IE87074B1

IE87074B1 - A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel

Info

Publication number: IE87074B1
Application number: IE20150390A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Hynes Eoghan
Original assignee: Xtratherm Ltd
Priority date: 2015-09-15
Filing date: 2015-10-08
Publication date: 2019-12-11
Also published as: GB2542358A; GB2542358B; GB201516340D0; IE20150390A1

Abstract

This invention relates to an insulation panel for use in a cavity wall. The insulation panel comprises a foam polymer core, a front facer and a rear facer. The front facer has spacers bonded thereto to prevent direct contact between the rough inner surface of the outer brickwork and the insulation panel and to direct water away from the insulation panel. The insulation panel further comprises a plurality of channels formed therein for the reception of wall ties which extend upwardly from the front face of the insulation panel towards the rear face of the insulation panel. The insulation panel provides a cost effective alternative to other competing offerings. <Figure 3>

Description

This invention relates to an insulation panel suitable for use in a cavity wall.

One particularly successful type of insulation panel manufactured by the applicant comprises a foam polymer layer with a moulded high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) facer bonded thereto as described in co-pending UK Patent Application No. 1511102.4. importantly, the facer has rows of projections on it. These projections maintain a gap between the insulation core and the outer layer of brickwork and direct any water passing through the outer layer of brickwork away from the insulation panel and back out towards the outer brickwork. However, although highly effective and useful, this type of facer with integral projections is relatively expensive to manufacture.

A further problem encountered by the insulation panels currently in use is that the wall ties used to connect the inner blockwork and the outer brickwork of the wall together must pass through the insulation layer. In order to ensure that the insulation panels stack neatly one above the other and provide an effective insulation barrier, it is necessary to cut grooves in the insulation in order to accommodate the wall ties. The grooves to accommodate the wall ties are crudely cut into the insulation panels by the installers on site. This compromises the efficacy of the insulation panel as they may be cut too deeply. Additionally, this may result in tears in the gas-proof facers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an insulation panel that overcomes at least some of the problems with the existing insulation panels and provides a useful choice to the consumer.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel comprising a foam polymer core sandwiched between a front facer on a front face thereof and a rear facer on a rear face thereof, characterised in that the front facer comprises a flexible membrane having a spacer bonded thereto. Advantageously, the insulation panel will be more cost-effective and simpler to manufacture than comparable offerings. The insulation panel according to the invention provides a useful alternative for the consumer.

When constructing cavity walls, the inner layer is usually constructed first and the outer layer is subsequently constructed. The inner layer is usually constructed first so that excess mortar can be cleaned off to allow the insulation panel to rest tightly against the inner brickwork layer. This is important as it prevents "thermal drooping"; ie, air circulating behind insulation layer which reduces its performance. Without access to the inside of the outer layer of brickwork, the extruded excess mortar cannot be cleaned off the inside of the outer layer of brickwork, leaving a rough and uneven surface. The spacer ensures that the insulation panel does not rest against the inside of the outer brickwork of a cavity wall, where the front facer constructed from a flexible membrane could be damaged by the excess mortar which settles into the cavity from between the bricks.

Furthermore, a gap between the insulation panel and the outer wall is necessary in damp climates as water seeps in through the outer brickwork layer leading to a damp inner surface on the brickwork. Prolonged contact with water gradually damages insulation panels so it is vital that the insulation panel does not rest against the outer brickwork layer. The spacers keep the insulation panel at an appropriate distance to protect them from direct ingress of water. By having appropriately configured spacers, the spacers may also deflect any water away from the insulation panel and towards the outer brickwork.

While the moulded HIPS facer described above is an effective solution to the problem of water damage to insulation panels, both the manufacture of the moulded HIPS facer and the application of the moulded HIPS facer to the insulation panel are non-standard steps in insulation panel manufacture and thus the manufacturing process is relatively costly.

The current invention seeks to provide a more cost effective solution to thesame problem by using more standard insulation panel materials - namely flexible membrane facers. The flexible membrane may be any conventional flexible facer material.

Furthermore, a flexible membrane is easier to cut through than a HIPS facer.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacer protrudes from the front facer by between 0.003 m and 0.015 m.

