Insulating material—most commonly referred to as insulation in construction—determines the thermal, acoustic, and fire-safety performance of structures. In deconstruction, during strip-out, and in concrete demolition, these materials influence the choice of method and tools. Especially for composite components with concrete, masonry, or reinforced concrete, a well-thought-out approach is crucial so that separation cuts, demolition, and clean separation by material type are carried out efficiently and safely. Tools such as concrete pulverizers or stone and concrete splitters from Darda GmbH are frequently used when concrete and insulation layers have to be separated from each other or components must be broken down in a controlled manner.
Definition: What is meant by insulating material
Insulating materials are substances that reduce heat and/or sound transmission, diminish electrical conductivity, or protect against fire and moisture. In building construction and civil engineering, they are used as thermal insulation in façades and roofs, as sound insulation in partition walls and floors, as fire protection in service shafts, and as technical insulation on lines, vessels, and tanks. Typical forms are boards, mats, shells, loose-fill flakes, and rigid foam cores in sandwich elements. Their properties are described, among other things, by thermal conductivity, bulk density, water absorption, and behavior under fire exposure.
Material groups and their properties
Depending on requirements, mineral, synthetic, or bio-based insulation materials are used. Their material structure determines behavior during removal, mechanical processing, and subsequent recycling.
Mineral insulation materials
Stone wool and glass wool are fibrous, non-combustible, and sound-absorbing. They are frequently installed as façade or ceiling overlays, in facing shells, or as cavity insulation. During deconstruction work, fine fiber dust is generated, which requires a low-dust, controlled approach. Mineral insulation can be removed mechanically and then separated from concrete debris; pre-crushing of massive components is often performed with concrete pulverizers.
Synthetic rigid foams
EPS and XPS (polystyrene rigid foam) as well as PUR/PIR (polyurethane/polyisocyanurate foam) are lightweight, closed-cell insulation materials with very good thermal performance. They are found in ETICS, flat roofs, under screeds, or as the core of sandwich panels. During dismantling, attention must be paid to combustibility, smoke development, and possible legacy constituents. Adhesively bonded systems require a clean removal of the insulation before concrete demolition; residues are then detached from the chunks broken by the concrete pulverizers together with render and adhesive layers.
Foam glass and cellular glasses
Foam glass is compressive, moisture-insensitive, and non-combustible. It is used in perimeter applications and in industrial plant construction. During deconstruction it fractures in a brittle manner and can be well separated from mineral substrates, for example after a component has been fragmented with a concrete pulverizer.
Bio-based insulation materials
Wood fiber, cellulose, hemp, or cork are used in both existing and new buildings. They are vapor-permeable and acoustically effective but can absorb moisture. In selective deconstruction they should be removed prior to crushing to avoid contaminating the mineral construction debris.
Installation types and composites in practice
Insulating material is rarely “freestanding” but part of composite systems. These composites determine the deconstruction method—and the choice of tools.
External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS)
Boards made of EPS, mineral wool, or PUR are fastened to masonry or concrete with adhesive mortars and anchors and then rendered externally. Before concrete demolition, render and insulation layers are removed in an orderly manner so that concrete pulverizers can grip the load-bearing components cleanly and crush them with optimized fracture behavior.
Sandwich elements and cavity insulation
In concrete sandwich walls, the insulation lies between two concrete wythes. Here, controlled splitting along the connectors is helpful. Stone and concrete splitters can deliberately initiate stress cracks so that the wythe layers can then be separated with concrete pulverizers.
Flat roof and floor build-ups
In inverted and warm roofs, XPS/EPS layers are combined with waterproofing. During strip-out, the waterproofing is removed before load-bearing layers are crushed with hydraulic demolition shears. Under screeds, insulation boards provide impact sound insulation; here, too, prior removal facilitates clean separation by material type.
Technical insulation on lines, vessels, and tanks
Pipe and tank insulation often consist of insulation materials with sheet-metal jackets. During deconstruction, jackets are opened with shears, insulation is removed, and then the vessel is cut. Tank Cutter, combination shears, and steel shears work together depending on the build-up.
