How to use polyurethane foam without a gun. How to use polyurethane foam How to replace a straw on polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam was invented almost a hundred years ago. Initially, it was used in the form of a fairly large plate, and after 20 years they learned how to produce foam in special aerosol cans. The first foam cylinder, which was used during construction, was made in England and used in Sweden.

Today, polyurethane foam is produced in two types of cylinders. One is for professional construction and is designed for pistol use. The second type can be used at home for one-time work. I wanted to talk in more detail about how to use polyurethane foam without a gun.

If a gun is not provided for the cylinder, then a special tube must be screwed onto the adapter instead. Then you can start using it for its intended purpose. Such a balloon is not always convenient to use, but it is great for single use. it perfect option in that situation, if you need to close up small seams and so on.

It is worth noting the important fact that if you use polyurethane foam without a gun, then in such a situation it must be applied all at once. Otherwise, you have to throw away what you didn't use. In order to find out exactly how you can use this building material - watch the video on our website. They will tell you in detail about all the intricacies of its application, which will allow even a beginner in this matter to skillfully use this type of material.

Types of polyurethane foam and their application

It can be found commercially in small cans that are filled with either propellant or prepolymore. Due to the sufficiently high humidity of the air, the composition gradually becomes solid, and its structure becomes quite rigid.

To date, there are only two types of polyurethane foam, which can be found in any store that specializes in construction.

1. Foam for professional use. It is sold in cylinders of a sufficiently large size, which can hold more than one and a half liters. Such foam comes out of the packaging under a sufficiently high pressure and in some cases can be sold complete with tubes (they are used for manual use). It would be unwise to take this type of foam without a pistol, because due to the high pressure, you will consume too much foam.
2. Polyurethane foam, which is used in everyday life, is sold in small cylinders, which have half the volume - 600-800 ml; a special tube is also sold with a foam cylinder. She has the same specificationsas for professional use. It should be noted that a cylinder of this size can also be used with a pistol. Foam of the second type, as a rule, is used in order to fill in any minor depressions or seams. Its cost is much lower than that of a professional one, although the volume is several times less.

Polyurethane foam is widely used in construction for a variety of purposes. Most often it is used to reduce the noise level. The construction material Is ideal for soundproofing. In order to achieve a positive result, it is enough to fill with foam the places where the pipes and all the holes that are in the walls meet (see the video for details).

If, for example, there are cracks in the roof, then they can be perfectly sealed by using polyurethane foam. The same can be done with windowed or door frames, cold rooms and voids, which are often observed directly around the pipes.

What is polyurethane foam and its features video

Recently, they began to use it even to glue various elements together. She perfectly and reliably glues the most different materials and over time they do not peel off, they hold firmly enough. In order to perform these types of work, you can use both professional foam and for domestic use. It is worth noting that before using polyurethane foam without a gun, you need to know and train, because than with a straw.

Step-by-step instructions on how to use foam without a gun

Of course, to some extent the use of the material without the use of a professional tool - a pistol - is not difficult. Instead, a special tube is used, and the instruction is practically the same. With more detailed application can be found in the video material.

• You need to wear gloves to protect your hands from getting foam, otherwise you will have to sweat to remove it from your skin.
• The place where you will blow out the foam must be protected as reliably as possible. Remove all debris and dust present there. If the gap is large or deep, then, as a rule, it is additionally clogged with small pieces of foam plastic.
• Shake the can for a minute, the instructions for different brands of foam may indicate different times, but on average it is 30-60 seconds. Thanks to shaking, the polyurethane foam will become as homogeneous as possible, its output will be several times more intense, which will make the work easier, and the process will go several times faster.
• The planes that are inside the recess should be well moistened, but make sure that water does not drip from them and there is no excess moisture.
• Remove the small cap from the cylinder, which is put on so that it does not work in advance. On the same ledge, you need to put on a special tube, which is sold complete with mounting foam.
• Bring the end of the tube about 5 cm to the place you want to fill with foam and then press the valve. It is important to note that the hole is only half filled, because the foam will expand not only when it comes out of the balloon, but also for some time after that.
• After half an hour, you need to again inspect the place that you processed. If there are still pits or empty cavities, add a little more foam. As numerous practice shows, when manually filling the cavity, the foam very often crawls out of it, and therefore it is not necessary to add additional foam. On the contrary, you need to eliminate its excesses.

