MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I've been dismantling a cold store type barn ~300m2 in footprint. I have exposed the makeup of the floor and it looks like there is a screed ~50mm thick below the floor tiles, a DPM/VCL and then 100mm of Celotex insulation. It would be great to reclaim this insulation as it is expensive and would save on waste. Does anyone know how I can go about extracting the insulation intact without it taking forever? I have attached a photo, this is the worst bit as it was below an exterior door. The rest looks like it was built yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Do you have a fork lift or tractor with forks? Jam under the screed and lift! You might achieve the same effect with a 6' pry bar and something to pivot on. Otherwise bfo sledge hammer and see if the screed will crack up in manageable pieces. Assisted by that nice orange crow bar. Then shift, peel of the vcl and reclaim all that lovely pir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Thanks Onoff, I have a fork lift paying me a visit soon so I can ask them to try that. I fear the sledge hammer will do too much damage to the insulation. The 300m2 would also be pretty daunting by hand. I had wondered about using a walk behind saw to cut rectangles and lift using concrete anchor eyes. Even that would take a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Davies Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 You can't re-use at least some of it in situ for your build? Put another 200mm of EPS on top of it, perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Nice idea Ed Davies, but the foundations etc will be very different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I would use my mini excavator, park on top of the screed and get your teeth under the edge and lift, flip all the bits on top of the screed and sweep the loose off the insulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 There is a fair bulk of screed there too. If you can chuck it down for the base of a road and track it in it may be better than muckaway. Is the blue stuff another layer of insulation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Quote I would use my mini excavator Russel griffiths, you must be pretty nifty with it as it would scare me trying to get the right height without gouging the insulation.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 What about smacking something like a wood grenade into the slab to crack it? Be a pita if it's got mesh in it. You'd only get localised, easily repairable damage then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 (edited) Quote If you can chuck it down for the base of a road and track it in it may be better than muckaway. I like your thinking Mr Punter, can screed become MOT Type 1 as I need plenty of that? Quote Is the blue stuff another layer of insulation? The photo is probably a bit confusing. I think you're referring to a thin draft strip in a metal channel that the perspective makes look thick. Edited October 29, 2019 by MortarThePoint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Quote Be a pita if it's got mesh in it. I'd thought of that and think that would be the end of the road as it would then takes ages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 A road saw will cut that up into your rectangles pretty quick. Won't be cheap by the time you factor in the blade and the hire of the saw though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Quote A road saw will cut that up into your rectangles pretty quick. Won't be cheap by the time you factor in the blade and the hire of the saw though. Speedy look to do one for about £110 a week, but I don't know about the blade. I think it would take an age to lift all the rectangles though. If they were 1m2 they would weigh about 100kg each and there would be 300 of them. That's 5 hours if it took only a minute to shift each one and I think it would be more 5 five minutes each though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 49 minutes ago, MortarThePoint said: Russel griffiths, you must be pretty nifty with it as it would scare me trying to get the right height without gouging the insulation.? I would chuck a chunk of 18mm ply on top of the insulation, slide your bucket across the surface quickly and stab into the screed face, then lift sweep surface and repeat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Quote I would chuck a chunk of 18mm ply on top of the insulation Nice idea, I've got lots of 18mm ply as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 Thank you for all the suggestions. I gave it a try using a mini digger and after about 2.5 hours I had freed up 5 whole panels and 2 half panels so I'd say it's it's not worth the effort. The panels are not it great condition either, but will hopefully be useful for something. It was interesting to see that the interface between the panels and the underlying concrete was completely wet. Some pictures of how I got on: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, MortarThePoint said: Thank you for all the suggestions. I gave it a try using a mini digger and after about 2.5 hours I had freed up 5 whole panels and 2 half panels so I'd say it's it's not worth the effort. The panels are not it great condition either, but will hopefully be useful for something. It was interesting to see that the interface between the panels and the underlying concrete was completely wet. Some pictures of how I got on: Tbh if you just lay a bit of pir on a cold concrete surface, like a drive, the underside will get wet. I'd say keep going, how big an area has pir underneath? That's a good few quid a sheet that. You can always repair pir with expanding foam and heavy duty Bacofoil and silver tape. Edited November 9, 2019 by Onoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 (edited) The total area is 300m2 (~100 panels) so it would take about 5 days (~40 hours) to liberate the lot. As new it would be worth a pretty penny, but in this sort of condition there are occasional listings on eBay at around £10 a panel. I wouldn't need that much and I've already learnt that I can't chase every opportunity even when it's tempting to do so. I hate to have it go to waste, so I will talk to the demo guys about whether they can get it out faster with a 20 ton digger. Edited November 9, 2019 by MortarThePoint typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 1 hour ago, MortarThePoint said: The total area is 300m2 (~100 panels) so it would take about 5 days (~40 hours) to liberate the lot. As new it would be worth a pretty penny, but in this sort of condition there are occasional listings on eBay at around £10 a panel. I wouldn't need that much and I've already learnt that I can't chase every opportunity even when it's tempting to do so. I hate to have it go to waste, so I will talk to the demo guys about whether they can get it out faster with a 20 ton digger. All fair points. Do what you feel best. (I just hate waste). I'd be weighing the job up in terms of diesel used rather than my time. Dont forget to store those panels weighted or otherwise secured against them taking off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 Well the demolition guys did a pretty good job of lifting all that 100mm Celotex. Most of the foil has come off and many are a bit curvy. I think its GA4100. It's going a bit brown in the sun and rain, but I guess that's only on the surface. The garage plan uses 100mm mineral wool insulation in a 100mm cavity. I am wondering about the merit of ripping this down to 450mm wide slabs and widening the cavity to 150mm to include this. It would save about £1000 and make use of about half of this pile. I think if I had to add the foil back on it would end up being more hassle than it's worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Have you tried chucking it on Facebook i sold all our old insulation like that, saved a lot of faff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MortarThePoint Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 I am tempted as it is out of the way then. It may be more possible now given the lockdown being eased slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 7 minutes ago, MortarThePoint said: Well the demolition guys did a pretty good job of lifting all that 100mm Celotex. Most of the foil has come off and many are a bit curvy. I think its GA4100. It's going a bit brown in the sun and rain, but I guess that's only on the surface. The garage plan uses 100mm mineral wool insulation in a 100mm cavity. I am wondering about the merit of ripping this down to 450mm wide slabs and widening the cavity to 150mm to include this. It would save about £1000 and make use of about half of this pile. I think if I had to add the foil back on it would end up being more hassle than it's worth. Table saw if you do rip them down I would, with dust extraction. I've spray glued extra strong Bacofoil onto boards before where the foil has come off. Works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 It looks like it would be OK under a concrete slab, protected by polythene. Left exposed it will get damaged v. quickly. I would not want them as cavity wall insulation. Nor would Building Control as the foil does a moisture // heat reflecting / fire resistance job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADLIan Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 +1 to the above. Note the damaged foil will adversely affect the lambda value of the foam and will not give a low emisivity surface anymore. The foil does nothing for the fire performance, look at Grenfell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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