Importance in concrete demolition and special deconstruction
Insulating material influences the sequence of work steps, emissions, and the choice of tools during deconstruction. The goal is always safe, low-emission, and material-segregated processing so that mineral fractions, metals, and insulation can be recovered separately.
Concrete pulverizers in layered build-ups
When render and insulation packages have already been removed, concrete pulverizers crush concrete components in a controlled manner. The clamping bite produces few secondary effects, making adhering insulation residues easier to identify and remove. In sandwich components, a combination of pre-opening the wythe and subsequent pulverizer demolition can facilitate separation of the insulation core.
Stone and concrete splitters in selective deconstruction
Wherever vibration or noise must be minimized—such as in sensitive interior strip-out with remaining insulation—splitters generate controlled cracks. This locally reduces the material bond so that layers can be released in an orderly manner.
Safety, health, and environmental protection
When handling insulating material, dust, fiber release, potential hazardous substances, and fire behavior are key concerns. Occupational safety takes into account low-dust methods, dust extraction, and personal protective equipment. Existing insulation may contain hazardous substances; identification and disposal are always carried out in accordance with applicable regulations. Low-spark procedures are advantageous when combustible rigid foams or vapors may be present nearby—especially when working on insulated lines and vessels.
Workflow for removal and clean separation by material type
A structured workflow improves quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness:
- Record existing conditions: layer build-up, fixings, and any suspicion of hazardous legacy materials.
- Define the separation concept: sequence, collection points, container logistics, and dust management.
- Preparatory dismantling: remove sheet-metal jackets, render layers, and visible insulation elements with hand tools; use combination shears or steel shears for metal parts.
- Mechanical separation: size reduction of load-bearing components with concrete pulverizers; initiate cracks with stone and concrete splitters if needed.
- Post-sorting: remove adhering insulation residues from concrete debris; separate reinforcing steel.
- Haulage and recovery: route mineral, metallic, and insulation-bearing fractions separately.
Application areas: examples from practice
Concrete demolition and special deconstruction
For load-bearing walls with ETICS, the insulation is removed selectively first. Thereafter, concrete pulverizers break the concrete without excessively impacting the surroundings. In areas with sandwich walls, preliminary splitting eases the separation of the wythes and the insulation core.
Strip-out and cutting
In interiors, suspended ceilings, facing shells, and pipe insulation are dismantled in an orderly manner. Combination shears open substructures, Multi Cutters cut cable bundles before massive components are processed with hydraulic demolition shears.
Rock demolition and tunnel construction
Direct insulating materials are less common here; however, technical insulation on utility lines in structures and galleries is typical. An orderly dismantling of these jacketing systems creates safe work areas for subsequent blasting, splitting, or mechanical breaking.
Special operations
For insulated tanks and vessels, claddings are removed first. Specialized tools then cut the shell; in the vicinity of combustible rigid foam insulation, low-spark and low-emission methods are advantageous.
Tool selection and hydraulic power packs
The choice of attachments and hand tools depends on the composite type, component thickness, and accessibility. Hydraulic power units provide the required power for concrete pulverizers, splitters, combination shears, and steel shears. Appropriate operating pressure and flow rates are important so the tools work in a controlled and efficient manner.
Quality features and key figures at a glance
For planning, removal, and assessment of insulating material, key values such as thermal conductivity, bulk density, water vapor diffusion resistance, and behavior under fire exposure are relevant. They influence how an insulation material reacts during deconstruction—from dusty fracture to elastic spring-back to brittle behavior—and thus the optimal processing strategy.
Typical mistakes and how to avoid them
- Ignoring the composite: without knowledge of adhesive, anchors, and render layers, breakage losses and emissions increase.
- Uncoordinated crushing: first remove insulation and lightweight layers, then process load-bearing structures with suitable pulverizers.
- Insufficient dust control: plan low-dust methods, dust extraction, and wetting.
- Overlooking metal content: separate substructures, anchors, and brackets early with shears to minimize tool wear.
- Missing separation logistics: set up separate collection routes for insulation, concrete debris, and metals.
Planning and documentation
Careful documentation of layer build-up, quantities, and disposal routes supports traceability and improves the recycling rate. In deconstruction, test areas, inspections, and orderly work sections serve quality assurance—particularly when insulating material is integrated into composite systems with concrete or reinforced concrete.