Description
This EPS 160mm is a grey graphite polystyrene board, 160 mm deep with a 1000 × 500 mm face, for insulating external walls that are then rendered. It opens the run of deep sizes in the range, 10 mm thicker than the 150 mm board, and is used where a wall is to be insulated in one thick layer without going to the full 180 or 200 mm. It comes from the Renders World graphite board range, eleven thicknesses that keep the same face size from 20 mm on.
One board of EPS 160mm covers 0.5 m² of wall, and the declared thermal conductivity is ≤ 0.031 W/mK.
EPS 160mm: What You Get
Each board measures 1000 × 500 mm and is 160 mm thick. During production graphite is added to the polystyrene beads; the result is the grey EPS you see, with a lower thermal conductivity than white polystyrene, so a layer of a given depth keeps more heat in.
| Property | Declared value |
|---|---|
| Thermal conductivity λD | ≤ 0.031 W/mK |
| Reaction to fire | Class E |
| Thickness tolerance | T1 (± 1 mm) |
| Length and width tolerance | L2, W2 (± 2 mm) |
| Squareness | S5 (± 5 mm per 1000 mm) |
| Flatness | P5 (5 mm) |
| Bending strength | BS100 (≥ 100 kPa) |
| Tensile strength perpendicular to the faces | TR100 (≥ 100 kPa) |
| Dimensional stability, normal conditions | DS(N)2 (≤ 0.2 %) |
| Dimensional stability, set temperature and humidity | DS(70,-)2 (≤ 2 %) |
The reaction-to-fire class describes the board alone. A rendered façade is judged as a complete system, so the fire rating of the finished wall comes from the system specification. The U-value and insulation thickness guide shows how to work out the U-value 160 mm gives in your build-up.
A Façade Board for Walls
Deep polystyrene is also sold as graded flat sheet for floors. EPS 160mm is a different product with a different job:
- it is cut and toleranced as a façade board, to sit on a wall under mesh and render;
- it is not meant to carry a screed or a slab, or to be laid in the ground.
For foundations, plinths and other work below ground or in constant damp, the shop sells foundation boards as separate products; the thickest of them is the 100 mm foundation board.
Why Choose a 160mm Graphite Board
- A deep wall layer without the full 200 mm. 160 mm of insulation in one pass, with 40 mm less projection than the deepest board.
- Graphite-enhanced. Declared λD of ≤ 0.031 W/mK, so the same depth insulates better than white EPS.
- Square, flat sheets. Squareness S5, flatness P5 and a ± 1 mm thickness tolerance keep the joints tight and the face true for the base coat.
- Bond and pull strength. Bending strength BS100 and tensile strength TR100, each 100 kPa or more.
- Little movement. DS(N)2: at most 0.2 % change in size in normal conditions.
- Matches the reveal sizes. The 1000 × 500 mm face is shared with the thinner boards you cut for reveals.
Where a 160mm Board Goes
Typical places for EPS 160mm:
- External masonry and concrete walls, bonded and rendered or fixed by the light-dry method;
- Framed (stud) walls, on the external surface;
- Cavity walls, in an enclosed or ventilated slot with room for 160 mm.
The adhesive takes on concrete, cement and cement-lime plaster, brick, block and hollow block in ceramic or silicate, and aerated concrete.
Plan the details before you order: a 160 mm layer plus render moves the wall face outwards, so sills, verges, eaves, meter boxes and pipes may need extending or refitting.
How Many Boards of EPS 160mm to Order
Every square metre of wall takes two boards of EPS 160mm. A full pack contains 3 boards, enough for 1.50 m².
- For 45 m² of wall: 45 ÷ 0.5 = 90 boards, which is 30 full packs.
- Deduct window and door openings from the area first.
- List thinner EPS for the reveals as a separate line of the order.
Fitting the Board
Bond the EPS with a cement-based or polyurethane adhesive from the adhesives and basecoats for insulation boards. The background must be load-bearing, even, sound and frost-free, and clean: no dust, dirt, lime, oil, grease, wax, emulsion or oil paint.
