MATERIALS

Sandwich Panel / EPS Panel

Insulated composite panels for walls and roofs

Also calledsandwich paneleps panelpuf panelinsulated panelwall panel
Definition

Sandwich panels are composite construction elements with a lightweight insulating core (foam, mineral wool, or honeycomb) sandwiched between two rigid face sheets (steel, aluminium, fibre cement). Used for walls, roofs, and insulated cladding in industrial, commercial, and prefabricated buildings. Per IS 16700:2017 + IS 15916, sandwich panels offer advantages: (1) Thermal insulation (k = 0.025-0.040 W/mK for foam cores); (2) Faster construction (panels assembled vs cast in place); (3) Aesthetic — clean exterior; (4) Sound insulation. Major Indian sandwich panel suppliers: Kingspan India, Metecno India, Tata BlueScope.

Main types: (1) PUF (Polyurethane Foam) panel — k = 0.022 W/mK; widely used for cold storage, food processing, insulated commercial. (2) PIR (Polyisocyanurate Foam) panel — slightly better fire performance than PUF. (3) Mineral wool — fire-resistant, used for fire walls and dividing partitions. (4) Honeycomb panel — for high-strength low-weight applications. Standard sizes: thickness 50-150 mm; width 1000-1200 mm; length 3000-12000 mm. Face sheets typically 0.4-0.6 mm steel (for industrial), 0.8-1.0 mm aluminium (premium), or 6-12 mm fibre cement (architectural).

Applications: (1) Cold storage and food processing facilities — primary Indian use. (2) Pre-engineered industrial buildings — wall and roof cladding. (3) Insulated commercial buildings — energy efficiency. (4) Architectural cladding — clean finish, fast installation. (5) Modular and prefabricated structures.

Where used
  • Cold storage and food processing facilities
  • Pre-engineered industrial buildings
  • Insulated commercial offices and warehouses
  • Architectural exterior cladding
  • Modular and prefabricated structures
Acceptance / threshold
Per IS 16700 + IS 15916 + manufacturer specification: thermal conductivity per design; fire rating per use; face-sheet thickness; mechanical strength tested; weather-resistant connections.
Frequently asked
What are sandwich panels?
Sandwich panels are composite construction elements with a lightweight insulating core (foam, mineral wool) sandwiched between two rigid face sheets (steel, aluminium, fibre cement). Used for walls, roofs, and insulated cladding. Indian use: cold storage, industrial buildings, insulated commercial, architectural cladding.
What are the types of sandwich panels?
(1) PUF (Polyurethane Foam) — most common, k = 0.022 W/mK, used for cold storage. (2) PIR (Polyisocyanurate) — better fire performance. (3) Mineral wool — fire-resistant, fire walls. (4) Honeycomb — high strength-to-weight, specialty. Thickness 50-150 mm; face sheets 0.4-1.0 mm steel/aluminium.
Are sandwich panels good for fire safety?
Mineral wool and PIR sandwich panels have good fire ratings (1-2 hours typical). PUF panels are flammable; not suitable for fire-rated walls. For NBC 2016 fire-rated assemblies: use mineral wool or PIR panels. PUF panels acceptable for non-fire-rated applications (cold storage, commercial cladding).
Related materials terms
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
33/43/53 grade Portland cement. 53 most common for structural use.
Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)
Cement blended with fly ash. More durable than OPC.
Portland Slag Cement (PSC)
Cement blended with blast furnace slag
Aggregates (Fine & Coarse)
Coarse (10-40mm) and fine (sand) aggregates per IS 383
Sand (River / M-Sand)
Fine aggregate. River sand or manufactured sand.
Brick / Block Masonry
Bricks per IS 1077, blocks per IS 2185
Tile (Floor / Wall / Roof)
Floor/wall/roof tiles per various IS codes
Paint & Coatings
Wall paint, primer, putty, coatings