Canned Spray Foam Temperature Range

[seedtime]

Now that winter is taking hold here in Michigan, I am hesitant to move forward in many areas. My concern today is using spray foam for sealing around doors and windy in 35F temperatures. The can says 60-90F with 75F being ideal.

Has anyone had success using “Great Stuff” in the cold?


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[rlitman]

A little. It won't work if the CAN isn't at room temperature, and the foam from a warm can won't expand as much into a cold cavity, so you won't get as good insulating performance.

 

[Kaizen]

If the whole building is that temp I’d wait. It will skin over but the center of the foam won’t do much. I’d wait if you can. If inside building can be brought up to fifty I’d go for it using multiple passes


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[chinboys]

When I sprayed closed cell foam in my renovation work a couple of years ago, I used a big tub of hot water (from the tap) to immerse the two tanks of chemicals in.

It brought the chemicals up to warmer than room temperature (at that time, the room was at 45 F.) and I was able to spray the whole contents with decent and adequate coverage.

Hence for these small cans of foam, a pot of hot tap water will do the job.

 

[rlitman]

When I sprayed closed cell foam in my renovation work a couple of years ago, I used a big tub of hot water (from the tap) to immerse the two tanks of chemicals in.

It brought the chemicals up to warmer than room temperature (at that time, the room was at 45 F.) and I was able to spray the whole contents with decent and adequate coverage.

Hence for these small cans of foam, a pot of hot tap water will do the job.

Your two part foam self generates heat when mixed. So, so long as the chemicals are sufficiently warm (they get too viscous when cold to dispense), they'll work.

But the Great Stuff in a can is a one part foam. It does not heat up significantly when sprayed, and relies much on the expansion of the blowing agent to foam up, and that expansion is severely limited when it is too cold.

 

[Blazinzuk]

I've used it in those temps. It still cured eventually. I waited a week before I cut off the excess.

Looked the same as the stuffing had done the week before.

 

[NUTTSGT]

A little. It won't work if the CAN isn't at room temperature, and the foam from a warm can won't expand as much into a cold cavity, so you won't get as good insulating performance.

Same here, I've had the same results.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Just don’t get this stuff on you. Due to the area I was working I had it on my arms, neck and hair. I thought I could clean off with acetone or something similar. No way it basically has to wear off. I clipped a bit out of my hair. The evening I applied it I went to a travel seminar. I was slowly picking it off my arms. Then looked on the floor it looked like a yellow snow flakes all around me. Thank God I was in the rear row and kind of dispersed the flakes so it wasn’t so noticeable.

 

[Zaxxn]

A tub with hot water to submerge the cans in has always worked for me in winter temperatures, and I am about to do the same again very soon in my new shop. Never had an issue with the foam not curing but would definitely give it some extra time to do so.

--Zax

 

[FRC928]

Used it in mid 40's a couple of weeks ago in my shed, worked fine. As others have said make sure the can is warm.

 

[rlitman]

Just don’t get this stuff on you. Due to the area I was working I had it on my arms, neck and hair. I thought I could clean off with acetone or something similar. No way it basically has to wear off. I clipped a bit out of my hair. The evening I applied it I went to a travel seminar. I was slowly picking it off my arms. Then looked on the floor it looked like a yellow snow flakes all around me. Thank God I was in the rear row and kind of dispersed the flakes so it wasn’t so noticeable.

Acetone works. Acetone based nail polish remover works too (this is watered down acetone). The trick is that you have a VERY short time window. Get it right away, and it wipes off. Wait until it skins, and you're peeling.

Not too long ago I bought the gun to dispense a bunch of the bigger cans of the stuff. With it, I bought some cans of "cleaner". The ones I got fit onto the gun, but also come with aerosol spray tips. It's mostly acetone, but there's another solvent in there that makes it work even better. Still, it won't do anything once it has started to dry.

Several years back, I thought I had a good idea. I didn't have an extended length foam gun, so I pulled the straw off a can of great stuff, and forced a a 4' piece of ice maker line onto the nozzle, because it fit well.

It worked well for several minutes as I foamed a gap that was otherwise out of reach. Then I put the can down, and seconds later, it went POP! It seems that the extended length of tubing allowed pressure to build up to the point that the tube popped off the barb, dropping a giant noodle of foam on my bathroom floor. Thankfully I had acetone on hand. It took a lot of acetone and paper towels to clean the grout, but it all came off eventually.

A tub with hot water to submerge the cans in has always worked for me in winter temperatures, and I am about to do the same again very soon in my new shop. Never had an issue with the foam not curing but would definitely give it some extra time to do so.

--Zax

It will cure just fine, though a little slower. It just won't expand quite as much, but that's probably not a big deal.

 

[dogdog]

side question...was literally just came back from homedepot and looking at the stuff....

what is the differences between the three bottle of those "Great Stuff" Red, black and blue...... I think the red is for up to 1" gap... not sure what the differences is for the blue these two have the same instructions.... no mention of other differences.

 

[like2wheel]

Several years back, I thought I had a good idea. I didn't have an extended length foam gun, so I pulled the straw off a can of great stuff, and forced a a 4' piece of ice maker line onto the nozzle, because it fit well.

It worked well for several minutes as I foamed a gap that was otherwise out of reach. Then I put the can down, and seconds later, it went POP! It seems that the extended length of tubing allowed pressure to build up to the point that the tube popped off the barb, dropping a giant noodle of foam on my bathroom floor. Thankfully I had acetone on hand. It took a lot of acetone and paper towels to clean the grout, but it all came off eventually.

Haha. many years ago when I was a newlywed I did the same thing. Except I had my wife working the trigger while I worked the business end in an awkward spot. Tube came off, -foam everywhere. Told my wife "don't worry about it, its just foam". I soon realized how wrong I was. She was in her good clothes...

 

[rlitman]

side question...was literally just came back from homedepot and looking at the stuff....

what is the differences between the three bottle of those "Great Stuff" Red, black and blue...... I think the red is for up to 1" gap... not sure what the differences is for the blue these two have the same instructions.... no mention of other differences.

Red is the regular stuff. Black expands even more than the regular. It's good for larger gaps, but in tight spaces, if you overapply, it can push things apart.

Green and orange have boric acid added. Green, because it supposedly stops insects, and orange, as a fire block.

Blue is low expansion, and more important, open celled. This is the only one that's safe to use around windows and doors, because it will not cause the pressure that can bow frames.

 

[dogdog]

Red is the regular stuff. Black expands even more than the regular. It's good for larger gaps, but in tight spaces, if you overapply, it can push things apart.

Green and orange have boric acid added. Green, because it supposedly stops insects, and orange, as a fire block.

Blue is low expansion, and more important, open celled. This is the only one that's safe to use around windows and doors, because it will not cause the pressure that can bow frames.

thanks for the explanation, I was squinting my eyes for a while trying to decode wtf those descriptions mean at the store yesterday.... lol... I guess I'll get the blue....

 

[rlitman]

Another option is latex foam. Dap makes something that's about as solid as shaving cream. It won't hurt windows, and is easy soap and water cleanup, but isn't nearly as strong as the urethane foams.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Haha. many years ago when I was a newlywed I did the same thing. Except I had my wife working the trigger while I worked the business end in an awkward spot. Tube came off, -foam everywhere. Told my wife "don't worry about it, its just foam". I soon realized how wrong I was. She was in her good clothes...

If she stayed after that incident, she's a keeper and you broke her in right.

 

[Ak Jim]

This stuff works down to 14F.

http://www.ositough.com/en/products/view-all-products/foam-sealant-quad-foam.html