The best building foam. Mounting foam: which one is better to choose, types, rating of brands

Man built always and everywhere, in all ages and on all continents. Temples, pyramids, houses and fortifications were built from various materials but everyone had one a common problem- building materials cannot perfectly fit tightly to each other. The resulting voids were filled with improvised material: moss, sand, mortar or small stones. All these methods did not provide sufficient tightness or sound insulation, and most importantly, they were very laborious and energy-intensive.

Appearance modern materials and technology has made life easier for builders and installers. Polyurethane foam does in the blink of an eye what a person used to spend a lot of working time on. Using a mounting gun or a cylinder with an applicator tube, in a matter of minutes, you can fill any voids in the structure, isolate and seal joints and seams.

We have compiled a list of the best polyurethane foam, based on expert assessments of specialists and reviews of real buyers. Our recommendations will help you make the best choice for your requirements and desires. There are many competitors in the global technology market, but we have selected the best manufacturers and we recommend paying special attention to them:

1. Makroflex
2. IRfix
3. TYTAN
4. Penosil
5. Remontix

* Prices are valid at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice.

Mounting foams: For windows/doors

Minimum price:

Main advantages

• Universal mounting polyurethane foam for use with a special gun. It is used for assembly or insulation work, sealing joints and seams, filling voids
• Thanks to all-weather characteristics, it can be used in a wide temperature range from -10 to +35 degrees Celsius
• After the final hardening, it is non-toxic and non-flammable, which increases the safety of use. Curing time and cutting capability after one hour
• High adhesion (adhesion to other materials) allows the use of foam on any surface, except for polyethylene, Teflon or polypropylene
• It has good sound and heat insulation properties, high filling capacity, regardless of different climatic conditions

For windows/doors / Frost resistant (all season)/ Under the gun / Professional

Main advantages

• Professional one-component polyurethane foam with increased output. Designed for winter use
• Installed on the balloon special valve to work with an applicator gun that guarantees precise application and economical consumption foam
• Hardens due to exposure to ambient air. Special cell structure provides high mechanical strength
• Polyurethane foam is a self-expanding material with minimal pressure after expansion and hardening. This ensures dosing accuracy during application to the surface.
• It has good thermal and sound insulation characteristics and adhesive ability, which positively affects the quality of work performed.

Anton Tsugunov

Reading time: 6 minutes

Properly selected and correctly applied foam for windows is an important component of their quality installation. It is difficult to imagine the installation of modern PVC window structures without this easy-to-use and reliable material. A novice master will have to understand the differences and features of the foam in order to choose a composition from a wide range offered by stores.

Properties and scope of the material

Polyurethane foam is a liquid polyurethane solution pumped into a cylinder under pressure. When exposed to air, it quickly hardens and at the same time significantly increases in volume.

There are 2 types of foam expansion:

1. Primary (when the composition leaves the cylinder). Provides convenience of work: recesses of arbitrary shape are filled with a solution without effort.
2. Secondary. Refers to the disadvantages: an increase in the volume of sealant during the final polymerization can deform the elements of the window. Therefore, it must be taken into account when carrying out work.

Completely hardened material acquires unique useful qualities:

• Low thermal conductivity is achieved due to air bubbles located in the thickness of the solidified material. If it were not for the price, the foam could well be considered as an alternative to the usual heaters.
• The presence of air voids increases the sound insulation of the entire window structure: vibrations transmitted to the window are damped with foam. Thus, it is an addition to the installed rubber seals enhancing soundproofing.
• Cured foam does not pass electricity, has water-repellent properties, is not subject to rotting or the spread of mold.

• High adhesion values ​​allow the foam to be used as a fixing material: it securely fixes window or door frames, as well as other elements, in place.
• Depending on the brand, the composition does not support combustion or is completely immune to fire.

Thanks to special properties foam is ideal for outdoor and internal works. But, like any material, it has disadvantages:

• After solidification, the excess composition is cut off. And if the cut surface is not properly treated, then water will enter the open pores. Over time, this causes the destruction of the material.

• The cured composition does not withstand exposure to ultraviolet radiation, so it must be protected from direct sunlight.
• You have to follow the rules for storing cylinders: strictly in an upright position at a temperature range from +5 ˚С to +25 ˚С.

The high adhesion of the foam allows it to adhere reliably to surfaces made of different materials. Therefore, you should work with the composition very carefully: if it gets on your hands or other parts of the body, you can wipe it off only with top layer skin, which will take at least a few days. When pouring, be sure to wear gloves. You should also securely cover all surfaces on which the solution can drip.

If the foam still gets on the floor, furniture or other surfaces, it can be removed in several ways, which are written about.

This design provides the following benefits:

• The ergonomics of the gun allows the master to fill the cracks with one hand. The second remains free, due to which it is possible to work alone at certain stages.
• The gun makes it possible to accurately dose the volume of the released solution. This reduces consumption by reducing unnecessary losses.
• A thin long nozzle will easily deliver the solution into hard-to-reach cracks and holes.
• The balloon can be used in any position.
• The reusable valve ensures the safety of the solution between repairs.

When choosing professional cylinders, you do not need to solve the frequently asked question: where to use the rest of the solution with benefit?

• Professional compositions have the best operational characteristics than household ones. For example, they have a lower secondary expansion coefficient, which makes them more convenient to use.

Techniques for pouring foam using a professional gun are shown in the following video.

Mr. Build strongly recommends: for mounting plastic windows use only professional mounting foam. The secondary expansion will not create excessive load on the structure and will not displace the frame elements. The density of professional staff is maximum, and this will ensure the best quality of fastening, insulation and sealing of the seam.

Choose a pistol according to budget, ergonomics and service life. For a single procedure, the cheapest one is also suitable. plastic parts, and for professional use, give preference to collapsible high-quality models.

Household foam has less outstanding performance characteristics: worse adhesion, large coefficient secondary expansion, lower yield of material from the balloon. It is sold in containers equipped with a plastic tube for supplying the solution. It is screwed onto the valve before blowing. It is recommended to use the entire bottle at once.

Working with household foam is less convenient: both hands are used, and the can must be placed upside down. This will ensure a more complete release of the solution. Use it with the utmost care, in the least important places. Fill the joint no more than 50% of the depth!

Soundproof foam

If the windows themselves do not transmit noise, then the mounting foam on which they are mounted is an excellent conductor of noise, as it is light, solid, and has a closed cell structure, which contributes to the unhindered passage of the sound wave.

Compared to conventional construction foams, the use of MAXFORTE SoundFLEX foam adds more than 10 dB to the sound insulation, which is equivalent to a 2-3 times reduction in noise.

The difference between ordinary mounting foam and soundproofing can be seen in the video:

If a piece of mounting foam is squeezed in your hand, then it will simply collapse, unlike specialized soundproofing foam. She will take back her shape like a sponge. It does not harden, and thus does not become a sound bridge.

Winter or summer?

Foam is divided according to the seasonality of its use. She happens:

1. Summer, suitable for operation at temperatures above +5 ˚С.
2. Winter, allowing to seal gaps at temperatures down to -18˚ C.
3. All season. Found and used less often. Professionals advise using it during transitional periods in autumn and winter, or getting by with the first two varieties.

Flammability of foam

Also, the compositions differ in flammability parameters:

• B1 - the highest class of fire safety, does not ignite even when in contact with an open flame.
• B2 - does not burn on its own, without an additional source of heating. Such compositions are called self-extinguishing.
• B3 - the lowest flammability class. This material is not recommended for use, especially in residential areas.

Rules for choosing foam for mounting PVC windows

For the selected composition, the most suitable for a particular case. What to look for when choosing?

• The temperature at which the gaps will be sealed. According to it, winter, summer or all-weather foam is chosen.
• On the coefficient of secondary expansion. The lower the value, the better. It is recommended not to use compositions with an indicator of more than 15-20%. Professional foam easily fits into such a framework, but with household choice should be done carefully.
• For the expiration date. No one can predict how the behavior of the solution will change after the storage time has elapsed. It's better not to risk it.
• To the fullness of the balloon. Underfilling is a common occurrence. It is easy to check: for this, the can is weighed. A full container of 750 ml weighs about 900 gr.

USEFUL INFORMATION: How can you paint wooden floors in an apartment: an overview of materials

It is difficult to imagine even the most minor repairs without using such universal remedy like mounting foam. With its help, you can easily cope with such tasks as sealing joints, eliminating voids and gaps formed after installing new or, and many other tasks. Going into any hardware store, it is very easy to get confused, given the extensive range offered. How to navigate and what mounting foam better choose, To get the desired result, we will understand in this article.

