Guides
How to read a product label and TDS
Identify the exact variant, distinguish TDS, DoP and SDS, and map product units to calculator inputs.
Finding a consumption number online is not enough. It must describe the same product, variant, package and application. Build a short data record that can be entered into a calculator without guessing and checked again before ordering.
Key points
- Match the product name, code, variant and document first.
- Copy each number with its unit and stated conditions.
- Technical sheets, performance declarations and safety sheets serve different purposes.
In this guide
Prepare your inputs
- The chosen variant's label and identifier.
- The manufacturer's document with its edition recorded.
- The calculator fields and units you need.
1. Confirm product identity
Compare the full name and code against the packaging. Check country version, product variant, thickness and package size. A series name does not guarantee identical pack coverage or properties across variants.
Record download date and the document's edition. If shop data differs from manufacturer data, do not simply choose the more favourable number. Resolve the difference for the exact product; distributor information may describe another variant or older pack.
Source: [1] Knauf — MP 75 product and technical documents · [3] ROCKWOOL — product labels and technical documentation
2. Choose the appropriate document
A technical sheet describes the product's application and use parameters. A performance declaration identifies the product and declared characteristics. A safety sheet concerns matters such as safe handling; it is not a replacement for estimating coverage data.
For insulation, distinguish declared lambda from the design value needed by the calculation. Do not convert between them using an arbitrary percentage. ISO 10456's public scope identifies determining design values and converting conditions as separate procedures; our forms do not perform them automatically.
Source: [1] Knauf — MP 75 product and technical documents · [4] ISO 10456:2007 — official scope
3. Record the value, unit and basis
A rate of 1.2 kg/(m²·mm) is not 1.2 kg/m² for the complete job. A 2 mm layer needs a multiplier of 2. A rate already specified for finished thickness should not be multiplied by thickness again.
Check coat basis for paint, repeat and matching for wallpaper, and pack coverage at the selected insulation thickness. Do not enter bag mass as volume yield or transport-pack dimensions as individual board dimensions.
| Record | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Name and variant code | identify the actual product |
| Value and unit | select the operation and field |
| Basis: mm / coat / pack | prevent duplicated multipliers |
| Conditions and use scope | check against the intended work |
| Edition and download date | support later verification |
Per-millimetre rate versus whole-layer rate
Our hypothetical sheet-reading example uses 1.2 kg/(m²·mm), 2 mm thickness, 12 m² area and 20 kg bags. We choose 5% contingency; these are not specifications of the linked product.
| Field | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 12 m² | net scope |
| Thickness | 2 mm | thickness multiplier |
| Consumption | 1.2 kg/(m²·mm) | per millimetre |
| Net mass | 12 × 2 × 1.2 = 28.8 kg | before allowance |
| Planned mass | 28.8 × 1.05 = 30.24 kg | with contingency |
| Purchasing | ceil(30.24 / 20) = 2 bags | 40 kg |
Select per-millimetre consumption. Net demand is 28.8 kg; with the chosen allowance, whole-bag purchasing is 40 kg.
The example interprets units. Check permitted thickness and application in your own product instructions.
Try this example in the calculatorCommon mistakes
| Mistake | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Using a sheet for a similar name. | Match code, country, variant and thickness against the packaging. |
| Copying a value without its unit. | Record the complete consumption line before choosing a mode. |
| Automatically treating declared lambda as design lambda. | Establish the value appropriate to the actual conditions from a suitable source. |
Check before using the result
- The document identity matches the chosen variant.
- Units and consumption basis are recorded.
- Document edition and application conditions are checked.
Method limits
- This guide does not approve a product for a specific construction.
- A public standard abstract does not replace its full method or project assessment.
Questions and answers
Is an older technical sheet always wrong?
No, but do not assume it remains current. Check its identifier and edition against the manufacturer's site. Retain the document used for the estimate so differences can be explained when purchasing.
What if consumption is given as a range?
Check what causes the range. Estimate the value for the actual conditions or perform an agreed trial; compare scenarios rather than choosing minimum consumption without justification.
Sources and verification scope
- Knauf — MP 75 product and technical documents
Example of separate product sheet, system sheet, declaration and safety sheet. Check the consumption basis and exact pack on your selected product.
Access checked: - Knauf — Rotband Flächenspachtel
A product example with consumption expressed per square metre per millimetre. The illustrative rates in this guide are not this product's specification.
Access checked: - ROCKWOOL — product labels and technical documentation
Identification, dimensions, declared lambda and declared R on insulation labels. No legal requirements or universal product values are inferred here.
Access checked: - ISO 10456:2007 — official scopePublic standard abstract
Public abstract: declared/design thermal values and conversion between conditions. The full paid standard was not reviewed for this article.
Access checked: