Armatherm™ FRR is a powerful thermal break material solution made of a reinforced, thermoset resin which provides low thermal conductivity properties and high compressive strength. The elements that make up the thermoset resin mean it boasts a range of advantages and benefits, including limited combustibility and reduced creep under max load- making it the ideal choice for use in structural thermal break connections to improve energy efficiency. 

Reducing heat flow within a building’s thermal envelope massively reduces the energy consumption of the structure, as well as potentially dangerous and damaging condensation issues which can lead to mold, rust and corrosion.. Thermal bridging through steel and concrete framing can have a significant impact on energy performance of a building, so incorporating thermal breaks to minimize the transfer of energy and is an integral step in working towards more efficient buildings. 

The FRR material from Armatherm™can be used in a variety of applications. It’s available in different forms to suit your project including sheets, washers and bushings with impressive specifications for thermal isolation. Armatherm™ FRR sheets can be bonded together to satisfy U value and thickness specification requirements if your project requires more than the sheets allow, but with thicknesses including 1/2”, 3/4”, 1,” & 2” 1/16″, 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 5/8″, 7/8″, the correct thickness needed for an application can easily be specified or created. 

Armatherm FRR is as versatile  as it is strong. It can be shipped in  4’X4’ sheets but more commonly is  precision cut to size and drilled in the factory to meet your specifications.  FRR comes in several standard thicknesses  or can be permanently  built up and bonded together by us to make custom  thicknesses – within  a 1/16 of an inch tolerance. Armatherm washers and bushings can be added to the connection to further improve the connection’s performance by up to 10%. 

Alongside the importance of thermal breaks sheets being incorporated within steel and concrete framing, a thermal break should also be specified for the front side of the bolt head between the steel washer and face of the exterior steel. Including thermal breaks at these points prevents a thermal bridge through the bolt which would otherwise provide a path for heat flow through the thermal break assembly, resulting in a loss of energy from inside the building. Armatherm™ washers and bushings are essential in blocking this path and reducing the potential for condensation within the building envelope.

Armatherm ™500 is a high strength thermal break, made from a revolutionary polyurethane material manufactured in several densities to support a vast range of loading conditions within a building’s structure. It harbors a closed cell structure which does not absorb water and has very limited creep under load. The 500 Series offers several R-value choices to reach your efficiency goals. This helps significantly reduce energy lost from thermal bridging within building envelope connections, reducing heat flow, energy consumption and potential condensation issues which can cause monumental damage in a building. 

Armatherm 500 is available in 4’X8’ sheets or can be cut and drilled to your specifications in our factory,  and will be shipped ready to install at the job site. Standard thicknesses are in stock or we can manufacture about any thickness you need. 

Available in sheet form, Armatherm ™500 can easily be layered together to achieve the desired U value and thickness specifications. (START AGAIN HERE) Its versatility means it can be used anywhere that features a penetration or transition exits through a building envelope where a thermal bridge occurs, including parapets, slab/floor edge, roof penetrations, custom window sills, concrete balconies and more. This innovative material is user friendly and can be cut and drilled on site easily if required. 

Although it is often used to prevent thermal bridging to keep warm temperatures within a building, it can also be essential in cold storage facilities to prevent the subgrade from freezing. It can sit directly under the column base to prevent any transfer of temperature into the ground.

The Armatherm™Z girt is a non-metallic thermal break, ideal for use within exterior wall projects, on new or existing wood   or steel stud wall assemblies, or with CMU or concrete walls.  The Z-girts were developed to reduce heat loss in the building envelope and overall increase the effective R-value of the total wall assembly. Z-Girts provide a secure way to retain continuous exterior insulation, while providing a secure surface to attach most cladding and siding materials. Made from fiber-reinforced plastic, tests have shown that incorporating the Z-girts can result in several improvements within the thermal efficiency of the wall design, reducing the heat flow and energy transfers.  

Featuring a traditional Z girt shape, the structural material is used for holding insulation and mounting cladding or sliding but is much more efficient than its steel counterparts. The non-conductive Armatherm™ Z-girt offers as much as a 75% improvement over traditional steel Z-girts which is an invaluable statistic for architects looking for energy efficient solutions. 

Wall assemblies that feature Armatherm™ thermal break products can reach up to 98% efficiency, as well as having less potential to develop condensation issues that can be extremely damaging to a building and the health of those inside. Cladding attachments are significantly improved when a combination of thermal break products are specified, with Z-girt, clips and shims all used to achieve maximum efficiency across the board.

We have a number of valuable online resources that you can take advantage of on our website, including test reports, extensive literature libraries, design assistance and product profile videos to help you understand the importance of thermal break products, the key features of our materials and the applications in which they can be used. If you require CAD drawings for your project, these can be accessed via the Armatherm™website and downloaded to be easily incorporated into your project plans.

We also have an easy-to-follow online webinar which is ideal for architects looking to earn credits, with the course providing an overview and introduction to thermal bridging, discussing how and why it occurs, as well as how it can be prevented. By completing the webinar, you can gain one AIA HSW learning credit while learning more about thermal break solutions. It provides you with essential knowledge surrounding energy savings and information to help understand how to incorporate thermal breaks into your next project effectively to control thermal bridging issues. It also showcases and compares the difference between building details with and without thermal break solutions to highlight the importance of determining accurate values of thermal transmittance within a project. 

For help with your construction project, you can get in touch with our team of experts who are on hand to help with any queries you may have regarding thermal bridging and how to prevent it. You can also keep up to date with all things Armatherm™on the news section of our website where we upload case studies, latest projects and the latest industry news and updates.