This is a preferred range in which a suitable balance is struck between the need for thicker insulation and the need for a gap between the outer brickwork and the insulation panel.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are arranged on the front face in a dotted pattern. This is a simple pattern to apply on a conveyor belt.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are arranged in elongate strips on the front face. This is a particularly preferred embodiment. Again, it is a simple pattern to apply on a conveyor belt. Furthermore, it is envisaged that the elongate strips will aid in directing water away from the front face of the panel. The elongate strips may be arranged diagonally across the front face of the insulation panel for water deflection.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are chevron-shaped.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are in a wave pattern. in one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are in rows.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are in offset rows. Offset rows will aid with water run-off.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are resiliently deformable. This is a desirable attribute for situations where excess mortar presses in on the spacers. In these situations the spacers will deform rather than exert pressure on the insulation panel, which could destabilise it. Any unintended movement of the insulation panels may result in gaps which can dramatically reduce the efficacy of the insulation layer.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are water-repellent. This is a desirable quality as water damages the insulation panels over time. It is envisaged that the spacers will be formed from water-repellent material and also that they will have an inclined upper surface to direct water away from the insulation panel.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are formed from a curable foam. This is seen as a particularly effective way of applying the spacers to the panel. Many curable foams have the desirable properties of being water repellent and resiliently deformable and are additionally very lightweight and economical.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the facer is gas—impermeable. Gas-impermeable facers are known to improve the aged thermal conductivity of polyurethane and polyisocyanurate insulation panels.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the facer is aluminium foil. Aluminium foil is a particularly preferred material for a facer due to its gas impermeability, heat resistance during curing and low cost.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the foam polymer core is polyisocyanurate.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full—fi|l wall cavity insulation panel in which the foam polymer core is phenolic foam. ' In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the foam polymer core is polyurethane.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the insulation panel has an aged thermal conductivity of less than or equal to 0.023 Wm"K".

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the insulation panel has transverse channels formed along the top edge of the insulation panel. These transverse channels accommodate wall ties which pass through the insulation layer from the outer layer of brickwork to the inner layers of blockwork. By having channels along the top edge of the insulation panels, there will be less disruption to the joins between adjacent insulation panels and they will stack more neatly. This has advantages for the efficacy for the insulation in that it prevents the formation of gaps.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels extend partially through the insulation panel from the front face towards the rear face. The provided channels are expected to form a guide for the installer to cut further through the insulation panel only where needed when installing the panels to allow for the wall ties. A plurality of unused channels running all the way from the front face to the rear face would negatively impact the efficiency of the insulation.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels extend approximately half way from the front face to the rear face of the insulation panel. This is deemed adequate to provide a guide to the installer without causing unnecessary gaps in the insulation.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a ful|—fil| wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels have a depth of between 0.002 and 0.005 m. This is appropriate for most wall ties.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are spaced apart by 0.15 m from each other. It is envisaged that approximately two wall ties will cross over each insulation panel. A plurality of channels is provided to give the installer a choice as to where to position the wall ties. i In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are inclined upwardly from the front face towards the rear face.

This is a particularly preferred embodiment. Wall ties generally extend from the bottom of the mortar layer in the outer layer of bricks upwards to above the mortar layer in the inner layer of blocks. This prevents ingress of water from the outer brickwork to the inner blockwork along the wall tie. By having the channels inclined in such a way along the top edge of the insulation panel, the installer can make accurate incisions at the correct angle. This simplifies the process of cutting grooves for the wall ties and prevents over- cutting the insulation panel. It is also envisaged that the provision of channels will serve as a reminder to the installer to account for the wall ties by creating channels in the insulation layer.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which each edge of the panel is rebated. A rebated edge provides a secure join between adjacent panels.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel in which each edge of the panel has one of a tongue or a groove carved therein, a tongue being on the top edge and a side edge of the insulation panel and a groove being on the bottom edge and other side edge of the insulation panel. Tongue and groove edges provide a secure join between adjacent panels.

According to the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel having a foam polymer core sandwiched between a front facer on a front face thereof and a rear facer on a rear face thereof, the method comprising the steps of: leading a first facer to a lay down area; applying liquid foam reactants to the first facer; leading a second facer over a first facer and liquid foam reactants; allowing the foam to rise and set; applying a spacer to the exposed surface of the second facer; and cutting the insulation board to the desired dimensions.

By applying a spacer to the insulation panel as described above, it is envisaged that the resulting insulation panel will be less expensive to produce than competing offerings.

This method is a very slight modification of the process already in use to produce foil- faced insulation panels, unlike the method used to produce the moulded HIPS faced insulation panels, which requires several non-standard steps including moulding the HIPS and applying the HIPS facer to each panel individually.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacer is bonded to the second facer after the foam has hardened. This is a particularly simple manufacturing step and the liquid foam reactants can be applied in strips, in a dotted pattern or in another pattern.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the step of bonding a spacer to the second facer comprises applying the spacer material in a liquid foam reactant state and allowing the spacer to rise and harden. This is a particularly simple manufacturing step and the liquid foam reactants can be applied in strips, in a dotted pattern or in another pattern.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are pre-formed and thereafter glued to the facer. This allows the use of a variety of materials and shapes for spacers.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are applied after the insulation board has been cut.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacer is applied in elongate strips. This is a simple pattern to apply on a conveyor belt. in one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are applied in spaced apart rows.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are applied in a dotted pattern. in one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers protrude outwardly from the facer by between 0.003 m and 0.015 m.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the step of cutting the panels comprises cutting a rebate edge.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the step of cutting the panels comprises cutting one of a tongue and a groove into each edge, a tongue being cut into the top edge and a side edge of the insulation panel in use and a groove being cut into the bottom edge and the other side edge of the insulation panel in use.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which a plurality of transverse channels are formed along one elongate edge of the panel.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are formed by pressing a mandrel into the edge of the board. This is a simple process which can be seamlessly integrated into the manufacture of the insulation panel.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are formed by cutting into the edge of the board.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are reinforced.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are formed at an inclined angle.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are formed to extend only partially through the insulation panel.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels have a depth of between 0.002 to 0.015 m.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the channels are spaced apart along the top edge by approximately 0.150 m.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a full- fill wall cavity insulation panel in which the spacers are formed by pushing rivets into the front facer of the panel. The spacers may be applied before or after cutting Detailedgescription of the Invention The invention will now be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of an insulation panel according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the insulation panel of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a portion of the insulation panel shown in Figure 1; Figures 4A and 4B are a diagrammatic representation of a manufacturing process according to the invention; Figure 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of an insulation panel according to the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the insulation panel of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a side view of a portion of the insulation panel shown in Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a front view of an insulation panel according to the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The insulation panel 1 comprises a foam polymer core 3, a front facer 5 and a rear facer (not shown).The front facer 5 is a flexible membrane. in this instance an aluminium foil. A plurality of elongate spacers 7 are bonded to the front facer.

Each spacer 7 is staggered with respect to the nearest adjacent spacer for efficient direction of water away from the panel. It is also envisaged that the spacers could be in a dotted or dashed pattern or arranged in a wave pattern. There are also provided channels 9, evenly spaced across the top edge 11 of the insulation panel 1. The channels 9 extend from the front face to approximately half way towards the rear face and are spaced apart by approximately 0.150 m from each other. The channels are inclined upwardly from the front face towards the rear face and are dimensioned to surround a wall tie. The edges of the insulation panel 1 are rebated but it is also envisaged that the edges of an insulation panel could be provided with tongue and groove joins or even simple square edges.

The insulation panel 1 has a length dimension of approximately 1.20 m and a height dimension of approximately 0.45 m. In a preferred embodiment, there is provided a horizontal cutting region free of spacers positioned 0.225 m and 0.150 m from the bottom edge 12 of the panel. It will be appreciated that these distances correspond to the height of a block or the height of two bricks respectively. It is useful to have this region free from spacers in order to simplify the cutting of the insulation panel to fit under windows and at other junctions such as radon barriers. Vertical cutting regions could also be provided for cutting the panels vertically to size for corners. Demarcations indicating the exact height of a block or two standard bricks may also be provided to facilitate the cutting process.

