The short answer
If you are choosing a sandwich panel core in Pakistan, the decision comes down to three materials: EPS (expanded polystyrene, the "thermocol" panel), PUF/PU (polyurethane foam), and PIR (polyisocyanurate). They look nearly identical on the outside — the same steel facers, the same cam-lock joints — but they perform very differently at the same thickness, and their prices reflect that.
Here is the fast rule most buyers land on: pick EPS if the room is ambient or budget-critical and fire is not a concern; pick PUF if you are building a chiller or freezer and want a solid thermal-to-cost balance; pick PIR (Izhar Foster's core FireSafe PIR) if the store runs cold-chain temperatures, holds high-value stock, or sits anywhere fire safety is non-negotiable — pharma, food processing, export warehousing. PIR costs more per square foot, but at freezer temperatures it usually pays that premium back through lower refrigeration energy over the life of the store.
| Core | Indicative price (PKR/sq ft) | λ (W/m·K) | Fire class | Best use | Practical lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS (thermocol) | 280–650 | ~0.036 | Class E (combustible) | Ambient warehouses, partitions, budget rooms | 10–15 yrs |
| PUF / PU | 450–950 | ~0.023 | B2 / B3 | Chillers, freezers, general cold rooms | 15–20 yrs |
| PIR (FireSafe PIR) | 550–1,100 | 0.022 | B1 (low flame spread) | Cold-chain, freezers, pharma, fire-critical | 20–25+ yrs |
Prices are indicative for 2026 and drift upward — imported PU chemicals, steel coil and power tariffs all push the number. Treat these as "from" figures and request an exact quote for your spec, or price your own thickness and area in the Panel Price Calculator.
Price by thickness — what you actually pay
Core material sets the baseline, but thickness is what moves the invoice. Thicker panels use more foam and heavier facers, so the rate per square foot climbs with the millimetre. Below is the PIR ladder; PUF runs roughly 0.85× the PIR rate and EPS roughly 0.60× at the same thickness.
| Thickness | PIR (PKR/sq ft) | PUF ≈ 0.85× | EPS ≈ 0.60× | Typical duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 mm | ~625 | ~530 | ~375 | Ambient / cool rooms |
| 75 mm | ~800 | ~680 | ~480 | Chillers 0–8°C |
| 100 mm | ~975 | ~830 | ~585 | Freezers −18°C |
| 150 mm | ~1,275 | ~1,085 | ~765 | Blast freezers, deep freeze |
For buyers used to thinking in sheets rather than square feet: a standard 4×8 ft panel covers 32 sq ft. A 50 mm EPS sheet lands around PKR 9,000–16,000; a 100 mm PUF sheet around PKR 24,000–30,000. Multiply by your wall and roof area, add joints and accessories, and you have a rough envelope cost — but the calculator does this cleanly for your exact dimensions.
Why the three prices differ
The gap is not marketing. It is chemistry and manufacturing.
EPS — cheapest because it is the simplest
EPS is expanded polystyrene beads fused into a rigid block, then bonded between steel skins. It is the least expensive to produce and the easiest to source locally, which is why it dominates the budget end. But its thermal conductivity is high at ~0.036 W/m·K — meaning heat passes through it roughly 60% faster than through PIR of the same thickness. And it is combustible: EPS is a Class E material that melts, drips and feeds a fire. For an ambient godown storing dry goods, that trade-off can be acceptable. For a freezer or anywhere with electrical load and stored fuel value, it is a liability.
PUF — the middle ground most cold rooms sit on
Polyurethane foam is chemically blown to a closed-cell structure that traps low-conductivity gas, giving a λ around 0.023 W/m·K — a large step up from EPS. It has been the workhorse of Pakistani cold storage for two decades. Its weakness is fire behaviour: standard PUF is rated B2/B3, meaning it burns and releases dense smoke once ignition takes hold.
PIR — the premium core, and the one Izhar builds around
PIR starts from the same polyurethane family but uses a modified isocyanurate chemistry that cross-links into a more thermally stable, char-forming structure. Two things follow. First, thermal performance is marginally better and, crucially, more stable over time — Izhar specifies λ at 0.022 W/m·K (BS EN 14509 aged value, not a fresh-off-the-line best case). Second, fire behaviour is genuinely different: PIR chars rather than melts, achieving B1 low-flame-spread classification. That is the difference between a panel that helps contain a fire and one that helps spread it. It is why our FireSafe PIR sandwich panels are the default for cold-chain and fire-critical builds.
The total-cost argument — why PIR often wins on the cold rooms
Comparing panels on price per square foot alone is the most common buying mistake, because on a cold store the panel is a one-time cost and the refrigeration bill is forever. The colder the room and the longer you run it, the more the λ difference compounds.
Work it through. A freezer wall built from EPS (λ 0.036) leaks heat roughly 60% faster than the same wall in PIR (λ 0.022). Every watt of that leak is a watt your compressor must pump back out, hour after hour, through Pakistan's rising power tariffs. On a −18°C freezer running year-round, the extra electricity to fight a leakier envelope can eclipse the upfront panel saving within a few years — and the store keeps running for 20+ years after that.
