Cleanroom Wall Panels FAQs
GENERAL QUESTIONS
WHAT IS A CLEANROOM?
Cleanrooms are enclosures designed to facilitate sensitive research, fabrication and other operations that must take place in the absence of dust, moisture, and other airborne contaminants
WHAT IS GREENGUARD?
GREENGUARD Certification (formerly known as GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification) offers stricter certification criteria, considers safety factors to account for sensitive individuals (such as children and the elderly), and ensures that a product is acceptable for use in environments such as schools and healthcare facilities. It is referenced by both The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building Rating System. Click here for additional information
SEALANT QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE ON THE SEAM SEALANT?
18 months from date printed on cartridge.
IS THE CRANE COMPOSITES’ SEAM SEALANT APPROVED FOR USE IN CLEANROOMS?
Yes. The seam sealant product has been used successfully in clean room environments as a joint sealant since 2005 and has been tested thoroughly by the end-user. It meets or exceeds the standards set forth in this type of industry.
CAN CLOROX HEALTHCARE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE CLEANER DISINFECTANT BE USED ON PANELS AND SEALANT?
Yes. This product has excellent performance on both frp and the seam sealant.
CAN THE SEAM SEALANT BE USED ON EPOXY AND WILL IT SEAL?
Yes. The sealant performs well with epoxy and will seal.
IS THE SEAM SEALANT FDA APPROVED?
No, the sealant is not FDA approved.
DOES THE SEAM SEALANT CONTAIN ANY ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS?
No. There are no antimicrobial agents in the sealant.
WILL THE SEAM SEALANT BOND TO VINYL AND PVC?
Yes. It bonds well with vinyl and PVC. The sealant will not bond to polypropylene or polyethylene.
WILL THE SEAM SEALANT BOND TO THE FLOOR COVE, STAINLESS STEEL, OR OTHER PLASTICS?
(TO CREATE A LIQUID TIGHT SEAL AROUND ANY PROTRUSIONS THAT INTERSECT THE WALL PANEL)
The sealant will bond to epoxy or other floor surfaces/plastics with exception to polyethylene. It will be ok for use on stainless steel edges as long as you rough up the edge of the stainless steel with sandpaper.
HOW THICK CAN THE SEAM SEALANT BE APPLIED IN THE CORNERS, HOW WIDE OF A SPACE CAN YOU COVER WITH IT?
Width or thickness of sealant application above our standard installation instructions is up to the end user. As long as the gap is filled completely, the sealant should not sag or slump. The use of 1” wide sealant has been used by other applications per our vendor with success.
IS THE SEAM SEALANT CHEMICALLY RESISTANT?
Tested at 36 hour exposure with a visual comparison against an unexposed control sample the sealant performed well against the following:
| CHEMICAL | SEAM SEALANT PERFORMANCE |
|---|---|
| Acetone | E |
| Ammonium Hydroxide, 25% | E |
| Detergent Solution | E |
| Distilled Water | E |
| Ethyl Alcohol, 100% | E |
| Hydrochloric Acid, 5% | E |
| Hydrogen Peroxide, 3% | E |
| Isopropanol, 70% | E |
| Soap Solution | E |
| Sodium Hydroxide Solution, 25% | E |
| Sulfuric Acid, 5% | E |
Rating Key:
E (Excellent): Suitable for use in most exposure conditions
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CAN THE SEALANT BE USED ON LAMINATED PANELS (PRE-LAMINATED, THICKNESS ABOVE 0.40)?
There are a few options when using the sealant on a pre-laminated panel. (Example – .075 FRP laminated to .32 thick polypropylene)
- Crane Composites seam sealant can be used, but first layer should be applied and allowed to fully cure. Follow with top layer (inline seam or corner seam) as normal.
- A filler of rope foam or thin wood strip can be placed into the seam opening. Follow with top layer (inline seam or corner seam) as normal.
- A starter of one part urethane sealant can be used as first layer. This first layer should be allowed to fully cure. Follow with top layer (inline seam or corner seam) as normal.
WHAT ARE THE VOC NUMBERS FOR YOUR PANELS SEALANT AND ADHESIVES?
| FSFM PANEL |
SEAM SEALANT |
ADVANCED POLYMER | FASTGRAB ADHESIVE |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| During Cure (grams/liter) | NA | 0 | 35 | 2.6 |
| Post Cured (grams/liter) | 0.00002216 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Note – Cleanroom System (FSFM panel, Adhesive and Sealant) are GREENGUARD approved.
CAN YOU REAPPLY NEW SEALANT OVER PREVIOUSLY APPLIED SEALANT?
(IN A CASE WHERE THE SEALANT WASN’T PROPERLY APPLIED OR NOT ENOUGH WAS USED)
Yes. If you complete a seam or corner and find that you did not use enough sealant or need to go over the area again you can. The sealant will work over existing sealant. When applying fresh sealant over existing, it is important to make sure you sand down any high spots prior to reapply.
Panel/System Questions
ARE ALL GLASBORD PANELS ISO CERTIFIED?
No. Only Fire-X Glasbord Smooth FSFM panels are certified for use in ISO classes 5-8
WILL THE PANEL AND SEALANT WITHSTAND A TEMPERATURE OF 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT?
FRP
No. Anything above a temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit will begin to break down the frp panel and it will begin to lose and or change it’s physical properties.
Panel will also yellow quickly.
Sealant
No. Sealant can withstand a temp of up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, anything above this will discolor the sealant and it will degrade.
HAS GLASBORD BEEN POWERWASH TESTED?
We have not conducted any outside 3rd party tests with a powerwasher, however Glasbord FRP has been used in Car Wash applications for many years. Car wash owners do powerwash panels to remove detergent, dirt and residue buildup. The panels have withstood powerwashing without issue.
HOW DO THE 2 DIFFERENT ADHESIVES HOLD UP TO POWERWASHING HEAT?
(HOT WFI (WATER FOR INJECTION) 80 DEGREES CELSIUS 176 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT)Once properly installed, cured and panels sealed, the adhesives will perform well and will not have issue.
WILL THE PANELS DISCOLOR WHEN SUBJECTED TO HOT WFI, AND IF SO HOW BAD?
Panel discoloration occurs when an FRP Panel is subjected to radiant heat. In using Hot WFI cleaning, even if the water temp is 176 degrees, the panel itself will not reach that temperature therefore there should not be any discoloration.
WILL THE PANELS FALL OFF THE CEILING/WALLS BECAUSE OF POWERWASHING?
No, panels will not fail as long as proper installation and sealing occur. Panels will stay attached to substrate.
WILL THE FOLLOWING LIST OF CHEMICALS/DISINFECTS BE SAFE TO USE ON GLASBORD?
- Spor-Klenz (peracetic acid)
- 10% or 20% Sodium Hydroxide
- Hydrogen peroxide LpH
- Vesphene
- CIP 100/200
- Peroxide
Glasbord is suitable for use with these disinfectants. The key is to follow proper rinsing process for these cleaners. If residue is left on panel from cleaners for an extended period of time (more than 7 days) the panels may begin to yellow.
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CAN FRP BE ROUNDED OR BENT INTO 90 DEGREE CORNERS?
Panels can be rounded slightly but not bent. FRP is traditionally made for flat applications.