Low expansion foams

Looking for some info on these. I have ran across 3 or 4 brands but its hard to tell if theres any difference in quality/price or day to day usage.

Same thing with the guns, looks like they all use the same style but its hard to tell whats best from the website ads. Can any of you guys who have used these awhile give me some practical advice?

We have been insulating with fiberglass and foam tape, but after reading some of the stuff here I'm ready to jump into the 21st century Thanks much!!

I've used Handifoam and a few other similar products over the years. (I read someone recently recommend a product by Hilti) Handifoam has 2 styles of guns- one is steel and supposedly is built to last longer. The other is a cheaper plastic gun which seems to work just as good if not better. They are pretty pricy so you'll want to take care of them. I tended to try to clean the steel guns out between cans and it seems that all it does is gunk out the inside of the gun. So I've found that if you take one can off, just spray cleaner on whatever mess you can see before you screw on the next can. I do this as quickly as I can- in just a few seconds to avoid exposing the inside of the gun to the elements where it could start to get gunked out. The only problem with the plastic guns is that I've broken 2 of them and boy does it make a mess when you throw something in the back of the truck and it breaks the nozzle off of the gun. I almost always use Handifoam around exterior doors (wood frames) or patio doors (wood frames) but I would never use it around vinyl. You also need to have fresh foam- many brands will put expiration dates on their cans. The old cans tend to get syrupy and either won't expand as a fresh can would, or they don't tack up as quickly as a fresh can would.

Around vinyl windows, if there is 1/8" I'll caulk it because you can't get any significant insulation in there no matter what you try. If there is at least 1/4", I'll use cans of Dap Latex Door and Window Foam. It's pretty expensive, and doesn't work good at all if it gets cold. I've found that it works great to set an oven to "warm" and keep the cans toasty on the middle rack of the oven with the oven door open. It seems you get the most out of the cans that way too. Dap Latex will not overexpand, but it also only works well for gaps that are from about 1/4" to 5/8". Any bigger gap than that and it's cost prohibitive to use.

X sleeper,

Expaning foam sealant, Aerosol foam or Polyurethane foam are just a few of the names for this product. The best foams available today to use around the interior perimeters of windows are compliant with ASTM C 1620. The other key voluntary practive is AAMA 812. Hilti has recently launched two new foams that comply with C 1620. This specification gives the user the confidence that the supplier has tested the product to the harmonized standards for the fenestration industry.

Pressure build not to be confused with foam expansion is one of the key attributes to look for in the tech data. Flexibility is also a key attribute as typical rough opening gaps with vinyl windows have a wood or steel stud adjacent the frame. This is where expansion and contraction with a flexible vs. a rigid foam becomes a factor.

HILTI CF 812 Window And Door Pro is my reccomendation. The DS/1 dispenser is also the best design and most durable gun I have ever used. For small gaps Hilti makes an extension where you can get into a 1/8 gap.

http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/modules/e ... OID=172599

Thanks for the tip. Perhaps when we finish off our current case of polyurethane foam we'll try the Hilti CF 812.

We too are looking at the 21st century. Great stuff has a video on their website about the use of their guns, cleaning, usage, etc...they seem to downtalk latex and upsale their speciality designed window and door product. Recently there was a pretty lengthy discussion on this topic on this board or the timjohnson board. If foamexpert was not associated with Hilti I would be trying this product or if 10 folks said use Hilti..., but until more information is known...the cost of the guns are the slowest part of making a decision. If a manufacturer had a promotion for a gun and a case of their product then that is where I will start. FenEx indicated they use Xbrand with Ybrand guns and that they use so much the guns are given to them. If a $7 can does 6 windows I can harbour the cost. I do not know these products.

I have found that Hilti and Great Stuff (Pro) work about the same. I see really no difference in the way either goes on or the final consistency. I go back and forth between the two depending on what store I am near when I run out. Home Depot sells both brands, but not in the same store. I'll go to one and they'll have Hilti, and go to the next store and they'll have Great Stuff, but never both in one store.
The nice thing is...they both use the same gun. If you want to try one or the other and have a gun already, all you have to do is buy a can.

Do you have a link where they show this extension? I looked and can't find one. Thanks.

Any Hilti Center