Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 14.8:
Climatic materials from animal products
Material
Composition
Areas of use
Woollen loose fill
Wool (can be impregnated against
moths)
Sealant, thermal insulation
Woollen matting
Wool (can be impregnated against
moths)
Thermal insulation
Woollen sheeting
Wool (can be mixed with hair from
other animals, plant fibres and
impregnated against moths)
Sound insulation against impact
noise, thermal insulation, sealant
Woollen building paper
Wool (can be mixed with recycled
paper)
Sound insulation against impact
noise, balancing of relative
humidity, covering of loose
insulation
Asphalt paper
Woollen sheeting and bitumen
Roofing felt, sarking
loses its elasticity as it dries out. It can be boiled before use to reduce the amount
of substances subject to attack from micro-organisms.
Moss stops air penetration when compressed, and prevents moisture penetra-
tion, as it is very hygroscopic and able to swell. It can absorb large amounts of
damp without reaching the critical value for the materials next to the moss. These
properties make moss useful as a substance that can absorb or regulate moisture
on external walls.
There are two types of moss:
Hylocomium splendens
and
Rhytriadiadelphus squar-
rosum
. The latter is considered the best, as it can last up to 200 to 300 years as a
sealing material in a log wall without losing its main functional properties.
Sphagnum is a less durable moss.
Materials based on animal products
Climatic materials obtained from animals are hair, wool and hide. Reindeer
skins have been widely used as insulation, especially amongst the Lapps.
Animal fibres are high-quality thermal insulators and very good moisture-reg-
ulators.
The most widespread use of animals today is as the main ingredient for wool-
based building papers and as thermal matting. It has also been used as an under-
lay for internal rendering and as sealing for joints.
Woollen matting competes with mineral wool as thermal insulation. The pro-
ducts often contain boric acid to prevent insect attack. In some cases, questionable
