What happens when vermiculite gets wet?
Vermiculite insluation itself does not burn: it is non-combustible, though contaminants and debris, if mixed with any insulating material at enough volume, might burn. When wet, vermiculite can hold a lot of water, as much as 220-325% by weight, and as much as 20-50% by volume.
What is vermiculite mica?
Vermiculite is a mica, a hydrated, magnesium–iron–aluminum trioctahedral sheet silicate of varied composition. Its basic unit is two tetrahedral silicate sheets interlayered by an octahedral sheet that contains aluminum and iron (Grim 1962).
Is vermiculite a silicate mineral?
Vermiculite comprises a group of hydrated, laminar magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate minerals resembling mica. They are secondary minerals, typically altered biotite, iron-rich phlogopite or other micas or clay-like minerals that are themselves sometimes alteration products of amphibole, chlorite, olivine and pyroxene.
What is the hardness of vermiculite?
1.5–2
| Vermiculite | |
|---|---|
| Cleavage | Perfect on {001} |
| Tenacity | Pliable |
| Mohs scale hardness | 1.5–2 |
| Luster | Greasy or vitreous (pearly at cleavage planes) |
Can pool vermiculite get wet?
No, its basically portland cement and vermiculite – it never gets as hard as concrete, but water can sit on it and it won’t damage it.
How do you clean vermiculite?
You can chemically sterilize PURE vermiculite or PURE perlite by soaking in a 1 part Clorox to 20 parts water solution. After soaking (at least 15 minutes…and stirring the mixture every few minutes) rinse several times with clean water. Again allow to soak in clean water…..then rinse again.
What percentage of vermiculite has asbestos?
The asbestos present in vermiculite is not bound up like it typically is in a building material and therefore the risk is potentially greater, even at percentages well below 1%. Unfortunately the 1% rule still predominates and often times a Qualitative result will not suffice no matter how much sense it makes.
Does vermiculite absorb water?
But—and this is an important but—vermiculite is more compressible and less porous than perlite, giving vermiculite higher water-holding capacity when it’s used as a planting medium. Vermiculite acts more like a sponge in the way it soaks up water and holds on to it.
How long does it take vermiculite to cure?
one to two days
And because vermiculite takes longer to set, you can be more meticulous. Any imperfections can be addressed later. It can take one to two days for it to cure.
How long does vermiculite last?
I heard that vermiculite last for 2 years, until it decomposes, then you have to add it again. However perlite lasts for a long time. Also vermiculite, could have some asbestos, or, asbestos like material/fine dust that could cause some breathing problem down the road.
How can you tell if vermiculite has asbestos?
The only way to identify asbestos is through microscopic examination of the material. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring “mica-like” mineral that was mined and processed into attic insulation starting in the 1920’s and ending in the early 1990’s.