Foam plastering: composition and tool selection, base preparation and workflow.

To find out how to protect the mounting foam, the first step is to take into account the conditions of its operation. The popularity of polyurethane sealants has spread not only to facade work, but also on interior decoration premises - respectively, and methods of protection hardened foam quite diverse

Polyurethane foam - material properties and its varieties

Consumer characteristics polyurethane foam for sealing extended linear gaps, they make one sincerely perplexed - how they managed without it before, before the era of developed chemistry. The basic properties of foam sealants include:

Magnificent adhesion, and selective character. With the main building materials (concrete, brick, cinder blocks, cement, plaster, etc.), mounting foam forms the strongest, virtually one-piece connection. But to moisture, ice, polyethylene, silicone and oiled surfaces, it sticks much worse. This eliminates accidental sealing of foreign elements;
Volumetric primary extension at the "exit" of the composition from the cylinder, it reaches 50 times the value, for the most modest manufacturers - at least 20 times. The process takes only a few minutes and proceeds quickly, with a characteristic hiss and rapid filling of sealed openings. Just one sprayer is enough to fill deep and long joints. It is very convenient when working at height, in hard-to-reach places, when plastering slopes with your own hands, when embedding ventilation pipes, when repairing balconies, etc.
solid secondary seal. It is not enough to know how to seal the mounting foam - it is important to consider that it changes in volume for several more hours after application. For cheap manufacturers, this change is shrinkage in nature - as a result, gaps may form between door jamb and dry foam. High-quality sealants do not differ in the formation of "slotted gaps" after solidification;
Viscosity and total installation volume of polyurethane sealants are highly dependent on application conditions - temperature and humidity, wind, etc. There are "all-weather" modifications of foam compositions, but they are also optimally used at air temperatures from +5 ˚C to +35 ˚C, moderate humidity and in calm weather.

In addition to direct installation tasks - that is, sealing gaps, filling seams, insulating dissimilar joints, etc. - the hardened foam has good thermal insulation and acoustic protection.

When installing window frames from wood and plastic, pay attention to the flammability class of the sealing mixtures used, it can be fire-fighting, combustible and self-extinguishing.

With the labeling of the combustible properties of dried polyurethane foam, some manufacturers show a certain cunning. They write on packages, cans and adapter tubes only the digital name of the flammability class, without verbal explanation. The average consumer may not be aware that:

B3 is a combustible compound that ignites even better than a wooden frame;
B2 is a self-extinguishing foam, and it can smolder for quite some time;
B1 - non-combustible mounting compound. Of course, the non-combustible property will affect the price of the sealant towards a solid increase.

The greatest harm to polyurethane sealants is caused by direct sunlight. The influence of atmospheric precipitation and mechanical vibrations also has a bad effect on the durability of the treated joint, but to a lesser extent. Before sealing the mounting foam, you need to make sure that the additional protection is resistant to ultraviolet radiation.

How to seal mounting foam - preliminary preparation

Some repair tips seem obvious, but the truth does not fade from repetition. Before puttying the mounting foam or tinting it upper layer, wait for the composition to dry completely. Make sure that it tightly fills the entire installation opening, that there are no gaps and delaminations, unevenness, etc. Deep gaps and cracks should not be protected from the sun, but re-sealed. Most polyurethane sealants turn yellow or yellowish when dry, this is normal.

First you need to decide how to protect the mounting foam - putty, special tape or paint. The fact is that under the putty or other "volumetric protection" it will be necessary to cut a recess in the sealant, it is difficult to get used to it. Paints, adhesive tape and varnishes are applied to a flat surface;
With a sharp knife, cut off any excess material that protrudes beyond the dimensions of the slope or jamb. It is most convenient to take a special shoe knife with an oblique triangular blade - then it is easier to maintain an even cut line. And do not rush to quickly cut off the influxes. This is dangerous with an accidental cut of the hands, feet and damage to the hardened foam or a brand new frame;
After the cutting stage, a grinding procedure begins (it is not needed when puttying the seams). The dried foam is cleaned with fine sandpaper. You will have to act manually and carefully - grinding mechanical devices can damage the frame, slope, door jamb, etc.

