Installation of the door frame using polyurethane foam. Door installation (theory and practice). (3). Hammer or rubber mallet
At modern construction, installation or repair, such a multifunctional, easy-to-use, reliable material as polyurethane foam is widely used. Its versatility and convenience greatly simplifies construction tasks for both professional builders and ordinary consumers who prefer to do some of the repairs or install doors and windows themselves. Foam for mounting on construction market appeared relatively recently and immediately became one of the most popular, in-demand and capital-intensive goods. However, it cannot be said that it was developed only in our days - the famous German technologist, chemist and industrialist Otto Bayer invented this substance back in 1947 - as a continuation of the development of the polyurethanes he himself invented. Initially, polyurethane foam was used in the form of insulating boards for military purposes, as it is excellent protection when there is a threat of radioactive radiation. In the 70s, the English company Royal Chemical Industry produced the first aerosol can with polyurethane foam, and its use in construction began in Sweden, at the dawn of the 80s of the last century.
Composition and scope of application
All polyurethane foams that are on the market contain almost the same composition and are polyurethane foam one-component sealant, enclosed in an aerosol package. In addition to the liquid prepolymer, the can also contains propellant– gas under excess pressure, displacing the prepolymer. To harden, the substance does not require mixing with other components - when sprayed, the composition inside the can hardens on its own (polymerization process), under the influence of moisture in the air, thus forming porous material, resembling polystyrene foam in its properties. Cured foam is well and easily processed for the following construction stages– cut to the desired shape, puttied or plastered.
The name itself – “assembly” – clearly indicates the scope of application – use in the installation or repair of door frames, window sills, window frames and any other wooden, concrete, metal or plastic structures. Filling the gaps between structures and openings gives a much greater sealing effect than using cement mortar, tow, mineral or simple wool, foam rubber, and besides, such work requires much less time and is much more convenient. When using foam, no additional tools and devices, no energy sources are needed.
Properties
The substance can penetrate into the most hard to reach places, turning into a fairly hard material in a few hours.
The resulting material is not subject to rotting, has good temperature and sound insulation properties, and is also a sealing agent. In addition to filling gaps, cracks and cavities, polyurethane foam used for insulation, sealing of structures, additional fixation of water or heating pipes, electrical wiring, sealing materials when roofing works– tiles or corrugated metal sheets. It is also widely used when installing stationary refrigeration units and in cars when transporting frozen foods. Parameters such as adhesiveness and dielectric properties, fire safety (this parameter is determined by the flammability class of the foam) are also important.
- Sealing (thermal insulation)– allows you to insulate rooms by filling cracks – relevant for work spaces, warehouses, greenhouses, hangars, garages, etc. Filling gaps and cracks during repairs and installations roofing structures. Use when installing door and window frames - creating a moisture-resistant, heat-insulating seam. Filling voids that arise during the installation of water or heating pipes, which are formed when they pass through walls or floor slabs.
- Gluing– you can quite confidently fix the door and window blocks even without the use of nails or screws. This property also makes it possible to secure insulating or insulation materials– for example, when insulating a room using foam, you can glue foam boards to Wall.
- Soundproofing– sealing the junctions of air conditioners and hoods, ventilation ducts, cracks between pipes, allows you to reduce the noise level that occurs during vibrations.
Varieties
As noted above, the composition of polyurethane foam is almost the same regardless of the purpose of its use. But there are differences in the design of the cylinders themselves, and on this basis the foam is divided into professional and household.
Professional- or as the manufacturers themselves call it - pistol. It is distinguished by the presence of a special working valve in the cylinder. To work with such foam, it is necessary to use a special dosing device - assembly gun applicator. Such a gun is placed on the balloon valve intended for it, as a result of which it becomes possible to dose foam into the cracks and cavities. This mode will allow you to control much more accurately required quantity foam supply, while achieving consumption savings of up to 30%. Also important is the ability to operate the pistol with one hand. The energetic handle and dispenser trigger make work much more convenient, and, therefore, more productive. The presence of a long, thin metal barrel allows foam to be supplied to hard-to-reach places.
Cylinder valves can be either threaded - screwed onto the gun, or “fastened” in one movement. IN Lately Almost all major manufacturers of foam for installation equip cylinders with a so-called reusable valve, which allows you to hermetically close the cylinder with remaining foam and use it after some time without drying out the contents. In addition, it also has additional convenience - you can work not only by holding the can upside down, as was customary, but also with the valve up, which often makes work easier, and during some work, sometimes holding the can upside down is not only inconvenient, but also simple impossible.
