and plurality or rigid insulating panels adhered to the. base sheet. The panels have top and bottom surfaces, and the flexible base sheet is adhered to the top surface of the panels, each panel having side edges and being disposed in edge-to-edge relationship with adjacent panels to form joint lines extending transverse to the length of material. The base sheet is in contact with the core in the inner-most layer wound on the core member and a vapour barrier sheet is provided which has an inside surface fixed to the bottom surfaces of the panels and extending the length of the insulation material.One side edge of each panel may be of convex shape and the other may be of concave shape for receiving the convex shape of the side edge of an adjacent panel so the panels interlock when the insulation material is laid flat on the roof deck. The vapour barrier sheet may be provided with a transverse pleat at each joint line, the pleat projecting into the space between the adjacent edges of the panels in the assembly so that a tuck is formed between the edges when the panels are laid flat on a roof deck. The core preferably has a plurality of flat faces, and each successive layer of rigid insulation must be larger than the previous layer.

Bonderer, US Patent 3,958,385 discloses an insulation blanket in which a semirigid mat of glassfibers is bonded on one side to facing material.

Lateral cuts are formed in the mat extending from the opposite side thereof toward the side on which facing is bonded. Such cuts allow the facing to bend in a hinge- like manner when the insulation blanket is rolled, permitting the lamination of the facing and mat and rolling of the laminate prior to setting of the adhesive. Figure 3 shows the installation of such a blanket on the side of the building. The figure indicates that the facing is placed against the building structure to be insulated, and a further exterior panel is placed outside of the insulation blanket.

British Patent 2,105,256 discloses a rollable laminated sheet for roofing which has a bituminous sealant between an impermeable sheet and a flexible foam. Such sheet comprises a bituminous sealant and a layer of flexible foamed material with the sealant preferably sandwiched between the foam and an impermeable polyethylene sheet. The foam is preferably polyethylene and carries a layer of adhesive on its outer surface covered by release paper. It is disclosed that rigid foam cannot be used for such an article. It is further disclosed that there may be a further bituminous sealant layer on the exposed surface of the impermeable sheet with a reflective coating on the sealant exposed surface. The release sheet is siliconized paper of PVC. This laminate can be manufactured and stored as a roll and allows single stage application of insulation and weatherproofing to a roof deck.

What is needed is a means for insulating and weatherproofing the exterior of the building which is simpler and more cost effective in application.

The invention is a unitary structure for insulating and weatherproof ing the exterior of a building which comprises a sheet of weather plastic having bonded thereto a plurality of insulating panels, such that the panels are adjacent and abut to one another, and such that the sheet with the insulating panels bound thereto can be rolled up into a bundle, which is easy to handle and transport.More particularly the invention relates to an article for weatherproof ing and insulating exterior surfaces of buildings comprising: A) a weatherable thermoplastic sheet having bonded on one face; B) a plurality of insulating panels comprising rigid or semirigid insulating material in a board shape, each of which has two faces wherein one face of each panel is bound to the face of the weatherable thermoplastic sheet, and wherein the panels are disposed along their length parallel to one another such that the longitudinal edges of adjacent panels abut to one another when the article is laid flat, wherein the width of the panels is such that the entire article can be rolled into a bundle.

In another embodiment this invention relates to a method for insulating and weatherproof ing a building structure, and in a preferred embodiment a roof, using the unitary article for insulating and weatherproof ing a building described hereinbefore. In yet another embodiment, the invention is a building which has been insulated and weatherproof ed using the unitary article described hereinbefore.

One face of the weatherable sheet has bound thereto a plurality of panels of semi rigid or rigid material. The panels are arranged such that they lie parallel to one another along their longitudinal access, and abut one to another. Such panels are arranged adjacent to one another such that when the unitary article lies flat the edges of adjacent panels contact one another along their common edges. The panels comprise faces which lie in parallel planes to one another wherein the length and width of such faces allow the panels to insulate a reasonably large surface area.

Such panels have four edges which connect the parallel faces, two of which run along the length of the panels, and two of which run along the width of the panels, such edges define the thickness of the panels. As used herein plurality refers to more than one, and in reference to the insulating panels refers to a unitary structure having more than one insulating panel arranged as described hereinbefore. Abut as used herein refers to the arrangement of the insulating structures such that when the unitary structure as described herein, is laid flat, the common edges of the insulating structures are adjacent to one another and contact one another, such that the insulating value of the unitary sheet is significantly enhanced as the gaps, through which heat loss may occur, are minimized. Preferably the ends of the insulating panels lie in a straight line.This is so that a second unitary structure can be laid adjacent to a first structure so that the ends of the insulating panels of the two unitary structures can be abutted to one another so that the gaps between them are minimized to improve insulation of the building.

