DIY Spray Foam Insulation

groundcover · Jul 26, 2011

Guy down the street did the DIY spray in new construction , total failure, looked like he was going to have to remove it as it was pulling off anyway. I think it may have been a little cold when he tried it though.

timswi · Jul 26, 2011

I'm not sure I'd try that in a mass application...The equipment is very specialized and that stuff sure can make a mess. Also, if incorrectly applied, it can do damage due to expansion.

EddieWalker · Jul 26, 2011

QRTRHRS said:
Current issue of Fine Homebuilding has an article on DIY spray foam.

I thought it was JLC, (Journal of Light Construction) but you're probably right, I get both magazines at about the same time and I get them confused.

I read the article and their comparisons of half a dozen different brands, and came away thinking that I really don't want to do it myself. Getting the tanks the right temperature, changing tips all the time, wearing a suit to kee the stuff off of you, and so on. It just seems like a big, EXPENSIVE mess that doesn't work as good as the pro stuff.

Eddie

sawduster98 · Jul 27, 2011

I usually make a mess just using a can of Great Stuff. :ashamed: I'll check out Fine Homebuilding to see what they say. Thanks for the heads-up.

Iplayfarmer · Jul 27, 2011

sawduster98 said:
I usually make a mess just using a can of Great Stuff. :ashamed: I'll check out Fine Homebuilding to see what they say. Thanks for the heads-up.

That's my experience, too. I'm terrible at judging how much the foam is or isn't going to expand. I've also had enough experience with the stuff to agree with everyone's caution to not get it on you. The only way to handle that is to just let it wear off. If a drop spills on something, just let it dry and pop it off later.

forgeblast · Jul 27, 2011

I have the tyvek suite, proper resperator, and a face shield hard hat. Just cant afford to have it pro, we need to seal the sill plate and keep some heat in.

dstig1 · Jul 27, 2011

The DIY kits work well for smaller jobs, if you have the correct conditions (temp, humidity as specified). They are NOT made for large areas. If you are doing full walls or whole buildings, you need a crew with the pumper truck and the whole shebang. So if you want to do a knee wall in a story and a half coversion or seal a rim joist or a bay window, then sure, but not a whole building.

I've helped a friend using one for one of those jobs that was too big for Great stuff but not big enough to interest a contractor. It worked. Messy but effective.

wsp617 · Jul 27, 2011

Ductape said:
I just gutted our 12 x 24 kitchen for a remodel. Got an estimate from a local spray foam co .......... 3 walls (opted to not to do the inside wall that abuts my diningroom) plus the underside of the roof. Three inches in the walls and five under the roof was $3,800.00 :confused2:. I almost crapped my pants. They price it by the board-foot.... so the thicker, the more money. I've been looking at the DIY kits also.

WOW! That's WAY HIGH! I would check a couple other places. There's more pros doing it around here so the price is coming down.

My boss built a SIPS panel house 3 years ago. Had it sprayed professionally. Has a 4-car garage. Had the sheetrock on the ceiling sprayed (in the attic area) and then blew in insulation on top of a then layer of spray foam. The foam seals everything up tight. It's the hot ticket in my opinion.

He installed a high-tech fireplace from Acrucraft woodburing fireplace and heats the entire house with the fireplace. The combination of the SIPS panels and spray foaming the rim joist area and other areas makes for an air-tight home.

The DIY kits are not cheap and don't cover that big of an area. I looked at them too and decided that when I build, I'll have the pros spray my house.

sawduster98 · Jul 28, 2011

The shop size is 24x24x10. Exterior walls are 2x4 and the internal one is 2x6. I'd like to do 1" of closed cell foam and cover that with open cell or batts, depending on price. I'll also have to figure the cost of going conventional to have a base cost comparison. I also insulated under the slab and hope to heat the whole area with an electric shop heater.

jonyyuma · Jul 28, 2011

Removal of foam cured or not, is tedious. In reply to Acetone on skin, Yes, that is what was in Fingernail polish remover..No longer available that way.I wonder now, IF part of my health problems were not related to Acetone, Xylene, and toulene{sp} usage. Mind you I did use good gloves with Carbon-tetrachlorene. Just be careful of DIY fumes from the foam and componants.