Glass Wool vs Mineral Wool: Which Is Best for Insulation?

Insulating your home and making it heat efficient has become a necessity for any property. Insulating your walls prevents heat from passing through, which means you'll save on your energy bills and enjoy a much more comfortable home year-round. 

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

When installing insulation, materials often used include glass wool or mineral wool insulation, which are cheaper alternatives to foam insulation. Both types of wool insulation are popular among contractors, and are suitable for a range of uses including cavity walls, but which one really is best for insulation? 

Mineral wool insulation comes out on top over glass wool insulation in many aspects; however, glass wool is more affordable and effectively does much the same job. So, the answer to which one is better depends on your needs and budget.

To help you choose between the two type, let's check out the benefits and drawbacks of both types of wool thermal insulation. 

What Is Glass Wool Insulation? 

Glass wool, also known as fibreglass insulation or glass mineral wool, comes from glass fibres. Manufacturers create these fibres by heating the glass until it melts, then spin it quickly to create thin, hair-like glass fibres. These fibres are then gathered to become an effective insulation material. 

When packed together, these glass fibres create little air pockets to act as a barrier to heat. Since air is a poor conductor of heat, it helps trap the heat in its place and prevent it from entering or exiting the room. Glass wool comes in rolls, batts, loose-fill, and within insulation boards. 

Main Benefits of Glass Wool Insulation 

1. In most cases, glass wool is more affordable than mineral wool. 
2. Glass wool is highly sustainable and has a low impact on the environment.
3. Glass wool insulates your home efficiently and reduces your energy bills. 
4. The thickness of glass wool allows it to be installed almost anywhere. 
5. Due to its thickness and affordable price, glass wool can be installed in large areas without costing a fortune. 

Main Drawbacks of Glass Wool Insulation

1. It tends to gather moisture, which could harbour mould, mildew, fungi, and bacteria.
2. The installation process of glass wool is harder than mineral wool, since it's softer and more malleable.

What Is Mineral Wool Insulation? 

Sometimes referred to as stone wool, rock mineral wool, or rock wool, mineral wool insulation is created from raw materials like volcanic rock and stones. 

These raw materials go through a melting process similar to that of glass wool. The material is melted, spun into fibres, and then packed into batts, rolls, or slabs. 

To tell them apart, you'll notice that the mineral wool has a grey colour from the rocks and stones used to create it. As for the glass wool, it has a distinguishable yellow tinge due to the curing agent. 

Main Benefits of Mineral Wool 

1. Mineral wool is fairly easy to install because of its stiff nature.
2. It's relatively denser and thicker than glass wool, which makes it a great soundproof acoustic insulator. 
3. It's highly resistant to fire and moisture.
4. Mineral wool provides excellent heat insulation to lower your energy bills throughout the year. 

Main Drawbacks of Mineral Wool

1. Sometimes mineral wool doesn't fit in certain places because it's thicker than glass wool. 
2. Mineral wool is more expensive than glass wool, so using it to install insulation over large areas will have cost implications.

Glass Wool vs. Mineral: Which One Is Better for Insulation? 

Now that you know how to differentiate between them, which one should you choose to insulate your home? 

Good thermal and acoustic insulation are among the 7 main considerations we outline below that should help you decide which insulation material you should use.  

1. R-Value

The most important factor in any insulator is its R-value. A material's capacity to resist heat flow at a given thickness is measured by its R-value. The higher the R-value of the material, the better its thermal performance, energy efficiency, and suitability as an insulation product. 

When comparing glass wool and mineral wool insulators, you'll find that there's a slight difference between their R-values and therefore their thermal efficiency. 

Glass wool has an R-value of 2.2 to 2.7 per inch, while mineral wool has an R-value of 3 to 3.3 per inch. This means that a mineral wool insulator is a little better at resisting heat flow than its glass wool alternative. 

Higher R-value: Mineral wool insulation

2.Sustainability

Both insulators are made out of materials that exist abundantly in nature, such as sand and rocks. However, glass wool consists of 85% recycled glass and 15% sand, which makes it highly sustainable and environmentally friendly. 

On the other hand, mineral wool is made of recycled slag, stones, and rocks. Although the percentage of recycled materials that go into mineral wool production isn't as high as that of glass wool, it's still incredibly sustainable, too. 