The weatherable sheet can be wider than the length of the insulating panels, or alternatively longer than the width of the combined plurality of insulating structures which have been laid side by side. Typically such additional width or length of this sheet is useful to bond the weatherable sheet to adjacent articles for weatherproof ing an insulating exterior surfaces. The purpose of such bonding is to form a weatherproof seal between adjacent articles. Any conventional means for bonding such overlap to the weatherable sheet of an adjacent article can be used. Examples of such include hot air welding, solvent welding, welding via the use of a torch flame, or the use of an external adhesive, such as a contact adhesive, a reactive setting adhesive or the use of bitumen, either hot or cold.All such means for sealing joints are well-known to those skilled in the art. Preferably the length or width of such an overlapping section of weatherproof thermoplastic sheeting is sufficient to allow the formation of a weatherable joint between adjacent articles, more preferably such an overlapping piece has a length or width of from 20 to 120 mm, even more preferably from 40 to 100 mm.

In a preferred embodiment the overlapping section of the weatherproof sheet has on at least one face a self adhesive, for example self-adhesive bitumen.

This self adhesive can be used to seal the joints between the adjacent unitary articles of the invention when applied to a roof. In another embodiment only a portion of the overlapping section has applied thereto such a self-adhesive, preferably adjacent to the ends of the insulating panels. Such a strip of self-adhesive can be used to temporarily seal the overlapping section to an adjacent weatherproof sheet until the entire overlapping section is sealed by another means. Some of the conventional means of sealing the joints of weatherable sheets, such as solvent welding and heat welding, can adversely affect the insulating panels.

The partial self-adhesive strip can prevent such damage, and it can provide a seal to prevent water from seeping between the unitary articles before the application is complete. In one embodiment the self-adhesive is covered with a protective strip, for example paper, plastic material or a woven or non-woven textile. The strip functions to protect the adhesive strip. This protective strip is removed during application.

Preferably the strip is disposed on the same face of the weatherable sheet as the insulating panels. After a unitary structure is laid adjacent to another unitary structure such that the self-adhesive contacts the weatherable sheet of the adjacent unitary article, a roller may rolled over the joint, overlapping section, to improve the sealing of the joint. If only a part of the overlapping section has the self-adhesive, the joint seal is finished by some conventional means.

In one preferred embodiment, the panels and weatherable sheet have disposed between them a bitumen layer. In this embodiment, the bitumen layer serves as a means of adhering the weatherable sheet to the insulating panel, and also provides an elastic like layer which can moderate the stresses resulting from the differential in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the weatherable sheet and the panels. Such bitumen layer functions as additional fire protection, and can provide puncture resistance to the weatherable sheet.

Weatherable as used herein means the sheet referred to functions as a moisture barrier, i.e.

prevents water from permeating through the sheet, the sheet is stable to long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and is capable of withstanding the temperature conditions i.e. extreme cold and extreme heat, to which it will be exposed without loosing its integrity. The weatherable sheet of this invention can be made of any polymeric material which is capable of weatherproof ing the exterior of a building structure i.

e. is weatherable, and prevents damage to interior components and structures as a result of exposure to the weather. Preferably such sheets are prepared from thermoplastic or elastomeric materials. Preferably such materials are single ply plastic sheets or membranes.

More preferably such plastic sheets or membranes comprise chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymers derived from ethylene propylene diene monomer, a copolymer of ethylene with bitumen, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate polymers, polyisobutylene, butyl rubber, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density low polyethylene, polymeric bitumen, blends thereof, or copolymers thereof. In a more preferred embodiment, the weatherable sheet comprises chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or blends or copolymers thereof. Even more preferable are sheets of chlorinated polyethylene or mixtures of chlorinated polyethylene with polyvinyl chloride.In another preferred embodiment the weatherable sheets are prepared from low viscosity chlorinated polyethylene resins described in US 4,707,522, incorporated by reference herein; or thermoplastic elastomers based on chlorinated polyethylene and a crystalline olefin polymer as described in US 4,910,245, incorporated herein by reference.