Some people who rarely use polyurethane foam are afraid that the foam will not stop beating from the tube even when they release the button. Do not worry about this, because each cylinder has a special restrictive valve that will prevent the foam from coming out immediately after you make the pressure weaker.

After 8 hours, the foam will become as hard as possible, and then its excess must be cut off. To do this, use the most common, but always sharp knife.

Disadvantages of using polyurethane foam without a gun

There are not so many disadvantages when using non-professional-looking polyurethane foam. Experts call the first drawback that when manual way a large amount of foam will crawl out of the cavity to be treated. Even with a pistol it is often impossible to avoid excesses, and in this case there are several times more of them.

Foam mounting video feature

At the same time, it is much easier to work with a pistol, because it is still a special professional tool. The tube, if you accidentally removed it from the cylinder, can no longer be put back on and start using the building material further. You will have to buy a new cylinder.

Polyurethane foam is a truly unique material that allows you to perform a large amount of work. Polyurethane foam without a gun: how to use it correctly can be taught by a specialist or numerous videos that you will find on our website.

In everyday life, the need for special tools does not always arise. If you suddenly need to repair the seal or insulation in a small area, and you don't have a foam gun at hand, you can try to do without it. This will avoid unnecessary spending. However, you should first find out how polyurethane foam will behave without a gun and how to use it correctly.

There are two classes of polyurethane foam:

• domestic;
• professional.

In terms of technical characteristics, both types of materials are similar, however, differences still exist. First of all, the volume of the cylinders should be noted. So, household foam is usually offered in small quantities (up to 800 ml). The kit includes a small section of a tube with a small cross section. The pressure level in the container is relatively low. This allows you to reduce material consumption in cases where you plan to use a polyurethane foam cylinder without a gun.

Professional material can be purchased in volumes from 1.5 liters, in addition, it is used for large-scale tasks: sealing seams of window and doorways, sealing large gaps. The foam is contained under high pressure, so it is very difficult to apply it correctly without a gun. There is one more nuance. So, the outlet of a professional cylinder is equipped with a fastening element: a screw cap (bayonet). The pistol is positioned at this point.

Subtleties of application

First you need to determine what type of material to use: household, professional foam. If you plan to process a large area, you need to take into account the volume of the cylinder. Household products from some manufacturers sometimes differ in worse quality than their professional counterparts. For this reason, for more serious tasks, it is better to choose the latter option. Possible ways foam application without a gun:

• Professional grade material is used, for which a tube is used. You should be prepared for the fact that under high pressure the foam will come out in excess.
• Household material is used by attaching a tube to the valve, which is complete with the cylinder.
• Professional foam is used by attaching two tubes of different cross-sections: first a larger one, then a tube of a smaller diameter is inserted into it and well fixed. This will reduce material consumption.

Preparation for work

The site to be processed needs to be put in order. Having figured out how to work with polyurethane foam without a gun, they perform simple manipulations:

1. Remove any dirt: dust, dirt. If the gap is rather large, it is pre-filled with foam, which will provide improved thermal insulation properties in this area and will reduce foam consumption. Using a material such as foam, it is recommended to seal gaps no more than 8 cm in width.
2. The area is moistened with water, for which it is better to use a spray bottle, then the surface will be moistened evenly.
3. Control the environmental conditions. It is better to carry out work at an air temperature of +5 to +20 degrees. The maximum upper limit is +30 degrees. But in cold conditions, a different type of polyurethane foam is used - frost-resistant.

The procedure must be carried out in protective equipment. Gloves and glasses are usually sufficient.

Tip: If the material contains toluene, you should also wear a respirator.

Foam application instructions without a gun

The principle of performing the work is the same as when using a special tool. If polyurethane foam will be used without a gun, how to use the supplied tube correctly? Step-by-step instruction:

It takes an average of 8 hours to completely solidify the foam. Do not worry if, after this period of time, swelling appears on the treated area. They can be cut with a clerical knife or an ordinary sharp knife.