It is envisaged that the flexible membrane may be any conventional flexible membrane facer material such as coated paper, soft flexible plastic, non-woven glass fibre with organic binder, glass fleece with a mineral or bituminous coating, glass fleece in combination with aluminium laminates, perforated metal foil, metal foil-backed paper, metallised PET films, paper, aluminium complexes, or a metal foil-backed breathable membrane. The facers may be chosen according to usual criteria such as whether a gas-tight facer is necessary, whether the facer should be water repellent or tolerate harsh chemicals, what is most cost-effective and so on. For the avoidance of doubt, HIPS facers are considered to be "hard” as they must be pre-heated to allow them to be formed to a designed shape.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a perspective view of the insulation panel 1 in which it can be clearly seen that the spacers 7 extend outwardly from the facer 5. It can also be seen that the spacers have an inclined upper face to deflect water away from the insulation panel. The channels 9 are shown extending from the front face approximately half way towards the rear face. The rear facer 13 may comprise any conventional facer material.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a side view of a section of the insulation panel 1 comprising the foam polymer core 3, the front facer 5, the spacer 7 and the rear facer 13. The channel 9 is shown in ghost outline illustrating the upward incline of the channel from the front face to the rear face. This incline prevents water from travelling from the front of the insulation panel to the rear of the insulation panel. it can be clearly seen that the channel does not extend all the way from the front face to the rear face and that in use, the channel will need to be extended through to the rear of the insulation panel to accommodate a wall tie. The existing channel will act as a guide for the extended channel by providing the correct position, incline and depth. This will ensure the insulation panel is out only where necessary, thus preventing unnecessary gaps in the insulation. It can also be seen that the upper surface of the spacer 7 is inclined for water deflection. It is important to redirect any water away from the insulation panel towards the outer brickwork as excess water may gradually damage the insulation panel.

Referring now to Figures 4A and 4B, there is shown an assembly line 20 for implementing a method of manufacturing the insulation panel 1 according to the invenﬁon.

In Figure 4, the rear facer 13 is shown being fed from a spool 21 onto a conveyor belt 23. The rear facer 13 then passes through a liquid foam reactant spraying station 25, where it is coated with liquid foam reactants for the polymer foam core 3. The front facer is fed from a spool 27 and laid down on top of the liquid foam reactants. The front facer is kept under tension by the rollers 29. The facers 5, 13 and the liquid foam reactants are then fed through an oven 31. Although the liquid foam reactants begin to react and rise to form foam core 3 upon application to the rear facer, most of the reaction occurs when the facers 5, 13 and liquid foam reactants are fed through the oven 31. Once the foam core 3 has fully risen, the resultant newly formed panelling is fed through a second liquid foam reactant spraying station 33 where the liquid foam reactant for the spacers 7 is applied to the front facer 5. The liquid foam reactants for the spacers 7 react and rise at room temperature in this embodiment, however it is also envisaged that the liquid foam reactants for the spacers 7 could be applied prior to heating in the oven 31, or indeed a further oven downstream of the spraying station 33 may be provided. The panels are then passed through a channel forming machine 35 where they are indented with channels 9. The panelling is then fed through the cutting station 37 where the panelling is cut into insulation panels 1 with rebated edges. The insulation panels 1 are then sent to a cooling station (not shown) and thereafter a packaging station (not shown).

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, there is shown an alternative embodiment of an insulation panel according to the invention, indicated generally by the numeral 51.

This embodiment differs from the insulation panel 1 shown in Figures 1 to 4 in that the spacers 57 are triangular prism shaped. These spacers 57 are pre-formed and bonded to the insulation panel. This allows the use of a variety of materials for the facers and shapes of facers which are not possible to make by applying liquid foam reactants to the front facer. In Figures 6 and 7 it can be seen that the spacers 57 have a downwardly inclined upper surface to aid water deflection.

The foam core 3 may be any of phenolic foam, polyisocyanurate foam, polyurethane foam, polystyrene, a composite of these, aerogel or vacuum insulation panels or any other suitable insulating material. It is envisaged that the complete insulation panels will have an aged thermal conductivity of less than 0.023 Wm"K".

In this specification the terms “comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising” and the terms “include, includes, included and including" are all deemed totally interchangeable and should be afforded the widest possible interpretation.

