Spray Foam Insulation Structural Strength

Hurricane season is underway and building owners along the atlantic and gulf coasts and other areas affected by severe storms should take a look at spray foam s structural benefits said peter davis chair of the spray foam coalition an organization that is part of the center for the polyurethanes industry of the american chemistry.

Spray foam insulation structural strength.

The structural integrity of buildings. Put simply wall assemblies installed with closed cell spray foam insulation outperform the other conventional wall assemblies. The foam expands and seals deterring moisture which can create mold and pests from eating through your walls. A wall with spray foam insulation has a higher racking strength or ability to maintain its shape under duress than a wall assembly without spray.

Spray foam insulation expands as it comes into contact with the air and as it dries it hardens into a rigid state. Resists moisture that can lead to mold or mildew and provides increased sound and thermal insulation. Nahb has shown walls installed with closed cell spray foam have a racking strength up to 300 greater than walls without it. Open cell spray polyurethane foam also sometimes referred to as low density or 1 2 pound spf weighs between 0 4 and 0 6 pounds cubic foot when fully cured.

Why use spray foam vs. It is spray applied to a substrate and typically expands about 150 times its original volume to form a semi rigid flexible non structural plastic insulation. Touch n foam 2 component spray foam expands and touch n foam 2 component spray foam expands and cures quickly to fill cavities gaps cracks expansion joints and other sources of air leakage in a building envelope. Spray foam is more environmentally friendly than batt insulation and offers other performance benefits including a more effective air and moisture barrier reduction in noise levels and increased structural strength.

Spray foam is a type of insulation that expands after you spray. Applying closed cell spray foam in the cavities of the walls increases durability of the wall system 3 because of the foam s ability to conform and adhere to the surface 4 upon which it is sprayed. Since the insulation sticks to the building materials and hardens this rigidity is added to the building materials themselves. Spray foam adds structural strength because of the second advantage.

Builders often turn to high density spray foam when high insulation values and strength are needed.