FYI: Foam suppliers in Austin, TX area

[TeriL]

Hi All,

For those living in the frozen northern regions, 1-1/2" and 2" thick foam seems to be stock items at Home Depots and Lowes. In this area, they don't and if you ask, they either laugh at you or give you a blank stare.

For your information and lots of calling around, I found a few places that carry XPS polystyrene foam sheets thicker than 3/4". Roofing supply dealers here only carry poly-iso foam (urethane) which would be dodgy for anything but a stationary trailer. However, one dealer did suggest I call a couple of "Damp-proofing" suppliers he named. Who would have thunk?

As of this date, All-Tex Supply (512) 837-0977 carries both Dow brand Styrofoam Scoreboard (the blue stuff) and Owen Corning Formular (pink stuff) in 1", 1-1/2" and 2" 4'x8' sheets. Both are 25 psi boards which are 1.5 lb/cu-ft foam. Prices for the DOW brand (blue stuff) are $2.00/sq-ft for the 2", $1.50/sq-ft for the 1-1/2". Owen Corning (pink stuff) prices are a little cheaper @ $1.80/sq-ft for the 2" and $1.35/sq-ft for the 1-1/2". Not sure (I didn't ask) but those prices are probably before tax.

The other supplier is SSI Commercial & Highway Construction Materials (512) 326-1156. I would have never though they carried foam board. They only carried the Dow (blue stuff) Scoreboard in 1", 1-1/2" and 2" thicknesses. Prices are (sales tax included) $25.84, $38.45 and $51.58 respectively. The scores are shallow (<1/8") and are intended for snapping the foam at 16" and 24" centers (std building dimensions). Both suppliers will sell individual sheets, not a full pallet !

I did find another couple of suppliers, but they would only sell pallet loads. One did say they might find one of their suppliers that may have fewer sheets they might be able to get.

For my project, I'll need 10+ sheets which is a substantial outlay for just the foam. If I only wanted 1-1/2" foam, I could laminate 3/4" sheets from Home Depots or Lowes for slightly less (2x ~$15 +tax) but then there is the cost of the glue to laminate them. A foamie here is not necessarily a thrifty alternative.

-- Teri

[GPW]

Seems Everything is BIG in Texas.... Including the Prices .... We’re getting the Dow Blucor 2” thick , 4x8 sheet for $28.00 ...
Best shop around more , No bargains there , and not even a fair deal ...

[TeriL]

Seems Everything is BIG in Texas.... Including the Prices .... We’re getting the Dow Blucor 2” thick , 4x8 sheet for $28.00 ...
Best shop around more , No bargains there , and not even a fair deal ...

I was just reporting the facts. For some reason, 2" (or even 1-1/2") foam just isn't readily available here. Maybe because Austin isn't a big industrial city like New Orleans. In general, industrial suppliers charge more than most home improvement suppliers like Home Depot or Lowes.

As I said, I did a lot of web searching for suppliers and called many places. There may be more suppliers but I haven't found them. I suspect their prices are similar. Houston, San Antonio or Dallas may have more possibilities but traveling to those places to pick up the foam would cost time, money and hassle. I only have time, little money and low tolerance for hassle. Commercial shipping is $$$$$$$$$$

What is Dow Blucor? Their web site only speaks of "BlueCor" which is only 1/4" thick fan fold insulation sheets. Is "Blucor" some New Orleans/Cajun colloquialism for their "scoreboard" ???

BTW, all of Dow's XPS polystyrene foam is trademarked a light blue color as Owen Corning's similar product is pink (they purchased/licensed the "Pink Panther" cartoon trademark). Another XPS manufacturer I just discovered, Kingspan, is light green. Lowes will special order Kingspan but minimum of 20 sheets. Slightly cheaper at $38/2" sheet if someone nearby wanted to split order. I would have no other use for excess 2" foam. I only plan on ONE trailer, PERIOD! It would be a learning/practice tool for composite fabrication of a manned airplane. This type of foam is unsuitable for building an airplane, at least one I would get into. The airplane uses a different much more expensive foam core but a lot less.

[GPW]

OK ... I understand ... Did you check a recycler , habitat store ... They have foam sometimes , or concrete foundation companies ... Foam is where you find it ...

[KennethW]

{{For those living in the frozen northern regions, 1-1/2" and 2" thick foam seems to be stock items at Home Depots and Lowes. In this area, they don't and if you ask, they either laugh at you or give you a blank stare.}}
The major use for the 1-1/2" and 2" is under concrete with in-floor heat so not to try to heat the earth. That is why they stock it in the frozen north.

[ghcoe]

Have you talked to HD about ordering some in. They might be able to piggy back it in with their store orders so it would not cost more for shipping. I know they do it for other items. Talk to the commercial side.

[TeriL]

{{For those living in the frozen northern regions, 1-1/2" and 2" thick foam seems to be stock items at Home Depots and Lowes. In this area, they don't and if you ask, they either laugh at you or give you a blank stare.}}
The major use for the 1-1/2" and 2" is under concrete with in-floor heat so not to try to heat the earth. That is why they stock it in the frozen north.

Hi Kenneth,

Yes, I'm aware of the use of foam for under foundations in the frozen north. In this part of Texas, in floor heating is completely impractical because of the large temperature swings from freezing to 70F in a day. The concrete temperature would forever be behind the desired temperature.

The fact that it is apparently used for "damp-proofing" was a revelation to me. It would seem that a simple membrane would make more sense.

-- Teri

[TeriL]

Have you talked to HD about ordering some in. They might be able to piggy back it in with their store orders so it would not cost more for shipping. I know they do it for other items. Talk to the commercial side.