1. One-component and two-component polyurethane foam - what is the difference?

Mounting foam or polyurethane foam sealant is mixture of two chemical substances(polyol and isocyanate), which are obtained from crude oil. As a result of the reaction of these components with each other, pure polyurethane foam is formed, which is the basis of the foam after the completion of the crystallization process. To improve the properties of the material, various catalysts and adhesion promoters, refractory additives, antifreeze components and filler gases are often added to the composition. Due to the porous structure of the cured polyurethane, the foam serves as an excellent insulator. It can be applied to a variety of surfaces in terms of material - stone, iron, wood, plastic. Such a wide range of compatibility allows you to solve a lot of construction issues. Depending on the chemical composition distinguish between one- and two-component foam.

So, summarize. It makes sense to use two-component formulations only professional workers in the field of construction and renovation. For one-time use at home, a cylinder of one-component polyurethane foam is enough. Even a person who has never used this material before can use the foam in a cylinder with a nozzle in the form of a plastic tube.

2. Key Features

Like any building material, polyurethane foam has a number of characteristics, the quality of the product depends on the indicator. All the main points will be indicated on the label. So what's it worth pay attention when buying:

3. Which foam is better, household or professional

It is very easy to distinguish household polyurethane foam from professional one. Just look at the balloon - if a nozzle in the form of a thin plastic tube is attached to it, then it is intended for household needs. However, it is impossible to unequivocally state that only beginners use such foam, and professionals must use a nozzle in the form of a gun. Consider main differences, which will help you decide and choose the right type.

• The first thing that is immediately noticeable is the size of the packaging. Household foam is sold in bottles of 300 ml and above, while professional foam is sold in 750 ml and above.
• An important indicator is the yield of foam from the cylinder. In the case of household aerosol, not all of the composition may be completely blown out. Usually some part remains inside, and from the volume declared by the manufacturer you will get a somewhat average value. Thus, instead of the required one cylinder, two may be required, and this already affects the costs associated with the repair. In this regard, professional foam, which is blown out almost completely, proved to be much better.
• The coefficient of secondary expansion in household compositions is very large. In the process of final hardening, they can increase in volume up to two times. The same coefficient for professional foam is almost zero. Whether this is good or bad depends on the nature of the work being done. For example, if you are faced with the task of filling a large gap in the wall or eliminating the creaks of an old wooden floor by blowing foam under it, then a significant expansion rate in this case is a plus. If you install slopes or doors yourself, then fill the space around them better composition with the smallest expansion coefficient. Otherwise, there is a possibility of surface deformation. Only with proper skills in working with this material can household foam be used for such precise work. Usually, specialists fill only 1/3 of the gaps with foam, knowing that, having finally hardened, it will fill the entire space without changing the geometry of the adjacent surfaces.
  
• The shrinkage rate of household foam is 5-7%. Professional - 0-3%.
• Regarding the need to use an additional device in the form of a mounting gun, of course, household foam wins. It is enough to wind the tube supplied in the kit onto the balloon, shake well, and the foam is ready for use. Professional compositions work only with the help of a gun, the cost of which is several times higher than the cost of the foam cylinder itself. For a single use at home, such expenses are inappropriate. After all, in addition, it will be necessary to purchase a special solvent that will clean the nose of the gun from the remnants of the foam.
  
• The possibility of reusable use is undesirable for household cylinders, but possible. If it was not possible to use the entire cylinder to the end, clean the inner cavity of the tube from the remaining foam with a propellant gas and store in a cool dark place. Professional foam can be partially used. But at the same time it is necessary to store it with a pistol dressed on a cylinder. In this case, the foam inside does not harden and is suitable for further use. The gun nozzle must be cleaned with a special solvent.
• And most main difference- the nature of the work performed. Household foam is used for one-time, rough work that does not require precise dosage. Professional compounds are distinguished by the possibility of high-precision application and are used for sealing joints or thermal insulation.

4. What is "summer", "winter" and "all-weather" polyurethane foam?

One of important parameters mounting foam, which I would like to say separately, is operating temperature. Be sure to consider indoor and outdoor temperatures before purchasing foam. After all, it is not in vain that this parameter is indicated on the cylinders. By following the manufacturer's recommendations, it is possible to achieve best quality received material in certain time of the year. Distinguish three kinds assembly foam:

Why is that important to observe these conditions? Because the use of, for example, summer foam when sub-zero temperatures will affect the duration of its complete curing, the density of the resulting seam, the expansion coefficient and the volume of foam at the exit. All these indicators will differ significantly from those stated on the label, and the quality of the work performed will noticeably deteriorate. The time for complete crystallization will increase significantly. The same will happen if winter foam is used during the hot season.