The weatherable sheets should be thick enough to provide weatherproofing for the roof and insulating panels over the intended life of the roof. Such weatherable sheets preferably have a thickness of from 0.6 mm to 10.0 mm, more preferably from 0.8 mm to 5.0 mm and most preferably from 0.8 mm to 2.0 mm. The length of such sheets should be sufficient to cover completely one face of the plurality of panels which have been laid side by side, with an additional length of sheet where desired for forming a seal with an adjacent piece. Such length is dictated primarily by economic and practical factors, as the length should be such that the rolled bundle of the insulating weatherproofing article is not so large as to be difficult to handle on a job site.

Preferably such length is from 5.0 meters to 20 meters, and most preferably from 5 meters to 10 meters. The width of such a sheet should be sufficient to completely cover the panels, and where desired provide an extra portion beyond the end of the panels adapted for forming a joint to adjacent articles. The width is preferably the sum of the length of the insulating structures plus the portion desired to form a seal joint with an adjacent piece. More preferably, such sheet width is from 40 cm to 300 cm, more preferably from 60 cm to 100 cm.

The insulating panels may be any rigid or semirigid insulating material which can be bound to the weatherable plastic sheet. The function of such panels is to provide sufficient insulating for the environment of use. Preferably the insulating structure comprises a semirigid mineral wool, semirigid rock wool, rigid foam plastic, or semirigid foamed plastic. Included among preferred materials from which the panels may be formed, are mineral wool, rock wool or glass wool, expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, foamed polyurethane, foamed polyisocyanurate, phenol formaldehyde foam, urea formaldehyde foam, foamed polyvinylchloride, phenolic foam, cellular or foamed glass, cork, a wood wool cement structure, or expanded pulite, or any combination thereof.More preferably insulating structure comprises an insulating rigid plastic foamed comprising polystyrene, polyurethane, phenol formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde, or a phenolic foam. More preferably the insulating structure comprises extruded or expanded polystyrene, or polyurethane foam. Most preferably the insulating structure is extruded polystyrene foam. The length and width of the panels are dictated primarily by economics and ease of handling by job side. The length of such panel is chosen to provide the desirable width of the article described hereinbefore. Preferably the length of such panel is from 3 to 20 m, and more preferably from 5 to 10 m.The width of such panels should be chosen so as to allow the articles described hereinbefore to easily be rolled into a handlable roll, but should not be so thin as to unnecessarily reduce the insulating ability of such insulating structures. If the width is too wide, then the articles can not be easily rolled up and handled, if they are too thin, then too many gaps could occur between the adjacent insulating structures thereby significantly reducing the ability of the articles claimed herein to effectively insulate the building to which they are applied. Preferably the width is from 500 mm to 3000 mm, more preferably from 600 to 2000 mm and most preferably from 600 to 950 mm.

The thickness of such insulating panels should be chosen to provide sufficient insulating ability for the buildings chosen. The necessary thickness is dependent upon the type of material chosen, its efficacy as an insulating agent, and the environment of use. In colder climates a thicker insulating panel would be desired whereas in a warmer climate a thinner insulating panel may be suitable. Preferably the thickness of such insulating panels is between about 30 mm and 500 mm.

The weatherable plastic sheets are attached to the panels by means well-known to those skilled in the art. Such means include using a suitable adhesive to contact the sheets to the insulating structure.

Adhesives which may be used are those which adhere to both parts, and which does not degrade either part. In the embodiment wherein a bitumen layer is placed between the plastic sheet and the insulating panel, the bitumen will function as the adhesive. In another embodiment either the insulating panel or the sheet may be heated such that the surface becomes tacky and then the sheet and the panels are contacted so that the two adhere to one another.

In that embodiment where a bitumen layer is used, the bitumen preferably have a thickness of from 1 mm to 5mm, and more preferably from 1.5 to 2.5 mm.

The plastic weatherable sheet used in this invention, may further have bound thereto a felt or nonwoven layer which may function to protect the outside of the weatherable structure especially in embodiments where a further bitumen layer, or ballast layer is placed over the weatherable sheet.

In another embodiment the invention is a method of insulating a flat roof which comprises A) placing on the roof a plurality of articles described hereinbefore such that the weatherable sheet is exposed; B) fitting the articles to the dimensions of the roof; and C) affixing the articles to the roof. Such affixation can be performed by any means known in the art and can include by means of an adhesive, ballast, or mechanical fixation means.