I have asked and the answer I got was no. Lowes originally said there was no extra for a special order but in a follow up, they said for the foam it would be a minimum of 20 sheets. Maybe no charge if the item is found in the same region but outside the region, they apply a minimum order.

If you look at the prices listed for the 1/2" and 3/4" foam, the listed prices are not a lot different which suggests the bulk determines their shipping costs which in turn are passed on. The suppliers for 1-1/2" and 2" foam I did find show the same pricing relationship, cost/cu-ft.

[TeriL]

OK ... I understand ... Did you check a recycler , habitat store ... They have foam sometimes , or concrete foundation companies ... Foam is where you find it ...

Foam here is apparently used mainly for roofing insulation of low slope roofs (industrial metal metal buildings). But that insulation is polyisocyanurate or polyiso as it is commonly called.

The only surplus, re-cycled foam here is the polyiso or beadboard (expanded polystyrene board - EPS, cheapo coolers). XPS polystyrene foam is apparently "Texas gold" here. Polyiso is used for roofing insulation as it is a somewhat better insulator (per inch) than xps polystyrene. Polyiso is very friable https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friability and I would be concerned about using it in a non-stationary application. A close cousin of polyiso, urethane foam was found to self destruct to powder in composite airplanes where vibrations are present, leaving only the fiberglass shell facings. Perhaps a trailer is a more benign application but I rather would not be a test subject.

[KennethW]

I think the reason polyiso is use under roofs is it will take a lot more heat the EPS. I made some solar collectors and One learns really fast that ISO works under higher heat when EPS(EPS becomes abstract art)
In the north we have EPS ,but the south has some killer fryer chicken and fantastic barbecue.

[TeriL]

I think the reason polyiso is use under roofs is it will take a lot more heat the EPS. I made some solar collectors and One learns really fast that ISO works under higher heat when EPS(EPS becomes abstract art)
In the north we have EPS ,but the south has some killer fryer chicken and fantastic barbecue.

Hi Kenneth,

You're right, now that I think about it. Roofs here get dammed hot! Polyiso and other ureathanes are much better temp wise than polystyrene which if I remember correctly is only good to about 160F or so (structurally-wise). I'm planning on plain white which is literally the coolest color there is, besides I like white . Don't let anyone try to tell you polished aluminum is cooler except maybe for aesthetics (assuming your tastes go that way). Physics and experiments prove it. If they say otherwise, remind them that "If it's not physic, it opinion".

Just had some beef barbecue the other night with friends and family. Re-discovered why I'm not red-meat person. I had indigestion later that evening. Pork and chicken are my preferred meats anyway. "The other white meat(s)"

Here it gets fiercely hot in the sun. Phoenix is utterly absurd! Here's a color temperature chart which speaks for itself. This why almost all home built composite airplanes are white or very pale pastels. Usually the foam core is the limiting factor unless some really expensive foam is used and still it has practical limits. The epoxy isn't a whole lot better for room temp cure stuff. Military fighters and airliners use autoclave cured epoxies and no foam. Mucho $$$$$ for the epoxy and mega mucho $$$$ for the autoclave.

-- Teri

[GPW]

Lets’ not get carried away with technical information .. We’re not a military contractor with billions of dollars of other peoples money to play with ... Think CAMPER ...
And Yes , HD and Loews are USELESS to try and order foam from ... ( Oh we’ve tried ) Better Luck at Building suppliers , Foundation suppliers , or even consult the Foam manufacturer .... Dow has a site that finds a distributor close to you ...

And then again , if you live in Austin (yuppie cowboy land), just pay for the foam ... You’re a Texan and have lots of money ... Everything is BIG in Texas right ???

[KennethW]

Off topic warning
Looking at that chart One can see why polystyrene gets destroyed in a solar collector. With glazing the ambient air temp becomes the peak surface times the chart without a pump or fan cooling it.
When working with iso I found it to be crumbly. The aluminum skin is to hold it together and trap gas in it for better R value.
So FYI ISO crumbles with vibration and EPS melds at higher temps. It would be a good thought not to paint a foamie a dark color and leave it stored in the Texas sun. May start looking like the wicked witch of Oz

[GPW]

Now that would be Logical thinking no doubt , but in the real world application , we’ve tested (readings with IR thermometer) Black painted areas , and other darker colors on a Foamie ... Foamie #1 ( Camo paintjob) Well , anyway it never got above 148F (black) in our HOT south LA sun in the dead of Summer .. which was enough by the way to cause to the foam to expand just slightly , fixing any compression dings we had from a bad hailstorm here . ( we now refer to that as “ The Great Expansion” ) It takes at least around 200F+ to make the foam start to go runny .. Too hot for any of us anyway ... Don’t believe me ... get out the heat gun and the “Laser” IF thermometer , melt some foam ( No iso please) and prove it to yourself ...
BTW , White was the coolest color we tested ... still too hot to comfortably rest your hand on ... summer ...

Long have we stayed from any of those “other” foams ... I figure it this way ... If it’s good enough to store food in , then it’s good enough to store ME in ... Right ... Sure , other foams have their uses , but just not in a Foamie trailer ... After all these years at it now , we KNOW what Works , so let’s just do it ... And when i couldn’t find the Extruded foam sheets , we sliced up blocks of bead foam ... " (expanded polystyrene board - EPS, cheapo coolers) “ ... Which works SUPER , all you have to do is make it THICKER... Foamies are about specific materials used in a certain way .... All TESTED !!! , over and over again ...

[KennethW]

I stand corrected!
All thou a dark color the roof of a camper is probably not the best. I was just going by what I learn building solar collectors. How hot does it get under the glue on flexible solar panels?