Regarding all-weather foam - important nuance its use is the temperature of the liquid cylinder. Yes, range operating temperature allows you to use foam at minus levels, but professionals recommend heating the aerosol to a temperature of + 10 ° C. In this case, the characteristics of the material will be much higher.

5. How to use mounting foam correctly

Consider situations where expedient, and when not so much use assembly foam:

• You should not use foam to seal gaps less than 1 cm wide. For these purposes, more plastic materials, for example, are better suited. In addition, these materials do not have secondary expansion.
• If the gap width exceeds 10 cm, before filling it with mounting foam, it is better to further reduce the space with wooden beams, or any other sealant. This will significantly reduce the consumption of foam and increase its adhesion to the surface. Otherwise, under its own weight, it can simply slide along the walls of large-width slots.
• The optimal gap size for filling with mounting foam is 2-8 cm.
  
• For faster polymerization and better adhesion of the foam to the adjacent surface, many recommend slightly moistening the walls before application. And then, spray the mounting seam with water from a spray bottle after the initial hardening.
• It is not recommended to use foam on surfaces such as teflon, silicone, polyethylene and other greasy or dusty walls. It just won't stick to stuff like that.
• Be sure to consider the primary and secondary expansion factors. This will help you understand how thick the seam needs to be placed in a gap of a certain width.
• Before using the can, be sure to clean the surface according to the instructions on the package.
• If the container is too cold or you brought it in from a frost, hold it in warm water (no more than 20°C).
• To ensure the best mixing of the components with each other, turn the can upright and shake for 1 minute.
• Use protective gloves. Dried foam is very difficult to wash off.
  
• Never touch freshly applied foam until it has cured. You will not only get dirty, but also break the structure of the material. This can lead to poor curing or incomplete expansion.
• To achieve the full volume of foam from the cylinder, be sure to hold it upright and upside down until the end of work.
• The mounting foam should have a pale yellow color throughout the entire service life. But you can see that over time it can darken. This is caused by the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, which destroy the structure. If possible, the seams are better or painted, thereby protecting from sunlight.

Using a bottle of household foam is very simple. It is enough to wind the tube and the working nozzle is ready. But if you still decide to purchase professional foam and special gun, you need to know them use correctly. The principle of its operation is very simple - the gun is wound onto the cylinder, after which the foam enters the barrel through the supply valve. It stays there until you pull the trigger. After that, the material is released with a given volume.
Consider basic moments:

• Choose guns that are made only of solid metal.
• To facilitate cleaning and replacing parts, it is better to purchase collapsible than monolithic models.
• Get a special cleaner right away.
• Before installing the gun on the cylinder, you need to unscrew the fixing screw, lubricate the socket with technical petroleum jelly, and only then proceed to its fasteners.
• First you need to set the adjusting unit to the minimum foam consumption rate.
• Flip the can over and do a couple of trial presses. So you can visually assess the need to increase the supply and adjust the volume to your needs.
• Make sure that the cylinder is always in an upright position during operation.
• At the end of the work or when replacing the cylinder, be sure to thoroughly clean the gun.

6. Briefly about the manufacturers

The key to high quality material is the choice. It is no secret that the cost of a product can say a lot about its properties, because cheap components cannot make a high-quality product. But also overpriced is not always associated with the use of high-quality raw materials. Often, brands that are too popular spend a lot of money on advertising a product, which automatically increases its price, and you just get brighter and more memorable packaging, and not higher ones. specifications than less expensive goods. Therefore, consider trusted brands not overpriced:

Not a single repair is complete without mounting foam. Is it worth it to take the first bottle that comes across? Do I need to focus on well-known brands? What is better - foam with a straw or professional? RMNT will help you understand these issues and reveal some of the secrets of manufacturers.

Mounting foam - how it works

Polyurethane foam, along with other types of sealants, is one of the most popular types of insulating materials.

Mounting foam (another name is polyurethane foam sealant) is a mixture of two main chemical substances produced from crude oil - polyol and isocyanate. The reaction of these liquids leads to the formation of polyurethane foam - the same composition that comes out of the foam can.

Various accelerators are also used in the production of foam. chemical processes(catalysts), adhesion promoters (surfactants), antifreeze and flame retardants and filler gases.

