Styrofoam ?

[Al Willits]

I'm using some of the pink Styrofoam to insulate my garage and wondering can you glue this stuff?
Have a couple of small gaps and would like to glue a piece in as there's no way to nail it.
tia
Al

[Doug Shepard]

Some of the types of construction adhesive will dissolve the styro but if you look in the aisles with Liquid Nails, etc. you'll see a number of them that say you can use them with styro. For small gaps you might be able to skip gluing though. It's stiff enough that you can often get a tight wedge fit between studs just by cutting it a hair oversize and tapping it home lightly.

[David G Baker]

Al,
A friend of mine insulated his pole barn by cutting the Styrofoam sheets a little over size and wedging them in place. No glue was needed. I plan on doing the same thing in a small barn that I have. The studs are spaced unevenly so each piece has to be cut individually. My friend has not had any problems with the foam staying in place. If you do use glue, don't use too much, just a dab will do. Look for foam specific glue if you decide to go that way. I have also used nails with the plastic ring used on roof sheeting and they have worked well.
Good luck.
David B

[Stefan Schoenberger]

Hi Al

You could fill the small gaps with some expansion foam sealant. I would use the low expansion form. They come in small and big bottles. After the foam has cured you can cut away any excessive foam, if it is in the way.

Stefan

[Al Willits]

Thanks guys, been using the nails with the plastic disc, but this is for corners were I cut to tight, to tight, ooops, to loose...:)
Also around the garage door opener mechanism and other odd shaped places.
Wedging might work too, but I'll check the Borg and see what they have.
Spray stuff I have now just eats the styrofoam...:D

I see the Borg has the foam in a can stuff on sale, might as well grap a few of them too.

Thanks.
Al

[Bruce Page]

Al,
I don’t know if there’s a difference between pink & white when it comes to gluing but I’ve had excellent results gluing the white stuff with plain old yellow glue.

[Jamie Buxton]

Gorilla glue works.

[Lee Schierer]

You can use silicone sealant to glue it and it works qite well. It takes a while for it to fully cure though so you may ned to hold things in place with tape for a while. Remember that foam should not be left exposed, it should be covered with drywall per the manufacturers instructions, oter wise it may be a fire hazard.

[Al Willits]

Silicone sounds good too, I have about 6 tubes left over from another project, I'll give it a try, covering the styrofoam will happen maybe this summer, garage catches fire the styrofoam will be the least of my problems...:)
Thanks
Al

[Rob Blaustein]

As Doug points out, Liquid Nails has a product that will glue it to concrete or wallboard (but it's not good for styrofoam to styrofoam). PL has an adhesive product (PL 300 (http://www.stickwithpl.com/Products.aspx?ID=300-Foam-Board-Adhesive)) that will do it also.

[David G Baker]

Al,
Didn't think of silicone, I should have because I use it for almost everything. It is great stuff. I even set tile with it.
Sounds like you have all the answers you need.
Good luck.
David B

[Dave Fifield]

Isn't styrofoam a bit of a fire risk to use as building insulation?

Just asking.....

[Al Willits]

Would I insulate my house with it?
Probably not Dave, but the garage is a building that if it catches fire, I'm either gonna be awake doing something in it, or not in it at all.
Not really a problem then.
Main reason I went with it was, with bad knees the fiberglass would have meant many more trips up and down the ladder, not something I can do anymore.
Also with all the wood, chemicals, paints, plastics and who knows what else is flammable in this garage, should I pass out for some reason and the garage catch fire, I doubt the ceiling insulation is gonna make much difference.

I'll eventually put 1/4" 4x8 sheets of something to make a ceiling, but Beasty has reminded me several times of the storage cabinets I promised to build....and haven't quite finished yet, so the ceiling is a bit down the project list.:)

Besides, shouldn't every shop have pink ceilings?????:D

Al

[David G Baker]

Isn't styrofoam a bit of a fire risk to use as building insulation?

Just asking.....
Dave,
If Styrofoam is installed by code or common sense the fire hazard is not much worse than many other products used in construction. If it is covered by Sheetrock I think it will be fine.
David B

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

In the lab we'd use ploain old elmers white glue to make dewars (thermos gadgets) in which we'd carry and store Niquid Nitrogen.

