Measure Twice, Cut Once

Calculate Your Board Feet

The amount of foam may vary depending on what type of foam you decide to use. For example, Master Pack’s closed cell foam has an r-value of 7 at one inch. If you have a 10,000 square foot project and you just want an R value of 7, then your total board feet would be 10,000. However, if you want to increase the r value to 14 then you would need 20,000 board feet. Master Pack has a spray foam board foot calculator to assist individuals in finding the necessary amount of foam they will need to complete their project. You can find our spray foam board calculator here.

Find the Correct Equipment for Your application

After assessing the size of your spray foam project, you can begin researching equipment for that respective project size. For example, Master Pack has a variety of spray foam systems. For applications smaller than a couple thousand square feet, DIY spray foam equipment would be an excellent choice. For applications over 10,000 square feet, Master Pack’s Model 777 or PPFD would be ideal choices.

Safety and Proper Equipment

Safety is another key component to a successful spray foam operation. Spray foam has a tendency to produce a large amount of haze/airborne particles depending on the work environment. This is especially true if you are spraying in a confined area. With this in mind, it is necessary to use the proper safety equipment such as respirator masks and fresh air units while foaming. These masks will protect your face from any harmful debris or airborne particles.

Mask off Important Areas

Once you find the right equipment it is important to mask off any areas you do not want foam to be applied. As was noted earlier, spray foam can produce small airborne particles in small rooms or areas that do not have a large amount of ventilation. Windows, for example, can fall victim to overspray if they are not properly covered. For this reason, all outlets, utility boxes, and light fixtures should be properly masked off. This is especially true if you have a large application where the foam will be continually sprayed for long periods of time.

Test the equipment

For more advance spray foam equipment, testing is an essential part of the day to ensure the equipment works properly and that the foam is on ratio. Testing the equipment beforehand can help prevent using it improperly. For smaller, pieces of equipment, such as a DIY kit, it may not be as important but still good practice.

Keep in mind these are just a few helpful tips to ensure your spray foam application goes smoothly. However, we believe by following these preparations will greatly improve your spray foam experience and cut down on project time. Make sure to contact us if you need any spray foam supplies or just have some questions.