Are DIY Spray Foam Insulation Kits a cost effective option for insulation?
AB Building Products offers a range of DIY spray foam insulation kits and handheld cans for a wide range of foam applications. DIY spray foam kits are gaining fast popularity. DIY’ers and homeowners are seeing them as a quick and simple way of insulating a wide range of projects without having to spend a lot on specialist installers.
These spray foam kits are fast becoming popular with a wide range of projects outside of the home and office. Offgrid living and tiny homes is a growing lifestyle along with Van to Campervan conversions, Canal Boats, Shipping Container conversions, Garden Offices/Cabins etc.
However, there are many things to consider before going down this route. Below we will try and help to familiarise you with all the potential advantages and disadvantages of DIY spray foam insulation kits in general and not just with the brands that we supply.
What are DIY Spray Foam Kits?
If we use the Froth Pak or Izotup 600 Kits that AB Building Products supply as an example; Closed cell foam kits like Froth Pak & Izotup, on the market, are typically 2 component polyurethane foams and comprise of two pressurised canisters of chemicals. Open cell spray foam kits tend to only have a single canister.
The kits normally come with all hoses and an application gun, once connected to both canisters, the chemicals mix as you spray the foam on to whatever surface you want to insulate i.e. wall, floor, loft areas, van, boat etc.
As the chemicals mix, the blowing agent in the foam causes the bubbles to form and expand as it sticks to any surrounding materials such as timber battens, joists or plasterboard etc.
How many kits will I Need?
To calculate the number kits required will depend on the area you need to insulate and the depth of insulation required to meet the required insulation U-Value (thermal transmittance value) for the project.
All the manufacturers including Touch n’ Foam, will provide figures showing what coverage you can expect from each kit when applied at a given depth.
Is it easy to apply?
Like anything, practice and experience does help. it’ll get easier the more you apply. FIrst timers will find gauging the thickness can be difficult initially and you’ll probably end up applying it too thinly or too thickly initially, but the more you do the easier it will become. We suggest you do a small test on a piece of wood or in to a cardboard box to understand the guns spray pattern and flow rate before spraying on your actual surface.
Typical Costs:
The cost of these insulation kits varies from supplier to supplier, but on average you should expect to pay in the region of £10 - £15/sq meter (at around 25mm thick) depending on the size of kit you order.
The bigger the kit, or the more kits you buy, the lower the price.
Do You need a vapour barrier?
AB would always advise the use of a vapour barrier when installing any kind of insulation. Vapour barriers stop water vapour from inside your home condensing inside the insulation where it will reduce the efficiency of the insulation and potentially lead to future problems.
However, closed cell foam insulation suppliers claim the closed cell foam will form its own vapour barrier in the form of a "skin" on the finished insulation.
Open cell foam insulation on the other hand will definitely need a vapour barrier.
Difference between Open and Closed Cell Foam; Open cell foam has tiny cells which are not completely closed. The open cells are filled with air and water and this affects the way the foam feels and performs. Closed cell foam has cells which are sealed off so air and water doesn't get inside the structure at all.
Disadvantages of DIY Spray Foam Insulation:
- Chemical reaction – the chemicals, once mixed undergo a chemical reaction which gives of fairly noxious chemicals. This is why all the manufacturers state that you must wear appropriate safety equipment, cover all exposed skin and only use in a well ventilated area etc.
- Difficult to remove - if you need to remove your DIY spray foam insulation at a later date for whatever reason, you’ll find that it’s very difficult to remove as it sticks really well to everything it touches during application, think carefully before covering wires and services etc.
- Gases and Fumes – as mentioned in the first point above, during the installation the chemical reaction will give of gasses.
Advantages:
- Reduce underfloor draughts – if you’ve got a home with suspended timber plank or board floors, spray foam insulation can help reduce draughts from the sub-floor area and can be easier to install than traditional insulations as it sticks to the underside of the floor boards.
- General draught proofing – as mentioned above this type of insulation can be a good draught stopper. As it’s sprayed onto the surfaces of your home it gets into the very small nooks and crannies’ meaning it’s very good at filling those hard to reach holes that let in draughts.
- Closed cell foams offer better vapour resistance – many of the manufacturers will say that you don’t need a vapour barrier with their closed cell foams.
- Added structural strength - closed cell foams can add structural rigidity to the structure making it stronger.
- Fast to install - With traditional solid sheet of rock wall insulation, each piece needs measuring and cutting, then fitting into place. These traditional material will also leave small gaps where air and moisture can pass through. Spray foam is fast to setup and spray and expands in to all the small nocks and gaps.
Conclusion:
If you decide that DIY spray foam insulation kits are right for your needs, do feel free to speak to our team AB Building Products we have been selling these products for many years.
Measure the area you need to insulate carefully and plan how you’re going to get access if the working area is restricted.
Decide if you want to go for closed cell foam or an open cell foam. AB would suggest the closed cell foams are the better option as they should offer better thermal performance and they should be more resistant to vapour penetration.
But the most important advice we can offer is to understand the risks and if you do proceed, wear the proper safety equipment including a high quality respirator. The chemicals used will give off toxic gasses, so please be safe.
Also make sure you don’t occupy the space after installation for at least the time period recommended by the manufacturers of the spray foam insulation that you’ve chosen.