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scott moss Posted: Jul 27, 2009 10:07 PM	equipment just bought a new spray foam rig and wanted to know some opinions on different ways to clean excess foam off walls and different tricks of the trade.
quentin Posted: Jul 28, 2009 09:31 AM	Scraping closed cell the best thing we found is an floor scraper and a coupe or putty knives. Also keep box cutters and a couple of sharp knives around with longer blades. Cheap, works great and you can use this to clean studs, overspray off other srufaces and the rest fast and easy. For the floor scraper we found the smaller and heavier blade ones work better than the ones with a wide blade made of sheet metal. I also found a place online for drywall stilts for about $100 a pair and they make a big difference for us if you feel ok using them instead of a scaffold in smaller buildings but they are a bigger risks for falling.
scott moss Posted: Jul 28, 2009 05:03 PM	what about the sawzall with long blade for cutting excess foam off wall. good way of doing it or waste of money.
SPRAYFOAM GODDESS Posted: Jul 29, 2009 03:27 PM	No offense to anyone, but I tried it, and perhaps because I have never used a tool like this, I found it very difficult. My whole body was vibrating with the saw, and I couldn't shave/cut for more than a minute because of the weight and vibrations. Thus, I am a women and it was hard for me.
Dennis Davidson Posted: Jul 29, 2009 04:48 PM	You could do it the old fashioned way. Put 11/2"-2" duct tape on the stud faces and don't waste so much foam (with cc try to keep it smooth, with oc, good luck). Use a standard carpenter's hand saw to trim the excess foam. Oh, and you might try spraying ever other stud cavity and trim them first, then go back and spray & trim the rest. Just my 2 cents
Lane Hogstad Posted: Jul 29, 2009 10:23 PM	Let's tell the whole story. I sent the sprayfoam goddess a saw to try but warned closed cell was not what it was made for but give it a try. Please tell the world what you were cutting. I believe it was a cavity over sprayed about 2 inches. The Foamzall is a great tool for open cell and it can shave small amounts of closed cell but nothing will cut that like butter it just won't happen. As far as user ease it takes some getting used to. Just like putting the foam on it takes a little practice to take it off. You can't pick up the saw and expect the foam to fall off the wall. You can fill every stud with the Foamzall and cut right left up or down. If you want to try a saw for open cell I will send you one you don't like it send it back you will only be out the freight back. Let's see any other trimming tool offer the same deal. Lane 6058801990
Posted: Jul 30, 2009 02:54 AM	closed cell we use a 2" paint scraper on studs,,you know,,like a red devil or sumpin,, lucas likes the curry comp on studs as well, and we all use it for trimming high "spots" on the face of the foam bun itself,, if we get way to rammy we get out the quickplane and do our strenghtening exercises... we use the scraper and curry comb on open cell as well,,, and for the wall cavity, the bun itself, we use the FOAMZALL,,,we have a couple of different lengths of blades cut to accomodate reach needs (ergonomics,,but no-one cares),, we do not use it on closed cell,,,my boys think it is the bomb,,,any one want to buy a couple of the in-line air saws,,havent used em since,,,thanx lane for a sweet tool... we do a little with hand saws,,neccessity is the mother of invention,,
scott moss Posted: Jul 30, 2009 09:44 PM	thanks for all the info. like I said I'm kinda new or really I know nothing about the business and just looking for any knowledge about spraying, scraping, or any thing that pertains to the business of spray foam.
chad harris Posted: Aug 04, 2009 12:37 AM	A top notch applicator is the best tool for having to scrape studs. Some jobs can become a nightmare and time consuming without one. However, not every company has one. We use scrapers but cut off about an inch or so off each side, it seems to work better. U can also lightly grease the studs the foam will come off way easier, but that will also be time consuming. A good thing to cut the excess off would be a standard hand saw, after u do that enough, u wont overspray the cavity no more. Trust me!