How to protect mounting foam - basic repair methods

Under the influence of sunlight, any mounting foam decomposes. Initially, it looks like a darkening of the material, after which it becomes brittle and crumbles from the cracks, like leaves in the wind. More precisely, even the wind is not required to destroy the sealant scorched by the sun. The process of "ultraviolet destruction" of mounting foam takes from 1 to several years - depending on the thickness of the layer, the angle of incidence of its rays, the quality of the foam itself and the thoroughness of its application, etc.

Of course, even the maximum four years is an unacceptably short period for overhaul. And the replacement of windows, doors, ventilation, etc. must be no less durable than the installation shower tray- with your own hands it makes sense to create comfort for decades to come. When the preparation of the outer layer of foam is completed, we proceed to its processing using one of the selected methods:

Putty. How to cover the mounting foam on the windows? Firstly, a modified finishing plaster - with the addition of frost-resistant additives. Secondly, a special liquid plastic. Thirdly, ordinary window putty with the addition liquid glass. All compositions are applied from the bottom up with neat strokes using a conventional spatula, the excess is wiped off with a sponge;
Special mounting tape. The fastest and cheapest method of protection - and it is also the most questionable in terms of aesthetics. Even if you match the adhesive tape to the color of the frames, you won’t be able to paint over it from above (coloring compositions will lead to peeling of the adhesive tape). If you are ready to glue all the joints with new tape every few months, you can try a quick decoration;
Paints and varnishes. Best to choose acrylate coloring compound, he has good adhesion with mounting foam. The paint is applied with a thin brush, moving from the bottom up to the corner of the frame or jamb. If you want a particularly strong protection of the foaming sealant, you can combine putty and acrylate painting - then the service life of the mounting foam will be comparable to the durability of the whole house.

Today it is already difficult to imagine construction or repair work where mounting foam is not used. With its help, they solve a lot of problems, because the foam acts as a heat insulator, sealant, or is used as a fixative.

Polyurethane foam is highly durable and may not change its useful characteristics for many years, but under certain conditions - there is no ultraviolet rays. If you do not hide the foam from ultraviolet radiation, it quickly deteriorates, as a result, it loses its useful properties.

There are a lot of ways to hide the mounting foam so that it does not damage it and does not violate the aesthetics. Common - putty.

This method is simple. One thing, BUT - these materials do not fit together, so plaster is applicable in 2 cases:

If the head is Fire safety. Then apply a layer of plaster, which is equal to 80 mm. At the same time, use putty only with fire-fighting foam, which resists the action of fire for 120 to 240 minutes. Although the fire inspectorate will still have claims;
AT decorative purposes. In this case, putty is not so much protection, but as an aesthetic coating. In this way, work is completed, making them aesthetic and pleasing to the eye.

Lack of protection

If they create additional protection against mechanical impact, use drywall sheets. The seams between them are plastered, the foam is hidden. Then they are not afraid of damage and shedding of plaster.

Why foam protection

Foam in the best way fills the space in the gap or hole, seam. If you do not think about the protection of the foam, then its service life will not exceed 5 years. In the process of such improper operation, the foam is constantly destroyed, as a result - liquid, moisture penetrate inside the gap and bring destruction with them. And in the worst case, the gap inside the wall will become a source of mold and mildew.

An easy way to protect is to use ordinary sealing tape. But if you protect the foam on the street, the tape is unlikely to serve as a reliable protection for a long time.

Another way is to use special mixtures (primers) that provide moisture-resistant protection. They have their drawbacks - in most cases they do not protect against ultraviolet rays - main problem mounting foam, and invariably lead to its destruction.

Other options are also used - sealants, putties, plastic, or acrylic paint. But if the excess foam is cut, it will not provide sufficient protection.

The protective layer for foam interferes with ultraviolet rays, creates vapor and water tightness.

spoiled foam

That's why The best decision in this case putty or plaster. Moreover, its specific type and type are not important. This method is affordable and simple - even a person without special knowledge or skills in the construction industry can cope with such work.

Puttying process

Wait for the full expansion and drying of the foam. When ready for use, it is wavy and often excess foam appears at unusual points and positions. It will not work to hide such fragments with plaster, so they are first removed. For these purposes, the excess foam is cut off with a slight departure deep into the wall in order to use putty.

The mounting foam is cut off no earlier than 12 hours after application, but it is better to make sure of the drying time. They are listed on the bottle.

Before applying the plaster, ordinary masking tape is glued around the places of upcoming work in order to protect a clean, unrefined surface from stains. Remove the tape after the plaster is completely applied and dries.

Foam protection

To hide the mounting foam, any of the existing species putties. However, the preparation process and the proportion of dilution of the mixture depend on the choice of the manufacturer and the specific model.

Foam puttying

After kneading is done, the mixture has acquired a thick homogeneous consistency, it is applied to the mounting foam.

They make a small, protruding excess, which is then eliminated with a spatula, but you should not go too deep, otherwise you will get a recess, a depression that will have to be eliminated again.

The excess, when it dries, is simply erased with sandpaper or a special construction mesh, which is used for finishing work with plaster.

Start washing after the putty is completely dry. In this case, the chances of causing damage are minimal, moreover, to apply force to erase in order to get the desired result faster.

Other ways to hide foam

Using putty is not always relevant, sometimes it's an extra waste of money. You can hide the mounting foam in other ways. Some of them are more expensive or cheaper than plaster, but they are not suitable in all cases.

A simple and cheap method is cutting the foam and then mashing it. This method is relevant for cases where foam with a dense structure is used. This cut has an aesthetic appearance.

To make the cut neat, they do not use a knife, but a hacksaw for foam plastic - this blade does not tear the material. Further, after trimming the foam, it is polished. To do this, use large sandpaper.

Once sanding is complete, paint begins. For this they take regular paint. It is better to prefer white or other light shades. Apply the paint in several layers, then it will become a homogeneous, even surface, which will give sufficient protection to the mounting foam from ultraviolet rays.

foam painting

Other methods include the use of any available materials - boards, or metal sheets, even roofing material is suitable.

If the foam is in the shade, and the question of aesthetics is not at all, then it is left in this form. Despite the fact that moisture and air have free access to the dried foam, they will not damage it, moreover, it will retain its properties. If there is no certainty that the shadow is constant, hide the foam immediately. In the future, they simply forget about such a need, and when the issue becomes acute, it turns out that the foam needs to be applied again, spending time and money on repeating the work already done.

What are the nuances

When preparing the solution for its further application to the foam, you should be careful to stir the mixture thoroughly to eliminate the appearance of lumps that will spoil all the aesthetics.

Better use an electrician

Depending on what functions the plaster layer performs, prepare a place for it. If it is protective, then remove the excess foam with a recess of a few centimeters in order to plaster with high quality. If the layer is decorative, then a large recess is not needed, a depth of no more than a centimeter is enough.

If you need to hide the foam on the street, take into account that even the impossibility of getting on protective layer moisture does not remove the chance of being damaged by other atmospheric agents. hard frost also damages the plaster. You should take care of this problem in advance and purchase a frost-resistant mixture. If the work is to be done indoors, this is not necessary.

Regardless of which recess is prepared for the plaster, the holes are plastered so that the mixture layer is at least 5 mm. If you use a smaller layer, this will lead to the appearance of cracks on the surface of the plaster and its subsequent destruction.

If the layer exceeds this value, then plaster is applied in several stages, waiting for the initial drying of the previous layer.

Grouting is not carried out after the final drying of the plaster, it is enough to give time for high-quality hardening.

Quality protection

When working with plaster, do not forget about the use of gloves and goggles. The dried mixture on the skin is difficult to wash off, and getting into the eye leads to serious consequences.

Do not forget to clean the tools after the work is done. If the mixture has not frozen, do it simply by washing them in water; if it has dried, it will have to be cleaned mechanically.

In contact with

How to cover up mounting foam - common and important question. After all, mounting foam, if necessary, to install PVC windows has gained considerable popularity due to important operational advantages. In its composition, the mounting foam is a polyurethane foam sealant, among the main components of the material, isocyanate and polyol should be distinguished. Same production composition mounting foam is supplemented with various auxiliary components - stabilizer, blowing agent, catalyst, etc.

The main characteristics of polyurethane foam are viscosity, output volume, adhesion, primary, secondary expansion. This construction material depending on the composition, it can be presented in the form of one-component or two-component mixtures. It is possible to separate the mounting foam and according to its intended purpose - household, professional, winter, summer, all-weather.

We cover the mounting seams - the foam requires proper protection

But even for the demanded multifunctional material, appropriate protection is also required. After all, mounting foam during operation is faced with detrimental effects in the form of moisture and sunlight. This is also reported by manufacturers on cans of polyurethane foam. But a quite reasonable question arises - how to close up the mounting foam.

To avoid negative impacts and significantly increase the life of the mounting foam, simple and fairly effective options can be offered - processing the foam with sealant, paint, putty or using special materials. Without protection, cracks and staining of the mounting foam occur due to the harmful effects of sunlight and moisture.

Destruction will not occur immediately, but the resource of mounting foam without protection will be insignificant - only about four years. After this time there is a loss thermal insulation properties building seams. Exposure to moisture, temperature fluctuations and ultraviolet light lead to a loss of thermal conductivity of the foam - it loses its hygroscopic properties, and gradual destruction occurs.

How to cover mounting foam - how to achieve a durable result

Therefore, for mounting foam, appropriate protection becomes a prerequisite - to maintain properties during operation without the need for frequent repairs. Before covering the foam with putty or sealant, you can use PSUL (pre-compressed sealing tape), which is specially designed for the respective tasks.

Other means can be used to protect the mounting foam:

Finishing plaster or putty resistant to temperatures below zero;

Polyurethane sealant;

A solution of sand, cement, white grout;

liquid plastic;

Acrylic paint;

Window putty and other methods.

How to cover up mounting foam - competent help from Harvest Industriales

To ensure the quality and durability of the result, installation plastic windows and related work it is recommended to trust competent specialists. Experienced specialists of Harvest Industriales approach each project individually, taking accurate measurements, carefully considering the features of the work and the object, choosing the preferred method of protection for reliable protection mounting foam.

Using mounting foam, we get the opportunity to completely eliminate all gaps after installing windows and doors. However, having cut off all the excess of this material, we are faced with the task of hiding the traces of the foam itself, since it looks rather unpresentable. Today we will reveal the features of this process and talk about how to solve the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The chemical product is a sealant based on polyurethane, which includes isocyanate and polyol. This is the basis, however, different manufacturers may include various additives in the composition, such as catalysts, stabilizers, foaming agents, and the like. The foam has high adhesion and expandability, allowing it to fill the entire space. The materials with which this foam forms the strongest bonds are as follows:

Cement;
Metal;
Plaster.

At the same time, plastic or greasy materials, as well as wet surfaces, adhere to such foam to a much lesser extent. This in turn ensures that we do not put it in places where it should not be. Although, it is still not easy to wipe off such foam from such surfaces.

How to cut mounting foam

It is necessary to cut off the foam with a technical knife, which must be sharp. Try to cut in such a way that the remaining foam is flush with both surfaces on the sides of it. This will make further processing easier.

Do I need to cut the mounting foam with a sealant?

Mounting foam is an excellent insulator, however, it itself needs insulation. If this is not done, then the surface will begin to crack under the influence of solar radiation and moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to hide its cut so that the foam does not collapse ahead of time (usually its insulating properties are enough for 4 years). As a sealant, polyurethane can be used, as the most suitable for such a bundle. Pre-compressed sealing tape is also widely used for foam sealing. However, it must be understood that construction tape is a very dubious solution in terms of design. In addition, do not put any finishing materials, since, having been soaked with them, the tape will begin to peel off.

Mounting foam plaster and other types of finishes

In addition to the options listed above, the following are used:

acrylic paint;
A mixture of cement, white grout and sand;
Putty. Suitable finishing plaster, which has the ability to tolerate negative temperatures;
Window putty or liquid plastic.

Depending on the type of concealment of the mounting foam, it is necessary to carry out certain actions. For example, if the foam is painted over, then this can be done directly on straight cut. However, in the case of plaster, it is necessary first to provide a better adhesion to the surface. And for this, small grooves are cut in the foam.

The layer of plaster with which we will cover the foam should not be thin. Indeed, in this case, it will very quickly begin to crack and crumble. Try to keep the layer thickness at least three millimeters

Foam grouting is carried out in two cases:

Before painting, in order to create the most even surface. In this case, you need to ensure that the cut does not begin to collapse, and for this you need to use the finest sandpaper;
In the case of applying plaster, after the latter has dried, the surface is carefully grouted in order to give it an attractive appearance.

After installing windows and doors, owners and master finishers often ask themselves the question - how to close up the mounting foam? You can cover it up using putty, sealant, paint and other materials. It is important to do this correctly, using the appropriate technique, which we will describe below.

Polyurethane foam - a convenient material

Today, polyurethane foam is used in many construction work. It is a polyurethane foam two- or one-component sealant, which is available in a special aerosol can. It is applied in two cases:

for thermal insulation;
seam sealing.

Suitable for materials such as wood, glass, metal, concrete. The main component of the foam is polyurethane, which was first created by Bayer in 1947. In the 1970s and 1980s, the first spray cans began to be produced and used for finishing work.

At the same time, in addition to polyurethane, polyisocyanate and some catalysts were added to the composition. Switzerland was the first country to introduce this material. Later, other countries began to use the foam. Today it is used in Europe, Asia, USA, Russia. Such wide use associated with unique properties material. Foam easily penetrates into any gap and seam, fills the space and quickly hardens. Thus, this area is perfectly protected from various adverse events.

Why do you need foam protection?

As already mentioned, the composition perfectly fills the space inside the gap and the seam. But at the same time, she also needs protection. The fact is that the foam is destroyed under the influence of UV rays and moisture. If you do not protect it, then the total operational life of such a seam will be no more than 5 years. That is why, after application, it is additionally covered with special compounds.

But the question arises - how to protect the mounting foam and what kind of means is better to use? For these purposes, sealant, putty, liquid plastic, acrylic paint, can be used. In this case, the coating must be water-proof and vapor-tight. That is, to provide proper ventilation and protect against water penetration. Therefore, when choosing compounds, pay attention to their properties (usually they are described on the packaging). Also, some consumers use a special sealing tape for protection. It is quickly glued to the desired area and is suitable for both old and new structures.

Plaster protection and what you need to know for this?

So, the question of how to close up the mounting foam has already been answered. But here's how to do it? Consider an example of finishing using plaster. Processing begins with the removal of excess material. This is necessary in order to level the base. In the case when plaster or putty is supposed to be used for protection, it is better to further deepen the surface by a couple of millimeters.

The second task that arises before the master finishers is the question - how to putty the mounting foam? What kind of putty and plaster to choose? It is better to use a frost-resistant composition for this, which is sold in building supermarkets. A good brand is Rotband. The composition is sold in dry form and is prepared immediately before use. And if the question is settled, then you can proceed to the direct preparation of the mixture. The recipe is always written on the package.

The solution is poured into water and thoroughly stirred so that there are no lumps. If the composition is too thick, it is better to add a little water.

Putty is applied with a spatula or trowel. The layer must be at least 4 mm. Since if you apply too thin a layer, it may crack soon (usually this happens when it dries). At the next stage, the coating is given some time to harden, but do not wait for complete drying. Then the surface is rubbed with fine-grained sandpaper or construction mesh.

Please note that you can easily perform all the described work yourself. It is only important to follow the instructions. Therefore, the question of how to cover up the mounting foam should no longer arise. Also, when performing work, it is necessary to wear gloves to protect the skin of the hands. All tools are washed after use warm water. The rest of the composition is removed in a dark place.