How to Guide

1. PRODUCT NAME
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Extruded Polystyrene
Foam (XPS) Square Edge Insulation
2. MANUFACTURER
The Dow Chemical Company
Dow Building Solutions
200 Larkin Center,
Midland, MI 48674
1-866-583-BLUE (2583)
Fax [phone]
dowbuildingsolutions.com
3. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge
Insulation is an extruded polystyrene foam
insulation board that meets the needs of
the commercial foundation and building
floor slab market. This insulation can also
be used for attics, foundations/slabs and
crawl spaces in residential applications.
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge Extruded
Polystyrene Foam (XPS) Insulation has
more than 60 years of proven performance
in wet environments. The closed-cell
structure of STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square
Edge Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS)
Insulation resists water pickup, enabling
it to retain a high R-value* over time – a
necessary property in wet, below-grade
commercial foundation applications.
Basic Use
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge
Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS)
Insulation helps protect foundation damp-
proofing and waterproofing, especially
during backfilling. It also provides a
secondary barrier against groundwater
leakage. With STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square
Edge Insulation, freeze-thaw cycling
of the foundation wall is minimized,
reducing the potential for cracking. And
a warmer foundation can reduce the
potential for condensation.
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge Insulation
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge
Insulation can be used against commercial
interior walls and exterior foundation
walls in above- and below-grade
applications. STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square
Edge Insulation can be used under the slab
or over the deck or subfloor. STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge Insulation is suitable
for use in pervious, semi-pervious and
practically impervious soils.
Sizes
Square Edge
Width and length: 2’ x 8’ and 4’ x 8’
Thickness: .75”, 1”, 1.5”, 2”, 2.5”, 3”, 4”
Not all product sizes are available in all
parts of the country. Contact your local
Dow representative for details.
4. TECHNICAL DATA
Applicable Standards
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge
Insulation meets ASTM C578, Type IV –
Standard Specification for Rigid Cellular
Polystyrene Thermal Insulation. Applicable
standards include:
• C518–StandardTestMethodforSteady-
State Thermal Transmission Properties by
Means of the Heat Flow Meter Apparatus
• D1621–StandardTestMethodfor
Compressive Properties of Rigid
Cellular Plastics
• E96–StandardTestMethodsforWater
Vapor Transmission of Materials
• D696–StandardTestMethodfor
Coecient of Linear Thermal Expansion
of Plastics Between -30°C and 30°C with
a Vitreous Silica Dilatometer
• C203–StandardTestMethodsfor
Breaking Load and Flexural Properties of
Block-Type Thermal Insulation
• D2126–StandardTestMethodfor
Response of Rigid Cellular Plastics to
Thermal and Humid Aging
• C272–StandardTestMethodfor
Water Absorption of Core Materials for
Structural Sandwich Constructions
Code Compliances
STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge Insulation
complies with the following codes:
• InternationalResidentialCode(IRC)
and International Building Code (IBC)
See ESR-2142
• UnderwritersLaboratories,Inc.(UL)
Classified, see Classification Certificate
D369
(1) R-values are consistent with criteria of ASTM C578 and the requirements of the FTC R-value rule (16 CFR Part 460).
(2) Vertical compressive strength is measured at 10 percent deformation or at yield, whichever occurs first.
(3) Based on 1” thickness.
*R means resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the
greater the insulating power. R-value determined by ASTM C518.
TABLE 1: Physical Properties of STYROFOAM
™
Brand Square Edge Insulation
Property And Test Method Value
Thermal Resistance
(1)
per inch, ASTM C518, ft
2
•h•°F/Btu, R-value, min.
@ 75°F mean temp.
@ 40°F mean temp.
@ 25°F mean temp.
5.0
5.4
5.6
Compressive Strength
(2)
, ASTM D1621, psi, min. 25
Water Absorption, ASTM C272, % by volume, max. 0.3
Water Vapor Permeance
(3)
, ASTM E96, perm, max. 1.5
Maximum Use Temperature, °F 165
Coefcient of Linear Thermal Expansion, ASTM D696, in/in•°F 3.5  10
-5
Flexural Strength, ASTM C203, psi, min. 50
PRODUCT INFORMATION | United States | COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL