The Best Alternative Uses For Spray Foam
It is an established fact that spray foam is a great choice as an insulation product
. With an R-value twice that of fiberglass insulation, the versatility to apply it to most any crack or crevice, and closed cell composition to keep out moisture and reduce mold and mildew, spray foam is a smart and environmentally friendly insulator. What most people don't realize is that there are plenty of other uses for spray foam that range from the practical to the creative.
Whether you've worked with spray foam before and are wondering what other uses it might have or if you're looking for specific project ideas, you may be surprised at what spray foam can be used for. Below are some alternative uses for spray foam that may or may not have occurred to you.
In addition to insulating, spray foam can be used for a number of other practical purposes around the home. Spray foam makes a great sound barrier for reducing noise and controlling vibration. Spray foam is not an acoustical material and may not provide adequate soundproofing for controlled acoustical situations, such as music recording but it can help significantly reduce noise when sprayed in or on interior walls. Spray foam is a closed cell, expanding sealant and can serve as a practical solution for noise control and reduction.
Another practical use for spray foam in the home is to seal off small holes, gaps, and cracks in the foundation, walls, windows and doors where insects and other tiny pests may enter the home. Many times, an insect infestation occurs because pests "accidentally" discover an entrance into the home through a small crevice. Those insects that thrive on moisture and food, such as ants, cockroaches, silverfish, earwigs, and in some cases, even mice, find that people's homes are an easy source for both. By sealing up known cracks, holes, and crevices, you effectively cut off their access to your home. Spray foam makes this task easy and quick, and you could save yourself a small fortune in pest control and eliminate the need for harsh chemical pesticides.
Spray foam also provides a great way to fill the gaps around plumbing pipes and drain lines in bathrooms and kitchens. These gaps may not be a source of heating or cooling loss but insulating plumbing pipes reduces water heating loss and can help prevent frozen pipes in the winter. As previously mentioned, these holes can also be an access point for pests.
While spray foam is versatile and has many practical household uses, it can also be used as a building and sculpting material for more creative projects. In fact, spray foam is used to create many of the props seen in motion pictures, stage productions, and in and around amusement theme parks, haunted houses, and other entertainment attractions. Spray foam can be used in conjunction with wood, chicken wire, and other building materials, and once cured can be carved, cut, sanded, or ground into whatever form desired. It can be painted and adds stability to a sculpture.
In terms of creative uses, spray foam could be used as a medium for constructing parade floats, science fair projects, decorations for school plays, fairs, proms, and other events, as well as a host of other projects. Spray foam makes a good stabilizer for metal buildings and sheds and can be used as a flotation material to repair boats. It even has other marine uses, such as insulating coolers and bait boxes.
Experimenting with spray foam and its capabilities and limitations as a building material and art medium is the best way to familiarize yourself with the possibilities. As an alternative to other materials, spray foam could be a cost-effective way to complete many different projects. Additionally, while spray foam is a solid, closed cell material that adds stabilization and insulation, it is considerably lighter weight than many metals, wood, and other types of material, making it possible to easily reposition and store constructed projects if necessary.
You may not have realized how incredibly versatile spray foam is and maybe you never considered it as an alternative building material or medium. Whatever your project needs - practical or creative - spray foam just may provide the exact form and function you're looking for.
by: Mark Munns.
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