Tip: After drying and removing excess foam, be sure to cover it with a putty or other material, since otherwise the composition is under the influence sun rays will gradually collapse.

Disadvantages of the no-gun foam application process

When deciding which method to choose, you need to take into account both positive and negative aspects in each of the cases. Of course, using a specialized tool greatly simplifies the task. But the sealing process with a tube without a gun has its drawbacks:

• Large consumption of material. It is necessary to control the intensity and duration of pressing the valve. Even so, significant pressure creates excess foam. As a result, the area requires 2-3 times more material, while professional foam is consumed less intensively. This factor determines the financial costs - they increase.
• If you plan to use professional foam, remember that it will not always be possible to install the tube. The balloon will simply not produce foam.
• Time wasted. It will take more time to hold the flexible tube in the correct position, and with it the cylinder valve. In addition, you need to remember about the need to constantly monitor the volume of foam that appears at the exit. If the use of a pistol makes it possible to complete the sealing in 10-15 seconds, self-processing without a specialized tool will take about 15 minutes.

There is one more nuance. So, disposable polyurethane foam should be purchased in the right amount, which will avoid unnecessary waste, otherwise the rest of the material will simply be thrown away. For this reason, it is sometimes easier to buy a small bottle and fill the cracks with foam using the supplied tubing.

Almost everyone has at least once used polyurethane foam - a modern tool for sealing, repairing, installing windows and doors, sealing cracks and joints. It is quite simple to use polyurethane foam. There is a special gun for this, but sometimes you can do without it for small repairs in the house. But even simple work must be done correctly in order to achieve high quality.

Features:

A huge assortment of polyurethane foam in specialized retail outlets makes you think when choosing required material... Each of us wants to choose a high quality and inexpensive formulation. Currently, specialized outlets offer customers two types of this material: household and professional. Consider the features of each.

Household

The main distinguishing features of household polyurethane foam are the volume of the cylinder. Manufacturers produce this material in small containers (about 800 ml). The package includes a tube small size with a small cross section. In cylinders of household polyurethane foam, the pressure level is low, this is necessary in order to significantly reduce material consumption when performing renovation works... To perform them with household polyurethane foam, you can use a special gun. The cylinder valve is designed to hold the tube and the assembly gun.

Professional

To install doors, windows, plumbers use a professional type of polyurethane foam. Manufacturers produce such material in cylinders with a capacity of more than 1.5 liters. The sealant is in the bottle under high pressure. It is recommended to carry out work with a professional sealant using a special gun. To make the use of the material most convenient, the cylinder is additionally equipped with fasteners for firm fixation inside the gun. A large amount of sealant in a container is designed for large-scale work.

These types of sealants have similar technical characteristics.When choosing the required material, you need to consider for what purpose the foam is needed. In addition, the amount of work is also important.

Distinctive feature compositions is the possibility of reapplication.

Operating rules

To perform high-quality repair or assembly work using a sealant, you need to know a few rules for applying the material.

• Using a special assembly gun guarantees more quality result executed works.
• It is necessary to use a professional version of the sealant that has useful property: sufficiently low secondary expansion.
• It is recommended to carry out installation and repair work in the warm season: this will speed up the foam hardening process and maintain all its technical qualities.
• When performing work, you must use personal protective equipment.

• It is recommended to use a sealant to seal minor cracks about 8 cm wide. If the width of the cracks exceeds this indicator, it is advisable to use other materials (brick, wood, plastic).
• To fill cracks and crevices less than 1 cm wide, it is more economical and practical to use a putty.
• In the process of work, the cylinder with polyurethane foam must be held with its bottom up.
• Fill the gap with sealant one third of the depth.
• After the sealant hardens, you need to remove the excess polyurethane foam using a special knife.

• After completing all work, it is necessary to cover the frozen layer of foam with special means to protect it from exposure to sunlight.
• To perform work on the ceiling, you need to use special foam: such a sealant bottle can be used in any position.
• To fill deep gaps or cracks, you need to use special extension adapters.
• In the process of work, the foam cylinder must be shaken and the nozzle of the assembly gun must be cleaned of excess sealant.

