Spray Foam insulation - large quantity

[dejswa]

I searched and spent a couple of hrs on TBN looking at related threads, so I don't want to repeat the general discussion of spray insulation.

What I am looking for and can't find is this. I need to cover a really large area of a metal building, like roof and sides amounting to 15,000 sq ft. I can't pay the $1.25 + per sq ft that is quoted for closed or open cell foam. But if I am going to do this building and can find a source for the stuff, I figure I'll do the house as well.

I figure if you're talking that kind of 'board-ft' of foam spray, you should be looking into commercial sprayers and barrels of the stuff, not 600 sq ft disposable propane tanks for $800 each.

I guess I want to know if anyone has noted a source for massive quantities and commercial applicators. Maybe I'll have to become a 'dealer' in one of the products!?

 

[heehaw]

have you had any luck?
heehaw

 

[BungeeII]

tigerfoam is the only thing I know of being marketed to a homeowner.

The open-cell installers have equipment that is designed to apply the product for best results. I believe their biggest thing is getting everything up to a specific temperature and holding it there while it's applied.

I'm not sure what the exact challenges are for the closed-cell guys.

Either way, their network is pretty tight in that I don't believe you're just going to call a distributor and easily pick up a couple of barrels of Part A and Part B urethane. (or whatever the stuff is)

I can't blame you for trying, but I don't think you're odds very good.

 

[Scooby074]

Theres alot of specialty things involved in applying foam. I cant see it being cost effective for you to do yourself when you look into it. Heaters, sprayers and the proper personal protection arent going to come cheap.

Throw in the the necessary training and the fact that your not likely going to be able to just walk in to buy this stuff and it might make more sense to hire a pro.

Good luck whatever way you choose.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

tigerfoam is the only thing I know of being marketed to a homeowner.

The open-cell installers have equipment that is designed to apply the product for best results. I believe their biggest thing is getting everything up to a specific temperature and holding it there while it's applied.

I'm not sure what the exact challenges are for the closed-cell guys.

Either way, their network is pretty tight in that I don't believe you're just going to call a distributor and easily pick up a couple of barrels of Part A and Part B urethane. (or whatever the stuff is)

I can't blame you for trying, but I don't think you're odds very good.

funny you should mention 55 gallon drums - that's exactly what we had in the machine shop i used to work in - we used spray urethane foam as packing material.
no heater and no more than 2 minutes of "training". I think it was set up with a CO2 tank as propellant - or maybe another type of compressed gas, but nothing spectacular.

talk to a machine shop and see where they get theirs, or check with graingers or other industrial supply place to see what the setup costs would be.

 

[Heavyduty]

I know someone that used to be in that business. He got his chemical mixes from NFI-I think it meant National Foam Industry. One 55gal drum was green the other was yellow. If you had enough worked lined up it would be worth the money to start up(15k-20k). But it sounds like its just a one time job. It's a messy job too because you get that foam in your hair, nose hairs , eyelashes.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I just did a google on spray urethane foam and brought up soythane -- requires a compressor that will put out 10 cfm at 100 psi. $2k will get you the mixing gun and enough foam for 2000 sq feet, $3k gets the gun and enough foam for 4000 sq ft, etc...

 

[BungeeII]

funny you should mention 55 gallon drums - that's exactly what we had in the machine shop i used to work in - we used spray urethane foam as packing material.
no heater and no more than 2 minutes of "training". I think it was set up with a CO2 tank as propellant - or maybe another type of compressed gas, but nothing spectacular.

talk to a machine shop and see where they get theirs, or check with graingers or other industrial supply place to see what the setup costs would be.

Same general material, much different application.

There is very little precision in packaging. The expansion itself and the rate it expands are, I'm sure, quite different. Keeping your work contained within a packaging container is a different kind of application, too.

I wish it were as easy as going to a U-Line or other type of packaging company for a couple drums of mix.

You could try packaging material, you could also try to do a restoration on a classic car with can of krylon.

 

[BungeeII]

I just did a google on spray urethane foam and brought up soythane -- requires a compressor that will put out 10 cfm at 100 psi. $2k will get you the mixing gun and enough foam for 2000 sq feet, $3k gets the gun and enough foam for 4000 sq ft, etc...

Now there's some good info. I was thinking of searching on soy foam, wondering how far it's come. I was talking to a foam installer about this stuff 3 years ago, but it wasn't being installed here yet.