Slats, materials and performance · Rolling Shutter Guide
Foam-filled (insulated) or extruded aluminum rolling shutter slats: what’s the difference?
Foam-filled (insulated) slats are thin aluminum roll-formed around a polyurethane foam core: lighter, better for heat, noise and blackout, and the usual choice for homes. Extruded slats are solid aluminum pushed through a die: heavier and stronger, they lock into end-retention rails and suit storefronts, wide spans and storm-exposed openings.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield's insulated slats come in 38 mm and 55 mm; its extruded slat is the 63 mm single-wall, solid or perforated. Roll-A-Shield data
- Insulated slats carry the supplier's European test values: thermal resistance gain (delta R) 0.19 (38 mm) and 0.20 (55 mm), and up to 10 dB more noise reduction with an air gap behind the curtain.
- The 63 mm single-wall slat always runs in an end-retention rail, so the curtain cannot be pushed out of its tracks; the 38 mm insulated slat cannot take end retention. Roll-A-Shield data
- Sizing weights: 0.92 and 1.11 lb per sq ft for the insulated slats against 1.14 for the solid single-wall slat. Roll-A-Shield data
- Insulated slats come in 7 colors and the single-wall slat in 5. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Aluminum rolling shutter slats in general; Roll-A-Shield's 38 mm and 55 mm insulated (foam-filled) slats and 63 mm single-wall extruded slats, solid and perforated.
Aluminum rolling shutter slats come in two main kinds. A foam-filled slat is a thin aluminum skin roll-formed into a hollow profile and filled with foam; an extruded slat is solid aluminum pushed through a die, with no foam. Roll-A-Shield calls its foam-filled slats "insulated" and builds them in two sizes, and builds one extruded slat, the 63 mm single-wall, in solid and perforated versions.
How do foam-filled and extruded slats compare?
The short version: foam-filled for comfort, extruded for strength.
| Insulated (foam-filled) | Extruded single-wall | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Roll-formed aluminum with a polyurethane foam core | Solid extruded aluminum |
| Roll-A-Shield sizes | 38 mm and 55 mm | 63 mm, solid or perforated |
| Thermal resistance gain (delta R, DIN EN 13125) | 0.19 (38 mm), 0.20 (55 mm) | No published figure |
| Noise | Up to 10 dB more insulation with a 100 mm air gap behind the curtain | No published figure |
| Wind | EN 13659 class 4 (38 mm) or 5 (55 mm), with conditions | No wind class; the type described by Florida Product Approval FL 31658.1 (held by ASSA, not Roll-A-Shield), in psf |
| End retention | Not on the 38 mm slat; not a standard option on the 55 mm | Always |
| Light control | Vented (light when partly open, dark when closed) or non-vented | Cannot be vented; perforated version is see-through |
| Sizing weight | 0.92 / 1.11 lb per sq ft | 1.14 lb per sq ft solid |
| Widest shutter | 159 in (38 mm), 224 in (55 mm) | 222 in |
| Colors | 7 | 5 |
The exact dimensions and limits of each slat are on Rolling shutter slat specifications.
Which slat insulates better?
The insulated slats. The foam core and the dead air trapped between a closed shutter and the glass slow heat moving through the window, and fully closed the curtain also keeps direct sun off the glass. Roll-A-Shield's slat supplier publishes a thermal resistance gain of 0.19 for the 38 mm slat and 0.20 for the 55 mm slat under DIN EN 13125, and up to 10 dB of extra noise insulation when there is a 100 mm air gap between curtain and glass. No equivalent figures are published for the single-wall slat, which blocks sun but insulates less. The detail is on Do rolling shutters insulate? and Do rolling shutters reduce noise?.
Which slat is stronger?
The extruded slat. Roll-A-Shield's slat comparison rates the single-wall slat higher for strength than either insulated slat, and marks only the single-wall slat as resisting damage during a break-in attempt. The bigger difference is in the rails. A foam-filled curtain sits in an ordinary guide rail and can be pushed out of it with enough force; a single-wall curtain carries retention screws at the slat joints whose heads ride in their own channel of an end-retention rail, so it stays in the tracks. See What is end retention?.
Neither type carries a forced-entry certification; the security comes from the construction and the locks.
Which slat handles wind and storms?
For an opening with open air behind it, such as a patio, carport or porch enclosure, wind can push an insulated curtain out of its rails. Roll-A-Shield recommends a storm bar on those insulated shutters, or steers the customer to the single-wall slat, which uses end retention to keep the curtain in its rails instead. Against a wall, window or door, an insulated shutter normally does not need a storm bar.
The insulated slats carry the supplier's European wind classes and have no hurricane or impact approval. The only hurricane product approval that applies to Roll-A-Shield shutters, FL 31658.1, is held by ASSA rather than Roll-A-Shield and describes single-wall end-retention shutters. The figures and their conditions are on How much wind can a rolling shutter take? and Are rolling shutters hurricane rated?.
Which should I choose?
Pick by the main job the shutter has to do.
- Heat, noise, light control and privacy on a home: an insulated slat. The 38 mm slat suits smaller openings and works with straps, cranks and springs; the 55 mm slat spans wider openings and is sold motorized only.
- Storefronts, high security, very wide openings or storm exposure: the single-wall extruded slat.
- Security with visibility after hours: the perforated single-wall slat, which you can see through when it is closed. See vented, non-vented and perforated slats.
- A patio enclosure in a windy spot: single-wall, or insulated with a storm bar.
Larger openings also narrow the choice, because the lighter slats run out of span first; see Why do slat choices narrow as a shutter gets bigger?.
Does it change the price?
It can. Each slat has its own price table, so the difference depends on the size of the opening rather than being a fixed amount or percentage. Sizes and prices are on How much do rolling shutters cost?, or call (480) 921-0200 for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Are all rolling shutters foam-filled?
No. Insulated slats have a foam core; extruded single-wall slats are solid aluminum with no foam. Roll-A-Shield builds both.
Which is harder to break through, foam-filled or extruded?
Extruded. Roll-A-Shield's slat comparison rates the single-wall slat highest for strength and marks it, not the insulated slats, as resisting damage during a break-in attempt, and its end-retention rail keeps the curtain from being forced out of the tracks. Both types deter crime; neither carries a forced-entry certification.
Which costs more?
It depends on the size of the opening. Each slat has its own price table, so the difference between them is not a fixed amount or percentage. Prices by size are on the cost page, or call for a quote.
Can I add end retention to my foam-filled shutter later?
Not as an add-on. On Roll-A-Shield shutters, end retention comes with the 63 mm single-wall extruded curtain and its end-retention guide rails, so it means a new curtain and new rails.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Tell us what the shutter is for (heat, security, storms or privacy) and the opening sizes, and we will recommend the slat. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.