SPRAYFOAM GODDESS Posted: Aug 05, 2009 10:08 PM	okay, yes, we were cutting both half pound and closed cell, but it was still hard, like I said or not, it was heavy and hard. Not trying to knock your product, because I have heard good reviews, but also, the other products don't work too well either.
David Thacker Posted: Aug 25, 2009 06:33 AM	I've always said "There must be 40 ways to do everything". I believe applying and removing foam is no exception. No matter what the application, or the type of foam that is used, eventually some (or all) will need to be cut, trimmed or removed totally. After almost 18 years, I know. I have I had many sprayers, and sprayers "NOT" at the ends of our Foam Guns. We have experienced foam that was either applied too thick, too thin, put in places where it shouldn't have been applied, and on surfaces that should have better protected. I believe that a well prepared Foam Contractor will have a well equipped rig, with everything necessary to, not only keep his sprayer spraying, his equipment in good shape, and his job site safe, but also most, if not all, of the tools mentioned in this forum, and more. I feel, that anyone considering equipment, Foam, or tools for their business, should contact the manufacturer/distributor of that product and all related products, to best compare quality and value. No one product will be well received by every Contractor. Ask questions. By the way; Every product we offer, comes with a return policy. One that we've needed to Honor on a couple of occasions. Visit us at www.theinsulationstation.com to see the products we offer. If you have any question as how to use them in a way to get the best performance out of them, feel free to call me. My cell phone number is 616-813-7333. Dave
Tim Trott Posted: Aug 25, 2009 08:10 PM	We use a Fein Multimaster tool to clean off stud faces and strapped ceilings. The flat blade attachment is very efficient and will clean up closed cell foam as fast as you can move the tool across the wood. The tool oscillates (vibrates) and the blade attachment will not cut through your skin or flesh if you slip up. It has run for hours straight without heating up, it has a 10' cord. Your knuckles will not be dragging across the floor at the end of the day from perpetual scraping motions. It is not a cheap tool, a little over $200 for a starter kit. But the day after we bought and used one, we bought a second one. This tool kicks ass.
Posted: Aug 25, 2009 08:37 PM	Take your time and make sure your spray pattern is right before you spray....take it from some one who knows. My first ever closed cell job, I was forced by an inspector to fill each cavity up completely...Looking back I could have probably negotiated half an inch buffer but i sprayed them all full and spent 20 hours shaving it (quite a few decks in the place). Best to just take your time...you might not save any time but you'll save the hassle.
Gerry Wagoner Posted: Aug 25, 2009 09:02 PM	Another vote for gun control (foam gun). g
Emory Posted: Aug 26, 2009 09:53 AM	what attachment were you using with this tool
Tim Trott Posted: Aug 26, 2009 06:45 PM	It is the flat blade attachment but it has an eighty ish degree bend in the blade to get the edge closer to the surface being scraped. It is rigid -not flexible there is a flexible (putty Knife) attachment we tried but it had a tendency to pull away from the wood before the foam was scraped from the surface. I think it's primarily used for scraping subfloors of glue or mortar for tile replacement.
scott moss Posted: Aug 30, 2009 09:54 AM	hey foamdude you mentioned different sizes of blades for different jobs while cleaning up. I'm just curious about different length blades for the sawzall. the longest blades I've found is a 12 inch blade. whatsizes are out there and where did you find them. any help appreciated very much. One thing i have learned is that after cleaning up after my first job I will be more careful and slow down and not just assume I'll get it later.
scott moss Posted: Aug 30, 2009 10:21 AM	what is a fein multimaster tool and where do you find one.
