Manufacturers of foam plastic insulation are no strangers to innovation. Whether driven by customers seeking novel applications or by the goal of maintaining compliance with ever-changing local, state, and federal requirements, innovative manufacturers maintain close relationships with their third-party testing partners who help them quickly adapt to market needs. These third-party partners help by guiding the manufacturers or validating their plans to ensure the most efficient path to performance and fire-safety compliance.

ICC-ES accredited laboratories conduct foam plastic insulation tests for many characteristics, including but not limited to:

• Density
• Dimensional stability
• Water absorption
• Thermal resistance
• Compressive resistance
• Water-vapor transmission
• Oxygen index
• Closed-cell content
• Surface burning characteristics
• Fire performance
• Tensile strength
• Leachable chloride, fluoride, silicate, and sodium ions
• Response to thermal and humid aging

We work to create tailored test plans that capture specialized requirements for innovative products, such as those found in the ICC-ES Acceptance Criteria. Below is a list of standards that may be included in test plans for foam products:

• ASTM C271: Standard Test Method for Density of Sandwich Core Materials
• ASTM C272: Standard Test Method for Water Absorption of Core Materials for Sandwich Constructions
• ASTM C273: Standard Test Method for Shear Properties of Sandwich Core Materials
• ASTM C297: Standard Test Method for Flatwise Tensile Strength of Sandwich Constructions
• ASTM C303: Standard Test Method for Dimensions and Density of Preformed Block and Board—Type Thermal Insulation
• ASTM C364: Standard Test Method for Edgewise Compressive Strength of Sandwich Constructions
• ASTM C365: Standard Test Method for Flatwise Compressive Properties of Sandwich Cores
• ASTM C393: Standard Test Method for Core Shear Properties of Sandwich Constructions by Beam Flexure
• ASTM C518: Standard Test Method for Steady-State Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of the Heat Flow Meter Apparatus
• ASTM C578: Standard Specification for Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Thermal Insulation
• ASTM C591: Standard Specification for Unfaced Preformed Rigid Cellular Polyisocyanurate Thermal Insulation
• ASTM C1029: Standard Specification for Spray-Applied Rigid Cellular Polyurethane Thermal Insulation
• ASTM C1289: Standard Specification for Faced Rigid Cellular Polyisocyanurate Thermal Insulation Board
• ASTM D1621: Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Rigid Cellular Plastics
• ASTM D1622: Standard Test Method for Apparent Density of Rigid Cellular Plastics
• ASTM D2126: Standard Test Method for Response of Rigid Cellular Plastics to Thermal and Humid Aging
• ASTM E84: Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials
• ASTM E96: Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of Materials
• ASTM E108: Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Roof Coverings
• ASTM E119: Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials
• ICC-ES AC377: Acceptance Criteria for Spray-Applied Foam Plastic Insulation
• ICC 1100: Standard for Spray-applied Polyurethane Foam Plastic Insulation
• NFPA 285: Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components
• NFPA 286: Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Evaluating Contribution of Wall and Ceiling Interior Finish to Room Fire Growth