Insulated metal wall panels being installed

How Do Insulated Metal Wall Panels Work?

In the construction industry, new building materials are regularly developed and adopted. While some are designed to make the job easier, others offer lasting benefits. One innovative type of building material that provides both is insulated metal panels.

These revolutionary wall panels are prefabricated, so they are much easier to work with than traditional building materials, but that is where the benefits begin. They are seamless and visually appealing and offer outstanding thermal insulation and structural strength.

Today, we will look at how insulated metal wall panels work and why you should incorporate them into your next architectural project. From there, we will highlight one of the best options on the market today.

What are Insulated Metal Wall Panels?

Before we explain how they work, it’s worth taking a few moments to explain what they are and how they differ from other types of wall panels. As the name implies, insulated metal wall panels are prefabricated wall panels with sheet metal exteriors and an insulated core.

The outer metal plating gives the wall panels their strength and rigidity while also making it easier to fasten them to the structural framework of the building.

The insulating inner core can be made from various materials, but the primary purpose is to offer thermal resistance. This prevents outside temperatures from impacting the interior environment.

How Do Insulated Metal Wall Panels Work?

Insulated metal wall panels being installed on frame of industrial building

As we discussed, insulated metal wall panels are becoming commonplace in many building applications because they offer numerous benefits. To help you understand both their appeal and how they work, here is a basic breakdown of how they achieve their primary functions:

Effective Thermal Insulation

Thermal insulation snowflake and sun symbol

Insulated wall panels are engineered to provide an all-in-one weather and temperature-resistant barrier. They achieve this by using a specialized insulating core held securely in place by high-strength metal outer layers. The use of densely packed core materials with a high R-value is the key to the insulating performance of the metal panels.

In addition to using core materials that prevent heat transfer, insulated metal wall panels minimize heat loss by acting as a seamless barrier. Where other insulating materials usually have gaps that allow heat to flow from one side to the other, the best-insulated panels create a continuous barrier when installed correctly.

Whether the aim is to maintain cold or hot indoor temperatures, high-quality insulated panels help maintain a stable environment by reducing temperature transfer from one side of the insulated panel to the other.

By reducing heat transfer, they can minimize interior temperature fluctuations, which is why they are useful for such a wide range of commercial, industrial, residential, and agricultural applications.

Since they reduce heat transfer from one side of the insulated panel to the other, they also help reduce energy costs. For example, if you were cooling an interior space while it was hot outside, insulated metal wall panels could prevent heat transfer from outside to inside. This would mean a reduced need for air conditioning and lower energy consumption.

Providing Structural Integrity

Unlike rigid insulation boards, which are lightweight foam boards that provide an easy-to-work alternative to spray foam and mineral wool, they can also contribute to the structural integrity of a building.

Other forms of insulation must be sandwiched between other building materials in an interior cavity, as they are not strong enough to stand on their own. On the other hand, an insulated metal panel is engineered to act as an insulator and workable building material.

They achieve this by using high-strength metal outer layers. While most still need to be fixed to a structural framework, they are strong enough to withstand various external forces, including wind and direct physical impacts.

This means they can actually act as a functional outer wall surface while offering high thermal resistance.

In addition to using metal outer surfaces that have respectable load-bearing capacity and impact strength, the best options also use a dense core material, improving the wall panel’s overall durability.

The real key to their versatility as a building material is that they can act as both an insulating layer and a practical wall facing. The best options also feature eye-catching metal finishes on both sides of the panel, offering aesthetic value and performance.

Reliable Moisture and Mildew Resistance

Another critical feature of a high-quality insulated wall panel is its ability to withstand the test of time. The best options have a lasting resistance to moisture, which prevents the buildup of mould and mildew.

These insulated metal panels keep moisture out and are much easier to clean and maintain than traditional building materials.

Since the inner core offers high thermal performance and the outer surface provides high moisture resistance, they are suitable for use in facilities where strict sanitation standards must be met. This includes food packing and preparation facilities, agricultural buildings, breweries, abattoirs, and wineries.

Looking for the Best Option? Introducing Isowall Insulated Wall Panels

While most insulated metal wall panels are designed for the same primary purpose, they can vary in quality and performance. Isowall Insulated Wall Panels are designed with a rigid expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam core that offers exceptional thermal resistance.

They also featured a laminated steel sheet exterior bonded on both sides of the panel. This allows the panels to act as a double-sided wall facing that is reliable, durable, and versatile.

Isowall Image

Isowall panels, like G-90 hot-dipped galvanized steel outer surfaces, are made from high-quality materials and permanently bonded EPS cores. They are also produced in a continuous lamination line, which ensures flawless quality.

 

The profile of the panels can also be tailored to your needs, meaning it can be smooth or embossed with a micro rib pattern.

The Isowall system excels in how easy it is to work with. Each wall panel features tongue-and-groove edges that can be connected for a seamless and secure fit.

Despite their high strength and outstanding quality as insulators, the wall panels are also incredibly lightweight and can be custom-tailored to any size. They are so easy to work with that you can even field-cut them to accommodate windows, vents, and other features.

If you are ready to learn more about Isowall Insulated Wall Panels, we encourage you to reach out by clicking the link below:

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Final Words

The best-insulated metal wall panels act as an effective thermal barrier, structurally sound building material, and uniform wall facing that can be used indoors and outdoors.

No matter what type of facility you are constructing, consider Isowall Insulated Wall Panels for your project. Read our Isowall Leaflet to learn more about their specifications and benefits.