Using construction foam as intended

Construction foam has many application areas, but this does not mean that it can be used for all of the insulation work required in buildings. Read more about the improper use of foam.

In comparison with classic insulation materials, polyurethane foam is very convenient to use. This convenience has increased with the development of one-component foams, which in recent years has culminated in innovative solutions in terms of both product composition and tools. As a result, we have received numerous questions about the use of construction foam, in particular about the use of PENOSIL Premium EasySpray Foam Insulation 177 – sprayable gun foam for insulating floors.

Based on its properties, PU one-component foam is not suitable for use in the full thermal insulation of floors. PENOSIL foams are specifically intended for filling joints. To achieve an insulation layer, it is good practice to use classic insulation materials: rock or glass wool, loose wool, and polystyrene. If you prefer expanded polystyrene (EPS), then PENOSIL SpeedFix Construction 878 will help you to adhere them and fill the joints and cracks between boards. PENOSIL Premium Fast Foam Adhesive 888 does the same work in an accelerated manner but needs an air temperature of at least 41 °F to achieve an ideal result.

For insulation joint filling, also around window and door frames we recommend PENOSIL Premium Window & Door Elastic Gun Foam 198, which has increased elasticity compared to regular foams. In cold weather you might also consider PENOSIL Premium Window & Door Gun Foam 191, which can be used starting from 14 degrees. However, if it happens to be a hot summer day, it is recommended to use the foam called Premium Window & Door Gun Foam 120, which gives a guaranteed good result from 20 degrees to 120 degrees.

A reasonable level of insulation thickness is around 20 centimeters. Insulating with one-component foam is insufficient to achieve this result and is also expensive. But there are many places in buildings where the use of conventional insulating materials is not possible – frame corners, narrow and uneven surfaces, behind pipes and wires. This is where spray foam Premium EasySpray Foam Insulation 177 with a special composition is of great help and often the only practicable solution. Common applications for spray foam are facade and wall insulation surface repairs, prevention of condensation on cold surfaces, insulation of water and ventilation pipes, minor repairs to roofing insulation, etc.

Some extra tips for foam application.

To achieve good adhesion, the surface must be free of oil, dust and loose particles. Thus, for example, applying spray foam to sand that serves as the substrate of a floor will not provide a good result.

In addition, the issue of moisture arises. Although moisture does not damage the foam itself, the insulating properties of a damp material are lower.

You must also not walk on the sprayed one-component foam layer, as it is soft and cannot bear the load.