The disadvantage of using an applicator gun is its considerable price, so there is no point in purchasing it for occasional household work - this device is needed for professionally engaged in such installation work builders and repairmen. In addition, during its operation, additional costs will be required - after each use, the gun must be washed with a special solution that cleans internal cavities applicator from the remnants of foam that has not yet thickened. This cleaning agent is also located in a cylinder, which has attachments that simplify cleaning, under excess pressure.
Household foam– either semi-professional or manual. Its use does not involve the use of any devices other than the cylinder itself. To get started, you need to put on the valve the plastic tube that comes with the cylinder, which has a lever - an adapter. For small amounts of work, this option is convenient and practical. As a rule, it is used in cases where the expansion of the foam is not too important factor– in ventilation shafts, interpanel seams, installation of door and window frames.
If not the entire volume of the cylinder has been used, the tube can be removed, washed with a solvent (for example, acetone) and reused after some time.
Use temperature
- Summer foam– at the temperature indicated on the cans from 5C to 35C, the foam must be used at the temperature of the surfaces being treated within the same limits. However, this temperature limit only indicates the temperature during work, and the temperature resistance of hardened foam is in a much larger range - from -50C to +90C - this applies to both summer and winter foam.
- Winter foam– the operating temperature range is from -18C (some types -10C) to +35C. “Winter” options contain special additives and additives that allow polymerization at a small percentage of humidity, since frosty air is much drier than at warm temperatures. Moisturizing surfaces in cold weather is ineffective - water quickly freezes and becomes ice. It must be borne in mind that the already expanded foam depends on the external temperature - the lower it is, the less the expansion value. For example, 300 ml of liquid foam at +20C will expand to 30L, at zero - up to 25L, at -5C - about 20L, and at -10 - only 15L.
- All-season foam- appeared relatively recently, so not all manufacturers can offer it. It has best properties summer and winter foam, providing, thanks to the improved formula, a large volume of foam at the output, rapid polymerization and the ability to work with it at -10C without warming up the cylinder.
Requirements for polyurethane foam
- Guaranteed declared output – competitive fight for the market is often carried out using methods that are not entirely justified for the consumer - even manufacturers of high-quality and well-proven foam try to reduce the price of their products due to banal underfilling. For example, with a declared volume of 45 liters, only 37 actually comes out, and from 65 liters - no more than 50. Therefore, it is advisable to control the weight of the cylinder - with a volume of liquid substance of 750 ml, the cylinder should weigh 850-920 grams.
- Secondary expansion– is also a fairly important indicator, especially when installing window sills, doors and windows.
The fact is that the expansion of the foam occurs in two stages - when liquid polyurethane leaves the cylinder, the compressed gas expands, equalizing the pressure with environment, and expands the pores of the composite, turning it into foam with a significantly higher volume. This is the so called primary expansion. Then, the foam coming into contact with moisture provokes a chemical reaction, as a result of which it hardens. But at the same time, CO2 carbon dioxide is released, which creates excess pressure in the pores of the foam, and its volume gradually increases over a fairly long period of time - even up to several days, although 24 hours are usually written. This is the secondary expansion of the foam. When installing window and door frames the percentage increase in secondary expansion relative to primary should not exceed 15-25%. But some manufacturers, saving at the expense of the main components, produce “on-the-mountain” products with a secondary increase of 50-60%. What this threatens is easy to guess - door frames concave inwards, deformed windows and swollen window sills. Therefore, it is very advisable to purchase proven foam. - Complete release of foam from the container– this indicator characterizes the filling of the cylinder with an “honest” volume of the composite. If there is underfilling, then during operation the pressure quickly drops - as a result, there is still foam inside, but it is no longer possible to use it - the low pressure is not able to squeeze it out of there. As a result, not only the foam that “went into use” is paid for, but also the remaining foam in the cylinder.
- Approximate foam consumption you can estimate based on the following data - 300 ml of composite gives about 30 liters of foam - with this volume you can “foam” a standard door frame with gaps of 3-5 cm. 500 ml of composite will give a yield of up to 35-40 liters - this is enough for one and a half boxes under the same conditions. 750ml - 45-50l output - enough to process two or slightly more standard door frames.
- A few more requirements in terms of the quality of the foam - it should stick well to surfaces without draining from them, the degree of shrinkage should be small (shrinkage is a slight decrease in volume after final hardening). It should also be elastic, not crack or crumble after it hardens, especially in frosty weather.
Rules of application
Preparation. Foam polyurethane sealant polymerizes using air humidity, so it would be advisable to moisten the surfaces with water before using it - the hardening time will decrease, and the expansion of the foam will increase. If work is carried out in winter time– Ice and frost must be removed from surfaces.
