PUR/PIR Board
ASTM C591 · EN 13165 · JIS A9511 · GB GB/T 21558
Faced or unfaced factory-made rigid closed-cell PU/PIR foam boards with standardized compressive-strength and thermal-conductivity classes; the dominant generic grade for building/industrial thermal insulation boardstock.
Reference datasheet — PUR/PIR Board is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the PUR-30 condition
PUR/PIR Board grades and fills
PUR/PIR Board is supplied in 7 conditions, soft to hard. PUR-30 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 7 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PUR-30Default Unfaced rigid polyurethane board, ~30–35 kg/m³ | Default generic boardstock for building walls/roofs and equipment insulation where ≤100 °C and standard 0.15 MPa compressive class suffice. | 0.28 | 8 | ||
Polyisocyanurate board, ~32–40 kg/m³ | Pick when higher temperature capability, better char formation and lower smoke/fire spread than plain PUR are required. | 0.32 | |||
Flame-retardant grade to GB 8624 B1 / EN 13501 Class D-E | Use where building fire regulations demand B1(B)/B-s1,d0 class external wall or duct insulation. | 0.32 | 6 | ||
cryogenic-service PIR, LNG/LIN lines to −196 °C | Choose for LNG, ethylene and liquid-nitrogen pipework/tanks needing low-temperature dimensional stability and low thermal contraction cracking. | 0.4 | 5 | ||
High-density board ~48 kg/m³ | Pick for trafficked roofs, tank bases and pipe insulation where higher compressive strength and creep resistance are needed. | 0.5 | 7 | ||
Glass-fibre reinforced PIR boardstock | Use where reduced thermal contraction/cracking and higher flexural stiffness are needed on large-diameter cold pipe or roof decks. | 0.5 | 4 | ||
Load-bearing / pipe-support block, 80–160 kg/m³ | Use for cryogenic pipe shoes, tank supports and structural inserts where compressive load, not lambda, governs. | 1 | 6 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PUR/PIR Board is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
PIR-FOIL | Aluminium-foil faced PIR board | Supply form |
SANDWICH | Steel-faced PUR/PIR sandwich panel core | Surface finish |
What is PUR/PIR Board?
Faced or unfaced factory-made rigid closed-cell PU/PIR foam boards with standardized compressive-strength and thermal-conductivity classes; the dominant generic grade for building/industrial thermal insulation boardstock. PUR/PIR Board has a density of 0.03 g/cm³ (0.0012 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 110°C (230 °F). PUR/PIR Board has a tensile strength of 0.28 MPa (0.0406 ksi), weaker than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi).
What is PUR/PIR Board used for?
- roof and wall insulation boards
- cold-chain and refrigeration panels
- sandwich panel cores
- duct and pipe insulation
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 95/100, better than 100% of polymer grades
- Lightweight — 0.03 g/cm³ (0.0012 lb/in³), better than 93% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 0.02 W/m·K (0.0139 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of polymer grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 2%, worse than 97% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 20/100, worse than 88% of polymer grades
PUR/PIR Board properties
Typical room-temperature values for PUR/PIR Board-PUR-30; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical4
PUR/PIR Board has a density of 0.03 g/cm³ (0.0012 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 110°C (230 °F).
Mechanical11
PUR/PIR Board has a tensile strength of 0.28 MPa (0.0406 ksi), weaker than 94% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal8
PUR/PIR Board is rated for continuous service to 100°C (212 °F). It conducts heat at 0.02 W/m·K (0.0139 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 60 µm/m·K (33.3 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
PUR/PIR Board has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), worse than 52% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PUR/PIR Board takes about 105 MJ of energy and emits 5 kg of CO₂ — more than 54% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability3
PUR/PIR Board's machinability is excellent (95/100, better than 100% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (10/100).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. PUR/PIR Board is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PUR/PIR Board
Is PUR/PIR Board easy to machine?
Cuts cleanly with hot wire, band saw, router or knife; use dust extraction and avoid overheating (isocyanate/amine fumes), and deburr crumbly cell faces before bonding.
Can PUR/PIR Board be welded?
Thermoset — cannot be welded; join with PU/epoxy adhesives, tapes, or foamed-in-place gap fill.
Can PUR/PIR Board be formed, bent or molded?
Made continuously on a double-belt laminator (or discontinuously in block moulds) then cut to thickness; no post-forming, but thin boards can be thermally curved slightly for pipe segments.
PUR/PIR Board chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| polymeric MDI (isocyanate)PIR uses higher isocyanate index (>250) than PUR (~110) | 45 – 60 | 52 |
| flame retardant (TCPP/phosphate) | 2 – 10 | 5 |
| blowing agent (n-/iso-pentane or HFO-123 | 3 – 8 | 5 |
| silicone surfactant + catalysts (K-octoa | 1 – 3 | 2 |
| water (co-blowing) | 0.1 – 1 | 0.4 |
| polyester/polyether polyolaromatic polyester polyol typical for PIR boardstock | ≥ 30 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on PUR/PIR Board?
Requires protective facing — foil, glass-mat, bitumen, metal skin, render or mastic/vapour barrier — for UV, fire and mechanical protection; surfaces accept water-based coatings after light abrasion.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PUR/PIR Board in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- C591
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 13165
- GB (China)
- GB/T 21558
- JIS
- A9511
How much does PUR/PIR Board cost?
PUR/PIR Board is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PUR/PIR Board — frequently asked
What is PUR/PIR Board used for?
PUR/PIR Board is typically used for roof and wall insulation boards, cold-chain and refrigeration panels, sandwich panel cores and duct and pipe insulation. In short: lowest-conductivity board insulation; PIR improves fire behaviour; thermoset, no post-forming.
What is the tensile strength of PUR/PIR Board?
PUR/PIR Board has a typical tensile strength of 0.28 MPa (0.0406 ksi) — weaker than 94% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is PUR/PIR Board easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (95/100, better than 100% of polymer grades). Cuts cleanly with hot wire, band saw, router or knife; use dust extraction and avoid overheating (isocyanate/amine fumes), and deburr crumbly cell faces before bonding.
Can PUR/PIR Board be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Thermoset — cannot be welded; join with PU/epoxy adhesives, tapes, or foamed-in-place gap fill.
What surface finishes work on PUR/PIR Board?
Requires protective facing — foil, glass-mat, bitumen, metal skin, render or mastic/vapour barrier — for UV, fire and mechanical protection; surfaces accept water-based coatings after light abrasion.
Can PUR/PIR Board be formed, bent or molded?
Made continuously on a double-belt laminator (or discontinuously in block moulds) then cut to thickness; no post-forming, but thin boards can be thermally curved slightly for pipe segments.
What is the maximum service temperature of PUR/PIR Board?
PUR/PIR Board is rated for continuous use to about 100°C (212 °F), and briefly to 120°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does PUR/PIR Board cost?
PUR/PIR Board is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- EN 13165 — Thermal insulation products for buildings: factory made rigid polyurethane foam (PU) products — CEN (2016)
- ASTM C591 — Unfaced Preformed Rigid Cellular Polyisocyanurate Thermal Insulation — ASTM International (2022)
- ASTM C1289 — Faced Rigid Cellular Polyisocyanurate Thermal Insulation Board — ASTM International (2022)
- Handbook of Polymeric Foams and Foam Technology — Hanser (2004)
- Rigid PIR boardstock and pipe insulation datasheets — Kingspan / Recticel / Dyplast / Huntsman (2023)
- Rigid polyurethane foam LCA and embodied-energy ranges — ICE / CES-type material data (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.