For PU or PIR, cold room panel thickness typically runs 75 to 100 mm for chillers at 0 to +8 °C, 100 to 150 mm for freezers at -18 to -25 °C, and 150 to 200 mm for blast freezers at -30 to -40 °C. Heat load and site conditions set the final figure.
Written by BRNG Cooling Panel Enterprise. Updated 6 November 2026.
| Room | Typical temperature | Typical panel |
|---|---|---|
| Processing room, ante room | +10 to +18 °C | 50 to 75 mm |
| Walk-in chiller | 0 to +8 °C | 75 to 100 mm |
| Walk-in freezer | -18 to -25 °C | 100 to 150 mm |
| Blast freezer | -30 to -40 °C | 150 to 200 mm |
General starting points. Published supplier guidance varies, especially for freezers around -18 °C. They are not a design calculation.
What changes the answer
- Heat load. How much warm product goes in, and how often.
- Door openings. Busy doors let in warm, humid air.
- Location of the room. A room under a hot metal roof or in direct sun has more heat to fight than one inside an air-conditioned building.
- Core material. EPS needs more thickness than PU or PIR for similar insulation.
- Electricity cost. Thicker panels cost more up front and can save on running cost in cold rooms that run all year.
Blast freezer temperature and thickness
Blast freezers run coldest and cycle hardest, so they are specified at the thick end, typically 150 to 200 mm.
Do not forget the floor
Heat also comes up through the floor. Freezers usually need insulated floors as well as walls and ceiling. Ask us about floor build-up, including PU concrete mortar.
BRNG wall panels come in 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 and 200 mm. See the PU sandwich panel specs. Further reading: Refindustry on cold store panels.