Immediately before use, the container should be shaken vigorously for about a minute, and in cold weather, warmed up to room temperature, but without using open fire. These measures will help increase foam yield and density.
When installing and sealing window and door frames, you need to remember to double or triple the volume of sealant, therefore, to prevent deformation of door or window blocks, they need to be strengthened with spacers, without removing them until the foam has completely hardened.
Usage. When spraying, the container should be held upside down so that the composite is near the valve, otherwise it may result in leakage. compressed air, a decrease in pressure will occur and a significant part of the foam will remain in the cylinder.
The seam must be filled from the bottom up, moving the balloon evenly, while filling the void volume by no more than half. If the cavities are larger than 50mm, they need to be filled not in one go, but in several steps, waiting for each layer to harden.
You need to know that although foam has a fairly strong adhesive property, it is not suitable for working with polyethylene and silicone - it will not stick to these materials.
End of work. If foam gets on clothes, some objects or hands, it can be washed off or special means, or just acetone.
The initial hardening of the foam surface occurs after 20 minutes - you can already touch it. But it will completely harden no earlier than after 7-8 hours - this largely depends on the surrounding humidity and temperature.
After complete drying, you can cut off excess foam fragments with a knife, after which the surface must be protected from external influence, in particular, from sun rays, - it can be plastered, puttied or painted.
Precautionary measures
Foam in liquid form may cause skin, respiratory tract or eye irritation. Therefore, when working, you need to use gloves and safety glasses; in case of poor ventilation and large volumes of work, use respirators, since the concentration of vapors may be increased.
If previously they used to fill construction cavities cement mortar or tapes mineral wool, then today the old materials have been replaced by polyurethane foam. It is much more convenient and much more practical. The foam is easy to apply and is capable of filling even the smallest cracks and cracks. It is easy to use as it is immediately ready for use. It is distinguished by good heat and sound insulation properties. And thanks to its astringent properties, foam is even used for gluing various insulating materials on walls or ceilings.
After the door frame has already been installed in the opening and adjusted vertically and horizontally, . First you need to protect the door frame, since foam that gets on the surface will then be very difficult to remove. You can try to remove still “fresh” foam with a solvent or some alcohol-containing liquid. But hardened foam can only be removed mechanically. Therefore, the box, and, if necessary, the door, is covered with masking tape or film, and the work itself is carried out with gloves.
Due to the ability of foam to increase in volume by 50-250%, opposing bars door frame strengthened in advance with spacers. If this is not done, the pressure created by the foam may well lead to deformation of the door frame.
Before use, the foam container must be shaken (30-60 seconds), and the outer side of the door frame and the opening itself must be moistened with water. Moisturizing will improve the adhesion of the foam and also speed up its hardening. The only main thing is not to overdo it with water, otherwise you can achieve the exact opposite effect. And it is important to know that while working with the cylinder it should be kept in an inverted position at all times. This is done so that the lighter gas, which displaces the foam, mixes better with all components of the cylinder.
Polyurethane foam adheres well to almost all types of building materials(stone, concrete, plaster, wood, metal, glass), so usually no problems arise. Difficulties will arise only when you have to deal with chemical materials (polypropylene, polyethylene, silicone, Teflon) with which the foam does not adhere. When working with it, it is desirable that the air temperature be in the range from +5 to +30°C. But in the cold season, you can use special foams designed for use in winter period(up to −10 °C). Also, when working with foam, you should take into account that if the air humidity is less than 35%, it will not be able to harden.
To be safe from possible distortions boxes (when the foam hardens), polyurethane foam can be applied in two stages. First, it is applied “point by point”, and then (after 1-3 hours) all remaining cavities are filled. If the distance between the door frame and the opening is very narrow, to more conveniently fill this space, the end of the spray tube is pre-flattened. And if the distance, on the contrary, is too large (from 8-9 cm), it is advisable to lay this space suitable material, and only then fill it with foam.
Given the ability of foam to expand, voids and cracks are filled only to one third of their depth. In this case, it is better to start filling vertical cavities from the bottom up. This way she will create her own support. The time it takes for the foam to completely harden varies considerably and takes approximately 3 to 24 hours. More precise information about the drying period can be found in the instructions for the specific type of polyurethane foam. After the foam has completely hardened, remove its excess and proceed to the next stage of door installation (attachment of trims, if necessary, “extras” and seals).
Although polyurethane foam is resistant to mechanical stress and has many advantages, it also has its small disadvantages. So, it is destroyed under the influence of direct sunlight and absorbs moisture quite well. Therefore, it is important to ensure reliable polyurethane foam waterproofing protection, and if necessary, additionally “hide” it from the influence of sunlight. For these purposes, you can use paint, putty or sealant.
