Does thermal insulation paint replace insulation for walls inside or outside: thermal paint for thermal insulation or fiberglass

Typically, when one thinks of insulating a home, one thinks of traditional materials like fiberglass or foam panels. These tried-and-true methods have been the standard for enhancing energy efficiency and maintaining comfort in your home. However, a more recent product that’s making waves in the market is thermal insulation paint.

The paint promises to provide the same advantages as conventional insulation, plus the added benefit of being simple to apply on walls, both inside and outside. But can the bulkier materials we’ve been using for years really be replaced by a simple coat of paint? What’s more, does it function well enough to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter?

In this piece, we’ll examine thermal insulation paint in more detail and contrast it with more traditional insulation techniques. We will examine its operation, potential areas of application, and suitability as a substitute for your insulation requirements.

Liquid insulation: efficiency for all occasions

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It happens often that an apartment or house needs more insulation against heat loss.

Property owners think about various insulation options, including inside the building, because thermal insulation is cost-effective and offers year-round comfort.

For interior painting, heat paints provide an alternative to plasterboard, mineral wool, and other materials.

Heat-insulating paint for walls: composition and scope of application

Paints intended for thermal insulation are made up of a combination of:

  • fillers;
  • vacuum glass beads;
  • water;
  • acrylic-based dispersions;
  • fiberglass;
  • foam glass;
  • perlite (in expensive types, perlite is replaced by ceramic microspheres).

Range of the material’s application:

  • facades;
  • pipes, including heating mains, water supply, gas;
  • heating boilers;
  • insulation of tanks, industrial equipment;
  • walls in the apartment;
  • basements.

Because the paint is applied in a relatively thick layer (4 mm), it can be used as an additional heat-saving measure or to replace several millimeters of external insulation.

Operational characteristics

The number of paintings and the layer applied determine how well thermal paint protects against heat. Nevertheless, applying a layer that is too thick is also not advised; two to four paintings that are no thicker than six mm are the best choice. The kind of liquid thermal insulation material and the kind of surface to be applied determine how many layers are needed. Operating life is between 12 and 40 years, and the temperature range is between -70 and +260 degrees Celsius.

Main advantages

Thermal insulation without sacrificing space is the primary benefit of liquid insulation for work inside buildings. The material’s resistance to temperature fluctuations, which happen throughout the winter heating season, should be noted. When the outside temperature drops and the inside temperature rises, condensation gathers and creates an ideal environment for the growth of fungus. Extra advantages

  • environmental friendliness – the paint does not emit harmful toxic compounds at high temperatures and does not react with other building materials;
  • saving on heat bills due to thermal insulation;
  • strengthening treated surfaces.

Varieties

Traditional classifications of warm paint types are based on two attributes:

  1. composition: acrylic or water based;
  2. by area of ​​application: for indoor work, for pipes, facade – exclusively for outdoor work.

Thermal insulating paints for interior work

Both acrylic and water-based compositions are appropriate for use inside buildings. Determining the functional load and examining the composition—which shouldn’t include any hazardous elements—are crucial tasks. Apply paint for interior work, preferably acrylic-based, to treat pipes, heating mains, and gas pipelines within the building. Water-based compositions can be used to paint cold walls.

Insulating paints for outdoor work

When choosing thermal insulation materials for outdoor work, one must consider the surface’s functional characteristics as well as the surrounding environmental factors, such as humidity, frost, and sunshine. To ensure that the heat is retained and the treated surfaces do not deteriorate, it is preferable to select a mixture with the least amount of water resistance and the highest amount of vapor permeability.

Major manufacturers

Most people who don’t want to spend money on constant bill payments have to focus on minimizing heat loss. Though the industry is still in its infancy, the following companies currently dominate it in terms of both price and quality:

  • Corundum;
  • Termalkom;
  • Keramoizol;
  • Mascoat;
  • RE-THERM;
  • Armor;
  • Akterm.

Methods of applying thermal paint

It is acceptable to use a roller or brush inside the structure. However, this method uses more material because the layer painted by hand is 5–6 mm thick, with a maximum thickness of 4 mm. In such a scenario, material waste cannot be prevented, but thermal insulation quality is unaffected. A spray gun is a useful and affordable application tool.

Should paint be used instead of insulation for walls that are thermally insulated?

Paint cannot completely replace insulation, but it can cut down on the amount of heat that is used. Such thermal paint is applied inside the building in temperature-variable areas, like next to a corner room wall where condensation collects as a result of temperature changes. You can achieve up to a 20% increase in heat savings by using thermal paint.