The invention is in no way limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described but may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. Claims: A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel comprising a foam polymer core sandwiched between a front facer on a front face thereof and a rear facer on a rear face thereof, characterised in that the front facer comprises a flexible membrane having a spacer bonded thereto. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 1 in which the spacer protrudes outwardly from the front facer by a distance of between 0.003 m and 0.015 m. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the spacers are arranged on the front face in a dotted pattern. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the spacers are arranged in elongate strips on the front face. A fu||—fi|| wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the spacers are chevron-shaped. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the spacers are arranged in a wave pattern. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the spacers are arranged in rows. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 7 in which the spacers are arranged in offset rows. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the spacers are resiliently deformable. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the spacers are water-repellent. (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (15) (17) (18) (19) A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the spacers are formed from a curable foam. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the facer is gas-impermeable. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 to 11 in which the facer is gas-permeable. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the facer is one of an aluminium facer and an externally faced aluminium based laminate. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the foam polymer core is polyisocyanurate. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 to 14 in which the foam polymer core is phenolic foam. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 to 14 in which the foam polymer core is polyurethane. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the insulation panel has an aged thermal conductivity of less than or equal to 0.023 Wm"K". A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the insulation panel has transverse channels formed along the top edge of the insulation panel. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 19 in which the channels extend partially through the insulation panel from the front face towards the rear face. (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (25) (27) (28) A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 20 in which the channels extend approximately half way from the front face to the rear face of the insulation panel. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 19 to 21 in which the channels have a diameter of between 0.002 and 0.005 m. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 19 to 22 in which the channels are spaced apart by 0.15 m from each other along the top edge of the insulation panel. A full-fill wall cavity n insulation panel as claimed in claims 19 to 23 in which the channels are inclined upwardly from the front face towards the rear face. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which each edge of the panel is rebated. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 1 to 24 in which each edge of the panel has one of a tongue or a groove carved therein, a tongue being on the top edge and a side edge of the insulation panel and a groove being on the bottom edge and other side edge of the insulation panel. A full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which the spacers comprise rivets pushed into the insulation panel. A method of manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel having a foam polymer core sandwiched between a front facer on a front face thereof and a rear facer on a rear face thereof, the method comprising the steps of: leading a first facer to a lay down area; applying liquid foam reactants to the first facer; (29) (30) (31) (32) (33) (34) (35) leading a second facer over the first facer and the liquid foam reactants; allowing the foam to rise and harden; applying a spacer to the exposed surface of the second facer; and cutting the insulation board to the desired dimensions. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 28 in which the spacer is applied to the second facer after the foam has set. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 28 or 29 in which the step of applying a spacer to the second facer comprises applying the spacer material in a liquid foam reactant state and allowing the spacer to rise and harden. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 28 or 29 in which the spacers are pre-formed and thereafter glued to the facer. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 31 in which the spacers are applied after the insulation board has been cut. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 32 in which the spacer is applied in elongate strips. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 33 in which the spacers are applied in spaced apart rows. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 32 in which the spacers are applied in a dotted pattern. (36) (37) (38) (39) (40) (41) (42) (43) A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 35 in which the spacers protrude outwardly from the facer by between 0.003 m and 0.015 m. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 36 in which the step of cutting the panels comprises cutting a rebate edge. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 36 in which the step of cutting the panels comprises cutting one of a tongue and a groove into each edge, a tongue being cut into the top edge and a side edge of the insulation panel in use and a groove being cut into the bottom edge and the other side edge of the insulation panel in use. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 28 to 38 in which a plurality of transverse channels are formed along one elongate edge of the panel. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 39 in which the channels are formed by pressing a mandrel into the edge of the board. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 39 in which the channels are formed by cutting into the edge of the board. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 39 to 41 in which the channels are reinforced. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 39 to 42 in which the channels are formed at an inclined angle, angled upwardly from a front face of the panel towards a rear face of the panel. (44) (45) (45) (47) A method for manufacturing a ful|—fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 39 to 43 in which the channels are formed to extend only partially through the insulation panel. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 39 to 44 in which the channels have a depth of between 0.002 to 0.015 m. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claims 39 to 45 in which the channels are spaced apart along the top edge by approximately 0.150 m. A method for manufacturing a full-fill wall cavity insulation panel as claimed in claim 28 in which the spacers are formed by pushing rivets into the front facer of the panel.