15.01.2015 02:43
In practice, not a single large-scale renovation in an apartment is possible without the use of polyurethane foam. This substance is a polyurethane sealant that, when released from the container, hardens without mixing with other components and seals cracks and various joints. To understand which polyurethane foam to choose, you need to know what it is needed for, under what conditions it will be used and how much work needs to be done with its help.
Polyurethane foam can be professional or household. First, let's define the difference between regular foam and the one intended for professionals. The main difference is in the spraying method. Conventional household polyurethane foam has a tube attached to the container, through which the composition is used. Professional MP can only be used with a gun - a special design into which a cylinder is inserted.
Experts who deal with this material almost every day in their work advise using professional foam with mounting gun. It is more convenient to use; it has an ergonomically shaped handle with a dispenser, with which you can apply the product into any crevice. This is very important when installing windows, window sills or doors. There is practically no secondary expansion in gun foam, that is, after extrusion and expansion, the volume of the foam will not change.
Household polyurethane foam is slightly worse than professional foam, and its main drawback is its large secondary expansion. In addition, often the compressed gas in the cylinder, designed to push out the foam, runs out before the composition. Or vice versa. But if you need to do a small amount of work using MP, for example, install one interior door, then one can of household foam will do just fine.
The final volume of polyurethane foam greatly depends on the temperature of use and air humidity. Typically, manufacturers produce cans with a volume of 0.5 and 0.75 liters. After contact with air, the MP increases and from 0.75 liters up to 65 liters of solid matter can be obtained. One 0.75 cylinder is enough to install 2-2.5 doors.
Foam can be summer, winter and all-season. The terms of use are indicated on the packaging, this is easy to understand. But master specialists still recommend choosing for interior works summer foam, and at sub-zero temperatures - winter foam.
The best polyurethane foam from these manufacturers:
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As you know, polyurethane foam expands and increases in volume when it comes into contact with air. This process directly depends on the moisture content in the air. Typically, the polyurethane foam dries within a day, but if you need to complete this process faster, we recommend moistening it work surface and sprinkle the composition with water after filling.
Polyurethane foam significantly facilitate the installation of door frames. However, this fastening device should be used with caution. Excessive zeal, caused by the desire to secure the door frame as firmly as possible, can lead to a disastrous result - its curvature.
But it’s better not to allow this. And if this does happen, you need to know how to eliminate the defect that has arisen.
To install the door correctly, first of all you need to select it to match the size of the opening in the wall, and the door frame - taking into account the thickness of the wall. Modern doors allow you to do this.
Before attaching the door frame polyurethane foam, it is necessary to carefully align it vertically and fix it so that it stands firmly.
At least in three places- at the level door hinges and in its middle part, the box is bursting with wooden blocks with linings or expansion spacers. The surfaces of the box that foam can get on must be covered so that you don’t have to worry about removing it later.
How to remove polyurethane foam if you make a mistake?
If necessary, traces foam, while it has not yet hardened, can be removed with acetone, solvent or cleaning agent. The cracks are filled completely with foam, but in any case it should be introduced into the cavities carefully and in small doses.
The spacers are removed only after the foam has completely hardened. This takes from 45 minutes to several hours - depending on the type of foam, the width of the gaps to be filled and the air temperature. Foam can be one- or two-component. The first is easier to work with, but the second hardens faster, does not put so much pressure on the enclosing structures and does not require moistening the internal surfaces of the cavity being filled.
There are times when, when hanging door leaf suddenly they discover that it clearly does not “fit” into the door frame. Cause: inward curvature vertical racks boxes. And it happened under pressure polyurethane foam, introduced into the cavity between the box and the wall in excessively large quantities.
When the first signs of sagging of the door frame appear under the pressure of hardening polyurethane foam the foam must be removed immediately. After this, the box is bursted with bars of suitable length. The cracks formed after cleaning are filled again with foam. But to prevent this from happening, it is better not to “save” on spacers, even if they interfere with the passage from room to room.
REPAIR bulging BOX
- Where the door frame has been pushed out, the hardened polyurethane foam is cut off with a fine-toothed saw.
- The box is expanded in the appropriate place using a block of suitable length and wedges or an adjustable spacer device.
- Having given the box the desired position, the cleaned cavities are filled again with foam.
- Having installed the door frame in the wall opening, use wooden wedges and spacers to fix it in the opening.
- By loosening and tamping down the wedges, the box is positioned vertically.
- Using a square, check the squareness of the box.
- For reliability, the box can also be fixed in the opening with clamps using wooden pads.