Never had a joint fail.

[Ryan Cathey]

What do you do Cliff? Sounds like an interesting occupation.

-Ryan C.

[Al Willits]

Well, because I know you all are waiting with baited breath, whatever that is, so I'll no longer keep ya in suspense.
Did all the pieces with silicone and it worked great, got carried away and tried yellow glue, works, but doesn't have the stickiness that silicone has, also some construction adhesive I had works to, but its a bit spendy.
In fact, the last of what was in a pair of tubes of JB Weld even worked..kinda.

Yes, it was a slow afternoon....:)
Thanks all.
Al

[Ray McGrath]

Isn't styrofoam a bit of a fire risk to use as building insulation?

Just asking.....
Dave,
Acually if it's building grade expanded polystyrene sheet stock it is fire retardant, the raw polystyrene beads are treated with bromide before forming the blocks. This can be tested by holding a match to a piece of the board stock, it will melt however when the flame is removed the stock will not support combustion.

Ray

[Al Willits]

Thanks Ray, have to try lighting it on fire...
I have developed a fondness for pink ceilings, so it'd be nice to to keep it that way, Beasty says it goes with my garage clothes.... :)

Al.....who thinks she may have been a bit sarcastic...

[Frank Chaffee]

Isn't styrofoam a bit of a fire risk to use as building insulation?
Just asking.....

Dave,
If Styrofoam is installed by code or common sense the fire hazard is not much worse than many other products used in construction. If it is covered by Sheetrock I think it will be fine.
David B
Al, I know you asked about glue, but since the fire issue came up I add this:

The blue and pink insulation boards from the BORG are extruded expanded polystyrene foam, or XEPS. While the material is somewhat difficult to ignite, when it burns it gives off heavy soot and toxic gasses, making fire fighting difficult and dangerous. Building codes typically require ½ sheetrock or equivalent fire barrier covering interior installations of that board.

One helpful site I found when googling was http://www.doityourself.com/stry/foamboardinsulation , which used information provided by the DOE.

I’m sure you can get a deal on pink paint, though it could be leftover from the fifties.:eek: :D :D

[Al Willits]

Thanks Frank, unfornately it seems the local building inspectors here beat to the drum of the highest bidder and regularly get caught playing golf, drinking, anything but their job, so I stay away from them as much as possible, so I'm not to concerned with code, but I'll wander over to the fire station a block away and see what they say.
Not fond of sheet rock, but I'll see what they'd like.

Al

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

What do you do Cliff? Sounds like an interesting occupation.

-Ryan C.

I used to be an engineer/ lab manager for an UHV lab in Orono Maine

[Ryan Cathey]

That sounds cool. I'm looking to become a chemical engineer myself. I'm taking AP Chemistry next year. Admittedly I just like to play with fire but thats a different story lol!

-Ryan C.

[Steve Clardy]

Thanks Ray, have to try lighting it on fire...
I have developed a fondness for pink ceilings, so it'd be nice to to keep it that way, Beasty says it goes with my garage clothes.... :)

Al.....who thinks she may have been a bit sarcastic...


:D :D :D :D

Don't be posting any pink tools Al ;) :D

[Frank Chaffee]

:D :D :D :D
Don't be posting any pink tools Al ;) :D
I have the feeling we’re lucky that Al wasn’t around in the “Thong Days”.:eek: ;)

[EDIT] Al, just search Tyler Howell and thong ifin' you want to get the joke.

[Steve Clardy]

I have the feeling we’re lucky that Al wasn’t around in the “Thong Days”.:eek: ;)

[EDIT] Al, just search Tyler Howell and thong ifin' you want to get the joke.



Lol :D :D :D

[Al Willits]

I live only a few miles from Tyler and I know about the "thong" :D

I suppose this should lead to some joke about showing my tool, but this is a family forum and besides I'd rather not embarrass myself...:)

Menards has styrofoam on sale, so I have a garage full of it....none of it pink, so I'm bumming.
Beasty says its for the better...maybe she's right..

Al ...who has several Barry Manilow CD's for sale now..