How to apply?

Before starting work with this sealant, you need to study all the subtleties of its use. Otherwise, the quality of work will suffer, the consumption of the sealant will increase significantly, which will lead to additional financial costs. First you need to choose the right polyurethane foam. The choice of material depends on the scope of work.

If you are planning large-scale work on the installation of doors, windows or plumbing, or a large amount of repair work, it is better to opt for professional polyurethane foam. The cost of materials of this kind is much higher, but the result of the work performed will pleasantly please.

Small indoor repairs (for example, filling gaps) involves purchasing a household sealant.

There are several ways to apply sealant without a tool to a surface.

• For minor repairs, you can do without a gun. A special small tube is installed on the cylinder valve. Next, they begin to start repair work.
• Professional foam can be applied using a tube, but this method will lead to a large waste of material and unnecessary financial costs.
• If it is not possible to use an assembly gun when working with a professional sealant, you can use two tubes of different diameters. To do this, a large-diameter tube is fixed to a cylinder with professional foam, then a second (smaller) tube is attached to this tube, carefully fixed. This method will significantly reduce material consumption and reduce financial costs.

After you have decided on the way to apply the foam, you need to prepare the surface. In some cases, the surface of the sealant may become false. The quality of the seam sealing depends on how carefully the surface is prepared. The surface is thoroughly cleaned from dust and dirt. Particular attention should be paid to the crevices that need to be foamed. Sometimes the surface needs to be degreased.

Large cracks are pre-filled with foam or others suitable material... Only then can they be filled with foam. This will significantly reduce the consumption of foam, increase the quality of thermal insulation. Before starting work, the surface must be moistened. A simple spray bottle is perfect for these purposes.

Now you can start sealing. Foam must be at room temperature for correct work. Shake the balloon thoroughly before starting the process. Only after that a tube or a pistol is fixed on the cylinder. Now you can apply the composition.

If you decide to use foam without a special gun, you need to consider the disadvantages of this process.

• At the expense of high pressure in the cylinder, the consumption of foam increases significantly (sometimes two, three times).
• Some cylinders are not designed with tubing.

Performing sealing work with a pistol saves a lot of time. Foaming the surface with polyurethane foam with a gun is not difficult at all.

It is enough to learn how to dose the foam output. In this way, you can glue any objects without forgetting about surface preparation. Then we start applying the sealant. It is important to remember that the vertical gap must be filled with sealant from the bottom, smoothly moving up.

After finishing work, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the gun from foam using a special flushing liquid. It must be poured into the instrument. If a small amount of sealant gets on your hands during work, it must be removed with a solvent. Excess foam from contaminated areas must be removed during work with a sponge soaked in solvent. If the sealant has time to harden, it will have to be removed mechanically.

You cannot work with expired foam. Care must be taken when handling the spray can. You cannot bring it to the fire. If the expiration date of the polyurethane foam has passed, the material loses its properties.

When choosing a polyurethane foam, remember that the cylinder can only be used once. Therefore, before buying, you should carefully calculate the required volume. If in doubt about this, it is better to consult a specialist.

Take note of some helpful tips.

• Before starting work, you should prepare a spray gun to spray water on the surface before applying the foam, a knife will be needed to cut off excess material.
• In the process of doing the work, you will need a sponge or a soft cloth soaked in acetone or solvent.
• Correct dosage of sealant will significantly reduce material consumption.

• It is more convenient to remove excess sealant from the surface after four hours after application; after complete curing, this process will become much more complicated.
• Be sure to use personal protective equipment (respirator, goggles, gloves).
• It is necessary to ventilate the room during work.
• After the completion of all work, it is necessary to process the frozen foam with a special means to protect it from sunlight. This must be done before the foam darkens.
• It is strictly forbidden to use the cylinder near an open flame.

Polyurethane foam is a means used for sealing during full-scale home repairs and for urgent patching of a small defect in the house. The easiest way to work with it is by using a special pistol, but it is not always required.

