Keep the open cell foam shavings?

[jawmaw]

I have an installer here today spraying foam in my garage walls. When they shave the foam against the framing it creates a huge amount of shavings.

Does anyone think these would be good to keep to use in the attic?

 

[James-W]

I don't know of any practical use for the shavings. I guess it's possible there may be a practical use for them, but if there is one, I certainly don't know what it is.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Now that's f'ing frugal. Proud of you man.

 

[Lassen Forge]

But... why? Sure, it's good for... something (packing stuff you sold on eBay??) but not gonna have much R value. Won't hurt nothing, just not gonna help that much either.

 

[jonjon1]

A company that I used to have do my insulation used to save all the shavings. They used to stick them into the walls before the sprayed, only company I ever seen do it, but they were neat and cheap...

 

[James-W]

Now that's f'ing frugal. Proud of you man.

Being frugal? Well, that's one word for it, not the word I would have used though.

 

[jawmaw]

Come on... I meant for attic insulation not to store for future use. I was thinking I could put it in the attic and blow cellulose over it.

I am not that frugal but have been known to be cheap.

 

[Rock knocker]

A company that I used to have do my insulation used to save all the shavings. They used to stick them into the walls before the sprayed, only company I ever seen do it, but they were neat and cheap...

But that also increases void and decreases your R value

 

[jawmaw]

Okay. No R value so it is going in the trash.

 

[Compressor]

Good thought to keep something out of the landfill but I agree, no R value.

 

[finn]

I had my new kitchen sprayed earlier this year. The installer told me that it is common for people to save the shavings and then run them through a cellulose blower for additional attic insulation.

I plan to use the shavings to insulate a (new) well pit shed for a shallow well at my shop.

 

[ascott172]

They don't have to dispose of the waste if they can get u to keep it

 

[DC73]

Okay. No R value so it is going in the trash.

Good thought to keep something out of the landfill but I agree, no R value.

But that also increases void and decreases your R value

but not gonna have much R value

If spray foam has no R-value after its cured, why use it in the first place?

Of course it has R-Value. Whether or not its an effective use of insulation is debatable but scrap foam certainly has an R-value and could easily be placed in the attic and covered with cellulose. Grinding it up into smaller pieces to keep large air spaces to a minimum would help. Placing it in the wall and spraying over it as was mentioned one contractor does is not a bad thing.

Fact: A 1" thick piece of spray foam insulation that has been cut as overfill from a wall has the exact same R-value as a 1" thick piece of spray foam that remains inside the wall cavity.

DC

 

[jonjon1]

But that also increases void and decreases your R value

I dont think it did, they just put the flat side on the inside of the outside wall then sprayed right over it, they did the house I live in now and its way too tight, I run an air exchanger year round. This house is very well insulated. I heat and cool 4500 sq feet for very very little...

 

[Rock knocker]

I dont think it did, they just put the flat side on the inside of the outside wall then sprayed right over it, they did the house I live in now and its way too tight, I run an air exchanger year round. This house is very well insulated. I heat and cool 450 sq feet for very very little...

That could be satisfactory. You were unclear on on the size of the chips. If done improperly, voids could result.

 

[Rock knocker]

If spray foam has no R-value after its cured, why use it in the first place?

No one other than you said it did. The improper use of (relatively) older remnants can result in a lesser R value, but most certainly not result in a zero value

 

[DC73]

No one other than you said it did.

Okay. No R value . . .

. . . I agree, no R value.

The OP's plan to use scraps in the attic and cover them with cellulose is a valid and good use of the scrap foam. Putting scraps in walls and spraying over them can be done easily while minimizing voids. Keeping this stuff out of the landfill is a good thing.

DC