Frequently asked questions about insulating with GUTEX softwood fibreboard

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  • What advantages do GUTEX wood fibreboard products offer compared to other insulation materials?

    • Technical advantages: GUTEX insulation boards possess all the virtues you would expect from an ecological modern insulation material. GUTEX produces its soft boards using the most modern environment-friendly manufacturing technique (dry process) available. GUTEX’s market and quality leadership are largely attributable to its ability to produce single-ply insulation boards in up to 240 mm thickness, eliminating the need for multiple layers of lamination. In addition, the boards have an extremely homogeneous bulk density and exceptional compressive strength.
    • Ecological advantages: The raw material for all GUTEX insulation boards, chiefly fir and spruce, comes from wood that is harvested and grown near the plant using sustained forestry management practices. Certificates, such as thenatureplus® seal of quality attest to the boards’ biological safeness.
    • Advantages for buildings: GUTEX insulation boards deliver excellent protection against the cold in winter and the heat in summer. In fact, wood has the highest volumetric heat storage capacity of all insulation materials! Moreover, wood fibreboards are diffusion permeable and regulate moisture, producing a healthy indoor environment. Thanks to their high volumetric storage capacity and open fibre structure, the boards are ideal for soundproofing applications. Fire resistance rated building constructions up to F90-B are possible with GUTEX wood fibreboards. And should they burn, GUTEX fibreboards do not emit toxic fumes! (For further information, see “Fire Protection”.)

  • How are GUTEX wood fibreboards manufactured?

    GUTEX employs two manufacturing processes: a wet process is used to produce board thicknesses of 4 to 25 mm and the dry process to manufacture 20 to 240 mm thick fibreboards.

  • What do GUTEX wood fibreboards contain?

    • All GUTEX insulation boards are made from untreated spruce and fir that is obtained from chips produced using sustainable forestry practices in the southern Black Forest.
    • Wet process additives: paraffin is used as a hydrophobising agent, white glue is employed to laminate the plies and latex is added to increase the strength.
    • Dry process additives: polyurethane resin is used as a binding agent and paraffin is the hydrophobising agent.

  • What distinguishes the new environment-friendly manufacturing process?

    • The dry process requires 40% less energy than wet processes.
    • It can produce single-ply fibreboards with very homogeneous densities in up to 240 mm thickness, which means there are no laminated plies.
    • The boards feature increased tensile strength with relatively low density.
    • Increased dimensional accuracy (length, width and thickness)
    • Less additives
    • Certified by natureplus® as biologically harmless
    • Highly diffusion permeable (µ-value of 3!)
    • No separation or chipping of individual plies
    • Less time is required for installation

  • How does GUTEX guarantee consistent product quality?

    For years, GUTEX products have distinguished themselves with superior quality and GUTEX exerts every effort to uphold this claim. GUTEX’s commitment to quality goes beyond its products and customers, extending to all aspects of the company’s activities and decisions. Evidence of GUTEX’s quality commitment may be seen in the following:
    • Besides constant factory controls, GUTEX fibre insulation boards are regularly subjected to inspection by independent recognized testing institutes. All GUTEX insulation boards bear the CE and Ü markings and are manufactured in compliance to applicable standards and codes. (Further information is available at Downloads -> Approvals/ Certificates).
    • The ISO 9001/14001 integrated quality and environmental management system, in practice at GUTEX since 1995, and the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS II) guarantee consistently high product quality and environment-friendly manufacture.
    • The natureplus® quality seal guarantees the biological safeness of all GUTEX’s insulation boards. The natureplus® marking, an international quality designation for ecological home and construction products, indicates products that have been tested for potential health hazards, environmental impact and function!
    • Yet another testimony to the biological soundness of GUTEX’s products is a comparison of sarking boards performed by the trade magazine ÖKO-TEST. The 10/2009 issue compared 17 insulation boards. GUTEX Thermosafe-homogen, manufactured using the dry process, received a "very good" rating, the highest score, from ÖKO-TEST. The boards were evaluated according to composition, composition emissions and thermal insulation performance. The GUTEX insulation board received excellent scores in both categories, which testifies to its outstanding biological quality and superior performance!
    • All of GUTEX’s thermal insulation composite systems have the approval of the German building materials and physics-testing agency!

      GUTEX possesses many approvals and certifications for its wood fibre insulation boards for use in different building applications, including:
    • Soundproofing and fire resistant rated (F30 - F90) exterior walls clad with stucco or vented facades.
    • Soundproofing and fire resistant rated (F30 - F90) between-rafter and sarking applications.
    • Approvals and certifications for general use in wood and concrete ceilings.

  • Why are GUTEX fibreboards considered ecological products?

    First, wood chips, which are the raw materials used to make GUTEX softwood fibreboards, are by-products of the wood making process. Second, the sawmills from which GUTEX obtains its chips are all located near the plant, translating into less pollution and consumption of fuel thanks to reduced transport distances. Thirdly, all the products are manufactured from wood obtained through sustained forestry practices. (For further information, see Environmental Compatibility.) In addition, GUTEX wood fibreboards are biodegradable and can be recycled, provided they have not been treated with wood preservatives. (For further information, see Recyclability.) Finally, when a tree burns or decomposes, it releases the same amount of CO² into the environment that it had assimilated during its lifespan. GUTEX boards are manufactured from wood chips and shavings and therefore do not increase the level of CO² gas in the atmosphere!

    All GUTEX wood fibre insulation products bear the natureplus® mark of quality. The new dry process employs an innovative environment-friendly technology that uses 40% less energy per manufactured metric tonne than the conventional wet technique!

  • Are GUTEX insulation products biologically harmless?

    Yes, all GUTEX insulation boards are biologically harmless, which has been confirmed in tests performed by independent testing institutes.

    • All GUTEX insulation boards are natureplus®-certified. The natureplus® quality seal indicates that the product has been tested for potential health hazards, environmental impact and function. Products that bear this marking have been manufactured primarily from raw materials obtained using sustainable or conservative practices. Difficult tests and very low permissibility thresholds for hazardous materials throughout Europe ensure the safeness of the certified products.
    • The 10/2009 issue of the trade magazine ÖKO-TEST compared 17 insulation boards. GUTEX Thermosafe-homogen received the highest score of “very good” from ÖKO-TEST. The boards were evaluated according to composition, composition emissions and thermal insulation performance. The GUTEX board received excellent scores in both categories, which testifies to its outstanding biological quality and superior function!

  • Where can GUTEX wood fibreboards be used?

    GUTEX insulating materials are suitable for a host of applications in both old and new buildings. Some of the applications include, composite thermal insulation systems for facades, thermal insulation of vented facades, roof sarking or between-rafter insulation, insulation between building storeys, interior insulation of exterior walls, insulation of cavities for plumbing and electrical lines, impact acoustic insulation of floors and soundproofing insulation of natural and engineered wood floors to name a few.

  • Where can I buy GUTEX products?

    For a list of outlets, see the Dealers section on this website.

  • Can anyone install the wood fibreboards?

    Naturally! To learn just how simple installation is, see the instructions provided in the data sheets in the Products section of this website.
    If you don’t find the specific answer you’re looking for, send us an E-mail or use the website’s contact form.
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