Mineral wool production has a lower carbon footprint than that of glass wool. Additionally, even though glass wool could technically be recycled, there isn't a clear system in the UK to put used glass wool back into the industrial cycle. 

So, with all factors considered, mineral wool is the more sustainable option.

Higher Sustainability: Mineral wool insulation

3. Acoustic Insulation

Whether you live on a busy street, have noisy neighbours, partition walls, or want to soundproof your home studio, you'll need insulation materials that provide effective acoustic insulation. 

Since mineral wool is much denser than glass wool, generally it has a better ability to prevent sound from travelling in or out of a property. Glass wool may also double as a sound absorber, but it just doesn't perform as well as mineral wool since the glass fibres are less dense. 

Higher Sound Insulation: Mineral wool insulation

4. Cost

Prices may vary depending on the exact product and brand you use. However, glass wool generally costs around 10% less than mineral wool.

If you're on a tight budget and want to reduce your costs, opting for fibreglass instead of stone wool may be the more cost effective option. It'll do pretty much the same job and minimise heat loss for a lesser price. 

Also, residential and commercial places in cities with moderate temperatures all year long don't require high-heat insulation. 

If you live somewhere that doesn't experience huge swings in temperature throughout the different seasons, you may not really need the higher cost mineral wool insulation. Glass wool would possibly be a much better cost effective option. 

Lower Cost: Glass wool insulation

5. Moisture Resistance

Moisture is known to be one of the biggest reasons for property damage. Once it seeps in, it creates a welcoming environment for mould, mildew, fungi, and plenty of other infestations. 

So, if it tends to rain a lot where you live, or if your property is constantly subjected to moisture, you need a powerful line of defence. 

Between glass wool and mineral wool insulation, the latter is much more resistant to moisture. Glass wool can get damp if exposed to high moisture, which won't only cause infestations but also decrease its insulation properties. 

When choosing between both materials for home insulation, mineral wool insulation is a clear winner when it comes to repelling moisture, though in some instances it may still be necessary to add a separate vapour barrier.

Higher Moisture Resistance: Mineral wool insulation

6. Fire Resistance

Both glass wool and mineral wool insulation are non-combustible and can highly resist fires. However, the ability of mineral wool insulation to resist fire is far better than glass wool.

That is why mineral wool insulation is sometimes used as a fire stopper to limit fires from spreading. 

The reason behind that difference is the melting point of each material. Both materials are classified as Euroclass A1 Non-Combustible. This means they can both withstand high heat, but to what extent? 

The melting point of fibreglass wool is 400 ', which is relatively high. The melting point of mineral wool, on the other hand, goes up to '. Such a high boiling point means that mineral wool could withstand more than twice as much heat.

So, if fire resistance is of utmost importance to you, install mineral wool insulation for better performance.

Higher Fire Resistance: Mineral wool insulation

7. Install Insulation Process

The installation process of both materials is quite similar. All you need to do is cut the wool in the desired size and install it on your walls or floors. But which material is easier to handle? 

Mineral wool is thicker and heavier since it's denser than glass wool. However, that high-density structure makes mineral wool relatively firm and easier to cut and install. Its rigidity makes it suitable for friction fitting which can simplify the installation process.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Linghui.

As for glass wool, it's lighter and thinner than mineral wool. This makes it too loose and limp to cut precisely and install exactly where you need it. 

If you'll be doing your construction or renovation project by yourself, opt for mineral insulation. However, if the space doesn't allow for thick materials, glass wool is usually your better option. 

Easier Installation Process: Mineral wool insulation

Insulation Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular insulation material? 

When it comes to insulating houses and flats, people typically opt for cellulose, fibreglass, or open-cell spray foam. Of these three insulations, the most popular one is fibreglass insulation, since it can be used in a range of situations, including loft insulation, insulating between timber frame walls,

Not only is this type of insulation available and effective, but it's also relatively affordable compared to other insulation methods. It is perhaps the most straightforward to install and could be attempted by the person even with the most basic DIY skills.

What is the cheapest, most effective insulation? 

Expanded Polystyrene, or EPS, is the cheapest material to insulate your place effectively. In fact, EPS scores the highest R-value per pound compared to other insulating materials. For that reason, many people choose EPS to protect their homes. 

Glass wool insulation is still relatively cheap, though, and performs excellently.

What material has the highest insulation value? 

Among all the different materials used for insulation, vacuum-insulated panels have the highest R-value. The reason for the stellar performance of vacuum-insulated panels is that they have minimal, if not zero, atoms to conduct any heat.

Their heat-insulating performance can last anywhere from 30 to 50 years, so you won't need to worry about replacing them any time soon. 

Glass Wool vs Mineral Wool ' Which Is Best For Insulation?

Now that you know the difference between the two main types of wool insulation, you should be able to select the right insulating material for your project.

Mineral wool insulators are a fantastic choice and good alternative to other materials like spray foam insulation. However, when being used to cover large surfaces, such as wall cavities or internal walls, this can sometimes be overly expensive. If you don't want to run the risk of going above your budget, fibreglass insulators are an excellent thermal and acoustic insulation alternative with a much more affordable price tag.

If you still need help adding insulation, no worries; we've got you. As the UK's number one resource for all things insulation, we at will help you find the best insulation contractor in your area. Get your free quote with us, and we'll take it from there. 

Get Your Insulation Quote

Mar. 14,

Glass wool insulation products and rock wool insulation products have now become the main insulation materials. Household needs, industrial needs, and major businesses also use various insulation materials. Can you tell the difference between glass wool and rock wool? Are their performance and their uses? In the current market, many people do not know which kind of venue uses glass wool and which kind of rock wool? Here Huamei Glass Wool and you break down the use and difference between the two in detail.

Order glasswool or rockwool now

1. The difference in production performance:

Glass wool has a lower specific weight than rock wool, low content of slag balls, low thermal conductivity, long service life, and high fiber toughness. However, the maximum temperature of rock wool is about 600°C, and glass wool is only about 260°C.

  Glass Wool     

Glass wool uses glass as the main raw material, and it is a glass thin-flow fiber that is subjected to high-speed centrifugation and high-temperature stretching. Glass wool has a low bulk density, high fiber toughness, low thermal conductivity, porous, and relatively high-temperature resistance, about 260 degrees; rock wool board is made of basalt as the main raw material, inorganic fibers made by high temperature melting and high speed centrifugal melting. Due to the different raw materials, the rock wool board has a relatively high bulk density, and has the characteristics of acid and alkali resistance, heat absorption, non-combustibility and high temperature resistance (high temperature resistance of about 600 degrees).

Order glasswool or rockwool now

Glass wool has a high temperature resistance of about 260 degrees. Based on this, it is mostly used for the insulation of buildings and low-temperature pipelines. Rock wool board is about 600 degrees of high temperature resistance. It is mostly used for the insulation of high-temperature thermal pipes or electrical equipment, as well as fire insulation on external walls. material.

     

Glass Wool 

2. Differences in product use:

Glass wool is generally used for insulation at temperatures below 200°C. It is mostly used for insulation of general buildings or low-temperature pipelines. Rock wool is generally used for insulation at temperatures of 50°C. It is mostly used for thermal insulation of high-temperature thermal pipes or electrical equipment.

From the data of materials and other aspects, it is used for thermal insulation and fire-proofing sites. Rock wool can be used as thermal insulation and fire protection for sites that require special high-temperature resistance. From the perspective of cost savings, if the site is not high in heat resistance, Ordinary thermal insulation can use glass wool, like the roof insulation of the factory building, glass insulation can be used for wall insulation; such as large industrial pipes for fire insulation, it is more reasonable to use rock wool!

Order glasswool or rockwool now

3. In addition, Glass Wool and rock wool also have certain differences in terms of production technology:

Glass wool belongs to a kind of artificial inorganic fiber. It uses quartz sand, limestone, dolomite, and other natural ore as the main raw materials, and uses some soda ash, borax and other chemical raw materials to melt into the glass. In the melted state, they are blown into flocculent fine fibers by means of external force blowing. The fibers and fibers are three-dimensionally intertwined and entangled with each other, showing many small gaps. This gap can be regarded as a pore, so glass wool can be regarded as a porous material, which has good thermal insulation and sound absorption properties, such as Glass Wool Batts.

Rock wool products are made of delicate basalt as the main raw material. After being melted at high temperatures, inorganic fibers are made from high-speed centrifugal equipment, and then special adhesives and dust-proof oil are added. The fibers are laid on a swing belt and the fiber arrangement structure is changed by special equipment. A new lightweight insulation material made by curing and shaping.

The above is the difference between glass wool and rock wool, I hope to help everyone.

Order glasswool or rockwool now

The company is the world’s best glass wool tube supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.