Proper positioning of Triotherm Door Upstands is crucial to ensure optimal thermal performance while minimizing disruptions to subsequent trades. Ideally, the upstand should align closely with the top of the door or window frame. The exact placement within the door or window opening will depend on the specific wall construction. In general, the door upstand should align seamlessly with the building's thermal envelope for optimal performance. Below, you'll find guidance tailored to the most common wall systems.
Cavity Wall
The Triotherm Door Upstand for cavity walls should be positioned at the outer edge of the cavity. This placement ensures that windows and doors can be installed flush with the interior side of the outer leaf. It is recommended to leave a 10-20mm gap between the inner face of the outer leaf and the exterior of the Triotherm Door Upstand. This allowance accommodates potential installation tolerances and ensures the frame extends slightly over the upstand for a seamless finish.
For wider frames, such as sliding doors, it is essential to extend them inward. Positioning the frames too far outward beyond the insulation layer can lead to increased heat loss, which can negatively impact energy efficiency. Please keep this in mind, especially if you’re planning to add stone cladding to your building.
Block-on-Flat (EWI)
In a Block-on-Flat system with External Wall Insulation (EWI), the insulation layer is positioned outside the blockwork. As a result, windows and doors must also be moved outward into the insulation layer. To achieve this, the Triotherm Door Upstand should be installed beyond the original opening. It is crucial to fully integrate the frames into the insulation layer, as any direct contact with the blockwork can create thermal bridges, allowing heat to escape from the warm interior to the cold exterior through the frames.
We strongly recommend constructing a complete frame of Triotherm around all window and door openings in EWI systems. These frames act as thermal barriers, effectively minimizing heat loss and enhancing energy efficiency.
ICF & Monolithic walls
Installing Triotherm Door Upstands on ICF (Insulated Concrete Form) or monolithic walls, such as clay blocks, requires a tailored approach to ensure proper positioning and performance.
For ICF construction, the upstand should align with the concrete core, positioned between the outer and inner EPS layers of the ICF blocks. To prevent thermal bridging, it is crucial to include a thermal break between the concrete and the door or window frames. If the ICF block supplier hasn’t already provided a thermal break solution for openings, our structural insulation boards offer an effective and easy-to-install alternative.
When dealing with monolithic walls like clay blocks, an isothermal calculation is essential to determine the optimal installation depth for your windows, doors (and Triotherm Door Upstands). Incorrect placement—either too far inward or outward—can lead to problems such as heat loss or condensation forming on the frames.
Timber Frame
Proper positioning of Triotherm Door Upstands in timber frame structures follows a similar approach to that used in monolithic walls. Since placing the upstands too far inward or outward can cause issues, conducting an isothermal calculation to determine the optimal position is highly recommended.
If an additional layer of external insulation (e.g. wood fibre insulation) has been applied outside the timber studs, the doors and windows should be aligned with this insulation layer for maximum efficiency.
For a typical Irish timber frame setup, featuring an outer leaf of brick or block around the timber frame, it is advised to keep the doors and windows within the timber frame structure. This is because the cavity between the timber studs and the outer block generally lacks insulation, and installing windows or doors in this space would negatively impact their thermal performance.