Efficiency assessment from experts

Although consumers are just beginning to trust liquid insulation, there are already divergent views regarding the practicality of employing "liquid ceramics." As an illustration, the following computations are provided:

  • extruded polystyrene foam in fact (50 mm) costs 300 rubles. (sq. m);
  • assume that the thickness is 1 mm, the price per sq. m is 6 rubles.;
  • the total cost in the equivalent of ultra-thin thermal insulation is 450 rubles./liter;
  • with the recommended consumption of thermal paint, its price for a similar 1 sq. m. (thickness of 1 mm) with a single-layer application is 100 times higher than that of polystyrene foam.

In contrast to such reasoning, other experts give an example of the fact that the thermal insulation properties of the extruded polystyrene foam given as an example are at least 50 times lower, and the surface emissivity coefficient due to the roughness of the thermal paint is much higher. When treating the surface with "liquid ceramics", the effect of a "thermal mirror" is obtained.
Believing one reasoning or another is an individual matter, but experts agree that there is no alternative to liquid ceramics in hard-to-reach places. It is difficult to imagine insulating with mineral wool under a window sill or in other places, but thermal insulation paint copes with this task perfectly, leaving no seams or bends.

Simple guidelines for selecting paint

The price-quality ratio is the primary consideration when purchasing such a costly item. For instance, Korund or Teplos-Top, two inexpensive Russian-made alternatives, can be used in place of TC Ceramic HB without sacrificing quality or heat-saving effectiveness. The savings are substantial. When making a purchase, it is advised to consider:

  • functional load of the material;
  • type of paint for external or internal work;
  • type of surface on which it is planned to apply.

Although thermal insulation paint can help save energy to some extent, it cannot completely replace more conventional insulation materials like fiberglass. Although thermal paint reduces heat loss by reflecting radiant heat, it is not as thick and dense as conventional insulation to offer the same level of thermal protection. As a result, whether applied inside or outside, it functions best as an adjunctive measure rather than a stand-alone wall insulation solution.

Calculation of the amount of thermal insulation paint

The following factors must be considered when estimating the amount of liquid insulation used:

  • area for application;
  • roughness;
  • thickness of layers;
  • type of surface: smooth or embossed;
  • application method.

Therefore, the overspending is 5-12% for concrete, brick, or wood, and 3–6% for metal. The relief will also result in a 20% increase in material volume. With a layer thickness of 1 mm, the average consumption of liquid insulation in calm weather is 1 l/sq. m. Every room owner should prioritize installing thermal insulation. With the wide variety of building materials available today, liquid insulation paint is the ideal choice for adding extra insulation to a home’s walls.

Feature Thermal Insulation Paint Fiberglass Insulation
Installation Easy to apply like regular paint, no special tools needed Requires cutting and fitting, often professional installation
Thickness Thin coating, does not add significant thickness to walls Requires more space due to its bulky nature
Thermal Performance Provides some thermal insulation, but less effective compared to traditional methods High thermal resistance, significantly reduces heat loss
Moisture Resistance Acts as a moisture barrier, reducing dampness Prone to absorbing moisture, requires a vapor barrier
Durability Long-lasting with minimal maintenance Can degrade over time if exposed to moisture
Cost Generally more expensive per square meter Usually cheaper per square meter

An innovative product called thermal insulation paint claims to cut down on heat loss by covering your walls with a thin layer of insulation. Although it can help increase energy efficiency, it cannot completely replace more conventional insulation materials like fiberglass. The primary advantages of thermal paint are its simplicity of use and capacity to lessen thermal bridging in difficult-to-reach regions; however, in comparison to stronger, thicker materials, its insulating qualities are somewhat restricted.

The thermal performance of your home can be significantly improved, but relying just on thermal insulation paint might not be enough, particularly in extreme climates. It can offer more complete protection against heat gain or loss when combined with more conventional insulation, such as fiberglass, so that your house remains comfortable all year round.

The decision between thermal paint and conventional insulation ultimately comes down to your unique requirements and situation. Thermal insulation paint might be a workable solution for small upgrades or particular trouble spots. Conventional insulation materials are still a more dependable option if significant energy savings and comfort are desired.

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Veronica Gerasimova

Interior designer, author of books on the design of residential premises. I will help you make your home not only functional, but also beautiful.

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