I'm still working on the D.I.G.R.S. Project (DIVIDE- rooms with portable insulated panels, fabric or green walls to save energy & aid function)
Please note: this is just an experiment & not guidance or instruction. There are many ways of making an insualted panel & I encourage others to experiment as winter approaches. The panels can be used to make small indoor shelters as well as room dividers.
The first panels are not fire resistant, , though may have certain elements that are ( aluminium tape & foil) as the low budget does not allow it.
When time allows and more funding is available, I will experinment with a fire resistant panel using drywall light steel framing & fire proof rigid PIR foam or mineral wool.
I have recently made some prototype panels and worked with local fencing co's to reduce their waste by reusing wood clearance stock & off cuts.
We have approx 4000 x 1.8m long treated wood battems, 10k x bzp metal hinges, 20k x corner reinforcing brackets / screws for sale at low cost, and are still looking for partner gropups to distribute these to diy makers / users.
Contact cabinznet@gmail.com for further details
Below are Mk1 plastic & Mk1 wood panels with a 1.8m high wood batton frame, other is with plastic / grp composite door edge strip. A trellis frame is belwo that for outside.
As the first aim is for low icome groups to make their own panels easily with a minimum of cost & tools, i have experimented with corner joints of metal staples from hand staplers & fibreglass reinforced sticky tape to support the frame (see pics) .
These hold the frame in place until the corner bracket & hinge are screwed on, which hold the corner joint securely
Thick fabric was sourced for £1 a mtr from a local shop clearing stock (the T Shirt shop open wed to sat , next to Grey & Pink records in Brook st chester who have several thousand mtrs for sale at same price) , which is stapled to the frame.
Then a sandwich of several layers of used cardboard are used for insualtion. which can be wrapped in domestic or thicker catering aluminium foil for extra insualation / fire resistance ( see pic)
Thick indoor fabric covered grp / plastic composite door edge strip frame insulated panel mk 1
Indoor (leather look ) thick fabric covered wood frame insulated panel mk 1
Close up (without corner support bracket or hing/ joint gasket seal)Close up (without corner support bracket or hing/ joint gasket seal)
Rear view (uninsulated)
Rear view (uninsulated)
Above pic is corner stapled together with hand stapler then with fibreglass reinforcrd sticky tape (fgst) wrapped around to hold it.
Below is cardboard taped with fgst, attempting to stop it gaping, A staple, bolt or stictch may be reqired in middle.
Belwo is gaffer tape, sealing air into cardboard to aid insualtion, this can be stapled to wood or further gaffer tape can added round frame either side (not shown in pic) connecting cardboard & frame to hold insualtion in place
Hand stapling of DES before tape added
Wood frame before corners support & fabric added. Note: the corner support wood piece was salvaged from offcuts from the smaller centre horizontal beam, as its smaller than the top & bottom . If a shorter panel is requiredthe bottom beam can be cut to be insided the vertical beams & offcuts used to support 2 corners as well
plastic frame with tape reinforced corner at bottom. (Note: it would likely be best ot add inside plastic corner support before taping )
Metal corner bracket installed with hinge attached and foam draught excluder tape added to seam
aluminium foil & sticky tape covered cardbard panel, attached ot frame by alu tape ( note gaffer tape would be stronger but not fire resisatant )
After being filled with insualtion, this panel could be placed to insulate a wall. If a room divider is required, the other side could be covered with fabric stapeld in place (perhaps seam hidden iunder gap sealing gasket / foam )
Other side of hing & corner bracket showing 2 wood & 1 self drilling screw through metal . Hinge can be attached in different ways ie hidden in side gap
For external wall insualtion & greenery, I have been experimenting with trellis from local fence co pallet wood spacers (horizontal wood beams in pic)
I will be looking at green walls generally, being encouraged by this article - Green walls can reduce heat lost by buildings by over 30% in temperate climates
Below is Mk 1 trellis prototype. 1.8m h x 1.2m w