How to use polyurethane foam correctly: professional advice. How to use polyurethane foam - sealing with and without a gun Use foam without a gun

The article will focus on on the rules for using household polyurethane foam... Externally, household and professional polyurethane foam differ precisely in the tube, although in principle the work of both foams is not very different. Sometimes professional foam can be completed with a straw, so carefully read the inscription on the foam bottle. It is not economical to use professional foam through a straw, since there is more pressure in the cylinder and, accordingly, the consumption of polyurethane foam per unit of time will be large.

Ideal temperature for using polyurethane foam is also indicated on the foam cylinder, most often this is the temperature range from +5 to +30 degrees.

Polyurethane foam solidifies at this temperature normally, without defects, but if it is necessary to work at a lower temperature, choose winter or all-season foam. Is it worth the risk if you have already purchased regular polyurethane foam with a straw, but you need to work at low temperatures. I do not advise, the cost of your work is more expensive than the cost of a new can of winter foam.

It is only necessary to work with polyurethane foam without a gun with gloves, it is not worth learning by trial and error, hands are more expensive.

Before starting work, carefully inspect the place that you are going to fill with polyurethane foam through the tube attached to it, if the gap is large or there is a need to save the foam, fill the gap with pieces of foam or wood. If you install a door frame, and we do this on our own most often, install at least 2 spacers inside the box, otherwise the foam will deform the frame.

How to use a foam cylinder.

Before starting work, shake the can of polyurethane foam well for at least one minute, when working with foam at low temperatures it is necessary to shake longer.

Some people think shaking is necessary for mixing the components of the polyurethane foam in the cylinder, this is not entirely true, the foam hardens from contact with air, but with vigorous shaking, the output of the finished foam is slightly larger.

Remove the cap and wind up the tube.

We moisten the surface filled with foam with water in any way possible, it is believed that the foam adheres better to the surface, although no professional installer does this. But I would recommend working according to the instructions, as the same professional installers say - "do everything right, it will turn out wrong by itself."

When working, we hold the cylinder with polyurethane foam upside down, the tip of the bottleneck tube can be flattened slightly.

The gap must be filled by no more than 30 percent, since the foam increases in volume several times. It is possible to add polyurethane foam, but not worth it, most often the foam is, on the contrary, excessive, it also concerns the recommendation of moistening the polyurethane foam for faster curing.

After about half an hour, inspect the workplace, if there is not enough foam, add, cut off the excess. Complete hardening of polyurethane foam from a cylinder occurs after at least eight hours.

If the mounting surface is exposed to the street, after complete curing, it must be covered with plaster or painted with paint. Otherwise, on contact with ultraviolet rays, the polyurethane foam will begin to deteriorate over time!

Having finished working with the cylinder, it is necessary rinse the tube with a special rinse for foam, then blow gently with air (take care of your lips, use a bicycle pump better) to use it next time!

By the way, I personally do it in a different way, after the foam remains in the tube, I pull it out by screwing in an ordinary screw, like a corkscrew, the foam inside the cap does not freeze. Although it is safer not to use the straw many times, or rather to calculate the required number of cans with polyurethane foam for work, the volume of foam received from the can is always indicated on the can with foam.

Memo - any polyurethane foam does not stick to silicone and polyethylene!

When it becomes necessary to fill cracks, holes, seams, various voids, during repair or construction work, polyurethane foam is primarily used. This material is widely used as insulation. Polyurethane foam can be used almost in conjunction with any material: stone, iron, wood, plastic. We will consider instructions on how to use construction foam and its properties in the article below..

Polyurethane foam properties

The main property of the substance, which ensures its widespread use, is a high degree of filling and excellent adhesion. The expansion coefficient in this case varies from 10 to 60%. Curing occurs due to the interaction of the material with moisture and air. Gas is also added to the cylinder, with the help of which pressure is created to displace the substance. The main components are methylene diphenyldiisocyanate (MDI), polyol, blowing agent, and catalyst.

Varieties

The material can be divided into one-component and two-component, as well as household and professional. The quality does not differ greatly from this, but the way the foam comes out of the container is different. When using professional cylinders, an assembly gun is required: a device that controls the flow of the substance. While household ones are equipped with PVC guide tubes, which are sprayers. In addition, the material has differences in application temperature:

The disadvantages include sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, under the influence of which it is destroyed and a long solidification time. The setting time of a substance is characterized by the duration of polymerization and depends on the volume. The hardening period is from 8 to 12 hours.