In everyday life, for minor repairs, you can do without additional tools, saving time and money. But in order to obtain a high quality of the work performed, you should first get acquainted with how to use polyurethane foam without a gun. This and the features of the material will be discussed in the article.

Where is polyurethane foam used

The material is an excellent sealant. In addition, it is used to seal the joints between structural elements.

It can be:

• Seams between floor panels;
• Seams of facade systems;
• Butt seams between the timber;
• Voids and cracks in concrete, in brick walls;
• Seams when installing windows and doors.

There are also non-standard ways of using polyurethane foam. For example, insulation of wooden floors arranged on logs. In this case, the composition "blows out" the space between the floorboards and the base of the floor.

After that, the floors stop creaking and become really warm. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to disassemble the wooden covering for insulation and strengthening.

Polyurethane foam without a gun is simply pumped into the floor through a special tube into a slot or a small hole made in an inconspicuous place.

Seal properties

The wide scope of use of the material is explained by its unique properties, which no other composition has. In its original state, it is a foamy liquid mass. Foam is packed under high pressure into small cylinders.

After exposure to the open air, the foam has a reaction - it greatly increases in size, and then quickly begins to solidify. As a result, a porous, reliable and very warm materialthat performs several functions simultaneously. In this case, the surface acquires the properties of a rigid, dense and waterproof film.

Features of polyurethane foam:

• High performance in heat and sound insulation;
• Good resistance to moisture;
• Safety and environmental friendliness;
• Resistant to fire;
• Low electrical conductivity;
• The ability to fill with the composition hard-to-reach voids;
• Reliably glues various materials together;
• Ease of use.

Types of material

Before purchasing polyurethane foam, you should get acquainted with its types and features, which are presented in the table:

Type of polyurethane foam	Features:
	The capacity of the spray can is produced in a volume of 600 - 800 ml. The kit with a spray can for working with foam necessarily includes a special tube. Moreover, its technical characteristics are similar to professional ones. Foam blowing guns are also suitable for cylinders of this volume. This type of composition is used to fill with your own hands minor recesses or seams. Its price is much lower than the professional one.
	The mixture is produced in cylinders quite large sizes, with a volume of more than 1.5 liters. A fairly high pressure is created to release the foam from the package. For manual use, the can is sold complete with a special gun.

Advice: It makes no sense to buy foam for professionals without a gun. Due to too much head, there will be a strong waste of material.

Rules for using the sealant

Despite the seeming ease of working with modern seals, before starting the process, it is worth getting to know how to use polyurethane foam without a gun with a tube. Without studying the technology of using the product, you can make a large number of mistakes that will increase the consumption of material and significantly reduce the quality of the joint.

There are several ways to apply professional makeup without a gun. Before starting the repair, a suitable sealant is selected.

It is necessary to take into account:

• The scale of the planned activities, which affects the required volume of the sealant;
• Household products may differ from professional ones in their worst technical characteristics;
• If it is necessary to carry out large-scale and complex events, on which the comfort and ease of use at home depend, it is better to choose more expensive and high-quality products.

The selected polyurethane foam can be applied to the treated surfaces without a gun in different ways:

• The use of household compounds... This material is applied without a gun. To do this, a tube is fixed on the cylinder valve and repairs can begin;
• Tube application professional material ... A small-diameter tube is fixed on the cylinder valve, through which the sealing compound is fed to the closed slots. But with this easy way often, due to high pressure, there is an excessive release of the sealant from the cylinder;
• The professional sealant is fed through two tubes with different diameters. In this case, it is supposed to attach a tube of large diameter to the valve, and then insert a tube of a smaller section into it and fix it firmly. With such sealing, foam consumption is reduced, which reduces the cost of repair work.

After choosing the materials, to create a good effect from the use of foam, you must first carry out a number of measures:

• The treated surfaces are cleaned. All dust, dirt, all foreign objects are removed from the seams and crevices being closed;
• Large seams are filled with foam. This will reduce the consumption of polyurethane foam, increase the thermal insulation characteristics of the object.

Tip: It is imperative to fill openings more than 80 mm wide with foam.

• The area to be filled is moistened with water. For this, it is better to use a spray bottle.

