Consumables

BASF insulation material Neopor for set construction and decorative interior insulation

Wednesday 09. December 2009 - The film set designer Artrockz, Germany uses Neopor, the expandable polystyrene (EPS) from BASF, to produce surface facings for decorative structures. The facings are used in film and television sets as well as decorative interior insulation in private residential buildings.

The panels, which look fully three-dimensional with a relief surface, are replica models of bricks and quarry stones and can realistically recreate walls, roofs, and floors. So far, Neopor has been used primarily to insulate the facades of old and new buildings. The gray beads are an advanced version of the white classic insulation material Styropor (EPS).

Artrockz foams Neopor using special self-developed molds at the company Storopack to create panels with a natural stone look. The foamed imitation masonry is noted for its natural-looking, detailed structures. Thanks to the fine-pored surface, the panels can easily be reworked or painted with wall paint. Individual coloring is possible using all commercially available and solvent-free indoor paints and facade paints. The material is easy to cut and can be attached to substructures, for example with commercially available dispersion adhesive. This means that a film set can be constructed quickly, and solid, durable interior insulation can be individually designed.
The decoration products can also be used in shop-fitting and trade fair construction, as stage structures in theaters or at concerts. The panels are sold internationally under the name “The Wall” by the company Gerriets, which specializes in theater and stage production equipment. In Germany, Artrockz also works together with the painter cooperative association MEG Süd-West, which sells building materials to tradespeople.

Insulation material for energy-efficient applications
BASF manufactures Neopor as small black beads of expandable polystyrene (EPS). Processors foam up the beads and process them into silver-gray blocks and molded parts for various applications, in particular for insulating buildings. Insulation materials made from Neopor are silver-gray because it contains graphite which increases the insulating performance by up to 20 percent. This saves heating costs and enhances the value of buildings in an environmentally friendly way.