Dow THERMAX for Buildings - Manual

Metal and commercial building
interiors subjected to prolonged
high-humidity conditions, such as
buildings with swimming pools, ice
rinks or food processing services,
are often damaged by dew point
condensation (relative humidity
levels greater than 50%). A two-
layer system of THERMAX™ insu-
lation products can help control
moisture vapor and energy loss in
high-humidity metal and commer-
cial buildings (relative humidity
greater than 50 percent), as well
as buildings with dark roofs.
THERMAX™ insulation prod-
ucts are lightweight and easy to
install. They help reduce thermal
bridging, air infiltration and mois-
ture migration into the building
envelope. All varieties of
THERMAX™ insulation are non-
structural, rigid boards consisting
of a glass-fiber-reinforced polyiso-
cyanurate foam core laminated
with various solid aluminum foil
facers. The uniform, closed-cell
core foam is exceptionally resist-
ant to heat flow, while the noise-
dampening facers help provide an
effective barrier to moisture and
air infiltration.
There are three methods that
can be used to install THERMAX™
insulation products in two layers.
Each method is outlined here.
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n
• Store insulation inside or protect
with a tarp to keep dry until use.
I n s t a l l i n g F i r s t
L a y e r
THERMAX™ Sheathing:
1. With square edge joints abutting
tightly, fasten THERMAX™
Sheathing to framing members.
2. Center THERMAX™ Aluminum
Foil Tape over dry,
clean edge joint
and apply tape
(Figure 1).
3. Use a
squeegee or
stiff bristle
brush to
press the tape firmly to the joint.
Cut tape with a knife. Do not
tear tape.
I n s t a l l i n g F i n i s h
L a y e r
METHOD A
THERMAX™ Metal Building Board,
THERMAX™ Light Duty, THERMAX™
Heavy Duty, THERMAX™ Heavy Duty
Plus** or THERMAX™ White Finish
insulation with square edge:
1. Apply a construction-grade
sealant to the single long flange
of the Clip Strip or PVC Joint
treatment, following sealant
manufacturer instructions.
®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow
* To produce a continuous air- and moisture-resistant seal, use Vulkem 116, Sikaflex 201, Dow Corning 790 or equivalent sealant.
Your Dow representative can recommend an appropriate sealant for your application.
**THERMAX™ Heavy Duty Plus Insulation is designed for use on walls only.
I N S T A L L A T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N . C O M M E R C I A L . E N E R G Y - E F F I C I E N T S O L U T I O N S
M a t e r i a l s C h e c k l i s t
To install THERMAX™ insulation,
you will need:
• Utility knife or small handsaw
• Straight edge
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• THERMAX™ White Foil Tape
• THERMAX™ Aluminum Foil Tape
• Squeegee or stiff bristle brush
• Construction-grade sealant*
• Clip Strips
• Fasteners and poly washers,
such as Multi-Diameter
Insulation Teks or equivalent
(For recommended fastener
lengths, see Table 2.
Minimum 1" poly washer
recommended.)
• Safety glasses
I n s ta l l at i o n P r o c e d u r e s f o r T H E R M A X ™ I n s u l at i o n
i n H i g h - H u m i d i t y M e ta l a n d C o m m e r c i a l B u i l d i n g s
BOARDS SURFACE FACERS
THERMAX™ Sheathing 1 mil smooth aluminum foil on both sides
THERMAX™ Metal Building Board 1.25 mil embossed aluminum foil on both sides
THERMAX™ Light Duty
1.25 mil white acrylic-coated aluminum/
1.25 mil embossed aluminum
THERMAX™ Heavy Duty 4 mil white acrylic-coated aluminum/
1.25 mil embossed aluminum
THERMAX™ Heavy Duty Plus** 16.5 mil white acrylic-coated aluminum bonded to
1 mil aluminum/1 mil embossed aluminum
THERMAX™ White Finish 1.25 mil white acrylic-coated embossed aluminum/
1 mil smooth aluminum foil
TABLE 1: THERMAX ™ PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS
Prolonged exposure to water or
moisture environments may turn
the painted surface gray.
• THERMAX™ insulation can be
installed vertically or horizontally.
• THERMAX™ insulation board
joints that are not closed with
PVC Clip Strips must be sealed
with foil tape. Taping serves as a
protection against air infiltration
and moisture migration and
gives the exterior of the boards
a continuous surface.
• Minor scratches and/or nicks
may occur during installation.
Also, the edges of the foil facer
may become slightly curled.
These do not affect the prod-
uct’s overall performance. A coat
of good-quality latex acrylic or
latex enamel paint can be used
for touch-ups of the boards. Use
the following scan information to
match THERMAX™ white facer
for touch up paints L: 81 A: -1.5
B: -3.0 Delta E 2.0 Gloss @
60º=10 to 15. Although no
primer is required, follow paint
manufacturer recommendations
for best results.
• There are two ways to cut
THERMAX™ insulation boards:
– Use a straight edge and a
utility knife, cutting all the
way through the facing.
– Cut with a small handsaw.
Always use caution and prop-
er protective equipment for
cutting.
Figure 1