Correct use

A cylinder with household polyurethane foam is intended for single use, so you should think about its effective use, since unused material will be lost. Polyurethane foam is usually produced in cylinders, tubes, on the surface of which information is applied about the conditions of use and preparation for use.

The capacity is 600-800 milliliters. Included with the non-professional balloon is a disposable tube with special PVC notches. Thanks to the notches, the length of the tube can be shortened, and in the case of hard-to-reach places, an extension adapter in the form of a flexible hose is put on it.

Before starting work, the cylinder is shaken vigorously and the cap is removed, which serves as a kind of safety lock. Then it remains only to screw the plastic tube, which is supplied with it and has an internal thread, onto the threaded part of the cylinder.

It is important to note that the straw can be used several times. It has a collapsible design and Lego is cleaned with a ramrod or a piece of thick wire from the foam frozen in it.

To improve the degree of expansion of the solution and its hardening, the required amount of moisture contained in the air may be insufficient, therefore additional wetting is applied.

How to use polyurethane foam without a gun? Consider the recommendations:

The process itself is as follows. The end of the tube is positioned approximately five centimeters from the point to be filled. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that about half of the required volume is filled due to the expansion of the substance. The material is squeezed out in wavy movements. As the substance increases in size, surpluses are formed, which are cut off with a sharp knife after hardening.

Precautions for use

Construction foam is a tricky material to use. Since it contains toxic substances, the working area must be well ventilated. It is flammable and should not be exposed to flame. When applying it, it is necessary to regulate the force of pressure, it is necessary to press evenly so that the contents come out in an equal amount.

The substance, when it gets on the surface, is very difficult to remove and can subsequently damage the coating. In case of contact with unwanted areas, it is necessary to wait for it to harden, and only then try to remove it. Residues can be removed with acetone and, on solvent-sensitive coatings, treated with special detergents.

It is extremely important to protect the organs of vision. To do this, wear transparent glasses. Gloves are used to protect hands, as the foam has excellent adhesion to the skin.

Disadvantages and advantages of household construction foam

The following can be noted:

increased material consumption due to the impossibility of accurate dosing of its output;
difficulties in work: the balloon has to be held upside down, with a girth, which puts a load on the arms and leads to fatigue;
the cost is usually cheaper compared to the professional one;
satisfactory work result.

Thus, if there is no assembly gun available, then there will be nothing left but to use polyurethane foam with a straw. The video process of the work can be viewed on numerous sites on the Internet dedicated to construction.

Polyurethane foam properties

Varieties

Correct use

It is important to note that the straw can be used several times. It has a collapsible design and Lego is cleaned with a ramrod or a piece of thick wire from the foam frozen in it.

To improve the degree of expansion of the solution and its hardening, the required amount of moisture contained in the air may be insufficient, therefore additional wetting is applied.

How to use polyurethane foam without a gun? Consider the recommendations:

Precautions for use

It is extremely important to protect the organs of vision. To do this, wear transparent glasses. Gloves are used to protect hands, as the foam has excellent adhesion to the skin.

Disadvantages and advantages of household construction foam

The following can be noted:

increased material consumption due to the impossibility of accurate dosing of its output;
difficulties in work: the balloon has to be held upside down, with a girth, which puts a load on the arms and leads to fatigue;
the cost is usually cheaper compared to the professional one;
satisfactory work result.

instrument.guru

For professional builders, the question of how to use polyurethane foam without a gun probably never arises: they work with it so regularly that this is their first purchase when starting any repair. However, for people with a different profession (and dealing with repairs from time to time), interest in the problem becomes very relevant.

For serious editing(installation of doors and windows) they call specialists. Few have all the construction tools for all repairs.

Of course, there are those who like to do everything themselves (often they are forced to become like that due to lack of money or for some other reason), but they also reserve for themselves mainly those repair work that does not require any special equipment or special skills. So even such enthusiasts may not always have a construction gun.

Call the master to patch up a small hole - not seriously... Most builders will not come for such a call: the road will take more time than work (the cost is a penny), and it's simple - a professional is not interested in performing such primitive actions. And all sorts of agencies ala "Husband for an hour" will take a lot for it.

