Polystyrene Sheets
Polystyrene sheets, also known as Styrofoam sheets or polystyrene foam sheets, are another of the mainstays of the modern packaging industry, being used to secure a wide variety of items for transport. They are especially useful when used in the packaging of fragile, high value items due to the increased impact resistance they offer.
Polystyrene Sheets
Polystyrene sheets come in the form of a thin sheet of polystyrene, usually expanded polystyrene (though other types of polystyrene are available). For ease of transport and use these sheets most commonly come in squares or rectangles, though since they are very easy to cut any common geometrical shape or variation on a curved shape can be provided. Special polystyrene inserts can also be made, to plug any gaps in sheeting due to them being used to pack unusually shaped items.
Polystyrene sheeting can also come in a variety of thicknesses. The thickness of the sheets obviously affects their ability to protect against impact, and therefore determines the type of items that can be packaged using them. Low value items and robust items can be packaged using relatively thin polystyrene sheets, while items that are fragile and/or costly will probably require thick polystyrene sheets to protect them, perhaps with the addition of polystyrene beads or balls also.
Polystyrene sheets produced by different companies can vary in thickness, but there are a number of standard grades that are usually available. In the UK, Europe, and most countries outside the United States, polystyrene sheets are usually offered in metric sizes: 25mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm thickness sheets are common, though 150mm and 200mm sheets can be used for especially tough jobs, while 1mm, 2mm and 4mm sheets can be used for small-scale applications where insulation rather than impact resistance is the most desirable property.
In the United States, imperial measurements are used as standard. 0.1 inch, 0.2 inch, 0.3 inch and 0.4 inch sheets are roughly equivalent to the first four metric sizes detailed above. 1/2 inch, 1 inch and even 2 inch sheets are available for applications requiring a high level of protection, while at the other end of the market 0.01inch, 0.02 inch, 0.03 inch and 0.05 inch sheets are available. As with the equivalent metric sheets, these are most often used in electronics and similar industries.
Polystyrene Ceiling Tiles
One of the main uses for polystyrene sheets is as polystyrene ceiling tiles. These are a cheap and effective way of providing ceilings for offices and sectional buildings, as they allow the covering up of electrical cables, air-conditioning ducts and various other utility pipes, while at the same time allowing easy access if a problem occurs with the utility pipes and cables being covered. One or more polystyrene ceiling tiles can be removed to allow maintenance personnel access to the affected area. This, added to their insulating properties, makes them very common in commercial buildings.
Polystyrene Insulation
Due to their insulating properties, polystyrene sheets are also commonly used to insulate homes and commercial buildings: more information is available from our page on polystyrene insulation.