- Prime and fill. Absorbent backgrounds, weak cement or cement-lime plaster and rough aerated or cinder block are primed with Uni-Grunt priming emulsion. Deep hollows and cavities are levelled in advance with ZW 330 mortar or Plastering Mix M (sold here as One Coat Dash Cover).
- Adhesive on the board. A border at least 3 cm wide round all four edges, plus 6 to 8 pads of 8 to 12 cm in the field: at least 40 % of the board covered, and 60 % after pressing.
- Bed the board. Fix it immediately, keeping the adhesive behind it to 10 mm at most. Where the wall is even and smooth, adhesive combed over the full back with a notched trowel works too, at 2 to 5 mm after fixing.
- Sand and dust. Before the base coat the surface must be frost-free, flat, clean and stable; sanding graphite EPS and removing the dust is advised.
Then come the anchors and the mesh coat: the insulation fixing accessories, the board fixing pattern and spacing guide and the EWI build-up and layers guide cover them.
Keep Graphite Boards Out of the Sun
The grey EPS warms quickly in sunshine, so treat it with some care on site:
- No heated boards on the wall. Keep each board cool while it is fixed and while the adhesive takes its first set; heat at either stage can weaken the bond.
- Shade the stock. Store EPS 160mm in its wrapping, out of direct sun, which can distort the boards.
- Protect the work. Use scaffold sheeting and do not fix boards in rain, snow or strong wind.
Weeks of exposure, above all to UV, can leave a yellow tinge on the face; sand it away before the base coat. Keep acetone, nitro thinners, benzene and other solvents well away, because they eat into polystyrene.
When you cannot be sure the wall will hold, test it: glue 8 to 10 polystyrene cubes of 10 × 10 cm at different points, leave them 3 days and tear them off. A cube that breaks inside the polystyrene shows the wall is fit to bond to. If it brings away adhesive or a skin of the wall, repair the background as the insulation design sets out, then fix the boards.
160mm Among the Other Thicknesses
Around EPS 160mm the range steps from 150 mm to 160, 180 and 200 mm. Every size from 20 mm up shares the 1000 × 500 mm face:
| Thickness | Sheets per m² | Full pack |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mm | 2 | order by the sheet |
| 20 mm | 2 | 30 sheets, 15.00 m² |
| 30 mm | 2 | 20 sheets, 10.00 m² |
| 50 mm | 2 | 12 sheets, 6.00 m² |
| 80 mm | 2 | 7 sheets, 3.50 m² |
| 90 mm | 2 | 6 sheets, 3.00 m² |
| 100 mm | 2 | order by the sheet |
| 150 mm | 2 | 4 sheets, 2.00 m² |
| 160 mm (this board) | 2 | 3 sheets, 1.50 m² |
| 180 mm | 2 | 3 sheets, 1.50 m² |
| 200 mm | 2 | 3 sheets, 1.50 m² |
Which depth suits your wall is a question for the U-value calculation of the whole build-up, so compare 150, 160 and 180 mm there.
Ordering, Delivery and Returns
Renders World processes orders the same day when the stock is there.
- Delivery: quoted by the team after the order; parcels up to 25 kg go next day, pallets next day or in two business days on the economy option, always kerbside.
- Collection: from the counter at Unit 9A, Central Trading Estate, Southampton SO14 5JP, Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 12pm.
- Returns: goods bought directly from Renders World can go back within 14 days in their original condition; special orders and promotion purchases are excluded.
FAQ
What size is one board?
1000 × 500 mm on the face and 160 mm thick; one board covers 0.5 m².
How many boards are in a pack?
Three, covering 1.50 m² of wall.
Is it suitable for a floor?
No. It is a façade board for walls. Choose a sheet made for floor loads under a floor, and the 100 mm foundation board for foundations and the plinth.
What is its thermal conductivity?
λD ≤ 0.031 W/mK. The U-value of the wall depends on the whole build-up and is calculated for it.
Which adhesive should I use?
Use a cement-based or a polyurethane adhesive: an edge border and pads over at least 40 % of the board, never more than 10 mm thick behind it.
What is the difference from the 150 mm board?
Only the depth: 10 mm more insulation and 10 mm more projection. Both share the face size and the declared properties; the 150 mm board comes 4 to a pack, the 160 mm board 3.
Technical Documentation