Most people know PU Foam as a good insulator because that’s what the product was marketed as when it first came out. Since then, people have figured out a ton of unique and innovative applications for spray foam. If you’re in the shipping and packaging business, you’ll be interested because foam packaging is one such application and PU foam gun is a must for packaging.
You’ll need to wrap the item you need to package in a plastic bag and spray the empty spaces in the box with some PU foam. Once the foam dries up, trim it down and seal the bag. That’s the gist of foam packaging.
However, not all foam guns are built the same. Some guns are more durable than others, while some have better ergonomics. The foam itself can come in various types with unique qualities. This article will discuss all you need to know about PU foam guns, from usage to maintenance.
Introducing The PU Foam Gun
The PU, or polyurethane foam gun, dispenses rapidly expanding and hardening liquid polyurethane foam. You can then spray the liquid foam to seal gaps or add coatings.
PU foam has been used in the construction industry for well over half a century. But the widely accessible canned foam came to market in the 80s. It was a popular insulation option because it was easy to apply, and anyone with a foam gun could do it.
Key Features And Benefits Of PU Foam Guns
Any professional will pick a foam gun over the standard plastic nozzle that comes with PU foam cans. There are several reasons why a foam gun is worth having. Let’s go over them real quick:
Pressure Controller
Foam guns have pressure controllers that help you control how much foam you dispense. It’s usually like a knob at the back, and you control it by turning it counterclockwise to increase the thickness of the bead.
You can turn the knob all the way clockwise to seal the gun. That’s usually the preferred storage method for foam canisters.
High-Precision Nozzle
The foam gun has a precise nozzle that lets you discharge beads with consistent size. The nozzle has a mechanical pin that controls the amount of foam that comes out, so you can aim more accurately than a plastic nozzle.
The gun nozzle can also prevent air from getting inside the component. So when you leave it out in the open, only the tip will harden. You can clean it easily with foam cleaner and use it as new. PU guns also come with nozzle extenders that let you reach hard-to-reach places.
Easy Maintenance
PU foam guns are designed to let you clean them without any hassle. On the other hand, the plastic nozzles that come with the foam cans do not have much reusability. You could reuse them after a few days, but they will harden completely over a week or two.
Then you’ll need to cut the tip to unclog the nozzle head. Doing so frees up the nozzle but at the cost of precision. Proper foam guns do not have such crude issues. You can simply run the cleaning solution through it, maybe let it sit for a few minutes, and it’ll be as good as new.
Perfecting Precision: The Utility Of The PU Foam Gun
PU foam guns are mainly used in the construction sector, but it also sees a lot of use in the plumbing and packaging industry. It’s also a very cheap tool, requiring no technical knowledge or skill, so it’s prevalent among DIY enthusiasts.
Expanding foam is an excellent insulator for drywall, so construction companies often spray foam between two wall parts. It’s cheap and brutally effective with few downsides.
PU foam spray can also seal gaps between doors and window frames. You do need a special kind of foam that doesn’t expand aggressively. It’s called windowing foam, and it expands sideways or where it faces the least resistance. That makes it so your doors and windows don’t explode due to the pressure. You could also use a PU foam injection machine to seal plumbing lines or gaps around pipelines.
Last but not least, the foamed-in packaging system is an excellent way of transporting fragile goods. It’s highly efficient and arguably the safest way to transport a fragile object. Bubble wraps and packing beads don’t even come close to the level of safety that spray foam provides.
Maintenance And Best Practices For Longevity
Maintaining a PU foam gun is crucial if you don’t want to buy a new one every time you start a project. These things can become unusable if you don’t care for them properly. Here are some things you should keep in mind while using PU foam guns:
Shake The Can
Shaking the can right before applying it will help it flow more smoothly. Some companies advertise products that do not require shaking. But I’ve found that shaking helps regardless of what the label says.
While shaking, you’ll want to grab the gun by the cage at the top. Holding it there will stabilize the gun and the canister simultaneously.
Take Care Of The Nozzle
The inner part of the nozzle head has a pin that looks and functions similar to the ball of a ballpoint pen. This section is very delicate, and any damage to the pin will make the foam discharge unevenly. So you must be extra careful about dropping the gun on its head.
People tend to drag the nozzle on the surface when applying the foam. Doing so is fine if you’re working on wood or other softer surfaces, but it’s not advisable on concrete or hard surfaces. Repeated contact with hard surfaces can wear down the nozzle pin, making your gun less accurate and consistent.
Clean the Gun
There are two situations where you may need to clean the gun. Clean it once every time you use it. In this case, you can simply clean the nozzle.
The second situation where you need to clean the gun is when you’ve left it alone for over a month, and the foam clogs the insides of the gun. You’ll need to get a can of the cleaning solution for this. Remove the foam canister from the gun, and spray the holder down. Attach the cleaning solution to the gun like how you would attach a foam canister.
Spray the cleaning solution out through the gun. That will effectively clean everything that’s clogged inside. You should leave it like that for ten minutes or so and then spray out the cleaning solution. Doing so will give the foam inside the gun more time to unclog.
Hold The Canister Upright
Keeping the canister upright is standard practice when using a foam gun. Not doing so will increase the risk of clogs, and the foam won’t flow smoothly. Admittedly, keeping the can upright is difficult, especially when spraying nooks and crannies.
There are unique nozzle extensions for that. These particular nozzle extensions are flexible, so you can adjust the applicator without moving the canister. Most PU foam guns have a slanted cage that holds the canister. So you can apply the foam downwards at a 45-degree angle while keeping the canister straight.
Get It To Room Temperature
PU foam is a heat-sensitive material, so you must use it at room temperature. Keeping the foam canister outside during cold weather will make the chemicals inside sluggish, so the foam won’t flow properly. In such cases, you’ll need to bring the can indoors and let it sit till it reaches room temperature.
There are no shortcuts for defrosting a can of foam. You can not put it over the fire to speed up the process. The gas used to pressurize the foam and the foam itself are highly flammable. So trying to speed up the healing process can have undesirable outcomes.
Making The Right Choice: Selecting Your PU Foam Gun
Depending on the company, foam guns can have distinct variations in durability and functionality. Here are some things you should check before buying one:
Exterior Material: Try to get a gun with a metal body. Metal-bodied guns are more durable and can handle rough wear. Plastic or partially plastic guns are far from as durable as metal ones.
High-end foam guns are usually aluminum and have an abrasion-resistant coating. But you don’t necessarily need to check for those specifically.
Trigger and Handle: Get a gun with a large trigger that fits two of your gloved fingers. Having two fingers for actuation is far less fatiguing than having a single-finger trigger.
You should get a large gun to fit your hands comfortably. These products usually have many ergonomic adjustments, so try another if one brand doesn’t work for you. You’ll get a decent fit eventually.
Nozzle and Knob Quality: The nozzle needs to be made of the same stuff the body is made of and look durable. You should also use it several times to see if it discharges properly. The Knob material isn’t essential, it can be whatever, but you must check if it functions properly.
It can ensure the safety of your product during shipping, and it is a far more efficient method than packing beads. It’s easy to use and maintain and requires no additional skill other than a can of PU foam, which anyone can get in a hardware store.
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