Filling gaps or joints must be carried out at an ambient temperature that complies with the manufacturer's recommendations. The optimum air temperature for work is from 5 ° C to 20 ° C above zero. With more high temperature, above 30 ° C, repairs should be postponed, and if negative, use special frost-resistant materials.

Foam technology

The principle of operation without a gun is the same as with special tools. And before starting the process, it is worth watching a video on how to work with polyurethane foam without a gun.

After preparing the surface to be treated, the instructions attached to the materials suggest the following order of work:

• The can is shaken well. To ensure the uniformity of the release of the composition from the package, it is recommended to shake the can vigorously for 30 to 40 seconds;
• The protective cap is removed;
• A PVC tube is attached to the valve, which is used to complete the household product. Professional tube sold separately;
• The free end of the tube is brought to the closed opening;
• The gap is filled with foam, approximately, from 30% to 40%, but not more than 50% of its value, which is associated with a significant increase in the volume of the sealant during hardening. Partial filling reduces repair costs.

Tip: If there is not enough sealant after drying, an additional layer of material should be applied.

Pressurized foam comes out of the cylinder when the valve is pressed, which, when triggered, facilitates the flow of the sealant into the tube and then to the seal. The sealant dries completely in 8 hours. After drying, strongly protruding areas of the foam are cut off with a clerical knife.

Disadvantages of using polyurethane foam without a gun

When choosing a way to seal cracks, it is necessary to take into account the positive and negative aspects of each. It is clear that working with a specialized tool is much easier.

There are several disadvantages to the sealing process without a gun using a tube:

• Increased material consumption. During operation, you need to constantly monitor the force on the valve and the duration of pressing on it. This is due to the fact that due to the high pressure, an excessive amount of foam appears. As a result, 2-3 times more material will be needed for the treated area than with a pistol;
• When planning to use professional foam, keep in mind that it is not always possible to install a tube;
• It takes more time to work. It takes longer to hold the flexible tubing in the correct position with the cylinder valve. At the same time, you constantly need to control the volume of material that will appear at the exit. Using a gun, sealing can be completed in 10-15 seconds, and self-sealing without a specialized tool will take about 15 minutes;

Tip: A disposable can of polyurethane foam should be purchased in the required volume. This will avoid unnecessary costs - the rest of the material is thrown away.

There are also disadvantages when using a pistol. The biggest one is cleaning it after finishing work. There is a special tool for the care of the device, and the instructions attached to it indicate the technology for using the composition.

And how to rinse a polyurethane foam gun without special rinsing?

If there is no special liquid, acetone is used at home. The liquid is poured into the nozzle of the tool, and then the device is completely cleaned with a wire or a cleaning rod.

All actions must be careful so as not to harm delicate and vulnerable structural elements. This is one of the ways how and how to flush the polyurethane foam gun without special flushing.

Despite the fact that behind a special pistol there should be good care, work with professional tool much easier.

Polyurethane foam is a unique material that allows you to perform a large amount of work. How to use polyurethane foam without a gun, you can consult a specialist or watch the corresponding video.

Polyurethane-based polyurethane foam is indispensable for sealing cracks, holes, joints, heat and noise insulation, as well as for gluing various surfaces. It does not apply to surfaces made of polypropylene, polyethylene, Teflon, silicone and wax. To understand how to use polyurethane foam, you just need to learn the rules.

Assortment for choosing a worthy option

Two types of polyurethane foam - semi-professional (household) and professional (pistol). Depending on the temperature conditions pick up winter, summer or off-season.

For a small amount of simple work, a relatively cheap household one is suitable. It is sold together with a plastic tube, the outlet volume is smaller and is intended for single use, since after opening the cylinder, its contents dry out within 24 hours.

More expensive professional assembly mixture is sold complete with a special gun. It is reusable and precisely controls the volume of sealant delivered.

Quality pistols are made of metal and are completely collapsible. Turning the adjusting screw located on the handle clockwise decreases the thickness of the supplied jet, counterclockwise increases it.

The device of a special gun for polyurethane foam

This moment is important because optimal diameter of one applied layer after hardening is in the region of 3 cm. If the space of a larger volume is filled, then the sealant is applied in two or three layers, with breaks for drying each of the applied layers.

