What is foam glass used for?

Foam glass is used for decorative purposes and as a thermal and acoustic insulator. Because foam glass is fireproof, moisture-proof, anti-corrosive, and insect-proof, it is used in many harsh industrial environments and on building exteriors. Because of its high compressive strength, it is often used to insulate roofs, walls, and underneath slabs. Foam glass isn’t available in blocks and shapes to all residential markets, so check for manufacturers who serve your area. Foam glass gravel is an emerging product used as a load-bearing, insulating substrate underneath the slab. It can replace frost barriers and aggregate layers and provides thermal insulation from the soil.

What is foam glass gravel?

Foam glass gravel is an insulating, load-bearing aggregate made of recycled glass. It’s most often used underneath the slab to provide thermal insulation from the soil. It can replace frost barriers and aggregate layers, which can result in cost savings. Foam glass gravel is made by processing recycled glass shards into a powder and mixing with a foaming agent like carbon or limestone. It’s super-heated until tiny pockets of gas form. It cools and hardens into foam glass with a closed-cell structure and a compressive strength of 40PSI.

How is foam glass used in homes?

Foam glass is a resilient, load-bearing insulation material that is suited for use on exterior walls, foundations, and under roof coverings. It is available widely for industrial applications but has not seen success as a residential product in the United States due to high costs. U.S. residents looking to source foam glass for residential applications should plan to buy in large quantities and be prepared to order from overseas suppliers. Rising demand for high-performance residential building products might bode well for the future of foam glass in North America.

When was foam glass invented?

Foam glass was first invented by Saint Gobain of France during the 1930's using calcium carbonate as a foaming agent. Saint Gobain filed it's first related patent in 1935 prior to the Soviet Union experimenting with foam glass in the late 1930's at a Mendeleev Institute of Chemical Technology pilot plant. Today's foam glass cellular glass insulation was invented by Pittsburgh Corning which was acquired by Owens Corning. Many advancements have been made to improve multiple characteristics and uses of foam glass over the years.

What are the advantages of foam glass?

Foam glass is a porous material typically made of recycled glass, which is foamed at high temperatures. Foam glass is non-toxic, waterproof, fireproof, resistant to corrosion, anti-vermin, offers optimal insulation value, and vapor-tight.

What is the r-value of foam glass insulation?

The r-value of foam glass is R-3.44 per inch. It is sold in blocks between 1.5 inches and 6.5 inches, giving foam glass blocks an r-value range of R-5.16 and R-22.36.

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Foam glass (or porous glass or cellular glass) is a porous glass material that is used as a thermal and sound insulator. Foam glass is lightweight, high strength, moisture-proof, and fireproof. It’s available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and also as foam glass gravel.

Foam glass is made by heating a mixture of crushed glass and a blowing agent like limestone or carbon. As it heats up, the blowing agent releases gas that produces a foaming effect. After the mixture cools, it hardens into a rigid material with closed-cell pores filled with gas. The pores can make up to 90% of its volume, making foam glass a very effective and surprisingly lightweight insulator.

Foam glass is a high-quality but expensive insulation material, so it is best suited for applications that are too harsh for more affordable alternatives (underground, outdoors, etc.). If you’re looking to choose a product with a low carbon footprint, look for a manufacturer that uses recycled glass.

Foam glass is durable, resilient, and often made with recycled glass. Its anti-corrosive and anti-moisture properties make it an excellent insulation material for harsh environments like underground, outdoors, and deep cooling or super hot environments.

Foam glass makes an excellent sound insulator, and its resiliency makes it perfect for harsh indoor and outdoor environments. It’s used to reduce noise for industrial machinery and even highway noise.

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