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| PANEL INSTALLATION GUIDE
TOC > FINISHING
UP > FOAM
Finishing Up G. Foam like a pro. When we ship your panels, we’ll also supply expanding foam sealer for the seams between your panels. Foaming panels is easy, and there are a few tricks we can teach you here to help you along. Keep expanding foam sealer cans at normal room temperature. In order for expanding foam sealer to expand correctly, it must be kept at room temperature. This is no problem during most of the year, but in cold weather special care must be taken. There are a few ways you can keep expanding foam sealer warm during cold weather at the job site. Important: Keep cans of foam sealer in a heated car or truck cab, in an insulated cooler with hot water, keep it in your pocket with a hand warmer, etc. How to foam between your wall panels. It’s possible to foam each panel as it is nailed onto the frame. To do this, you need to carefully fill the foam channel, without getting foam into the wiring chase. Do this by running a bead of foam into the foam groove in the last panel already nailed to the frame, just before you insert the splines and move the next panel into place (see Figure 11). Don’t over-foam! Use a bead about 3/8" diameter measured as the foam first exits the can. Another way is to wait until all your wiring is done, then drill 3/8" diameter holes in the center of each joint, just to the depth of the foam channel, 12" on center. Don’t drill all the way though the panels, and don’t drill into the wiring chase. A good way to control drill depth is with a band of black electricians tape around your drill bit. After you’re done drilling your joint, insert the foam can nozzle, and foam. If you’ve done this right, a small, 1/2" ball of foam will be left at the hole after it cures. Important: Don’t over-foam! We sent you enough expanding foam sealer to finish your job. If you waste foam, you will need to buy more. If you applied your panels correctly, you left 1/4" gaps anywhere panels meet end to end and at corners, where you might have run wires. Foam these gaps with a single bead of foam. Take your time, and don’t over-foam! Most people underestimate how much foam expands when it cures. As a result, they end up using too much, wasting it, and making it necessary to cut off the excess with a knife. Then they have to buy more! If you’re using panels with a wiring chase, foam this full (after it’s wired), and foam around each junction or outlet box in your walls. Your panel seams should all look like the one shown in Figure 36.
Figure 36. Detail of foam channel filled correctly How to foam between your roof panels. With horizontal roof panels only, you can foam between panels (if you are careful) as you fly panels onto the roof. Otherwise, after all roof panels are in place, foam the 1/4" gaps you left when you placed and nailed your roof panels. How to foam around doors and windows. After
you install your windows and doors, you’ll want to foam the
gap between your windows and the 2" x 6" rough opening,
in between the shims. Do not over-foam here! A single small bead
of foam will expand sufficiently to insulate around your doors and
windows. If you use too much foam, it’s possible the force
of the foam, as it expands and cures, will compress the windows
and make them hard to open and close. If this happens, you’ll
have to remove the foam by hand, and do it again, correctly. |
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