The New Soft Touch Aerolite Insulation

ECO FRIENDLY HOMES · PRACTICAL INSULATION GUIDES

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation.

A familiar name. A better-informed choice. Understand the yellow glasswool range, select a suitable thickness and plan an upgrade that fits your home.

Find your starting point
Installer fitting yellow Aerolite Soft Touch insulation between timber members above a ceiling.
Careful coverage and the correct depth are central to a useful ceiling insulation upgrade.
50 / 100 / 135mmThree standard thickness options
6–12m²Nominal coverage per roll
One clear planMaterial, preparation and fitting

FROM THINK PINK TO SOFT TOUCH

What is Aerolite Soft Touch insulation?

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation is Isover’s flexible glasswool ceiling blanket. It is supplied in compressed rolls and used to improve thermal performance and contribute to sound absorption in suitable constructions.

Yellow Aerolite Soft Touch insulation being unrolled across a ceiling bay by an installer wearing red gloves.
The current Soft Touch blanket is yellow. Confirm thickness and coverage from the pack information.

The fibres form an open, airy structure held together with a thermosetting resin. Its thermal resistance helps slow heat flow through the ceiling. It does not generate heat, actively cool the room or make gaps around windows and doors airtight.

You may remember the older Think Pink name. Isover changed the product to a yellow appearance, removed the pink dye and introduced manufacturing improvements for a softer feel and easier handling. The manufacturer explains the change in its Think Pink to Soft Touch announcement.

When buying Aerolite Soft Touch insulation, identify the actual range and thickness on the label. “Soft Touch Aerolite”, “Think Pink” and a photograph of a roll are not enough to confirm its current dimensions or performance. Keep a copy of the supplied product details with your quotation.

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation benefits

Think about the rooms you use and the problem you want to solve. A cold bedroom, an overheated living room and rain noise have different causes. Ceiling insulation can help, but a useful recommendation also considers the rest of the building.

Winter comfort

An insulation layer helps slow heat escaping through the ceiling when the room is warmer than the roof space. This supports the warmth already supplied by heating, occupants and sunshine.

Summer comfort

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation helps resist heat entering through the ceiling from a hotter roof space. Shading, window exposure, ventilation and the roof construction still influence how the room feels.

Heating and cooling demand

Reducing unwanted heat transfer can reduce the work needed to maintain a chosen indoor temperature. The saving depends on the starting condition and how the home is heated or cooled.

Practical renovation work

A suitable accessible roof space may allow a ceiling blanket to be fitted without replacing the room’s ceiling finish. Access, services and the condition of the structure need checking first.

Judge Aerolite Soft Touch insulation by a clear specification and careful installation. A fixed promise of a 5–8°C temperature change, a universal electricity-saving percentage or a guaranteed payback period would overlook the differences between homes.

THICKNESS CHANGES BOTH PERFORMANCE AND COVERAGE

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation sizes and R-values

Use these manufacturer-listed figures to understand the three standard options. Coverage below is calculated from the nominal roll length multiplied by its width.

Aerolite Soft Touch — product figures checked against Isover’s current product page and linked technical sheet.
ThicknessRoll dimensionsArea per rollMaterial R-value
m²·K/W
50mm10m × 1.2m12m²1.14
100mm6m × 1.2m7.2m²2.50

Source: Isover Aerolite Soft Touch product information. Confirm the current pack and supplied specification before purchase. Material R-values describe the insulation, not the total resistance of your complete roof-and-ceiling assembly.

135mm Aerolite insulation

In this range, 135mm has the highest listed material R-value and the smallest roll coverage. Aerolite Soft Touch insulation at this thickness provides R3.38 and covers 6m² per roll. Make sure the intended depth can be maintained rather than squeezed beneath storage or obstructions.

100mm Aerolite insulation

The 100mm option covers 7.2m² per roll and provides R2.50. Isover’s energy-zone guidance includes this thickness for zone 5H. Do not assume that every property near the coast belongs in that category; confirm the project location, specification and construction.

50mm Aerolite insulation

The 50mm roll covers 12m² and provides R1.14. Isover identifies it as an option for topping up suitable existing insulation. Using Aerolite Soft Touch insulation as a top-up still requires checking what is already there and the performance needed after the upgrade.

Does your existing insulation need replacing?

Before adding Aerolite Soft Touch insulation, establish the condition of the roof space. The fact that a blanket is old, pink or a different brand does not by itself tell you whether it should be retained, repaired, supplemented or removed.

