How to open polyurethane foam with a tube. Polyurethane foam: useful tricks for the home handyman

Polyurethane foam is a product used for sealing during full-scale home repairs and during urgent patching small defect in the house. The easiest way to work with it is to use a special gun, but it is not always required.

In everyday life, for minor repairs, you can do without additional tools, saving time and money. But to receive High Quality work performed, you should first become familiar with how to use polyurethane foam without a gun. About this and the features of the material we'll talk in the article.

Where is polyurethane foam used?

The material is an excellent sealant. In addition, it is used to seal seams that exist between structural elements.

It can be:

• Seams between floor panels;
• Seams of facade systems;
• Butt seams between timber;
• Voids and cracks in concrete, in brick walls;
• Seams when installing windows and doors.

There are also non-standard ways to use polyurethane foam. For example, insulation wooden floors, arranged on logs. In this case, the composition “blows out” the space between the floorboards and the base of the floor.

After this, the floors stop creaking and become truly warm. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to disassemble wood covering for insulation and strengthening.

Polyurethane foam without a gun is simply pumped into the floor through a special tube into the crack or hole made in inconspicuous place small hole.

Seal properties

The wide scope of use of the material is explained by its unique properties that no other composition has. In its original state, it is a foam-like liquid mass. Foam is packaged under high pressure into small cylinders.

After hitting open air, the foam undergoes a reaction - it greatly increases in size, and then quickly begins to harden. As a result, a porous, reliable and very warm material, performing several functions simultaneously. In this case, the surface acquires the properties of a hard, dense and waterproof film.

Features of polyurethane foam:

• High thermal and sound insulation characteristics;
• Good resistance to moisture;
• Safety and environmental friendliness;
• Fire resistance;
• Low electrical conductivity;
• The ability to fill hard-to-reach voids with the composition;
• Reliably glues various materials together;
• Ease of use.

Types of material

Before purchasing polyurethane foam, it is worth getting acquainted with its types and features, which are presented in the table:

Advice: There is no point in purchasing foam for professionals without a gun. Due to too much pressure, there will be a significant waste of material.

Rules for using sealing agents

Despite the apparent ease of working with modern seals, before starting the process you should learn how to use polyurethane foam without a gun with a straw. Without studying the technology of using the product, you can do a large number of errors that will increase material consumption and significantly reduce the quality of seam sealing.

There are several ways to apply professional composition without a gun. Before starting repairs, 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 compaction;
• Household products may differ from professional ones in having worse technical characteristics;
• If you need to carry out large-scale and complex activities on which the comfort and ease of use of your home depends, it is better to choose more expensive and high-quality products.

The selected polyurethane foam can be applied to the surfaces to be treated without a gun in different ways:

• Application of household compounds. This material is applied without a gun. To do this, a tube is fixed to the cylinder valve and repairs can begin;
• Application of professional material through a tube. The tube is fixed on the cylinder valve large diameter, through which the sealing compound is supplied to the cracks to be sealed. But with this in a simple way often, due to high pressure, there is an excessive release of sealant from the cylinder;
• The professional sealant is supplied through two tubes of different diameters. In this case, it is supposed to attach a large diameter tube to the valve, and then insert a smaller cross-section tube into it and firmly fix it. With such sealing, foam consumption is reduced, which reduces the cost of repair work.

After selecting materials to create good effect from using foam, you need to carry out a number of measures first:

• The treated surfaces are cleaned. All dust, dirt, and all foreign objects are removed from the seams and cracks being sealed;
• Large seams are filled with polystyrene foam. This will reduce the consumption of polyurethane foam and increase the thermal insulation characteristics of the object.

Tip: Be sure to fill openings more than 80 mm wide with polystyrene foam.

• The area to be filled is wetted with water. For this it is better to use a spray bottle.

Filling cracks or seams must be carried out at a temperature environment, which complies with the manufacturer's recommendations. Optimal temperature air for work from 5°C to 20°C above zero. With more high temperature, above 30°C, repairs should be postponed, and in case of negative temperatures, use special frost-resistant materials.

Foam application technology

The principle of operation without a gun is the same as special tools. And before starting the process, it’s worth watching a video on how to work with polyurethane foam without a gun.

After preparing the surface to be treated, the instructions included with the materials suggest the following procedure:

• Shake the can well. To ensure uniform release of the composition from the packaging, it is recommended to vigorously shake the container for 30 to 40 seconds;
• The protective cap is removed;
• A PVC pipe is attached to the valve, which comes with household product. The tube for professional products is purchased separately;
• The free end of the tube is brought to the opening to be sealed;
• The gap is filled with foam from approximately 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 not enough sealant after drying, an additional layer of material should be applied.

Pressurized foam is released from the container when the valve is pressed, which, when actuated, promotes the flow of sealant into the tube and then to the sealing point. The sealant dries completely in 8 hours. After drying, strongly protruding areas of the foam are cut off with a stationery knife.

Disadvantages of using polyurethane foam without a gun

When choosing a method for sealing cracks, it is necessary to take into account the positive and negative points everyone. It is clear that working with a specialized tool is much easier.

The process of sealing without a gun using a tube has several disadvantages:

• Increased material consumption. During operation, you need to constantly monitor the force on the valve and the duration of pressure on it. This is explained by the fact that due to high pressure, an excess amount of foam appears. As a result, the area being treated will require 2-3 times more material than using a gun;
• When planning to use professional foam, you should keep in mind that installing a tube is not always possible;
• It takes more time to work. To hold the flexible tube in correct position with a cylinder valve, it takes longer. At the same time, you constantly need to monitor the volume of material that will appear at the output. Using a gun, you can complete the sealing in 10 - 15 seconds, and sealing the seams yourself 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 extra costs— the remainder of the material is discarded.

There are also disadvantages when using a pistol. The biggest one is cleaning it after finishing work. There is a special product for caring for the device, and the instructions attached to it indicate the technology for using the composition.

How to wash a spray foam gun without special washing?

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 cleaning rod.

All actions must be careful so as not to harm thin and vulnerable structural elements. This is one of the ways and how to wash a spray foam gun without special washing.

Despite the fact that behind a special pistol there must be good care, to Work with professional tool much simpler.

Polyurethane foam - unique material, allowing 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.

Video demonstration of the rules for using polyurethane foam. The process engineer clearly demonstrates the use of polyurethane foam, observing all necessary technologies.

Video

The operating principle is very simple:

1. Preparing the container involves shaking for about one minute.
2. Next, a professional cylinder is put on the gun. When using a household cylinder, a plastic adapter is screwed onto the nozzle.
3. Required condition There is moistening of surfaces to improve adhesion. It is necessary to moisten the area to be foamed lightly (with a spray bottle) so that excess moisture does not interfere with good adhesion.
4. When sealing cracks, the cylinder must be kept upside down - this way propylene gas pushes out the contents more effectively.
5. When foaming, it is recommended to fill cracks and voids only by one third (continuing to expand, the material will fill the rest of the space). If for some reason gaps have formed, it is not recommended to re-foam the fresh, not yet hardened, initial foam. You need to wait until it hardens completely, moisten the dried material, and only then apply a new portion.
6. Upon completion of the process of filling cracks and holes, the drying foam should be slightly moistened again to improve the hardening process.
7. Polymerization (hardening) lasts an average of 12 hours. Although the products of some companies, as already mentioned, make it possible to trim in just one hour.
8. When working with polymer, it is important to ensure that portions of the material do not fall, staining everything around. Also, when putting the cylinder aside, we must not forget that the sealant continues to be pushed out and some part of it may stain something.

Polyurethane foam is not hair foam that can be easily brushed off. To clean the surface, you will have to puff.

Advice! There is no need to smear the fresh foam, it is better to wait for it to dry completely and then tear it off, and wipe off the remaining residue using one of the methods described below.

The problem is how to competently use polyurethane foam without a gun over time can become relevant for everyone. This question arises very acutely when the time comes to renovate a dilapidated building or build a new one. During this period, very often there is an urgent need to remove gaps and cracks if there is a need or doors. Polyurethane foam – the best remedy, which copes with this problem.

Polyurethane foam says no to cracks!

Among the various types of sealant, polyurethane foam is the most popular. This material will help very well in walls, cracks and joints that are more than three centimeters wide.

The packaging in which the foam is sold is an aerosol spray can made of metal. Despite the light weight, the concentration of contents inside is very high. From the container of one package you can get more than 40 liters of foam to seal various cracks. With the help of video instructions you can gain skills in competent work with this sealant.

Before you start using polyurethane foam without a gun, you need to take into account that this substance becomes hard under the influence of a humid environment, and also noticeably increases in volume after using the balloon. It has a porous structure and excellent thermal insulation properties. Due to the fact that foam has a possible long term service, explains its indispensability during repair and construction work. With its help, you can seal cracks, fasten structures, secure joints, heat and sound insulate these places.

This solution has several categories - semi-professional using a plastic tube and professional (pistol type, you can read in detail), winter, summer and all-season. This cylinder device was invented with the goal of easily displacing foam from the cylinder with a special gas. As a result, the formation occurs liquid polymer its hardening and formation of polyurethane foam.

So, polyurethane foam is a universal product that has heat and sound insulation properties, connects, fastens and glues different parts, is convenient for installation work, and has practical packaging. When it expands, you can qualitatively seal joints and seams; after hardening, you do not need to pay attention to it in the future.

Previously, an alternative to this material was cement mortar, but its production is a labor-intensive process that takes a lot of time. Due to its simplicity, convenience and combination in working with metal, wood, concrete and stone, you can give preference to a foam solution.

What you should pay attention to when purchasing polyurethane foam:

1. First of all, you should pay attention to ensure that the product does not turn out to be a fake. The main criterion here is the country of origin.
2. When purchasing a product in a store, you need to pay attention to the production date and the indicated shelf life.
3. You need to check the weight of the cylinder before you buy, as well as the cleanliness of its valve, in order to avoid purchasing a used product.
4. The purchase of polyurethane foam depends on the time of year.
5. It must be taken into account that the volume of substance released from the cylinder has the same dimensions and does not differ in consistency.
6. Main criterion good product– after it has been applied to a vertical surface, it should not slide off walls and window surfaces.
7. The sealant is applied to the surface by uniformly squeezing out the substance and at a constant speed.
8. Foam is sold in aerosol cans made of metal. They are lightweight, easy to use and have a high concentration of content - more than 40 liters of foam are obtained from one package when used.
9. This design was not invented by foam manufacturers by chance - with its help, the material comes out when there is a special gas inside. As a result, the polymer successfully hardens at the gaps and joints and a fairly rigid base is formed.

Working with polyurethane foam is a process that does not require much effort. It is simple and convenient. But in order not to deteriorate the quality of work, you need to know certain subtleties.

• Firstly, installation work is carried out in the absence of low temperatures. According to expert advice, the hardening process occurs more efficiently at temperatures from plus 5 to plus 30 degrees. Such work is carried out from mid-spring to mid-autumn. The exception is winter types of foam.
• Secondly, you only need to carry out the work while wearing gloves. They allow you to avoid contamination of your hands and, as a result, a long process of cleaning from the foam solution. Workers often miss this rule, which is quite dangerous. Therefore, questions often arise.
• Third, don't try to work with foam everywhere. If you need to fill a gap with a width of 1 to 8 cm, then using polyurethane foam is acceptable and approved. In the case where the slot size is larger size, then it is better to use alternative materials, such as plastic, brick or foam. If less than a centimeter, you can use putty. It should be remembered that after finishing work with the sealant, the excess amount of foam is cut off with a knife (do not remove the excess with your hands).
• Fourthly, before applying the foam, it is advisable to water the space to be sealed. Hardening and polymerization of the foam occurs much faster and more efficiently when the ambient humidity ranges from 60 to 80 percent.
• Fifthly, shake the container well before starting work. This should not last a couple of seconds, but about a minute. This is enough for the solution inside the container to turn into a homogeneous mass.

We take the can in our hands. Before removing the protective cap, first shake the contents of the container. After screwing the supplied tube onto the adapter, turn the cylinder upside down. This is the position in which the balloon is used when installation work. This subtlety is very important because the gas displacing the foam is very light and the entire mixture is mixed more efficiently when the cylinder is positioned upside down.

Now we apply the foam, taking into account the fact that it increases in volume. Therefore, it is necessary to apply foam into the hollow space no more than a third. After some time, the volume increases another 2-3 times and after that you can cut off all the excess with a knife. When applying foam not horizontally, but vertically, the solution should be directed from bottom to top. This ensures ease of application and the appearance of a base for fixing the sealant that has not yet hardened.

After applying the foam, it is sprayed with water to improve and more efficiently harden the process. When we see a shortage of foam at the joints, we need to wait a little time, about half an hour, for the bottom layer to harden, and then we can add it to the same places. But don’t try too hard; the excess won’t be needed anymore.

In one pass, the foam layer when applied has an acceptable size of three to four centimeters. In the case where the gap is larger, the foam is applied sequentially, layers are applied one after another.

After 8 hours have passed since the foam was applied, it will completely dry. You should not try to start arranging furniture, hanging wallpaper, or installing shelves immediately after applying the foam. In sealed joints, remove excess foam and cover with leveling agents ( best options– this is plaster, paint or cement).

You can also use polyurethane sealing tape as protection. This helps to increase the service life and prevents exposure to ultraviolet rays. You can use a spray gun for whitewashing, and then proceed to other stages of finishing work.

Quality check – saving time and money

The foam solution must be elastic and adhere well to the surface being treated. High-quality foam, after it has settled and hardened, will not disintegrate into small crumbs. To avoid unnecessary problems before the material has completely hardened, you must not touch it or start processing it, in order to avoid changes in the structure of the material itself and not to interfere with the polymerization process.

Available good quality work performed only if the material meets the relevant standards. Then you won’t have to redo the work of sealing the joints. It should be taken into account that there are cans on sale in different price categories and which have different foam output capacities. In this case, it is more profitable to purchase aerosol can at a higher price so that it will last all the way than buying several cheaper ones.

Polyurethane foam – excellent repair quality

When purchasing foam material, you need to remember that the use of the cylinder is designed for one-time use only. Based on this, there is no need to use the balloon twice. If you know how to use polyurethane foam without a gun, then it is not difficult to calculate the volume required to complete this job. Otherwise, it is better to get advice from those who work in this field, or consult with a salesperson in a store.

Repeated use of a container with foam occurs only when an operation with sealant is carried out through a short time. In this case, upon completion of the first stage of work, treat the tube (gun) and valve with a liquid specially designed for this purpose to remove foam. But, as a rule, this method is not used by workers on construction sites.

1. To remove excess, you need to prepare a water sprayer and a knife to cut off the excess in advance.
2. If the foam ends up in unnecessary places, you can remove it with a soft acetone sponge.
3. Economical consumption of polyurethane foam will help avoid additional costs for cylinders.
4. The surface must be treated after applying foam after 4 hours. After 7-8 hours it will become more difficult to cut, and the hardening process will be completely completed.
5. The work should be done using a respirator; it will protect the human body from unnecessary chemicals. It also won’t hurt if the worker has glasses, gloves and overalls. So it's not an easy matter.
6. You should not wait until the foam becomes dark in color, as this indicates that a reaction to ultraviolet radiation has begun (initially it has a light yellow tint).
7. It is forbidden to use polyurethane foam near open fire and store the cylinder under the influence of open sun rays(this is a common rule, but often it is not followed and there is a risk of running into the consequences of a fire and the arrival of firefighters). The sealant contains: various components, which may ignite. This can lead to very sad consequences. Foam has classes: fire-resistant, self-extinguishing or flammable (this must be found out in advance).
8. Problems also arise if the foam is applied to a dirty surface. To solve this problem, the surface to be treated is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
9. If the temperature outside the window is below plus 5 degrees, then the product’s viscosity may not be suitable for use due to non-compliance with standards. Also, the normal structure of the foam can be disrupted by an increase in ambient temperature to 30-35 degrees Celsius (an exception is all-season foam, which is suitable for use at temperatures from minus 10 to plus 40 degrees).
10. If you take the risk of using summer foam in winter, you run the risk of getting foam that crumbles and has glassy bubbles. It begins to creep down, which means money wasted. For information, the all-season solution has a temperature range of up to minus 10 degrees for the contents of the cylinder and minus 5 for the temperature of the container

Provided that you have taken into account all the tips on how to use polyurethane foam without a gun that were mentioned here, you can confidently begin construction work that involves the use of polyurethane foam. Using foam material, you can carry out work on insulating distribution networks that have seals with different widths of seams and cracks, and it is also easy to fill excess voids in the walls. So you can safely begin high-quality repairs!

Video: HOW TO USE FOAM

Craftsmen began using polyurethane foam without a gun long before manufacturers began producing special, so-called “household” cylinders. Some were forced to do this by the price of the device, while others had to get out of the situation due to a breakdown, but ultimately, demand nevertheless gave rise to supply, and the market now, along with conventional polyurethane foam, sells one that does not require additional components for operation.

The end result is the same as with a pistol

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

• Determine at what temperature the work will be performed. This is necessary to choose the right foam, because if the thermometer shows 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 refuse work if the room temperature is above thirty degrees or the air is noticeably humid. Both of these factors have a bad effect on adhesion (setting). IN normal conditions(at normal temperature and humidity) before working with foam, it is even recommended to spray a little water on the surface of the seam - this speeds up the reaction with oxygen.
• After removal from the container, the foam increases in volume by about 3 times, so the foamed areas are filled no more than a third.

• If the gap that needs to be sealed is wide (8-10 cm or more), then using foam will not have an effect. The resulting surface will be brittle and break easily. In addition, we should 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 is it easier to first reduce it with bricks or large crushed stone and then foam it.
• The correct position of the cylinder, with or without a gun, is upside down. Otherwise, the foam will come out with the wrong consistency, and there is a chance that not all of it will be used, because pressure is created 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 everything required space, then after initial hardening, which takes about half an hour, add a second layer on top. Complete hardening occurs after approximately eight hours.

• When the polyurethane foam has completely hardened, this material will not be susceptible to moisture or temperature, but the seam in any case 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 work with foam if there is no gun for it

There is no difference in the work itself - the question is how to extract the foam from the container. There are two options here - you have a regular “household” cylinder at hand, or one designed for use with a pistol.

In the first case, the issue is resolved in advance, because manufacturers supply containers with special valves and tubes. All that remains is to connect and use.

If you are going 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 come out and decide how to press the valve. You can figuratively imagine this as follows: you need to release the air from the bicycle inner tube so that all of it gets into desired point(without catching your hands).

In such cases, a tube is taken out of three parts: flexible-hard-flexible. The hard part presses the valve, the first soft part does not allow the foam to splash, and the tube already brings it to the treatment site.

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

When and why you need to look for foam without toluene

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 plastic, 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.

If you need to glue foam plastic to a surface, then this property of toluene is to your advantage, because it will literally “weld” the sheet to the wall. By the way, this is widely used when leveling walls with plasterboard without a frame - gluing the sheets directly onto brick or concrete with a “mounter”.

That's the whole difference - if you need to work with materials similar to foam plastic, then you need to choose whether 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 compounds.

From the article “Mounting foam: advice from a professional,” you have already learned how to choose a quality product. The only thing left to do is to use it correctly. In this article, we will help you choose a mounting gun and reveal techniques for economical use and removal of foam residue from hands and clothing.

Despite the fact that polyurethane foam is in demand during construction and repair, we should not forget that it is far from a universal insulating material. It all depends on the size of the cracks and voids that need to be filled:

· Small cracks up to 1 cm are best eliminated using sealants or putties. They are more flexible and will not give side effect as a secondary expansion.

· Holes more than 10 cm wide are recommended to be filled with static materials - brick, wooden blocks or with insulation (for example, polystyrene foam), and then additionally treated with polyurethane foam.

· To insulate medium-sized cracks, it is optimal to use polyurethane foam - household or professional.

Polyurethane foam sealant (spray foam) has excellent adhesion to the vast majority of building materials, however, there are cases when it is useless: the foam will not stick to various types of polyethylene, Teflon, silicone, as well as to any greasy or dusty surfaces. These nuances must be taken into account to obtain effective insulation.

Foam with a tube - threat of expansion

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

Instructions for using household foam can be seen on the back of the cylinder, but let’s look at it in more detail and step by step:

· Surface cleaning and preparation. Before applying foam, you must carefully check all cracks and holes for the presence of small debris and, if necessary, degrease the surface with acetone.

· Surface moistening. Polyurethane foam requires contact with moist air to harden, so before using the can the surfaces need to be moistened - a regular spray bottle is quite suitable for this purpose.

· Preparing a foam bottle. A little trick - before using the foam, you need to hold it for several hours in water with a temperature of about 20 ° C - after this procedure it will lie down better. Before starting work, shake the container for a minute so that all components are evenly mixed - this will ensure maximum foam yield.

· Attaching a tube or gun to a cylinder. The tube is simply screwed onto the valve, but with a pistol the situation is somewhat more complicated - we will consider the issue of its selection and use below.

Working with foam. By the right technology The polyurethane foam is applied in small sections (about 10 cm) from bottom to top - this helps to avoid unnecessary spreading of the material. It is necessary to ensure that the gap is not filled by more than 50% - during hardening the volume will increase greatly, which can lead to damage to the structure being treated. It is extremely important not to touch uncured foam - any physical impact and disruption of the structure impairs hardening and negatively affects volume and density.

It is necessary to ensure that the cylinder is always in the “upside down” position - this will ensure the most complete consumption of foam.

Difficult moments:

The container of household foam must be used completely, otherwise the composition will harden during storage and will be unsuitable for use. With professional foam such problems do not arise, but there are some nuances.

Mounting gun: price or quality

A professional gun ensures accurate and dosed application of polyurethane foam, reusable use of the container and accuracy when working. There are many modifications of such a tool, but the design 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 you to repeatedly increase the pressure when foam comes out, which, in turn, guarantees a good volume.

· The barrel (tube) is the channel through which the foam comes out. It can be one-piece or collapsible (in two parts), which simplifies the maintenance of the instrument.

· Adapter - adapter for connecting to the neck of a foam bottle. In high-quality models it is coated with Teflon.

· Adjustment unit - allows you to dose the foam output and its pressure.

· Fastening nut - with its help the barrel is attached to the handle. This design allows the tube to be removed for cleaning or replacement.

· Trigger - serves to adjust the supply of polyurethane foam.

· Handle - made from various types plastic and metals. Aluminum handles are considered the most reliable and comfortable.

Operating principle mounting gun The mechanics are simple: after attaching to the cylinder, the foam passes through the supply valve into the barrel, where it remains until the trigger is pressed. Pulling the trigger opens the valve on the tip, releasing the foam. The regulating mechanism allows you to control the volume of foam supplied.

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

The quality of the materials from which the gun is made. It is better if it is made entirely of hard metals. Meet quality models made of plastic, but this is very rare.

Collapsible design: monolithic guns are cheaper, but the price of a collapsible tool will pay for itself many times over when cleaning and replacing parts.

Working pressure in the gun. This characteristic cannot be checked in a 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 gun onto a bottle of cleaning liquid, press the trigger to release it inside, then remove it and leave it for a couple of days. If after this time the acetone fires when the trigger is pressed, the pressure is normal. If not, you can return the low-quality product to the store; acetone does not leave any traces on the surface of the barrel.

Gun foam - professional use for beginners

Having chosen the right gun and related products (foam remover/cleaner and petroleum jelly), you can get to work.

Initial gun installation

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

The rules for applying foam remain the same: in small stripes in the direction from bottom to top. However, professional foam has virtually no secondary expansion, which makes calculating the required volume much easier. The main thing is to ensure that the cylinder is not in a horizontal position both during use and during breaks.

Replacing a foam bottle

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

· to release the pressure, pull the gun trigger;

· attach the cleaner bottle 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 technical petroleum jelly.

When storing the mounting gun, it is necessary to repeat the lubrication procedure approximately 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 extremely important to use protective equipment - a work suit and gloves.

Covering our tracks

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

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

Alexander Birzhin, rmnt.ru

http://www.rmnt.ru/ - website RMNT.ru