beringstar Posted: Sep 12, 2017 02:46 AM	All these comments are great. All foam jobs require some cleanup regardless of the applicator. Here are a few thoughts. The foam manufacturers are going the wrong direction with open cell. Everyone gets excited about higher yield, except the guys who are spraying this cotton ball formulation. It sucks. HIGHER DENSITY open cell is the future. Usind different tips for each job helps *applying the foam properly is huge. Taking your time just a little, not rushing your guys so much, bidding the job right... There are so many dynamics. I hate half pound open cell foam. The only place I will use it is in areas that do not require shaving, with very few exceptions. In areas that do require shaving, we switch to a slightly smaller orrifice (mixing chamber) so we have a bit more control. It helps a lot. Foam is profitable. There's really no reason not to take some extra time to make some adjustments here and there. When we do have to shave, we use the following tools. For closed cell, a combo of Bosch undercut saw (not made anymore) and the milwaukee cordless "fein tool" as well as curry and scrapers as needed. For open cell, we just hate it. We shave with a sawzall with 3' blade and just figure out the details with an assortment of tools if someone wants it. I'm not an Icynene rep anymore, but they had a foam that was a 0.7 LB density. 5" in a 2x6. I loved it. It was expensive but saved time if you applied it well. Annette Polymers, who I think sold out to someone, developed a 1 LB. density open cell. This is what every manufacturer should be doing. I don't understand why they aren't. I don't want 20,000 board feet of yield. I want something myself or my crew can install and walk away from with little effort, with a reasonably good yield. hopefully they will figure it out someday. I recommend finding the best supplier you can, that has the highest density open cell foam you can find, with accompanying ESR reports and testing, and try a set of that. Let your best sprayer use it. Use the right tips for the right job. Rather than trying to shave expenses on a job with faster cleanup, see if you can eliminate the problem by just making the cleanup tolerable by applying the foam better and using the best products you can. Struggling Together, Bering Star
beringstar Posted: Sep 12, 2017 02:47 AM	All these comments are great. All foam jobs require some cleanup regardless of the applicator. Here are a few thoughts. The foam manufacturers are going the wrong direction with open cell. Everyone gets excited about higher yield, except the guys who are spraying this cotton ball formulation. It sucks. HIGHER DENSITY open cell is the future. Usind different tips for each job helps *applying the foam properly is huge. Taking your time just a little, not rushing your guys so much, bidding the job right... There are so many dynamics. I hate half pound open cell foam. The only place I will use it is in areas that do not require shaving, with very few exceptions. In areas that do require shaving, we switch to a slightly smaller orrifice (mixing chamber) so we have a bit more control. It helps a lot. Foam is profitable. There's really no reason not to take some extra time to make some adjustments here and there. When we do have to shave, we use the following tools. For closed cell, a combo of Bosch undercut saw (not made anymore) and the milwaukee cordless "fein tool" as well as curry and scrapers as needed. For open cell, we just hate it. We shave with a sawzall with 3' blade and just figure out the details with an assortment of tools if someone wants it. I'm not an Icynene rep anymore, but they had a foam that was a 0.7 LB density. 5" in a 2x6. I loved it. It was expensive but saved time if you applied it well. Annette Polymers, who I think sold out to someone, developed a 1 LB. density open cell. This is what every manufacturer should be doing. I don't understand why they aren't. I don't want 20,000 board feet of yield. I want something myself or my crew can install and walk away from with little effort, with a reasonably good yield. hopefully they will figure it out someday. I recommend finding the best supplier you can, that has the highest density open cell foam you can find, with accompanying ESR reports and testing, and try a set of that. Let your best sprayer use it. Use the right tips for the right job. Rather than trying to shave expenses on a job with faster cleanup, see if you can eliminate the problem by just making the cleanup tolerable by applying the foam better and using the best products you can. Struggling Together, Bering Star
mark moyer Posted: Sep 18, 2017 11:09 PM	wat he said... learn to spray... i luv open cell foam,,some more than others.... i was weaned on closed cell foam and it is the biznitch in the schiznitch... but not all can afford a caddy.... if you have adequate depth to provide adequate rvalue for the assembly use the most affordable product physics is physics there is no magic,,do the right thing,,specially if its right!!??