How to use polyurethane foam without a gun? Solving the problem becomes unambiguously important. Since something needs to be done, and I don't want to accumulate minor imperfections so that the master would agree to come. You will have to master the procedure yourself.

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In the hardware store, if you do not take into account the manufacturer, 2 types of cylinders are sold:

Professional foam... It is pumped into cylinders with a volume of one and a half liters. It comes out of the package under high pressure, although sometimes it is completed with straws for manual use. It is irrational to take it for use without a gun: the flow rate due to the pressure will be too high.
Foam for household use... Volume from 600 to 800 ml. The tube is included in the kit. All technical characteristics correspond to professional ones, and the cylinder may well be adapted to work under a gun. For filling small recesses and correcting installation flaws - it is the most it.

The cost of the household option will be slightly cheaper than the professional one, although the volume of foam is less. But these are already production costs.

It is not much different from a professional construction one - we just put the gun out of the brackets.

Protective gloves are put on - unless, of course, you are going to look after advice on how to remove polyurethane foam from your hands.
The blown out place is cleaned. All dust and accumulated debris is removed. If the gap is large (or deep), foam cuttings are stuffed into it. If you are dealing with a door or window frame, insert additional wooden spacers. When they become unnecessary, they can be removed or cut down flush.
The balloon is shaken for 30-60 seconds, as indicated in the instructions. This will make its contents more homogeneous, and the output of the foam will become much more intense.
The inner planes of the slit are wetted. They should be well soaked, but no moisture should drip off.
The protective cap is removed from the cylinder. A tube attached to it is pushed onto the corresponding protrusion.
The outer hole of the nozzle is brought at a distance of 5-7 cm to the desired place and the valve is pressed. The hole is filled by 30-50%: the foam expands not only at the moment it leaves the balloon, but also for some time after that, so that it will fill the gap sufficiently.
After 30 minutes. the sealed place is inspected again. If there are visible cavities, foam is blown into them again. But usually, with manual filling, the opposite happens - the foam crawls out significantly beyond the set limits, so that repeated approaches are not required.

8 hours later When the foam has completely hardened, bubbles formed outside the sealed hole are trimmed with a sharp knife.

Unfortunately, you can't do without an excess of foam. Even with a pistol, a lot of foam turns out to be superfluous. With the manual method of applying it, there are usually much more such surpluses.

Perhaps they will outweigh your reluctance to buy this. In any case, they will convince you to think about the tool if there are still minor repairs left.

Consumption... The gun releases foam in a metered dose, under one pressure and an even stream, precisely directed to the right place. At the same time, the jet is so thin that the foam bulges out in huge bubbles only if you hold your hand over one place for a couple of seconds. The manual method does not provide these factors.

As a result: if the door installation requires only 1 cylinder with a pistol, then without it the same work will take from you 3 (and sometimes more). In addition, not all professional cylinders can operate without a pistol. That is, you will have to buy household ones, smaller in volume, but costing about the same. In recalculation, the volume of used foam becomes 1.5 times more expensive.

Time spent... The pistol is a fast-acting device. An even seam of 2 meters in length is carried out with its help in 10-15 seconds (it will take even less time for professionals). Manual blowing will require an order of magnitude more time from you - up to a quarter of an hour, since the hand gets tired, you stop to check how smoothly you are leading, and the tube periodically tries to leave the trajectory.

Of course, you shouldn't buy equipment for random moments, since you can still use polyurethane foam without a gun. But if you have to change all the doors in the apartment, and you are going to do it yourself, then it is better not to reinvent the wheel and buy yourself the appropriate equipment.

remtra.ru

Foam with a straw - the threat of expansion

The main disadvantage of household foam with a straw is a significant secondary expansion. When hardening, it can increase several times, so it is extremely important to comply with all conditions of use.

The instructions for using household foam can be seen on the back of the cylinder, but we will consider it in more detail and step by step:

Cleaning and surface preparation. Before applying the foam, it is necessary to carefully check all cracks and holes for small debris and, if necessary, degrease the surface with acetone.
Moistening the surface. Polyurethane foam needs contact with humid air for curing, therefore, before using the spray, the surfaces must be moistened - a conventional spray gun is quite suitable for this purpose.
Preparing the foam cylinder. A little trick - before using the foam, you need to hold the foam for several hours in water with a temperature of about 20 ° C - after such a procedure, it will lie down better. Before starting work, shake the can for a minute so that all components are evenly mixed, this will ensure maximum foam yield.

