Panels in production
Panel thickness is calculated from the room temperature, the temperature difference across the panel and the local climate. It is not chosen by habit — an over-thick panel wastes investment, a thin one costs electricity for the life of the room.
Thickness, core, joint and surface. Each one is set by the room, not by a price list.
| Decision | Set by | If it is wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | Room temperature, temperature difference, local climate, running hours | Too thin: high heat gain, the unit runs long, the outer face condenses or frosts |
| Core | Insulation requirement, fire class, water absorption, budget | High absorption or low density: performance decays over years and cannot be restored |
| Joint type | Room size, lifting method, whether it will be relocated | Wrong joint: cold bridging at the seams, condensation, slow assembly |
| Surface | Hygiene class, washdown, corrosive exposure | Ordinary steel in a food room: corrosion, cleaning cannot be completed, hygiene audit fails |
The four are decided together at design stage. Changing one after the panels are made means remaking them.
| Symptom | Usual cause |
|---|---|
| Floor heaves and cracks | Vapour barrier damaged; soil moisture below freezes and expands |
| Local frost on the floor | Missing or insufficient insulation; a cold bridge |
| Floor permanently damp | Barrier detailed incorrectly, or falls running the wrong way |
| Heave that cannot be reversed | Once frost heave has formed, the floor has to be rebuilt |
Floor insulation and the vapour barrier are the two items most often cut to save cost, and the two that cannot be fixed later without demolishing the room.
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