The choice between an aluminium bituminous vapour barrier and a PE foil is fundamental in a roof build-up and must be carefully considered. Although both solutions can be used in certain situations, the performance differences are significant. In modern roofs and building envelopes, an aluminium bituminous vapour barrier offers clear advantages, especially in buildings with higher moisture loads.<\/p>\n\n
One of the main differences lies in vapour diffusion resistance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n For buildings such as offices, schools, hospitals, care facilities, and buildings with high occupancy<\/strong>, a PE foil is not suitable as a reliable vapour barrier. In practice, most buildings have a higher internal moisture load<\/strong> than often assumed (people, ventilation, sanitary areas, processes).<\/p>\n\n The higher the moisture production in the building, the greater the need for a vapour barrier with very high vapour tightness, <\/strong>and here, aluminium bituminous vapour barriers clearly perform better.<\/p>\n\n Moreover, choosing an aluminium bituminous vapour barrier allows the existing roof build-up to be retained during future renovations, even if the building function changes (e.g. conversion from storage to office space).<\/p>\n\n PE foil<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n Aluminium bituminous vapour barrier<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n 1. Application on steel deck or wooden boards<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n IKO shield ALU\/SA<\/a> and IKO shield plus ALU\/SA<\/a> are reinforced with HDPE or glass fibre threads, making them much more robust and walkable on substrates such as steel deck.<\/p>\n\n Seams are self-adhesive, ensuring better airtightness.<\/p>\n\n Can serve as temporary waterproofing<\/strong> (approx. max. 8 weeks), which is not possible with PE foil<\/p>\n\n 2. Application on concrete<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n IKO shield ALU 3 T\/F<\/a> and IKO shield ALU 4 T\/F<\/a> feature an aluminium-glass fleece combination, making them very stable for application on concrete<\/p>\n\n The thickness of 3 or 4 mm allows application on rougher substrates<\/p>\n\n\n
2. Installation quality and airtightness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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