Attaching the tube or gun to the cylinder. The tube is simply screwed onto the valve, but with the pistol the situation is somewhat more complicated - we will consider the issue of its choice and use below.
Foam handling. According to the correct technology, the polyurethane foam is applied in small sections (about 10 cm) in the direction from bottom to top - this helps to avoid unnecessary spread of the material. It is necessary to ensure that the gap is not filled by more than 50% - during hardening, the volume will greatly increase, which can lead to damage to the treated structure. It is extremely important not to touch the uncured foam - any physical impact and violation of the structure worsens the solidification and negatively affects the volume and density.
It is necessary to ensure that the balloon is always in the upside down position to ensure the most complete consumption of foam.

Difficult moments:

Problem when using	How to solve
Foam opening more than 3 cm wide	Polyurethane foam must be applied in several steps, waiting for each of the layers to harden. Before reapplying the foam, it is imperative to moisten the hardened base.
Through slots	In no case should such holes be filled with foam from both sides - this can lead to severe deformation of the structure. Foam is used on one side only, the back side is usually filled with silicone sealant.
Installation of door and window frames	To reduce the pressure on the structure, it is recommended to use dowels and additional spacers (they are removed after hardening). Otherwise, the foam, expanding, can fundamentally warp the frames of doors and windows.

A cylinder of household foam must be used completely, otherwise the composition will harden during storage and will be unusable. There are no such problems with professional foam, but there are some nuances.

Assembly gun: price or quality

A professional gun provides precise and metered application of polyurethane foam, reusable cylinder use and accurate work. There are many modifications of such a tool, however, the scheme of the device and the principle of operation are approximately the same:

The tip of the gun - as a rule, its diameter is several times smaller than the diameter of the tube itself. This feature allows to increase the pressure at the exit of the foam many times, which, in turn, guarantees a good volume.
The trunk (tube) is the channel through which the foam comes out. It can be one-piece or collapsible (two-piece), which simplifies the maintenance of the instrument.
Adapter - an adapter for connecting to the neck of the foam cylinder. Teflon coated in quality models.
Adjustment unit - allows you to dose the foam output and its pressure.
Mounting nut - with its help the barrel is attached to the handle. This design allows the tube to be removed for cleaning or replacement.
The trigger - serves to adjust the supply of polyurethane foam.
Handle - made of various types of plastic and metals. Aluminum handles are considered the most reliable and comfortable.

The principle of operation of the assembly gun is based on simple mechanics: after attachment to the cylinder, the foam passes through the supply valve into the barrel, where it is until the trigger is pressed. Pulling the trigger opens the valve on the tip, releasing foam. The regulating mechanism allows you to control the volume of foam delivery.

Since there is nothing superfluous in the design of the pistol, choosing such a tool is quite simple. There are only a few factors to consider:

The quality of the materials from which the gun is made. It is best if it is made entirely of hard metals. There are high-quality plastic models, but this is very rare.
Collapsible design: Monolithic pistols are cheaper, but the price of a collapsible tool will pay off many times when cleaning and replacing parts.
Working pressure in the gun. This characteristic cannot be checked in the store, but there is a little trick. When buying a gun, immediately purchase a can of cleaner (it contains acetone). At home, you need to screw the pistol onto a bottle of cleaning liquid, pull it inside by pressing the trigger, then remove it and leave it for a couple of days. If, after this time, acetone fires when the trigger is pulled, the pressure is normal. If not, you can return low-quality goods to the store, acetone does not leave any traces on the surface of the barrel.

Gun Foam - Professional Use for Beginners

With the right gun and related products (foam remover / cleaner and petroleum jelly) selected, you're ready to go.

Initial gun installation

To install the gun, unscrew the fastening screw all the way, lubricate the socket with technical vaseline and secure the cylinder. It is important to ensure that the adjusting unit is at a minimum foam consumption. Then the cylinder is turned over to the working position (upside down) and the composition supply is regulated - a couple of test presses are made to release excess air and check the pressure.

The rules for applying the foam remain the same: in small stripes from bottom to top. However, professional foam has practically no secondary expansion, which greatly simplifies the calculation of the required volume. The main thing is to make sure that the cylinder is not in a horizontal position both during use and during breaks.