- If the gaps are large, pieces of cardboard are inserted between the box and the wall to prevent the foam from sliding down.
- Foam is injected into the cavities continuously, but in small doses
Modern builders often use polyurethane foam to install doors and plastic windows. It's convenient, inexpensive material, capable of not only providing reliable fixation of parts, but also isolating openings from wind and moisture. There are different mounting foams for PVC windows; Which one will do its job better is worth figuring out.
What compositions are used?
Most foams have the same composition. The main substance is polyurethane foam one-component sealant. Thanks to the aerosol packaging, it is easy to apply to surfaces without getting your hands dirty. The second substance found in the can is the propellant - this is a gas that displaces the polymer we need.
After drying, all types of foam become hard. The excess can be easily cut off with a knife, the foam itself can be puttied, and lends itself to any finishing. Polyurethane foam is used for PVC windows , door frames, filling gaps in various designs, installation of window sills, fastening of parts made of concrete, wood, metal. The foam seals cracks well and has a pronounced fixing effect.
Installing flashings is more modern way finishing of plastic windows. Read more about them in our article
Are your new windows not perfect? What to do, if ? This is discussed in detail in our material on the website.
Features of the material
Polyurethane foam for windows is able to penetrate into any cracks, difficult to reach places, and fill them without leaving holes for cold air. After a few hours, the material will become sufficiently hard and will hold the attached part well.
Foam for installing plastic windows has the following features:
- The material does not rot.
- It is a good insulator of heat and noise.
- Seals the room well.
- It is used not only for fixing structures, but also for their insulation.
- It is a fireproof material.
- Has strong fixing properties.
Types of polyurethane foam
Foam for windows is not only different manufacturers, but may also have different properties. Despite the same composition, the material may foam better or worse and produce different volumes. These parameters depend on the design of the container in which the foam is enclosed.
The tube is usually enough to fully use one cylinder. If necessary, it can be washed with acetone.
When choosing which foam is best for plastic windows, you need to consider the packaging method. If you need to install one or two windows, there is no point in purchasing a professional version and spending money on a gun to go with it.
At what temperature can you work?
Manufacturers divide products into summer, winter and all-season. Let's take a closer look at the differences.
How to choose polyurethane foam?
It is quite difficult to choose which polyurethane foam is best for windows. It is necessary to take into account not only seasonality of use, but also other factors, for example the following:
- Stated Yield: Most cylinders are the same size, but may contain different quantities foam. Most manufacturers sin by underfilling the material, so it should be taken into account that the actual volume will be 10-15 ml less than stated. You should not take cylinders that are too light. 750 ml of a substance weighs about 900 grams; if the mass is smaller, then the substance is correspondingly smaller.
- Secondary expansion is also a fairly important indicator. Leaving the container, the foam expands - this is primary expansion. When hardening, the material increases in size many times over. Typically this increase is 20%, but some products are increased by up to 60%. This type of foam is not suitable for installing window sills: they will rise greatly.
- Total foam yield may vary. With questionable products, the pressure in the cylinder drops quickly, and a lot of unused foam remains inside, which is not possible to remove.
- High-quality foam adheres well to almost any surface, does not roll off, and gives minimal shrinkage.
Which polyurethane foam is better is quite difficult to answer. High-quality products include materials from the companies Macroflex, Brigadier, and Titan. However, this is not an exhaustive list: many manufacturers meet quality standards; when choosing, you need to pay attention to the information on the packaging and the weight of the cylinder.
Why do we need platbands and what are the advantages of plastic ones, read our article.
Detailed instructions for making slopes for PVC windows with video are located at the link
It looks beautiful how it will decorate your window so that it is not faceless, read on our website.
How to use the product?
Before starting work, any surface must be prepared. Dirt needs to be removed; since the foam interacts with moisture, it is advisable to moisten the surfaces with water, but this can only be done at positive temperatures. In other cases, this action is undesirable. If work takes place outdoors, sub-zero temperature, ice and snow must be removed from the surface.
In order for the foam to readily leave the container and gain sufficient density, it should be kept in a warm room for about a day before starting work. It is prohibited to artificially heat the cylinder using an open flame. It may explode because it is under pressure.
Foam output in different cylinders
Polyurethane foam – best idea to fasten the door frame, but when using it, you need to firmly fix the frame with supports and leave enough space for the foam to expand, otherwise you can get a deformed structure. You need to use the cylinder while holding it upside down. The foam must be shaken well before use.
The decision on which polyurethane foam to choose for window installation remains with the buyer; the main criterion is a careful study of the packaging. Cylinders that are too light should be avoided.
