Armatherm Structural

Thermal Break Products

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 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 4X4″ 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 1/16 of an inch tolerance. Armatherm washers and bushings can be added to the connection to further improve the connection 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 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 4X8″ 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. 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 ArmaGirt 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 to achieve high performance connection insulation with mounted cladding or sliding but is much more efficient than its steel counterparts. The non-conductive ArmaGirt 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.