Replacing the foam cylinder

Before putting a new cylinder or putting the gun into storage, it is necessary to thoroughly clean all surfaces from the remnants of old foam. For this purpose, a cleaner (wash) is used:

to release the pressure, pull the trigger of the pistol;
fix the bottle with the cleaner to the gun;
turning the cylinder over, press the trigger for 10 seconds;
repeat several times until clear liquid comes out of the tube;
lubricate the gun parts with petroleum jelly.

When storing the assembly gun, it is necessary to repeat the lubrication procedure approximately once every one and a half to two months.

When working with foam, it is important to consider such points as its chemical composition and increased "stickiness" to different surfaces. Therefore, it is imperative to use protective equipment such as a work suit and gloves.

We sweep the traces

Polyurethane foam is one of the most difficult to remove materials: if it gets on fabric, leather or other surfaces, it is quite difficult to clean them. But it's worth a try.

Surface	Fresh foam	Cured foam
Hand skin	It is carefully removed with a sponge, the remains are removed with improvised means - scrub, acetone, solvent, gasoline, saturated saline solution	It can be removed only mechanically. Usually loses its properties and falls off after 2-3 days
Textile	It is collected with a stick, the remains are removed with a cleaner. Important! Stains may remain during fabric processing!	If possible, large pieces are cut off, and the remains are treated with a special solvent for solidified foam, white spirit or gasoline. Remove stains that appear with stain removers
PVC (frames, window sills)	Carefully removed, the surface is wiped with a special cleaner for PVC	Carefully cut, the surface is wiped with a special cleaner for PVC (usually marked - for installing windows)
Floor covering (linoleum, laminate, parquet)	Remove foam with a spatula, collect the rest with a sponge soaked in cleaner. Stains may appear! They are removed from wooden surfaces by grinding, while varnished coatings cannot be cleaned - they will have to be replaced.	After cutting off the foam, the residues are carefully dissolved with a special cleaner or the drug "Dimexid" (sold in pharmacies). It is necessary to work with such substances with gloves - strong components can cause burns!

As you already know, polyurethane foam is not intended for sealing holes less than 1 cm in size - it is better to fill such gaps with silicone sealants.

Alexander Birzhin, rmnt.ru

rmnt.mirtesen.ru

Rules for working with polyurethane foam

Whatever type of material is used, the main nuances that must be taken into account are always the same.

Determine at what temperature the work will be performed. This is necessary in order to select the correct foam, because if the thermometer is less than +5, then a special winter composition will be required. On average, the normal temperature for using foam is +20 degrees.
You will have to give up work if the temperature in the room is above thirty degrees or the air is noticeably humid. Both of these factors have a negative effect on adhesion (setting). Under normal conditions (at normal temperature and humidity), before working with foam, it is even recommended to spray a little water on the joint surface - this accelerates the reaction with oxygen.
After removing from the cylinder, the foam increases in volume by about 3 times, therefore, the foamable areas are filled by no more than a third.

Excess application

If the gap to be repaired is wide (8-10 cm or more), then the use of foam will have no effect. The resulting surface will be brittle and break easily. In addition, do not forget about the cost of this material, so it is important to weigh whether you want to get an expensive and unreliable seam, or it is easier to reduce it with bricks or large rubble and then foam it.
The correct position of the cylinder, with or without a gun, is upside down. Otherwise, the foam will come out of the wrong consistency, and it is likely that not all of it is used, because the pressure is created by compressed air and if it comes out immediately, further work with this cylinder will become impossible.
If the foam has not expanded enough and has not captured all the necessary space, then after the initial hardening, which takes about half an hour, add a second layer on top. Complete solidification occurs after about eight hours.

Before further work, the surplus is cut off.

When the polyurethane foam completely solidifies, this material will not be susceptible to moisture or temperature, but in any case, the seam will have to be protected from direct sunlight, because under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the material will shrink, become brittle and fall off the surface.

How to handle foam when there is no gun for it

There is no difference in the work itself - the question is how to extract the foam from the cylinder. There are two options here - there is an ordinary "household" cylinder at hand, or one designed for use with a pistol.

In the first case, the issue has been resolved in advance, because manufacturers supply containers with special valves and tubes. It remains to connect and use everything.

Remember to protect your eyes and hands

If you have to use a professional cylinder designed for a pistol, then the question is more complicated, because you will have to find a tube for the foam to escape and decide how to press the valve. Figuratively, this can be represented as follows - you need to release air from the bicycle chamber so that it all gets to the right point (without catching your hands).