They take into account the fact that professional sealant gives less shrinkage compared to household .

Preparatory stage

In order for the use of assembly sealant to give effect, preliminary preparation is carried out, which includes the following:

• Surfaces are cleaned of dust and debris before applying sealant to them. If necessary, degrease with acetone or solvent.
• For good interaction of the sealant with the surface, the latter is abundantly moistened, but at the same time it is made sure that no drops of moisture form on the surface to be treated.
• The temperature of the cylinder is adapted to the temperature of the room in which the finishing is carried out. To speed up this process, if the balloon is brought from the cold, it is placed in warm water for an hour and a half.
• Before use, the can is shaken vigorously 20-30 times to mix the components of the sealant. Then remove the protective cap and screw the tube to it, and if it is a professional compound, screw the cylinder to the gun. Make sure that at the time of installation, the tube or nozzle of the gun is not facing towards people nearby.
• Wear a work suit, protective gloves and goggles.

Preparation for work with polyurethane foam

When working with a professional compound that is used in a set with a gun, before proceeding with sealing, regulate the supply of sealant. The jet is adjusted during use by changing the pressure on the cap at the base of the tube.

Hardening occurs at temperatures from +5 to + 35 ° C, air humidity of at least 60%. When working in a cold or dry space, hardening occurs if there are special additives in the composition. In this case, the sealant will harden at air temperatures of -10, or in conditions where the air humidity reaches only 35%.

Rules and techniques for working with foam

To understand how to properly use foam, you need to remember the rules.

Polyurethane foam is applied in measured, smooth movements from left to right and from bottom to top. The openings are not completely filled, but by about half or by one third, depending on the degree of shrinkage.

The length of one applied strip does not exceed 10 centimeters. During operation, the balloon is held vertically with the bottom up. In the case when they perform work on the ceiling, which causes difficulty in observing the last rule, they buy special compositionthat works in any position. Another solution to this problem is to lengthen the nozzle of the gun or the main tube using flexible tubes so that the inverted cylinder does not rest against the ceiling during operation. If necessary, it is better to start work from the ceiling, since the pressure in the cylinder is the maximum possible.

Sealing cracks with a gun

During hardening, polyurethane foam begins to exert pressure on the adjacent surfaces, which causes their deformation. Therefore, if it is necessary to fill the gaps on both sides, as when installing doors, windows, the assembly mixture is used on one side. On the other, the slit is filled with a silicone compound.

At the time of applying the polyurethane foam to the surfaces to be treated, make sure that the tip of the tube or gun is constantly inside the foam itself. Periodically remove the material adhering to the gun nozzle with a cloth soaked in acetone or solvent. With a long period of operation, the balloon is periodically shaken. For deep seams, extension adapters are used.

Completion of work

It is important not only to know how to use polyurethane foam, but also how to properly complete such work. Wait until the sealant has completely hardened. This usually happens within 6-12 hours. At the same time, it is undesirable to touch the assembly mixture, as this will disrupt the structure of the material. After that, the excess formations are carefully cut off with a sharp knife or a hacksaw for metal.

Removing excess foam with a sharp knife

Although cured polyurethane foam can withstand temperature extremes from -40 to + 90 ° C, it is sensitive to UV radiation. To neutralize this factor, the surplus that is under such an effect is covered with a layer of plaster, covered with cement mortar, painted or sewn up with platbands.

The video demonstrates the stages of working with foam and how the gun is cleaned:

After using professional foam, clean the gun inside and out. For this, a special flushing fluid is purchased with the gun. The remains of the material that have got on the hands are washed off with a solvent. It is better to remove foam residues from surfaces immediately with a sponge soaked in solvent or acetone. If the foam has already hardened, it is removed mechanically.

When applying these simple rules, self-sealing of all kinds of seams and cracks, insulation of the distribution network and other things will not be difficult even for someone who has never done this before.

Such sealing is effective for spaces from 1 to 8 cm, no more. Smaller slots are filled with ordinary putty, and for larger ones, additional static materials are laid inside the empty space - polystyrene, wooden blocks or bricks.

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