Thermal insulation of doors – polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam?

Door thermal insulation is an important category in residential buildings focused on occupant comfort and energy conservation. The term “door thermal insulation” itself refers to the reduction of heat transfer through the door through the use of special insulating materials. These include polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam and even mineral wool. To increase the effectiveness of thermal insulation, doors can also be fitted with special seals or sealing strips to prevent heat from entering through gaps around the door.

Choice of doors in terms of thermal insulation

The need to purchase a new door brings with it the question of the material of its construction. In addition to the base, which can be wood or steel, their filling is also important.A well-insulated door can significantly reduce heat loss, which translates into lower heating and air conditioning bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. So let’s compare the most common door fillers, namely polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam.

How does Styrofoam work as a thermal insulator?

Styrofoam is used as an insulator for a reason. It is characterized by high heat insulation and is able to effectively inhibit the flow of heat through the door. The value of the heat transfer coefficient for Styrofoam is about 0.040 W/(m*K). Another advantage is its resistance to moisture and lightness – this material is readily used in products due to its undemanding processing. Unfortunately, at the same time, polystyrene is very sensitive to mechanical damage and is not resistant to fire. In many respects it performs much worse than polyurethane foam, which is also indicated by its lower price.

Polyurethane foam as a thermal insulator – how does it work?

Polyurethane foam, like Styrofoam, has a high resistance to weathering, such as moisture and frost. This makes it an extremely durable insulating material, which is ideal as a filler for entrance doors. It is also an extremely effective acoustic material. Doors with this filling are characterized by isolating noise from inside or outside the building. , which makes it often used for noise isolation in buildings and other facilities. It can be used both indoors and outdoors. It is also easy to work with and can be easily molded into various shapes, which allows it to be used in a variety of door insulation applications. It has advantages over Styrofoam mainly through durability and flammability, which is negligible with foam.

If you are looking for exterior doors filled with polyurethane foam, be sure to take a look at our catalog.