Rules for working with styrofoam

[tonyj]

When I bought a sheet of the 3/4" white stuff, I spent a couple of minutes to pick the one from the stack that had all the corners and no cracks. Happy with my purchase I walked outside with it and the wind caught it, broke it into 4 pieces. Lots of folk got a good laugh as I went running accross the parking lot chasing the two biggest pieces in their quest for freedom.

So another rule for working with styrofoam--wear running shoes when you buy it!

[Arne]

I have several tips for carrying a sheet of foam... carry it on the downwind side.... both hands on top, near middle... let it do it's flag thing. If you fight it, you will lose (or it will break).

When I get to trailer, still on downwind side, one hand on top/middle, other lifts rest of sheet level, so little is exposed to wind, and I lay it in the trailer...

Based on above, I have way too much time on my hands, so will now go paint trailer hitch so I can get it back on car Monday, when I will start to build frame for no. 2, and need to use utility trailer.... the joy begins, now if the weather would warm up, it would be much nicer.

[angib]

Hey, Lance, where d'you say all the little pieces get to?

Andrew

[Mary K]

I used a really sharp knife on my foam insulation and it made this Gosh Awful Squeaking Screeching Noise... Must not have been completely dead when I bought it.

OH, and little pieces got everywhere.

Mk

[brian_bp]

For anyone who hasn't already realized the difference...

The cheap white stuff which readily falls apart into little beads is just returning to its natural state: it is made by pressing the beads together, and slabs of it are called "beadboard".

The pink stuff is an example of the same basic material (polystyrene foam) which is formed as one slab by extrusion. The blue stuff is Dow's version (the blue colour is a trademarked), and is the only Styrofoam (yes, it's a trademarked brand name). These are generically called extruded polystyrene products.

In my limited experience with these materials, the extruded products make a lot less mess than beadboard, and they're much stronger.

[Caradoc]

The cheap white stuff which readily falls apart into little beads is just returning to its natural state: it is made by pressing the beads together, and slabs of it are called "beadboard".

The pink stuff is an example of the same basic material (polystyrene foam) which is formed as one slab by extrusion. The blue stuff is Dow's version (the blue colour is a trademarked), and is the only Styrofoam (yes, it's a trademarked brand name). These are generically called extruded polystyrene products.

Ah, a little terminology is a good thing. The cursed compressed pellets from hell (aka beadboard), is something I'd stay away from. I did mention they get everywhere and I'll be cleaning them out of crevasses for long after the trailer has fallen apart.



--Lance

[toypusher]

[..................... and I'll be cleaning them out of crevasses for long after the trailer has fallen apart.
.................. --Lance

[bledsoe3]

Lance, To cut down on the crevasse invading white beads from hell, I used the pink stuff for the flat section and the white stuff for the curves. It just bends easier.

[bobhenry]

I like the static cling effect of the bead board you can wind up as well insulated as the tear if you wear enough nylon.

I'm setting at my desk staring at about 2000 4x8 and 4x9 sheets of 1/2" and 3/4" dow blue board.
Just put an ad in the local paper yesterday for our scrap. " Free bundles of the window and door cut-outs" . We're hoping a few folks will carry off the 35 - 50 bundles of scrap we have laying around.

[diverguy]

i am like doug. i just cramed and stuffed. if you take my inside walls off i am sure you would get a huge blue explosion. partly cause my son did a lot of it and well i measured with the knife. it was fun though and we laughed a lot at ourselves. we stick one piece in and another pops out.

[dewayne]

Hy Guys, I used a jigsaw on the white stuff. Fast and works great. The mess ain't bad either.

dewayne

[critter]

Hey Guys,
Has anyone done the spray foam on a tear.Just seams like it would work ok to me,Probbaly only take 5 or6 cans and would cost about the same?