Standard can-type high expanding foam- Great Stuff, DAP, etc.
Standard gun-type fill foam
Gun-type low expanding foam
Expanding foam is used to seal cracks between panels (and other places in the structure) to reduce or eliminate moisture and air infiltration/exfiltration. Most SIP manufacturers require expanding foam as part of their construction details.
There are three basic types of foam:
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Standard can-type high expanding foam- Great Stuff, DAP, etc. |
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Standard gun-type fill foam |
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Gun-type low expanding foam |
The standard can-type foams have a number of problems, and most professionals avoid these foams.
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Inconsistent foam expansion makes it difficult to judge how much to use. |
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Poor adhesion creates problems maintaining a tight seal |
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over-expansion sometimes moves structural elements |
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once you allow the nozzle to clog, the can is useless, so there is a lot of waste. |
Standard gun type fill foam has it's place- filling large holes and cracks (and foam keyways), but is not useful for putting down a consistent bead as required by most SIP manufacturers.
So most people use low expanding gun-type foam.
EnerFoam and Hilti are considered by most SIP installers to be the best low expanding gun-type foams, but recently generic foam products have come into the market that are nearly indistinguishable from these brands. We thick that Foam2Foam and EZ Flow foam are both very acceptable alternatives and are much better values.
Check with your manufacturer to see how foam is used and what their specifications for expanding foam are. We carry EnerFoam, Foam2Foam, and EZ Flow Foam. Hilti is only distributed through Hilti Dealers.
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