Typically, the article of this invention is rolled onto the roof to cover the area of the roof.

Thereafter it is cut to fit the roof or outer structure.

Such a process is well-known to one skilled in the art.

Thereafter the article is affixed to the roof, as may be performed via means of adhesive, ballast, or the use of a mechanical fixation method i.e. specialized nails or bolts designed for such a fixation. In a preferred embodiment, the joints between adjacent articles of this invention are sealed. In one embodiment, the articles of this invention have a portion of the weatherable sheet which extends beyond the end of the insulating panels so as to overlap adjacent articles. In another embodiment a separate sheet or strip of plastic weatherable sheet may be placed over such edges where two articles contact and welded or affixed thereto to form a weatherable joint, by means described hereinbefore. The articles of this invention may be bound the outside of the building structure by adhesive means described hereinbefore, in particular by the use of a contact adhesive, bitumen and the like.The insulating panel is placed on the building side of the article, with the weatherable sheet exposed to the outside.

In another embodiment the invention is a building with a flat roof wherein the roof is insulated and weatherproof ed by having affixed to the roof an article of the invention as described hereinbefore.

The invention may further be illustrated by reference Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bundle, and Figure 2 is a side view. Figure 1 demonstrates an article of the invention rolled into a bundle. In particular, illustrated is a series of panels (10) of rigid polystyrene foam, bound to a single ply thermoplastic sheet membrane, (11). Further the single ply thermoplastic sheet has a lip (12) for sealing along the junction between adjacent structures.

Figure 2 illustrates a partially rolled out bundle similar to that illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 2 illustrates the end-view of a series of rigid extruded polystyrene foam panels (10), bound to a single ply membrane (11), wherein a portion of the bundle has been laid flat such that the panels of the portion laid flat abut one to another as illustrated by the junctures, 13.

In the portion where the panels have not been laid flat there is a gap (14) between the adjacent panels (10).

Claims

1. An article for weatherproofing and insulating exterior surfaces of buildings comprising a weatherable plastic sheet having affixed to on one face thereof a plurality of insulating panels of semi-rigid or rigid insulating material each of which has two faces wherein one face of each insulating panel is affixed to the face of the weatherable thermoplastic sheet, and wherein the panels are disposed parallel to one another along the sheet, such that the longitudinal edges of adjacent panels abut one another when the article is laid flat, at least to an extent sufficient to decrease heat loss between the said adjacent panels, wherein the width of the panels is such that the entire article can be rolled into a bundle.

2. An article according to Claim 1 which further comprises a layer of bitumen based material disposed between and affixed to the weatherable plastic sheet, and the panels.

3. An article according to Claims 1 or 2 wherein the weatherable plastic sheet has a width which is longer than the length of the insulating structure such that the weatherable plastic sheet extends beyond the panels at at least one end thereof, wherein such portion of the weatherable sheet is adapted to overlap an adjacent weatherproofing and insulating article and can be affixed to said adjacent article thereby forming a weatherproof seal between adjacent articles.

4. An article according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the weatherable sheet comprises chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene propylene diene monomer based polymer, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene, butyl rubber, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, polymeric bitumen, or compatible blends or copolymers thereof; and the insulating panel comprises a semi-rigid mineral wool, semi rigid rock wool, rigid foamed plastic, or semi rigid foamed plastic.

5. An article according to one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the weatherable sheet comprises chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulphonated polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene or blends or copolymers thereof; and the insulating panel comprises an insulating rigid foam comprising foamed polystyrene, polyurethane, phenolformaldehyde, ureaformaldehyde, or phenolic foam.

6. An article according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein A) the weatherable sheet comprises chlorinated polyethylene or a blend of chlorinated polyethylene with polyvinyl chloride; and B) the insulating structure comprises panels of rigid extruded polystyrene foam.

7. An article according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the weatherable sheet has a thickness of from 0.6 mm to 10 mm, the panel has a length of 3 to 20 m, å width of from 500 mm to 3000 mm, and a thickness of from 30 to 500 mm.

8. A method of insulating a roof which comprises placing on the roof a plurality of articles according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 such that the weatherable sheet is exposed; fitting the articles to the dimensions of the roof; and affixing the articles to the roof.

9. A building with a roof wherein the roof is insulated and weatherproofed by having affixed to the roof an article according to one of Claims 1 to 7.