Insulation Twentieth Issue | 05/2024

Ireland

K10 Soffit Board

Insulation for structural ceilings (soffits)

 Premium performance rigid

thermoset phenolic insulation
- thermal conductivities as low
as 0.021 W/mK
 For FM approval, see page 7
 Unaffected by air infiltration
 Resistant to the passage of
water vapour
 Easy to handle compared
to some other commonly
available insulants
 Ideal for new build and
refurbishment
Typical constructions and U-values

Assumptions Fixed directly to concrete soffit

The U-values in Table 1 have been calculated using the
method detailed in EN ISO 6946: 2017 (Building components
& building elements. Thermal resistance & thermal
transmittance. Calculation methods). They are valid for the
construction shown in Figure 1.
Concrete wall

These examples are based on the use of Kingspan Kooltherm®

K10 mechanically fixed directly to the soffit of a 200 mm
Concrete floor
concrete deck using 3 metal fixings, with a cross-sectional
area of 12.32 mm, a thermal conductivity of 50 W/mk and
8 thermally broken fasteners with a thermal conductivity of
1.00 W/mK or less, the effect of which is insignificant.
NB When calculating U-values to EN ISO 6946: 2017, the type of fixing used may change
the thickness of insulation required. Please contact the Kingspan Insulation Technical
Service Department (see rear cover for details) for a comprehensive U-value calculation, Kingspan Kooltherm® K10
which will take account of the correction factor specific to the fixing.
NB For the purposes of these calculations the standard of workmanship has been
assumed good, and therefore the correction factor for air gaps has been ignored.
NB The figures quoted are for guidance only. A detailed U-value calculation and a
Figure 1
condensation risk analysis should be completed for each project.
NB If your construction is different from those specified, and / or to gain a
comprehensive U-value calculation along with a condensation risk analysis of Insulant thickness U-values
your project, contact the Kingspan Insulation Technical Service Department (see rear (mm) (W/m2K)
cover for details) for assistance.
50 0.37
U-value table key 60 0.31
70 0.27
Further information on the applicable notional and area
80 0.24
weighted average limiting U-values is available in the
90 0.22
relevant geographical documentation:
100 0.20
 Technical Guidance Document L (Dwellings) and Technical
120 0.16
Guidance Document L (Buildings other than Dwellings) to
the Building Regulations for the Republic of Ireland 130 0.15
140* 0.14
 Technical Booklets F1 & F2 to the Building Regulations for
Northern Ireland. 150* 0.13
170* 0.12
* Supplied in two layers.

2
Design considerations

Heat loss and linear thermal bridging Responsible sourcing

Basic principles Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 produced at Kingspan Insulation’s
Castleblayney, County Monaghan’s manufacturing facility is
Linear thermal bridging describes the additional heat losses manufactured under a management system certified to
or gains that occur at junctions between elements e.g. ISO 14001: 2015.
where a cavity wall meets the ground or intermediate floor, The above information is correct at the time of writing. Please confirm at the point of
or at junctions around openings in the building fabric where need by contacting Kingspan Insulation’s Technical Service Department, from which a
the thermal insulation layer is discontinuous e.g. sills, jambs copy of Kingspan Insulation’s certificates can be obtained.

and lintels.
Sustainability & responsibility
Interruptions within the insulation layer by materials with
poorer insulating properties can result in a thermal bridge, Kingspan Insulation has a long-term commitment to
which in turn can lead to problems of internal surface sustainability and responsibility: as a manufacturer
condensation and mould growth, especially if there is a drop and supplier of insulation products; as an employer; as
in surface temperature. a substantial landholder; and as a key member of its
neighbouring communities.
The heat flow at these junctions and opening locations, over
and above that through the adjoining plane elements, is the Specification clause
linear thermal transmittance of the thermal bridge. This is
measured in W/mK, referred to as a `psi-value’ and expressed Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 should be described in
as a `ψ-value’. specifications as:

The lower the ψ-value, the better the performance. ψ-values The soffit insulation shall be Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 Soffit
are taken into account in the calculation methodologies e.g. Board ____ mm thick: comprising a premium performance
the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP) or the fibre-free rigid thermoset phenolic insulation core with
Non-Domestic Energy Assessment Procedure (NEAP) that a glass tissue based facing on its inner face and a low
are used to assess the operational CO2 emissions and, where emissivity composite foil on its outer face. The product
applicable, the fabric energy efficiency of buildings. shall be manufactured under a management system
certified to ISO 9001: 2015, ISO 14001: 2015, ISO 37301: 2021,
ψ-values can comprise either, or a combination of, approved, ISO 45001: 2018 and ISO 50001: 2018; by Kingspan Insulation
calculated or assumed values. Limited; and installed in accordance with the instructions
issued by them.
Approved details, such as the Acceptable Construction
Details (Republic of Ireland), can uplift performance to
provide a clear starting point towards achieving compliance,
Wind loading
but they are limited in scope and applicability. The greatest Where the insulation boards may be subject to external wind
opportunity for mitigating the impact of linear thermal pressure, wind loadings should be assessed in accordance
bridges can come from following accurately ‘modelled’ with EN 1991–1–4: 2005 + A1: 2010 (National Annex to
details that take into account the following design Eurocode 1 Actions on Structures. General Actions. Wind
considerations. Actions) taking into account:

Reducing linear thermal bridging length / width / height of the building

 
orientation of the building
 
For soffit constructions, supporting beams and columns
interrupting the insulation layer can represent significant wind speed
 
thermal bridges, which can adversely affect the thermal aspect (i.e. on a hill side)
 
performance of the floor if not suitably handled. topographical value of the surrounding area.
 
Thermally, the best approach is to fully box around beams
with appropriate Insulation to limit these losses. For further Lightning protection
advice on reducing linear and point thermal bridging, please
contact Kingspan Insulation’s Technical Service Department Building designers should give consideration to the
(see rear cover for details). requirements of BS / I.S. EN 62305: 2011 - 2012
(Protection against lightning).

3
Sitework

Fixing directly to concrete soffits Recommended fixing patterns

The installation guidance for Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 The images below show recommended fixing patterns,
 
outlined in this section must only be followed after the number of fixings used and the resultant fixing density
considering the below. (number of fixings per m2).
Insulation boards should be installed break-bonded, with
  The fixing patterns shown are suitable for continuous
 
joints lightly butted. flat (even) decks only. For non-continuous decks please
contact the Kingspan Insulation Technical Service
The number of mechanical fixings required to fix Kingspan
 
Department (see rear cover) for further guidance.
Kooltherm® K10 will vary with the geographical location of
the building, the local topography, the height and width
of the soffit concerned, and the soffit construction.

A minimum of 11 mechanical fixings, with a minimum

 
head diameter of 25 mm, are required to secure the
insulation board to the soffit.

Where the insulation boards may be subject to external

 
wind pressure, the requirement for additional fixings
11 no. per board
should be assessed in accordance with EN 1991–1–4: 2005
(2.4 x 1.2 m board - 3.81 fixings / m2)
+ A1: 2010 (National Annex to Eurocode 1 Actions on
Structures. General Actions. Wind Actions).

The fixings should be evenly distributed over the whole

 
area of the board, and must offer a minimum 40 mm
penetration into a solid substrate.

Please refer to the column opposite for recommended

 
fixing patterns.

Fixings at board edges must be located > 50 mm and

  12 no. per board
< 150 mm from edges and corners of the board and not (2.4 x 1.2 m board - 4.16 fixings / m2)
overlap board joints.

Depending upon the fixing type, insulation boards can

 
also be fitted by a shot fired fixing method, which can
result in significantly faster installation times. All of the
guidance above still applies.

For details on fixings refer to:

 

MAK Fasteners +353 (0) 1 451 9900

13 no. per board
www.makfasteners.com
(2.4 x 1.2 m board - 4.51 fixings / m2)
Masonry Fixings Services Ltd +353 (0) 1 642 6789
www.masonryfixings.ie

Ejot UK Limited +44 (0) 1977 687 040

www.ejot.co.uk

Fixfast +44 (0) 1732 882 387

www.fixfast.com

ITW Spit +44 (0) 800 731 4924

14 no. per board
www.itwcp.co.uk
(2.4 x 1.2 m board - 4.86 fixings / m2)
SFS Intec +44 (0) 330 0555 888
www.sfsintec.biz/uk

15 no. per board

(2.4 x 1.2 m board - 5.20 fixings / m2)

4
Sitework

Proprietary grid systems General

For information regarding proprietary grid system
  Cutting
specifications, please contact the Kingspan Insulation
 Cutting should be carried out either by using a fine
Technical Service Department (see rear cover).
toothed saw or scoring with a sharp knife, snapping the
board over a straight edge and then cutting the facing on
Taping the other side.
The joints of Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 should always be
   Ensure accurate trimming to achieve close–butting joints
taped using a suitable 70 mm min. wide self-adhesive and continuity of insulation.
aluminium foil tape.
Availability
In the absence of other protection, exposed edges of
 
Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 should be protected by  Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is available through specialist
a suitable self–adhesive aluminium foil tape, with a insulation distributors and selected builders’ merchants
50 mm min. wide overlap onto the insulation board face throughout Ireland.
(Figure 2).
Packaging & storage
For advice on the specification of self-adhesive aluminium
 
foil tape and application guidelines, refer to:  The polyethylene packaging of Kingspan Insulation
products, which is recyclable, should not be considered
ProTech Global Ltd: +44 (0) 1934 318 468 adequate for outdoor protection.
www.protechglobal.co.uk
 Ideally, boards should be stored inside a building.
Bostik Limited +44 (0) 1785 272 727 If, however, outside storage cannot be avoided, then
www.bostik.co.uk the boards should be stacked clear of the ground and
covered with an opaque polythene sheet or weatherproof
Exposed board edge covered with foil tape Concrete soffit tarpaulin. Boards that have been allowed to get wet
lapped 50 mm min. on to underside
should not be used.

Health & safety

 Kingspan Insulation products are chemically inert and
safe to use.

 A Safety Information Data Sheet for this product is

available from the Kingspan Insulation website
www.kingspaninsulation.ie/safety.
Please note that the reflective surfaces on this product are designed to enhance its
thermal performance. As such, they will reflect light as well as heat, including ultraviolet
light. Therefore, if this product is being installed during very bright or sunny weather, it
is advisable to wear UV protective sunglasses or goggles, and if the skin is exposed for a
significant period of time, to protect the bare skin with a UV block sun cream.
Foil faced underside Board joint taped Fixing with 35 mm
The reflective facings used on this product can be slippery when wet. Therefore, it is
of Kingspan with 75 mm min. (diameter) washer
recommended that any excess material should be contained to avoid a slip hazard.
Kooltherm® K10 foil tape
Warning - do not stand on or otherwise support your weight on this product unless it is
fully supported by a load bearing surface.
Figure 2 - Protection of exposed insulation edges of Kingspan
Kooltherm® K10

5
Product Details

The inner facing Standard dimensions

The inner (concealed) facing of Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is available in the following
is a glass tissue based facing, autohesively bonded to the standard size:
insulation core during manufacture.
Nominal dimension Availability
The core Length (m) 2.4
The core of Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is Width (m) 1.2
a premium performance rigid thermoset Refer to local distributor or
fibre-free phenolic insulant. Insulant thickness (mm) Kingspan Insulation for current
stock and non-stock sizes.
The outer facing
The outer (exposed) facing of Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is
a low emissivity composite foil, autohesively bonded to the
Compressive strength
insulation core during manufacture. The exposed facing used The average compressive strength of Kingspan Kooltherm®
on Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 has not been designed with K10 exceeds 100 kPa, when tested to EN 826: 2013 (Thermal
the purpose of an aesthetic finish as its primary function. insulating products for building applications. Determination
Where appearance is critical, advice should be sought from of compression behaviour).
Kingspan Insulation’s Technical Service Department
(see rear cover). Durability
Standards & approvals If correctly installed, Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 can have
an indefinite life. Its durability depends on the supporting
Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is manufactured under a structure and the conditions of its use.
management system certified to ISO 9001: 2015 NB If the building is considered to be in an exposed location advice should be sought
(Quality management systems), ISO 14001: 2015 from the Kingspan Insulation Technical Service Department to determine the product’s
suitability.
(Environmental management systems), ISO 37301: 2021
(Compliance management systems), ISO 45001: 2018
(Occupational health & safety management systems) and Resistance to solvents, fungi & rodents
ISO 50001: 2018 (Energy management systems). The insulation core is resistant to short-term contact with
The use of Kingspan Kooltherm K10
® petrol and with most dilute acids, alkalis and mineral oils.
produced at Kingspan Insulation’s However, it is recommended that any spills be cleaned
Castleblayney, County Monaghan off fully before the boards are installed. Ensure that safe
manufacturing facility (in thicknesses of methods of cleaning are used, as recommended by suppliers
75 - 140 mm) is covered by NSAI Agrement of the spilt liquid. The insulation core is not resistant to
Certificate 08/0321 and BBA Certificate some solvent-based adhesive systems, particularly those
14/5134. containing methyl ethyl ketone. Adhesives containing such
solvents should not be used in association with this product.
Damaged boards or boards that have been in contact with
harsh solvents or acids should not be used.
14/5134 The insulation core and facings used in the manufacture
of Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 resist attack by mould and
microbial growth, and do not provide any food
value to vermin.

