What is Spray Polyurethane Foam (Insulation Foam)?
Spray Polyurethane Foam is a polyurethane (PU) based, single component, very qualified heat and sound insulation product that can be applied by being sprayed on surfaces through its special application device. The propellant in the can sprays the chemical component to surfaces through application gun. This composition rapidly cures, expands and hardens with the moisture in the air,
Spray Polyurethane Foam, having only double component equivalents up until today, can be rapidly and easily applied by amateur users as well as the professionals, thanks to its single component version introduced. Transport, warehousing, application and workmanship costs are quite lower than other equivalents.
Where are the Application Areas of Spray Polyurethane Foam?
Spray Polyurethane Foam can be used practically everywhere can be imagine for heat and acoustic insulation purposes. For example; roofs, attics, facades, foundations, basements, cellars, floors, internal walls, overlappings between floors, inner sections, ceilings and storerooms. Besides, it can further be used on structural elements of buildings, balconies, arcades, doors, window slopes, pipes and conduits, tanks and on entire inclined, rough and uneven surfaces. It can also be used on vehicle bodies, vehicle trailers, container carriers, container sheds, parking lots and garages, boats, yachts, crafts and hundreds of similar areas.
How is Spray Polyurethane Insulation Foam Applied?
The use of Spray Polyurethane Foam is quite handy comparing to its equivalents. First of all, nozzle A is firmly fixed on the tip of the application gun for vertical floors. Attention is paid not to have any clearance between the nozzle and the gun. Because, any clearance will result in leakage of foam during the application process. Then, the can is shaken for at least 20 times. Application gun is fixed by opening the upper lid of the cap by winding up. The screw located at the back side of the gun is untightened and the application pressure can be adjusted as desired. At normal conditions, it is recommended to wind up the screw to the end. Afterwards, the product is applied relatively rapidly at a distance of an average of 40-45 cm from the surface. Getting close or away from the surface may introduce some disadvantages. If we get closer to the surface, application thickness increases. Ideal application should be a thickness of maximum 1.5 cm on a single layer. If you conduct a thicker application as a single layer, both the heat and the sound insulation value will decrease. The optimal application should have a thickness of 1.5 cm and in 3 layers overlapping. Then, an application could be done with the performance equal to its equivalent heat and sound insulation. In case an application is made from a distance more than 40-45 cm, application thickness will be decreased and therefore consumption will increase.
For ceiling applications, nozzle A is removed from the tip of the gun and nozzle B is fixed. The gun and the product are held vertical as it would be applied on a vertical floor, but nozzle B will spray the product to the ceiling. In this application, application is made from an average distance of 15-20 cm.
You may watch the product application video Akfix ThermCoat.
What are the Advantages of Spray Polyurethane Foam?
Insulation is of utmost importance in countries experiencing a cold climate. People prefer convenient and appropriate insulation types to have a comfortable life and keep their heating/cooling costs on a minimum level. Akfix Thermcoat Spray Polyurethane Foam offers a strong sound, heat and water insulation.
Thermcoat, which is a uniform insulation system that prevents heat bridge, directly contributes to heat insulation and decreases the heating/cooling costs of buildings.
- Thanks to its high acoustic insulation property, it absorbs sound and offers peaceful living spaces.
- It has high resistance against many solvents (acetone, thinner, etc.) particularly water after being cured. That’s why it also contributes to the water insulation of buildings.
What are Other Alternatives of Heat and Sound Insulation?
The first alternatives that come to mind are EPS and XPS. Those are the most common heat insulation materials. They are applied with adhesive mortar or adhesive foam at sheeting processes and fixed with plastic dowels. Although it is lightweight, if mortar is used as adhesive, it introduces a serious burden for the building and becomes an exhaustive insulation alternative as it requires further mechanical fixing.
Stone wool and glass wool are the insulation materials mostly confused with each other. Stone wool is in the form of panel such as EPS & XPS. It can be pliable if desired, but it gets deformed as a result. When held without sturdy gloves, minor sharp fibers may penetrate to the skin.
It is mostly used between the partition walls within the buildings. Glass wool, on the contrary, is in the form of roller and spread on surfaces like a rug. It is mostly used as roof mattress. Those materials are bonded with mortar and fixed on the surfaces by the mechanical fixing elements. It can withstand in very high temperatures as an advantage comparing with EPS and XPS.
2 component spray polyurethane foam is the one with the highest heat insulation value among 3 alternatives. At the same time, it has the most difficult application. It can only be applied with a special application machine by professional teams. First of all, a professional team arrives at the application area and measures meter square value of the area, then the required raw material quantities are calculated and the surfaces are coated rapidly with this material by the help of a special application machine. It is the insulation type with the highest cost. It is not preferred for smaller application areas due to its high cost. Canister type 2 component spray polyurethane foam is a new packaging type and a type in where professional type packaging (barrel) is offered similarly with the propane cylinder used in kitchens. It can also be applied by amateur users. It can be carried over to narrow or small areas.
If the dimensions of the area to be insulated in meter square does not correspond the efficiency to be yielded from 1 set of product, application more than normal would be required as a result. This condition increases the cost. Akfix Thermcoat offers advantages such as performance of more precise measurements and product purchase just to be enough for the dimensions of the application area.
With Which Names the Spray Foam Known in Worldwide?
It is generally offered in the market with the names; Thermal insulation foam, insulation foam, Spray PU Foam, 2 component spray PU Foam, Heat and Acoustic Spray Insulation foam.
What is the Fastest Way of Heat Insulation in Buildings?
Due to the reasons that it does not require any adhesive, drill, dowel, etc., not being a voluminous material, easy transport and with high insulation value, the fastest heat insulation can be made by polyurethane foam.
How is heat insulation done with the optimal cost?
At heat insulation job, when the entire materials necessary such as heat insulation panels, adhesive, fixing elements are taken into account, higher cost comes forth. It is quite possible to conduct a professional heat insulation with just an application gun, foam cleaner and Akfix Thermcoat. Thanks to its practical application property, easy transport and lightweight packaging, it is a highly affordable and low cost product. Besides, it is environmental friendly with its recyclable packaging.