Dry, continuous and suitable

Ask whether the existing material can remain as part of a planned upgrade. Record its type, depth and coverage rather than guessing its R-value from colour.

Gaps or displaced sections

Identify where trades, movement or access have left areas uncovered. A useful scope describes those defects and how continuity will be restored.

Leaks or contamination

Find and resolve the cause before covering the area. Agree what needs removal and appropriate handling, together with repairs or pest-control work.

Unknown material or unsafe access

Have the space assessed before disturbing old material. Do not climb onto ceiling boards to inspect it or conceal electrical concerns under a new layer.

An Aerolite Soft Touch insulation upgrade should leave a clear record of what was kept and what was added. Photograph accessible areas before and after the work, and record any sections excluded from the quotation. This makes future maintenance easier.

Calculate your Aerolite Soft Touch insulation quantity

Measure only the areas included in the job. A property’s advertised floor area may include an unceiled garage, patio or other space that is not being insulated. Add room or ceiling-zone measurements carefully, avoiding overlaps.

ILLUSTRATIVE ORDER · 135MM ROLLS

84m² of ceiling ÷ 6m² per roll = 14 rolls before any cutting allowance.

If the installer agrees an illustrative 5% allowance: 84 × 1.05 = 88.2m². Then 88.2 ÷ 6 = 14.7, rounded up to 15 whole rolls.

Fifteen rolls provide 90m² of nominal material. The 5% allowance is an example, not a manufacturer rule or a guarantee that it suits your layout.

The roll count for Aerolite Soft Touch insulation changes with thickness. The same 84m² is exactly 7 rolls at 50mm before allowances, but that arrangement delivers a different material R-value. Fewer rolls do not automatically make the thinner option suitable.

For more than one layer, calculate each specified layer separately. Confirm whether cut pieces can be reused in the actual bays, how unopened surplus is handled, and whether delivery arrangements cover the final quantity.

GET THE DETAIL RIGHT ABOVE THE CEILING

Planning an Aerolite Soft Touch insulation installation

Gloved installer unrolling yellow Aerolite ceiling insulation into a space between timber members.
The blanket is measured and fitted to the roof layout. This illustration does not establish a particular installed thickness.

Plan Aerolite Soft Touch insulation work around the roof layout, not just the delivery date. These checkpoints help you discuss the installation with a contractor; use the current manufacturer instructions for the actual fitting.

Inspect before opening the rolls

Check access, ceiling condition, leaks and existing services. Agree a safe working method. Electrical alterations and concerns should be addressed by a qualified electrician before the insulation covers the work area.

Measure the spaces you will fill

Isover’s fitting instructions describe measuring between the timber roof trusses and cutting the roll to fit snugly. Recheck awkward edges and changes in spacing instead of treating every bay as identical.

Allow the material to recover

The product arrives compressed for transport. Isover states that it recovers to full thickness within 24–48 hours after opening. Inspect the blanket at its intended depth and avoid compressing it with boards, stored boxes or foot traffic.

Coordinate lights, cables and ventilation

Follow the applicable equipment and installation requirements around downlights, flues, fans and electrical services. Keep required ventilation openings clear. A blanket’s non-combustible classification does not mean every fitting may be covered.

Check the completed coverage

Agree how the perimeter, obstructions, access hatch and any additional layer will be treated. Ask for completion photographs, product details and a note of inaccessible areas. Remove packaging and leave agreed service access usable.

Read the manufacturer’s technical and installation sheet (PDF) alongside the project details. For practical fitting assistance, contact Cape Ceilings & Drywalling’s Aerolite installation service.

Handling, fire classification and noise control

Soft Touch still needs proper handling

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation is designed for improved handling, but glasswool can still cause temporary mechanical irritation. Follow the current handling guidance, using suitable gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and task-appropriate respiratory protection. Keep the work area ventilated and use a controlled clean-up method.

Understand what A1 tells you

Isover lists Aerolite Soft Touch insulation as A1 under SANS 53501-1. This is a reaction-to-fire classification for the material. It does not establish a fire-resistance time for an entire ceiling; any required rating depends on the specified construction and its details.

Sound absorption is not complete soundproofing

Glasswool can absorb sound within an appropriate assembly. Noise can also travel through windows, doors, gaps and connected building elements. An NRC figure describes laboratory sound absorption, not a guaranteed percentage reduction in traffic, rain or neighbour noise.

Describe the noise you want to address before choosing a product. A ceiling blanket and a designed acoustic partition do different jobs. Our home soundproofing guide explains the wider considerations.

