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Mark Upton Posted: Mar 15, 2014 06:45 PM	Smooth Wall Closed Cell installation I am a relatively new sprayer (second year), and would like some advice. I spray Icynene closed-cell primarily, and seem to be getting much better with my foam quality. I just can't seem to get stud walls very even and smooth. Icynene recommends temps from 90-140, and pressures from 900-1400. This is a wide range, and hoped some of you might have some set points for me to try. I use an 01 tip, and will be spraying my next job in new construction, where the substrate will be in the 40-50 degree range (osb sheathing). Any pointers you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated! Using Graco E-30 (15kw heaters), Fusion AP.
Bob Silverman Posted: Mar 17, 2014 09:11 AM	That is a huge range of parameters there. When setting your equipment, those parameters should be set inversely of each other. If you spray with lower temp, then use higher pressure. Higher temp allows lower pressure. Your foam supplier should have someone available to come to one of your job sites and teach you how to spray better. Just ask them. Sorry I can't give you more specifices but i have never sprayed that brand. Bob
mason Posted: Mar 17, 2014 04:37 PM	One good way to get really good uniformity is to use a small mixing chamber and picture frame. Spray the outside edges first. Then starting from one side go up and down, triggering at the top and bottom of the pass overlapping about 60%. The foam should grow at a uniform rate and give you a nice surface profile and uniform thickness. The key is to have a nice full round or oval pattern.
Mark Upton Posted: Mar 17, 2014 07:46 PM	Thanks for the reply's, greatly appreciated. I use an. 01 tip in my AP, and do spray using the exact technique you refer to. I get fairly decent smooth foam, but the I find it gets a little lumpy when touching-up edges, or low spots in the foam. I was curious if my temps were too high, causing this. I was spraying at 125 degrees, and pressure was set at 1100. Ambient temps indoors was around 60 degrees.
mason Posted: Mar 21, 2014 09:51 AM	The manufacturer's recommended temperatures and pressures typically include a fairly wide range so that you can experiment with your temperatures and pressures to get the surface texture and profile as you need. I have found some systems working better with different spray guns and mixing chambers. While in Singapore I sprayed using an AW2222 mixing chamber with the Fusion gun. Worked great between wood studs, it had a slightly oval shape that allowed you to get in the corners and edges better. You aim the oval shape so that the longer pattern goes up and down with the stud. This gives you less overlap when picture framing and allows better control with filling in spots.
Mark Upton Posted: Mar 21, 2014 10:06 AM	Thanks Mason. I will have a look at this chamber. If you had to suggest a starting temp for both hose and machine temps, where would you start with closed-cell foam?
mason Posted: Mar 21, 2014 02:01 PM	That mixing chamber AW2222 has a smaller output so you can typically have lower pressures (around 950- 1000 working pressure 1100-1200 static) and depending on your foam anywhere from 110 to 130 degrees F. Experiment with different pressures and temperatures remembering that when you go up in pressure, typically you use less heat and when you use more heat you use less pressure. There should be a combination where you get the best surface profile and uniformity

Author

Comments

Mark Upton

Posted: Mar 15, 2014 06:45 PM

Smooth Wall Closed Cell installation

I am a relatively new sprayer (second year), and would like some advice. I spray Icynene closed-cell primarily, and seem to be getting much better with my foam quality. I just can't seem to get stud walls very even and smooth. Icynene recommends temps from 90-140, and pressures from 900-1400. This is a wide range, and hoped some of you might have some set points for me to try. I use an 01 tip, and will be spraying my next job in new construction, where the substrate will be in the 40-50 degree range (osb sheathing). Any pointers you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated! Using Graco E-30 (15kw heaters), Fusion AP.

Bob Silverman

Posted: Mar 17, 2014 09:11 AM

That is a huge range of parameters there. When setting your equipment, those parameters should be set inversely of each other. If you spray with lower temp, then use higher pressure. Higher temp allows lower pressure. Your foam supplier should have someone available to come to one of your job sites and teach you how to spray better. Just ask them. Sorry I can't give you more specifices but i have never sprayed that brand.

Bob

mason

Posted: Mar 17, 2014 04:37 PM

One good way to get really good uniformity is to use a small mixing chamber and picture frame. Spray the outside edges first. Then starting from one side go up and down, triggering at the top and bottom of the pass overlapping about 60%. The foam should grow at a uniform rate and give you a nice surface profile and uniform thickness. The key is to have a nice full round or oval pattern.

Mark Upton

Posted: Mar 17, 2014 07:46 PM

Thanks for the reply's, greatly appreciated. I use an. 01 tip in my AP, and do spray using the exact technique you refer to. I get fairly decent smooth foam, but the I find it gets a little lumpy when touching-up edges, or low spots in the foam. I was curious if my temps were too high, causing this. I was spraying at 125 degrees, and pressure was set at 1100. Ambient temps indoors was around 60 degrees.

mason

Posted: Mar 21, 2014 09:51 AM

The manufacturer's recommended temperatures and pressures typically include a fairly wide range so that you can experiment with your temperatures and pressures to get the surface texture and profile as you need. I have found some systems working better with different spray guns and mixing chambers.

While in Singapore I sprayed using an AW2222 mixing chamber with the Fusion gun. Worked great between wood studs, it had a slightly oval shape that allowed you to get in the corners and edges better. You aim the oval shape so that the longer pattern goes up and down with the stud. This gives you less overlap when picture framing and allows better control with filling in spots.

Mark Upton

Posted: Mar 21, 2014 10:06 AM

Thanks Mason. I will have a look at this chamber. If you had to suggest a starting temp for both hose and machine temps, where would you start with closed-cell foam?

mason

Posted: Mar 21, 2014 02:01 PM

That mixing chamber AW2222 has a smaller output so you can typically have lower pressures (around 950- 1000 working pressure 1100-1200 static) and depending on your foam anywhere from 110 to 130 degrees F.

Experiment with different pressures and temperatures remembering that when you go up in pressure, typically you use less heat and when you use more heat you use less pressure.

There should be a combination where you get the best surface profile and uniformity

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