By chemical composition mounting foam can be one-component and two-component.

One-component foam is the most widely represented on the market building materials. The polymer included in its composition, when sprayed from a cylinder, enters into a chemical reaction with moisture from the air and, as a result, increases in volume and hardens. The hardening process lasts about a day and depends on the amount of foam used and atmospheric conditions. That is why it is not recommended to immediately foam large voids - the composition will not be able to react with air and remain liquid. To accelerate the hardening of the foam, manufacturers recommend additionally moistening the surface. The disadvantage of one-component foam is a short shelf life due to the possibility of uncontrolled chemical reactions in the cylinder.

Two-component foam (also called structural foam) is mainly used in professional construction. In a special cylinder, the two active ingredients are stored separately and are combined only when activated. emerging between them chemical reaction does not require additional exposure to air and is much faster - two-component foam completely hardens in 20-30 minutes. An additional advantage of this composition is an extended shelf life. But such foam is not suitable for repeated use - after mixing the components, the container must be used completely. Therefore, two-component foam is most often used by window and roofers for large volumes of work.

Professional or home - what to choose

It is widely believed that household foam (foam with a straw) is a product for beginners, but professional (pistol) foam is only for masters of their craft. This is partly true: household foam is most often used for one-time and rough work and does not require special skills, while professional foam requires the use of a rather expensive gun and some skill. But these are by no means all their differences:

Many manufacturers take advantage of the fact that household foam is most often purchased by non-professionals, who may use this product only once in their lives. Therefore, the quality requirements during production are sometimes underestimated: in household cartridges, the volume of filler gas is often increased due to a decrease in the volume of polymer. This leads to the fact that with the same size and weight of the can, the output of the "pipe" foam is lower than that of the professional one. However, given the cost of a mounting gun, it is unlikely that anyone will go broke to purchase it in order to foam the seams in a window box once. And it will not be easy for a beginner without experience to cope with professional foam.

Choice of foam - read the label correctly

We have already considered the most important differences between household foam and professional foam. What else should I look for when buying foam?

1. Temperature regime applications. The temperature in degrees must be indicated on the can:

• summer foam — from +5 to +35 °С
• winter foam - from -10 to -35 ° С
• all-weather foam — from -10 to +35 °С

Important! The numbers indicated represent allowable temperature while doing work! Hardened foam of any seasonality withstands temperature differences from -40 to +90 °С. But when working with foam at low temperatures, it is worth considering that the yield decreases in proportion to the cooling of the environment.

2. Exit foam from the balloon. On many cylinders you can see flashy slogans like "Output increased!", "Output up to 65 liters!". Simple arithmetic will help here: from 1 kg of pure polymer, an average of 65 liters of foam is obtained. The volume of the largest cylinder is about 950 g, of which approximately 150 g is gas, 100 is the weight of the cylinder itself. 950 - 150 - 100 \u003d 700 grams of polymer in the dry residue, that is, approximately 45 liters of foam at the exit. But hardly anyone will begin to measure the volume of the resulting foam - this is what advertising is designed for.

3. Trite, but be sure to check the expiration date and appearance foam bottle. With prolonged storage and mechanical damage, a chemical reaction may begin inside the cylinder - the foam will thicken or harden and you will not be able to squeeze it out.

4. Check the canister for weight and give it a little shake - the contents should be quite weighty and easily roll over the canister. It makes sense to compare two identical in volume, but different in price and manufacturer of the cylinder - the difference can be quite noticeable.

Foam brands - proven manufacturers and newcomers to the market

Now any building materials store offers a choice of mounting foam with a wide range of prices and manufacturers. We'll take a look at the brands you're most likely to choose from:

All of the above manufacturers are leaders in the foam market. They are known to almost everyone due to mass production and significant advertising support.

However, any consumer should understand that the more popular the brand, the brighter and more effective the packaging, the more money the company spends on marketing research and advertising. These costs cannot but affect the cost of the final product. But often the quality of promoted brands begins to limp, to put it mildly.

But manufacturers who are just entering the market are trying with all their might to take their place under the sun - they focus on the quality of the foam, and not on the appearance of the cylinder. But unknown brands should be purchased only after checking the availability of all certificates. The presence of a sanitary and hygienic certificate and a quality certificate will save you from buying a counterfeit or low-quality product.

Quality foam and a pleasure to work with. In the next article "How to understand silicone sealants: professional advice" you will learn about the varieties silicone sealants and their areas of application.

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