rubber as an insulator

fclauson

Given the thermal properties of rubber - has anyone ever looked at putting crumbed rubber tyres into a wall as the insulator ?

muffler

Is this something you have seen or just an idea you have?

fclauson

muffler wrote: »

Is this something you have seen or just an idea you have?

just an idea - was reading how good rubber might be - and given the diversity of thought on this board I thought I would ask

FesterBeatty

fclauson wrote: »

Given the thermal properties of rubber - has anyone ever looked at putting crumbed rubber tyres into a wall as the insulator ?

I would imagine widespread use would prove prohibitively expensive (?) . Could be good though!

CJhaughey

I would think the main issue would be fire resistance, given that rubber burns hot and is quite hard to stop burning I can't see it getting approved easily.

muffler

CJhaughey wrote: »

I would think the main issue would be fire resistance, given that rubber burns hot and is quite hard to stop burning I can't see it getting approved easily.

Yeah, that would be my main concern also.

sinnerboy

There was a Grand Designs episode where a couple used old tyres rammed with earth to form an embankment wall. They built in France where a more "on head your be it" approach to building control is employed ( according to the TV programme anyhow ) . UK building control would never accept it ( again according to TV ) .

As usual , the programme glossed over certain key technical items such as how the earth/tyre retaining wall remained dry.....

I suppose that in theory one could argue that recycled tyres could be minced and used as cavity fill. Cost I expect is a factor i.e. one could not produce enough of the stuff at a competitive price to challenged the established and certified products.

If you were a wealthy hippy with no lender to satisfy ( your own or your future purchasers ) then maybe. Otherwise - interesting thought but not practical to pursue it.

gears

Not exactly what you ment I think but tyres have been used before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthship

gman2k

Installers of astro turf pitches use crumbed tyres by the tonne load.
I'll check into it to see where they are sourced and pricing.

Tyres are an unusual product as
1. Consumer pays for the tyre.
2. Consumer pays a disposal charge for the tyre.
3. Tyres are then sold as a resource to be crumbed.
4. Crumbed tyre sold to astro turf suppliers etc.
5. Consumer pays again to play on astro turf on his disposed tyre!

beyondpassive

fclauson wrote: »

Given the thermal properties of rubber - has anyone ever looked at putting crumbed rubber tyres into a wall as the insulator ?

Rubber tyres are used as retaing walls in Earthship houses. I use Neoprene as a thermal isolator between cold steel and warm steel, as a thermal isolator.

Rubber has a conductivity similar to hardwood, so not very good. Its the entrained air bubbles in insulation that give it conductivity. Aerogels are similar enough to rubber but with airbubbles, very expensive though.

creedp

gman2k wrote: »

Installers of astro turf pitches use crumbed tyres by the tonne load.
I'll check into it to see where they are sourced and pricing.

Tyres are an unusual product as
1. Consumer pays for the tyre.
2. Consumer pays a disposal charge for the tyre.
3. Tyres are then sold as a resource to be crumbed.
4. Crumbed tyre sold to astro turf suppliers etc.
5. Consumer pays again to play on astro turf on his disposed tyre!

At the rate my smax goes through front tyres I'd say I would have enough rubber for an av 3 bed within a couple of years:)