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What's the stuff called for filling gaps in windows?


Kitty
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Done it!  What do you think of this, boys and girls?  I didn't even do Art 'O' level.

[URL=http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd268/calexander1956/2007-VillaDorothyshed005.jpg][IMG]http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd268/calexander1956/th_2007-VillaDorothyshed005.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
 

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And the best bit? you will be able to take a knife to it and a scraper and tidy it up really easily if you so choose. My bet is with a kiddy involved they will quickly discover the joy of picking at it in a bubblewrapesque kind of fixation! (I find funny-foam as we call it hard to resist)
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[quote]My bet is with a kiddy involved they will quickly discover the joy of

picking at it in a bubblewrapesque kind of fixation! (I find funny-foam

as we call it hard to resist)


[/quote]

some of us never grow up do we [blink]

Now where is that can of mine [:D]

Glad it worked out in the end [:D]

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My question looked flippant but it had serious intent.  What is the main reason for using this mousse expansif?  I have a spare can of the stuff and it was such fun using it, I wouldn't mine putting it to good use.

I have some large holes in my wooden floors (between the ground anf first floor).  Can I use this as a filler?  Spiders come down from the roof space between the gaps in the celiing?  Is the mousse suitable?

The thing is, once opened, you have to use the mousse so I was wondering if there were any other jobs that I could do?

 

 

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loads of uses for it

1. round pipes going through walls

2. floorboard to walls

3. window and door frame sealing

4. window flower boxes inside the corners (external foam). It stops the water getting into the edges and allows it to flow thru the holes you cut

5. making molds for casting plaster of paris things (not very smooth but the PoP can be finished after and you do need to think carefully what you mold)

6. pointing/sealing hidden brickwork. I used it under some flooding and it stopped next doors chip-fat cooking from coming in

7. filling gaps in walls prior to plastering. must seal and trim properly before plastering

etc etc

Let your imagine go WILD

[8-|]

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Only things to remember are that it's sometime difficult to get it to stay in place as it expands if you are using it in a vertical (unsupported) position. I used it to seal insulation panels to uneven wooden beams and found if the gap was too big the whole 'stream' uncoiled itself from the gap and landed on the floor.

Also if the foam is in a position where the sun gets to it, it will definitely need covering or painting, as it's not UV stable and will go the colour of toffee and then turn to dust inside 9 months.

p

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  • 7 months later...

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I think you mean expanding polysterene foam.  You can get it in a presurised can for a one-off use as the gun is quite expensive.  It's very good and I think it is a brilliant idea you have.  Be warned that you will only use the can once as the jet invariably get clogged up and that this stuff expands a LOT (as I found out when I was a bit too enthusiastic filling up a gap once)  Oh yeah, wear old clothes as if you accidently get any on you as it won't come off.[/quote]

 

To avoid this (only getting one use)...  when you have finished leave the elongated nozzle on, turn the bottle upside down and then squeeze trigger till air rushes out with no foam.  Turn back up and plug the end of the plastic pipe.  Do not remove it from bottle.  When you want to use again just cut off the end off the long pipe.  Also you can buy extra plastic tubes and in that case simply leave the old one on and exchange when you want to re-use.  Provided no air has got to the top of the bottle the foam will not be hardened.

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[quote user="biggerears"]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I think you mean expanding polysterene foam.  You can get it in a presurised can for a one-off use as the gun is quite expensive.  It's very good and I think it is a brilliant idea you have.  Be warned that you will only use the can once as the jet invariably get clogged up and that this stuff expands a LOT (as I found out when I was a bit too enthusiastic filling up a gap once)  Oh yeah, wear old clothes as if you accidently get any on you as it won't come off.[/quote]

 

To avoid this (only getting one use)...  when you have finished leave the elongated nozzle on, turn the bottle upside down and then squeeze trigger till air rushes out with no foam.  Turn back up and plug the end of the plastic pipe.  Do not remove it from bottle.  When you want to use again just cut off the end off the long pipe.  Also you can buy extra plastic tubes and in that case simply leave the old one on and exchange when you want to re-use.  Provided no air has got to the top of the bottle the foam will not be hardened.

[/quote]

And then chuck in the bin, it usually sets in the valve later. Just when you have another little job to do... back to the shops.

Buy the professional gun, total control, different sizes of nozzle for big/small jobs and with a can of cleaner (essential) always available.

Very, Very, neat and tidy Cathy, not easy with one of those tins.

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Unless you plan to take up foaming professioanlly a tin is fine.  There is a good chance you can get a couple of uses out of it if you follow my instructions and if not what's the big deal?  Buy another tin.  If you look around the house you'll always find a place to use the last few bits so maybe you could organise your little jobs.

A small tin of the foam is just 7 euro.  (5 euros when on special offer in Brico Depot or you can get it delivered to your UK address from Screwfix. (oddly enough S.Fix are owned by Kingfisher... who also own B&Q and ...  Brico Dep...  Did you know that? )

With care it can be reused a couple of times.  Maybe I am wrong though

Think about the legality of using foam between various fire dsigmated zones in your house (I speak of utility, garage etc.  Most foams do not meet the minimum fire regs..  But an expert will know all about that and tell you about it.  Ask him also about the problems of warping in window and door frames if used incorrectly...  He will know about that too.

I am sorry my knowledge of expanding foam is very limited but I do know that a so called 'pro gun' can cost the amount of 4 tins (more than you will use in a lifetime....... and then a tube of foam to fit it, and the slovent to clean it and the replacement plastic spouts  ... with similar blocking problems.  And maybe you want to use it 1 time in 5 years... 

Loads.... of.... luck.... Cathy. 

Noddy's Mate.

 

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"Skilless chancers?"  "Beware of the so called 'tradesmen' giving you so called 'expert advice'.. (We have all met them in France)"

Fancy! That was a quick edit biggerears!  Are there failed British tradesmen giving out duff advice on this forum then, do you think?

 

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Hmm, some animosity? towards the working man?

I am sorry my knowledge of expanding foam is very limited but I do know that a so called 'pro gun' can cost the amount of 4 tins (more than you will use in a lifetime....... and then a tube of foam to fit it, and the slovent to clean it and the replacement plastic spouts  ... with similar blocking problems.  And maybe you want to use it 1 time in 5 years... 

Lots of things can cost lots of money, a basic pro gun can be bought for £9.90 from toolstation, he is the chap that started screwfix and sold it kingfisher, whilst we are on the male ego trip.

9.90 x1.21=11.98 euros or roughly 1.71 tins.

 

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