Panel thickness is selected from room temperature, ambient conditions, humidity, floor design and energy requirements.
In short: Frostbox normally uses 80 or 100 mm panels for chillers and 100 or 120 mm panels for freezers.
Use the thicker end of the range where the room is surrounded by hot air, exposed to sun, opened frequently or expected to operate at a lower temperature. A freezer also needs a continuous floor-insulation design and suitable door details.
A rule such as “one size thicker for every 10°C” is only a rough guide. It does not replace checking U-value, surface condensation and refrigeration load.
Below the usual −18 to −22°C storage range, ask for a specialist assessment rather than extending a general table.
Thickness vs temperature
| Thickness | R-value (approx.) | Recommended temperature range | Typical application |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 mm* | R-2.7 | +5 °C to +15 °C | Ambient/cool storage, wine cellars, prep rooms |
| 80 mm | R-3.6 | 0 °C to +10 °C | Standard chillers — dairy, beverages, produce |
| 100 mm | R-4.5 | 0 °C to +10 °C (chiller) or −18 °C to −22 °C (freezer) | Demanding chillers — meat, fish, low-temperature processing; entry-level freezers |
| 120 mm | R-5.5 | −18 °C to −22 °C | Standard freezers, frozen-food storage — lower running cost |
| 150–200 mm* | R-6.8 to R-9.1 | Below −22 °C | Deep freeze, blast chilling, ice-cream hardening, ultra-low temperature, pharmaceutical — specialist builds on request |
The asterisked rows — 60 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm and duties below −22 °C — are generic industry context, not standard Frostbox/Algor product options; Frostbox freezing rooms are specified for −18 °C to −22 °C.
Frostbox standard range: The Frostbox catalogue is built around 80 mm and 100 mm panels for chill/cold rooms and 100 mm and 120 mm for freezing rooms. These cover the overwhelming majority of commercial food-service and retail applications.
How to read the R-value
R-value expresses how strongly a panel resists heat flow — higher is better. With a typical PUR conductivity (≈ 0.022–0.024 W/m·K), doubling the core thickness roughly doubles the thermal resistance, so the step from an 80 mm chiller panel to a 120 mm freezer panel raises the R-value by about half (R-3.6 → R-5.5).
Rules of thumb
- Every −10 °C of target temperature generally warrants moving up one thickness step.
- High ambient conditions (an unconditioned warehouse, a hot kitchen, or strong solar gain on an external wall) justify going one step thicker than the table suggests.
- Under-specifying thickness rarely fails outright, but it forces the refrigeration unit to run longer and harder — raising energy cost, shortening compressor life, and making the temperature harder to hold during door traffic.
Quick selection summary
| If your room is… | Target temperature | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Standard chiller (dairy, produce, drinks) | 0 °C to +10 °C | 80 mm |
| Demanding chiller — meat, fish, low-temp processing | 0 °C to +10 °C | 100 mm |
| Standard freezer | −18 °C to −22 °C | 100–120 mm |
| Freezer in a hot ambient / lowest running cost | −18 °C to −22 °C | 120 mm |
| Deep freeze / blast / ice cream | Below −22 °C | Specialist build — contact Frostbox |
For a guided selection based on your dimensions, ambient conditions, and product, use the Frostbox size calculator, or see Choosing the right cold room.
Related articles
- How Frostbox sandwich panels are built
- Standard panel dimensions
- Floor panels: when you need one
- Heat load calculation
- Insulation science
Specifications reflect the MTH Algor panel system supplied by Frostbox. For thicknesses outside the standard range, contact [email protected].
