DIY spray foam kits

[slammer]

Anyone know where you can buy these? I want to spray in between the floor trusses in the crawl space on the outside walls on an addition on my house. The contractor used fiberglass at the time as foam was not required then. Anyone use these kits before?

[CAMAN]

Did some research on them a couple years ago, the only places I could find them were online and they weren't cheap and the chemicals used were even worse. Don't know if the prices and availability has changed much since though. Depending on the size of job it may be cheaper to hire someone, but it would be cool to have one around the house for misc projects.

[FlagsDown]

Google tiger foam

[pike doctor]

Hire it done. Get a couple bid and pay someone cash. You will get a pretty good price. A buddy of mine just tried to do the exact same thing to his addition. It was only going to save him $150 for and area that was about 24*24. And then you dont have to be the one crawling around, cleaning up, etc.

[Farmboy1]

I know locally they have them at Thomas Tool. A quick google search will also show you about 15 places you can order them online. They are a one time use thing so check on sq ft needed, and also read all the instructions. They need to be kept at a consistent heat level and also used quickly.

[Tom7227]

I did the tiger foam google - wow it is expensive. The other thing is that if you DIY you may want to get your brother-in-law to do the spraying. Those chemicals look a bit wicked. I have this vision of being in a crawl space and somehow the gun gets stuck open and either closes off the exit point or you end up pinned to the ground under this expanding monster from GhostBusters!!

[BoxMN]

My thoughts exactly Tom. I'd get quotes and let the pros do it. Same with bedliner material - we tried doing a small job ourselves, and from now on will let the pros do anything, as they do it sooooo much better, and right the first time. Just my opinion though, as I do like to tinker, but don't need another tail growing from me after those fluorescent light bulb smashing slapslots as a kid

[Biggerfish]

OK

I too was sucked into this idea.

Bought a can for 56 dollars and tried as small area on the cabin. Save your money. It is not the same as the real stuff. It shrinks alot as it cures/dries out.

This is what I ended up doing. buy the 2" 4x8 sheets from the big box stores, cut it to your desired width, glue it between the beams, and then buy the 2 dollar cans of foam from the big box store to fill the caps. key is to cut the foam 1/4" short from the perimeter to allow the canned foam room to it fill in.

You will be happy with the results.

Good luck.

[slammer]

Hmmm.... on second thought, I'll make some calls and get some bids. Sounds like it could turn into a mess easily and more than I want to take on. Thanks for the advice!

[Tom7227]

This is what I ended up doing. buy the 2" 4x8 sheets from the big box stores, cut it to your desired width, glue it between the beams, and then buy the 2 dollar cans of foam from the big box store to fill the caps. key is to cut the foam 1/4" short from the perimeter to allow the canned foam room to it fill in.

I just did a job on a vaulted ceiling in my house and we put in 2 layers of 2 inch foam. Actually the key is cutting it correctly so you don't have to use the Great Stuff. A bit of a hassle to get things right but possible if you take your time and have some patience.

I wonder if it would be OK to put the second layer of foam board as a continuous layer on the bottom of the rafters and seal the whole thing up. Advice on that move in the instance of sealing the floor above a crawl space?

[upnorthvoice]

Be careful with a friction fit rigid sheet foam especially in the ceiling. You need to provide a vapor barrier and foaming the edges should provide that. Without a sealed area you run the risk of vapor condensing along the unsealed edges not to mention extra heat loss.

Biggerfish gives the proper procedure for floor truss or I joist rim insulation with rigid foam.

If you get a bid from a spray foam contractor talk to them about foaming the core of the block foundation if you plan on finishing the lower level.

[Biggerfish]

Thanks upnorthvoice.

Yes sealing is very important.

I would like to know more about the filling the block?

Would it be better use foam sheets on the interior of the block wall to stop the wicking?

I am not a expert but doit yourselfer....

Also not to steal the thread...

I am thinking of finishing a garage attic/bonus room.

thinking of the same proceedure we sudgested but leaving a 1 1/2" gap between the roof sheathing and foam sheet to allow cold air to run through?

[upnorthvoice]

insulating the foundation wall with foil faced rigid foam during construction is always the best first step to prevent moisture and thermal transfer through the block wall. However most owners do not like the extra initial costs even though it will have a quick payback.

Core filling the blocks has a couple advantages in my opinion. They contractor will drill small holes on the mortar joint half way up the block wall at each column and use a flexible tube to inject the liquid plastic foam. In a twelve inch block you will get an average of r21 =/-. This will also seal any cracks in the foundation wall and is your vapor barrier. Now you can fir out the walls leaving air space and allowing the wall cavity to breath. Capillary rise of moisture through the footing and slab at a wall insulated with fiberglass or rigid foam on the interior wall is a recipe for mold.

If you decide to use rigid insulation and conventional framing while finishing the basement always caulk and seal the joint at the slab and the block foundation wall and read about insulation and mold in basement walls at this web site.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/pdfs/db/35017.pdf

I would be cautious with using rigid foam on a ceiling unless there is no other choice. Every little hole not totally sealed is where moisture will leave the building envelope and collect on the underside of the roof sheathing. Doubling up rigid foam to gain more r factor is not a good idea either moisture may collect in between the sheets of foam. I would us blown in r50 with a poly vapor barrier for the ceiling.

[Biggerfish]

Thanks for the input.

Very helpful.

[pureinsanity]

Ive got a guy coming in today to spray my exterior walls! Cant wait to get real insulation in! We had straw and hair in the walls before this!

[Biggerfish]

PURE,

How did it turn out?

[pureinsanity]

Ive never seen it before. Im old school buy a roll and put it in between the studs!

It isn't the prettiest site, but i put my hand up against it and couldn't feel ANY cold. It definitely does its job at insulating! Cant wait to tear the rest of the walls out down the road and insulate the whole house!

[CAMAN]

What color did you get Pure? The stuff is absolutely incredible, you won't be disappointed.

[pureinsanity]

its sheet rock colored right now

It was yellow

[upnorthvoice]

If you have ever went ice fishing out of Sportsmans, etc. on Lake of the Woods, their ice houses are all sprayed on the exterior with the closed cell foam and painted brown. Very little transfer of cold into those ice house through the walls.