6
Product Details

FM Approval Thermal properties

Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is FM Approved to FM 4880
The λ-values and R-values detailed below are quoted in
(Examination Standard for Class 1 Fire Rating
accordance with EN 13166: 2012 + A2: 2016
of Building Panels or Interior Finish Materials)
(Thermal insulation products for buildings. Factory made
November 2022. Kooltherm® K10 (thicknesses
phenolic foam (PF) products. Specification).
up to, and including, 120 mm) produced at
Kingspan Insulation’s Castleblayney, County
Thermal conductivity
Monaghan’s manufacturing facility is FM Approved.
The boards achieve a thermal conductivity (λ–value) of:
This approval is valid for ceiling / soffit insulation only, with
non-combustible walls with no height restriction. For the 0.022 W/mK (insulant thickness 25 - 44 mm); and
purpose of FM Approval, the Kooltherm® K10 entire product 0.021 W/mK (insulant thickness 45 - 130 mm).
thickness and exposed facer should be fastened to the
supporting structural soffit with metal mechanical fasteners Thermal resistance
& washer plates with minimum 50 mm wide aluminium tape
Thermal resistance (R-value) varies with thickness and is
over joints. For mechanical reasons the fixing specification
calculated by dividing the thickness of the board (expressed
given on page 4 of this document and the taping
in metres) by its thermal conductivity. The resulting number
specification on page 5 must still be followed.
is rounded down to the nearest 0.05 (m2K/W).
Not all thicknesses are covered by the FM Approval when
fixed in a ceiling / soffit position. Further details of the current Insulant Thickness Thermal Resistance
FM Approval can be located on the FM Approvals online (mm) (m2K/W)
listing website `Approval Guide’ at www.fmapprovals.com/ 25 1.10
approval-guide or www.approvalguide.com by searching 30 1.35
`Kooltherm K10’ or alternatively contact the Kingspan
40 1.80
Insulation Technical Service Department (see rear cover).
50 2.35
Fire Performance 60 2.85
70 3.30
Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 achieves European Classification
80 3.80
(Euroclass) C-s2,d0 when classified to EN 13501-1:2018 (Fire
90 4.25
classification of construction products and building elements
- Classification using data from reaction to fire tests). 100 4.75
120 5.70
EUI-22-SBI-000057-B
130 6.15
EUI-22-SFB-000057-B,
Test report number
EUI-22-SBI-000087-A, NB Kingspan Insulation’s maximum available single insulation thickness is subject to
EUI-22-SFB-000087-A alteration without notice. At the time of publication, this specific insulation thickness
must be built up from two thinner layers, but this may have changed by the time that
Classification report number EUI-22-000057-B-Revision 1 the information in this literature is relied upon. Please contact Kingspan Insulation’s
Product thickness (mm) 25 - 130 Sales Department [email protected] for current stock and non-stock sizes.
Where multiple layers of insulation of different thicknesses are used, the thickest layer
should be installed as the outermost layer in the construction.
Valid with any substrate, except
plasterboards, of at least A2-s1,d0
Substrate
class and at least 652.5 kg/m3
density

Vertical and horizontal joints and

Joints / edges
any edge type

Kingspan Kooltherm® K10 is assessed under

Assessment and Verification of Constancy of
Performance (AVCP) System 1 for Reaction for Fire.
Certificate of Constancy
1812-CPR-1991
of Performance

Further details on the fire performance of Kingspan Insulation

products may be obtained from Kingspan Insulation’s
Technical Service Department.

7
Contact details

Kingspan Insulation Ltd

Castleblayney | County Monaghan

T: +353 (0) 42 979 5000

E: [email protected]
www.kingspaninsulation.ie
For individual department contact details please visit
www.kingspan.com/ie/en/contact-us

For the most up-to-date version of this

brochure please scan or click here.

To access pre-existing product information or information relating to previously sold/discontinued

products please email [email protected].

The information contained in this brochure is believed to be correct at the date of publication. Kingspan
Insulation Limited (“Kingspan Insulation”) reserves the right to alter or amend the product specifications
without notice due to continuous improvement commitments. There may also be relevant changes
between publications with regard to legislation, or other developments affecting the accuracy of the
information contained in this brochure. Product thicknesses shown in this document should not be taken
as being available ex-stock and reference should be made to the current Kingspan Insulation price-list
or advice sought from Kingspan Insulation’s Customer Service Department. The information, technical
details and fixing instructions etc. included in this literature are given in good faith and apply to uses
described. Kingspan Insulation does not accept responsibility for issues arising from using products
in applications different from those described within this brochure or failure to correctly follow the
information or instructions as described within this brochure. Recommendations for use should be
verified with a suitable expert or professional for suitability and compliance with actual requirements,
specifications and any applicable laws and regulations. For other applications or conditions of use,
Kingspan Insulation offers a technical advisory service (see above for contact details), the advice of
which should be sought for uses of Kingspan Insulation products that are not specifically described
herein. Please check that your copy of this literature is current by contacting the Kingspan Insulation
Marketing Department.

® Kingspan, Kooltherm and the Lion Device are Registered Trademarks of the Kingspan Group plc in the
UK, Ireland and other countries. All rights reserved
Registered in Ireland, No. 54621. Registered Office: Bree Industrial Estate, Castleblayney,
Co. Monaghan, Ireland. VAT IE4575069I.