PUF sits close to PIR thermally, so the energy case between those two is narrower; there the deciding factor is usually fire class and the stability of the λ value over the panel's life. The clearest rule:
- Ambient / short-duty rooms — the energy argument is weak. EPS or thin PUF is defensible.
- Chillers and freezers — energy dominates lifetime cost. PUF at minimum; PIR if the room is deep-freeze or runs continuously.
- Pharma, food processing, export, insured high-value stock — fire class is the gate, not price. PIR (B1) is the answer, and often a compliance requirement. See our pharmaceutical cold storage approach.
Cold store project cost — beyond the panel
If you are pricing a whole facility rather than loose panels, the panel is only part of it. Refrigeration, doors, controls and installation carry the rest. As a planning benchmark, complete cold store projects in Pakistan run approximately:
- Chiller room (0–8°C) — around PKR 45,000 per m³
- Freezer room (−18°C) — around PKR 77,500 per m³
- Blast freezer — around PKR 120,000 per m³
These are turnkey figures, not panel-only, and they scale with volume tiers — the per-m³ rate falls as the store gets larger. They move with the same pressures as panel prices, so treat them as indicative and confirm against a real BOQ.
Pakistan-specific buying notes
Two panels quoted at the same rate can differ sharply in real value. Before you compare prices, pin down these variables — otherwise you are comparing invoices, not panels.
Steel facer gauge
The steel skin is where suppliers quietly cut cost. A panel faced in 0.5 mm pre-painted galvanised steel is a different product from one faced in 0.35 mm, even at the same core and thickness. Thinner facers dent, oil-can and corrode faster. Always ask for the facer gauge and coating (PPGI, galvanised weight) in writing, and make sure both quotes state the same numbers before you compare them.
City delivery and lead time
Our plant is on Multan Road, Lahore. Panels ship nationwide — Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan, Islamabad, Peshawar — but freight, offloading and any crane hire vary by distance and site access, and long panels need proper transport to avoid transit damage. Get delivery costed into the quote rather than discovered on arrival.
Volume tiers and the λ value that actually matters
Rates step down with order volume, so a full-building order prices better per square foot than a few sheets. And when a supplier quotes a λ, ask whether it is the fresh manufacturing value or the aged (BS EN 14509) value — the aged number is what your store lives with. Izhar quotes the aged 0.022 W/m·K so the specification you buy is the performance you keep.
Be clear-eyed about EPS
EPS is not a scam — it is the honest, cheapest option and the right call for the right job. But it is the weakest of the three on both thermal performance and fire safety. If a quote for a −18°C freezer comes in unusually low, check the core: it is often EPS dressed up as a cold-store panel, and it will cost you back in energy and risk.
Price your exact spec, then request a quote
Ranges get you oriented; your building gets you a number. Enter your core, thickness, wall and roof area in the Panel Price Calculator to see an indicative figure for your own project in seconds — then send it to us and we will return an exact, current quote with facer gauge, delivery and lead time confirmed.
Izhar Foster has manufactured sandwich panels and built cold chains in Pakistan since 1959. Whether you need a single chiller or a nationwide cold-storage network, we will spec the right core for the duty — not just the cheapest sheet.
Before you askQuestions buyers ask first.
What is the difference between PUF, EPS and PIR sandwich panels?
EPS (expanded polystyrene / thermocol) is the cheapest core with the weakest insulation (λ ≈ 0.036 W/m·K) and combustible Class E fire behaviour. PUF (polyurethane) is the mid-range choice with λ ≈ 0.023 and B2/B3 fire class, used for most cold rooms. PIR (polyisocyanurate) is the premium core with the best insulation (λ 0.022) and B1 fire class, used for cold-chain, freezers and fire-critical stores.
Which sandwich panel is cheapest in Pakistan?
EPS is the cheapest, at roughly PKR 280–650 per sq ft in 2026, about 60% of the PIR rate. PUF sits in the middle (~PKR 450–950/sq ft), and PIR is the premium at ~PKR 550–1,100/sq ft. The right choice depends on temperature and fire needs, not price alone — a cheaper panel can cost more over the life of a freezer through higher refrigeration energy.
Is PIR worth the extra cost over PUF?
For cold-chain and freezer applications, usually yes. PIR's lower thermal conductivity and B1 fire class reduce refrigeration energy and fire risk over a 20–25 year life; the price premium over PUF typically pays back within a few years at freezer temperatures. For an ambient or lightly-cooled room, PUF or even EPS can be the sensible economic choice.
How much does a 4x8 ft sandwich panel cost in Pakistan?
A standard 4×8 ft sheet covers 32 sq ft. In 2026, a 50 mm EPS sheet runs roughly PKR 9,000–16,000, and a 100 mm PUF sheet roughly PKR 24,000–30,000. PIR of the same spec sits above PUF. Prices vary by steel facer gauge, order volume and delivery city — use the Panel Price Calculator for an exact figure.