The same family of rolled material is called a radiant barrier in North America, sarking or reflective foil laminate (RFL) in Australia and New Zealand, and a foil facing or vapour control layer in Europe. The names come from the job the roll does in a building, not from what it is made of. A buyer who specifies by job name alone gets quotes for different constructions; a buyer who specifies the construction gets comparable quotes.
The names and what sits behind them
| Name | Market | Typical constructions behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Radiant barrier | US, Canada | Foil on kraft, foil on woven scrim, metallised film on scrim, foil-bubble |
| Sarking, RFL | Australia, NZ | Foil-scrim-kraft or foil-scrim-foil with a fire-retardant adhesive; often required to meet a local standard |
| Reflective foil facing | UK, EU | Foil or metallised film laminated to kraft, glass scrim or PE as the outer face of a board or blanket |
| Vapour control layer (VCL) | UK, EU | Foil or metallised film laminates chosen for low vapour permeability |
| Foil scrim kraft (FSK) | Worldwide | The construction itself: aluminium foil, reinforcing scrim, kraft paper |
Two things decide whether a roll suits the job: the reflective face (solid foil or metallised film) and the carrier (kraft, woven scrim, PE, PET or a bubble or foam core). Our guides on foil-scrim-kraft vs foil-PE and foil-bubble vs foil-foam vs foil-scrim compare the usual options.
Foil or metallised film?
Both faces reflect radiant heat. Solid aluminium foil has the lower emissivity and the better vapour barrier; metallised PET film is lighter, cheaper and less prone to tearing on a scrim. Many “radiant barrier” products on the market are metallised film on a woven carrier rather than foil. If a specification or a standard calls for foil, confirm that the quoted construction contains solid foil. The difference is explained in metallised PET vs aluminium foil.
The one thing every reflective product needs
A reflective face only reduces radiant heat transfer when it faces an air space. Pressed against another material it conducts heat like anything else. Before specifying a radiant barrier or sarking, check that the assembly provides the air gap; our note on whether reflective insulation works without an air gap explains why.
What to put in the specification
- Construction by layer: for example “aluminium foil / fibreglass scrim / kraft” or “metallised PET / woven PE scrim / metallised PET”.
- Faces: one reflective face or two; which face carries any print.
- Carrier weight and scrim pitch if you have a target, or a reference sample.
- Perforated or not: some assemblies need a breathable (perforated) roll; state it, because it is not assumed.
- Fire and performance evidence: name the standard (for example a flame-spread class or a local sarking standard) and the market. Reports apply to a named construction, so ask whether a current report exists for the quoted one.
- Roll format: width, length, core, and the packing needed for the route.
Supply scope
We supply aluminium foil laminates and reflective insulation rolls from our Shenzhen factory, slit to width. Thermal values, emissivity and compliance are stated only where a document exists for the exact construction; we do not transfer figures between products. Send the assembly drawing or a sample of the roll you use now, and the quotation will name the layers, faces and format it covers.