spray foam

[capt jack]

I'm in the process of converting an existing camper "carport" into a shop (my existing one is outgrown). Its 20'x36' 12 ft. tall. I've already poured the slab, I'll be walling it in soon. I thought I wanted to have the interior sprayed with the semi ridgid foam insulation (looks like the stuff that comes out of spray cans). The only guy I've talked to so far priced it at $1.50 Sq. ft. of wall/ceiling area. About $3000 , seems pretty high to me. What about it guys, anyone here had it done in the last few months that can tell me if thats a correct price? My neighbor has a shop twice as big as mine and said his was $2000 but that was 4 years ago. I do plan to get more bids, but not many choices around here.
Thanks! Jack

 

[Bird]

I have no idea about the cost, but what material will you be spraying it onto; i.e, wood or metal walls and ceiling? I've heard nothing but bad stories about using it on metal, but if it's wood, I think it might be good.

 

[Tig]

I looked into it last fall. I forget the prices but I do recall that it was the most expensive option for what I was doing.
There were even do it yourself kits on the net. That might give you an idea about the low end of the price scale.

 

[RadarTech]

A friend of mine is a contractor that manages lots of duplex builds and just finished a new house for himself.
One of the things he did was use that on his house. not sure of all the details, but he has no vents at all in the roof and the house gets complete cooling.

This will serve as an insulation barrier and will work well.. BUT is has to go against wood. I think Eddie Walker can add more info here...


Later,
J

 

[777777]

Hi,

Yes, you can DIY with kits and more reasonable than having it done.

Couple of expamples here;

" Foam It Green Polyurethane Spray Foam Insulation Kits - Seal and Insulate

Tiger Foam Canada - DIY Polyurethane Spray Foam Kits "

 

[McCaskey]

Renovation Nation on Discovery Channel just had a segment on Concrete Foam insulation. Non toxic, fireproof, mold & critter proof. The videos are at Airkrete or Renovation Nation : Planet Green

This might be a DIY job if you have the desire to become an installer.

 

[framer]

paid $1.00 sq. ft. in 04.

 

[MarkV]

$1.40 to $1.60 per foot in the Atlanta area.

MarkV

 

[mohrds]

I paid $2000 for my entire 1800sqft house back in 2001. That price included me shaving all the excess down to stud level instead of the installer. At that time, that was about 3x the price of doing my own fiberglass batt.

I will never use any other insulation again. the house is so tight now that the energy recovery unit (fresh air) runs more than the furnace in the dead of our Wisconsin winters. In the years since, my gas savings has more than made up for the extra cost of the insulation.

As for the metal buildings, I beleive there is a bonding product, similar to an undercoating, that they can apply first that bonds well to the foam.

Doug

 

[Chuck K.]

I have no idea about the cost, but what material will you be spraying it onto; i.e, wood or metal walls and ceiling? I've heard nothing but bad stories about using it on metal, but if it's wood, I think it might be good.

Bird, could you give more details on this? I recently built a 40'Wx60'Dx18'H metal shop. The builder talked me into using the closed cell foam insulation as it was "only about 15% more money than the batt and provided much more strength".. Beings I live on the Tx coast the additional strength the close cell would provide seemed to be the right choice.
Well the first estimate was $12K. I looked into do-it-yourself kits but it would take so many kits I would spend close to same amount of money and me doing all the work. So right now the shop is not insulated seems at this point short of pulling the metal off the building the spray foam is my only option?

Thanks for any advice on this.

Chuck.

 

[jdmar]

If spraying onto (or under roof) of metal most recommend the closed cell polyurethane product. The open cell foam that is normally sprayed in wood stud cavities can hold condensation under the metal when the metal tries to sweat. The open cell foam is also softer, does not bond as well and has slightly less R value per inch. I am NOT saying that open cell is bad (I have in part of my home and love it) just that it is not likely the right product for a metal shed. For commercial buildings the closed cell poly is sometimes even calculated as part of the structure's rigidity/strength.

The DIY kits I have personnally been disappointed with. To be honest I have only tried the Tigerfoam but I hear all are about the same. When I sprayed it I could only get a thin coating (3/8" or much less). I followed all the warming instructions etc. I even called the company and what I described was normal...I was told I have to layer it to get it thicker. The stuff the pros use is more like what comes in the can. It expands quite a bit when applied...but expands before your eyes not slowly like the cans.

Your quoted cost seems about right...but it does depend. They usually have a "base" price per square foot to come out and start spraying. They usually add more depending on thickness because the actual product is a significant cost to them. The closed cell poly is also a bit more than the open cell variety. Gets several quotes from people who have been in the business a long time. Many are available on the web since a lot of their business is commercial/agricultural and not residential. They often travel a fair distance to do their work.

Hope this helps. If you do spray you will be happy with the result. You will have a warm, tight, quiet, stong building that bugs can't sneak into as well. And no, I do not own or have any vested interest in the product. I just have used it and like it.

Peter

 

[Bird]

Chuck, I've been in some metal shop/garage buildings which had the spray on foam insulation and chunks of it were falling off. They supposedly had a problem with condensation getting between the foam and the metal. One tiny spot gradually spread allowing the foam to break loose and rust to begin. So a dozen years ago or so I was warned to not do that to the metal building I had. But of course, materials may (or may not) have improved enough that it would work satisfactorily.

 

[Danno1]

.

A friend of mine used this stuff a few years back and spoke very highly of it:


Products | Fastenal



.

 

[Conservation]

Is that price for a can that fits in your hand?

 

[studor]

Conservation -- Twelve cans that fit in your hand (a case). I used this stuff to insulate between the logs in my log cabin. It worked well and allowed me to work a section at a time. If I was doing the basement (which I am thinking about) I would buy the bulk packs of 600 board feet. One thing to remember with this stuff is it will only come off with solvent when still wet -- otherwise it sticks to just about anything (skin included) and has to chipped off.

 

[Conservation]

Doh! I needed to read more carefully. That makes sense. The nice thing about the cans is that you just use them up without cleanup. If you stop with the bulk, you probably need to clean the nozzle somehow.

 

[BOBBYROGERS]

we had the out side of our shop sprayed and then painted it cut my heating expense a ton and i think it was worth every dime and i would do it again it is by far the best in my opinion