In such cases, the tube is ripped from three parts: flexible-solid-flexible. The firm part pushes the valve, the first soft part prevents the foam from splashing, and the tube already brings it to the treatment site.

For any work, do not forget to protect your hands and face, because the foam is hard to wash. It's cheaper to buy an extra pair of gloves than to buy solvent or walk around with dirty hands.

Such a design will have to be assembled for a professional cylinder.

When and why you have to look for toluene-free foam

When working with concrete walls or brickwork, the presence of this substance in the composition does not play any role. Problems will begin if you foam the areas insulated with foam, because the latter begins to melt under the influence of toluene. As a result - the layer of foam "eats" a hole and falls into it - the work will have to be redone again.

If you need to stick the polystyrene to the surface, then this property of toluene is only on hand, because it literally "welds" the sheet to the wall. By the way, this is widely used when leveling walls with drywall without a frame - by gluing the sheets directly onto brick or concrete with a "mounting".

That's the whole difference - if you need to work with materials similar to foam, then you need to choose - you need to melt it or it is better to look for foam without toluene, the choice of which is represented by polyurethane and similar compositions.

Benefits of using a foam gun, how it works

Choosing a gun is simple - the more metal parts in the device, the better. Pay special attention to the places that are subjected to the greatest stress - this is the connection point of the cylinder and the foam release valve.

Professional pistol

In general, the design is simple:

Cylinder mount with valve pin. The balloon is put on either by screwing on the thread, or by a latch;
A trigger mechanism that opens the feed;
Screw - regulates the feed;
A delivery tube through which the contents of the container are discharged to the outside;
Lever.

Before you refuse such a purchase, weigh all the pros and cons of its use, because there is only one obvious drawback for a professional pistol - the cost of an average-quality device will be the price of 2-3 foam cylinders.

There are much more positive sides:

Convenience. Whatever tube the "household" cylinder is supplied with, it will play in comparison with a specialized instrument.
Consumption. The professional gun is equipped with an adjusting screw, which is convenient to tighten during operation. You will have to withstand the exit from the household cylinder yourself, pressing the valve, which inevitably leads to an overrun by 2-3 times.
Accuracy. The nozzle of the gun is much narrower than any tube, so it is convenient for them to handle even small seams without losing foam.

Of course, a pistol can be dispensed with if global work is not foreseen. But if you purchase 3-5 cans of foam, then it is more correct to stock up on an application device.

In everyday life, the need for special tools does not always arise. If you suddenly need to repair a 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 expenses. However, you should first find out how the 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 piece of tube with a small cross section. The pressure level in the vessel is relatively low. This allows you to reduce material consumption in cases where you plan to use a can of polyurethane foam without a gun.

Professional material can be purchased in volumes from 1.5 liters, in addition, it is used for large-scale tasks: sealing the seams of window and door openings, 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. Thus, 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. Domestic-class 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 of the options. Possible foam applications 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 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:

They remove any pollution: 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. With a material such as foam, it is recommended to seal gaps no more than 8 cm in width.
The area is moistened with water, for which it is better to use a spray bottle, then the surface will be moistened evenly.
Control the environmental conditions. It is better to 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 a regular sharp knife.

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

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 process of sealing 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 contributes to the formation of 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, you need to 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 cylinder and fill the cracks with foam using the supplied tubing.

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 material is formed that performs several functions at the same time. In this case, the surface acquires the properties of a tough, 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	Peculiarities
	The capacity of the 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 in small depressions or seams with your own hands. Its price is much lower than the professional one.
	The mixture is produced in rather large cylinders, 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 seams.

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

In this case, 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 with the worst technical characteristics;
If it is necessary to carry out large-scale and complex events, on which the comfort and ease of use of the house 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;
Professional tube application... A small-diameter tube is fixed on the cylinder valve, through which the sealing compound is fed to the closed slots. But with such a simple method, often, due to high pressure, there is an excessive release of the sealant from the cylinder;
A 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, in order 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 to be closed;
Large seams are filled with polystyrene. 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 polystyrene.

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. At higher temperatures, above 30 ° C, repairs should be postponed, and at negative temperatures, 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 a lack of 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. In the process of work, 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, it should be borne 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 pistol, 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 caring for 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 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 a special gun should be well maintained, working with a professional tool is 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.