Protect the upgrade and check the environmental evidence

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation is intended for long-term use in a suitable building. Keep stored rolls under cover, dry and protected from crushing. After installation, ask anyone entering the roof space to restore material they move for plumbing or electrical work.

If a roof leak occurs, investigate the affected area rather than assuming the insulation has remained suitable. The blanket is not a waterproof layer or a treatment for condensation. A sound roof, appropriate ventilation and moisture control remain separate parts of the building.

Aerolite uses recycled glass, and Isover publishes an Environmental Product Declaration covering 50mm, 100mm and 135mm Aerolite (PDF). It models a 50-year reference service life; that modelling assumption is not a personal 50-year installation warranty.

Use product evidence to assess environmental claims, alongside measuring accurately and limiting waste on your own project. Recycled input does not automatically mean used offcuts can enter a local household recycling stream. Ask the supplier or waste contractor about suitable disposal.

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation prices and quotations

Compare the same thickness and scope. A useful material comparison is price per roll ÷ square metres per roll. Confirm whether both prices include VAT, then account for delivery and installation separately.

For current Aerolite Soft Touch insulation prices, use the Aerolite product page at Roof Insulations. Select the required variant and ask for availability and delivery to your address. Fixed prices copied into a guide can quickly become misleading.

Include these details in your enquiry

  • The property: suburb, building type and whether rooms will be occupied during the work.
  • The material: specified thickness, area, number of layers and any agreed cutting allowance.
  • The roof space: hatch size, headroom, photographs, existing insulation and known leaks or obstructions.
  • The scope: supply only or fitting, preparation, removal, waste handling and completion checks.
  • The total: VAT, delivery, labour and how unexpected work will be priced before it proceeds.

If you are comparing Aerolite Soft Touch insulation with another material, start with the intended application and required performance. Review our ceiling insulation types guide and Knauf ECOSE guide. Compare the quoted product specifications and complete job, rather than declaring a winner from the brand name alone.

Aerolite Soft Touch insulation questions

Why is Aerolite yellow when I remember it being pink?

Isover removed the pink dye when introducing Soft Touch and describes the current blanket as yellow. The change in appearance does not, on its own, tell you whether an existing pink blanket needs replacing. Its condition and the required upgrade need assessment.

Will Aerolite Soft Touch insulation cool my home without air conditioning?

It can reduce heat entering through the ceiling when the roof space is hotter. It does not actively remove heat, and results also depend on windows, shading, ventilation and weather. Treat it as part of the home’s comfort strategy.

Is 50mm enough for a completely uninsulated ceiling?

Do not select it solely because a roll covers more area. Its material R-value is 1.14. Isover identifies 50mm as a top-up option; check the required performance and full construction before choosing it for a bare ceiling.

Is 100mm plus 50mm exactly the same as 135mm?

No. For the listed materials, the nominal product R-values add to 3.64, compared with 3.38 for 135mm. That arithmetic assumes suitable continuous layers at their intended thicknesses. The actual installation, space and complete assembly still need a specification.

Can I install Aerolite Soft Touch insulation myself?

The rolls can be cut and fitted, but access and roof-space hazards matter. If you cannot establish safe support, identify services or understand the installation detail, use a suitable contractor. Never stand directly on ceiling boards.

Will the insulation keep rodents out?

Do not rely on a ceiling blanket as a pest barrier. Deal with entry points and any existing infestation separately. Have contaminated areas assessed and agree the preparation before insulation is added or replaced.

A CLEAR NEXT STEP FOR YOUR HOME

Find your rolls. Plan your installation.

Take your Aerolite Soft Touch insulation measurements and questions to the relevant specialist. Confirm the product and scope before placing an order.

Roof Insulations

View Aerolite thicknesses, roll coverage and current prices. Request a product quotation with your delivery location.

View Aerolite products

Cape Ceilings & Drywalling

Discuss fitting in Cape Town and surrounding areas, including access, existing insulation and preparation.

Arrange installation advice

Eco Friendly Homes, Roof Insulations and Cape Ceilings & Drywalling are related businesses. The links above lead to our specialist product and installation websites.

Manufacturer sources and further reading

References checked on 2 November 2026: Isover product information; the Soft Touch product change; technical and fitting sheet; energy-zone guidance; and Aerolite’s environmental declaration. Check the latest documentation and pack information for the supplied product.

Planning the ceiling finish as well? Explore five types of ceilings, or browse the wider Roof Insulations shop.