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Masterwall Polystyrene insulation wall panel helps boost home - energy ratings

The product has been embraced by many Australian residential architects and builders, because it is lightweight, easy to install, and provides the ideal foundation for a smooth, even and weatherproof acrylic render finish.

Polystyrene panels have been used in residential construction with great success in Europe and the USA for more than 20 years, where the product's inherent thermal-insulating qualities are now well recognised.

Sandy McPherson, Managing Director of MasterWall Pty Ltd, says that while some Australian builders are adopting a “wait and see” approach to polystyrene cladding, many are now discovering the benefits of this new approach to building.

The panel can be quickly and easily applied directly to an exterior stud wall using a combination of special screw fasteners and an approved construction urethane sealant.

This leaves the wall cavity clear for additional insulation if desired, further boosting the energy efficiency of the wall.

“The builders who are using the product like it because it's easy to cut, easy to install and it's not as heavy as other forms of exterior cladding.” Sandy said. “They're also getting really good results in the form of smooth and even acrylic render finish”.

According to Sandy, one of the other advantages of the MasterWall^® ready-to-render insulation panel is that it's prepared with a fibreglass-reinforced cementitious coating, making the panel strong and flexible, while eliminating the need to apply these elements in-situ prior to acrylic rendering.

“This eliminates two stages of the conventional acrylic render process, resulting in significant time savings and reducing on-site labour costs, ” he said.