What Is Volcanic Rock Wool Insulation?

There is no doubt that we love our rock wool insulation. But what is rock wool insulation and what does it have anything to do with volcanoes?

Rock wool, known for other names such as mineral wool or stone wool in Europe, is a natural product manufactured from a process that is inspired by the volcanic process.

Often made from basalt rocks, the manufacturing process involves melting the rocks in a furnace called cupola – just like how rocks are melted during a volcanic eruption. Lava is then spun at high speeds through a thin mesh into fibres. For a bit of fun, sometimes we call this the fairy floss stage, because it is very similar to how we make fairy floss.

Adding a few more elements such as a binding agent and oil, these rock fibres are cut into various sizes and thickness and made into a range of building products.

What Can Rock Wool Be Used For?

You may be surprised to learn that rock wool fibres have a wide range of applications. Let’s name a few.

Pipe insulation
Rigid slabs
Flexible rolls
Loose-fill for cryogenic insulation
Insulation panels
And believe it or not, some even use rock wool fibres to grow plants!

How Does Rock Wool Insulation Work?

Thermal Insulation

Volcanic rock fibres work to separate air into small pockets, preventing heat transfer between air pockets. As rock wool insulation is known for its robustness and ability to hold its form and shape, air pockets are isolated from each other resulting in effective thermal insulation.

Acoustic Insulation

Lightweight and non-combustible, volcanic rock wool panels are an excellent choice for friction fit in wall, ceiling and floor applications. While they won’t provide complete soundproof, rock wool fibres are dense in structure, thus, extremely resistant to airflow and making them excellent at dampening noises.

Don’t believe us? Think of Sydney Opera House. Yes, the iconic Australian building is acoustically insulated with volcanic rock wool insulation.

What Do Stonewall Platinum Rock Wool Insulation Products Look Like?

Our panel systems are architecturally engineered and come in 3 product ranges:

ASPECT VIVID – Non-Combustible Soffit Tile

Specially designed for exposed areas, our ASPECT VIVID Tile System is non-combustible, moisture-proof and superior with acoustic properties. Stonewall Platinum’s soffit tile system comes pre-finished and is available for adhesive and/or mechanically fixing. Don’t forget how lightweight it is, making our tile system a treat to work with.

Visit Bowens Showroom in Port Melbourne, Victoria to see how our ASPECT VIVID Soffit Tile System can be applied to suit your needs.

ASPECT VIVID GRID – Non-Combustible Ceiling Tile Panel

If you are looking for a high-quality acoustic system, our ASPECT VIVID GRID is your choice. Our non-combustible ceiling tile panel offers a complete sound-absorbing ceiling solution and can be used as

ceiling tiles
baffles and clouds
impact resistant wall panels.

FACADE ASSIST – Non-Combustible Acoustic Insulation Wall Panel

Stonewall Platinum’s FACADE ASSIST is a new generation product designed for direct installation into walls, roofs and other high compressive non-combustible applications. Our FACADE ASSIST system is ideal for wall and roof high acoustic insulation applications for non-combustibility requirements.