How To Use A Pro Foam Gun - Great Stuff Pro 14
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- čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
- In this video, I'll show you how to use a Pro-style foam gun and the advantages they have over using a regular "straw" style foam can.
Here's the outline for this video for ease of navigation and finding relevant info:
Intro 0:00
Gun Options @0:30
Why Use a ProFoam Gun @1:42
-Parts of The Gun @3:11
Things You'll Need @3:42
(Pro Tip @4:08 and @4:43 )
How To Use A Foam Gun @5:21
1. Shake Vigorously (Wear protective gloves and eyewear)
2. Attach can to gun
3. Mist the area you want to foam with a spray bottle of water.
4. Make any adjustments to the regulator or control knob on the gun to ensure the flow rate you desire. (Test on a piece of scrap material)
5. Depress the trigger and apply the foam (in a continuous bead if possible)
6. Wipe the tip of the gun as need.
7. Mist again with water.
8. Wait for the foam to cure.
9. Once the foam has curred trim back excess foam as need.
How To Clean The Gun
1. Cleaning The Nozzle (when you leave the can of foam attached to the gun) @8:14
2. Cleaning The Gun, when you detach a can of foam. ("Longer-term" gun storage) @10:09
Troubleshooting @11:33
-What to do when your foam shrinks and doesn't seal
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-I didn't mention this in the video, but you can use these to protect the tip of your foam gun when working against an abrasive surface like concrete, brick or stone. These will lay a very small thin bead of foam. If you need a larger foam bead, simply cut off the tip for a wider diameter.
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A personal value that I hold is transparency, especially on the web where it can be easy to hide behind "personas" and social media profiles. So to shoot straight with you - the links above may contain "affiliate links." This means that if you make a purchase through those links I receive a small commission. This occurs at no additional cost to you.
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-Krz
Wonderfully explained- I like the details about storing it wasn't clear from all the manufacturer's instructions how to store the gun- logic says can to be removed every time, yet just cleaning the exterior of the tip thoroughly should be the trick- I will try it thank you for all the guidance on safety too: highly recommended and often missed on the vast CZcams
Also wondering if you remove a 1/2 used can and then reattach it a week later will it work... perhaps not if air has been introduced into the can lid system 🤔
Thanks Jon! For sure, saftey matters. I’m glad you brought this up, this is something I’ve wondered about too, as the instructions on that are less than clear. I have removed a few half cans and tried reusing them because I needed to switch from different types of foam (for example, fire blocking to the window foam, back to fire blocking foam). So far I’m 2-1.(two times it worked and one time it didn’t). I’m not really sure why it has worked versus hasn’t worked but my suspicion is that I did not clean the top of the can off well enough (or I may have introduced air into it as you suggested). It’s a difficult area to clean, I’ve tried using acetone and a few Q-tips to clean the top of the can.
This just answered literally every single question I had and every question I didn't know I had until I saw this. Thanks for a straightforward video without any filler, rambling, or bs. Gets RIGHT to the point!
Though the takouts at the end were worth it. :D
I go back and reference this all the time. Great video!
Thank you so much for making this video!!! You did an amazing job including all of the details. Helped me out a bunch!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it helpful.
Nice! Great reference video to keep in my pocket when I need to spray foam.
Thanks! I hope it helps 😊
Amazing tutorial. Explained everything for me. Thank you. Stay blessed ✌🏾
You’re welcome!
Very thorough but concise, much appreciated
You are welcome!
Thank you for the vid. I like how you explained the cleaning. Awesome
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was helpful
Great explanation!! I was looking for instructions as to how to adjust the bead. I know it has to do with the control knob. I thought it would be easier to learn it through CZcams than wasting as much through trial and error. Thank you for the video, it has been very helpful!
Thanks James! I’m glad it was helpful 😊
Thanks for the spray water tip. 👍👍
You’re welcome!
Fantastic vid. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
great vid, helpful tips! Thanks!
You’re welcome ☺️
Great video mate, thanks for posting.
Thanks, you’re welcome
Thank you and well done.
Your welcome
This was really helpful. Like the cut scenes for extra detail. I think I’m ready to go now. Wish me luck lol
I’m glad it was helpful to you. Good luck!
Great explanation
Glad it was helpful!
Nice video! Thank you!
You’re welcome, thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial and humidity tip
You’re welcome!
Is this the same when using a froth pak?
helpful, thanks.
For sure! I’m glad it helped
Great video brother. suggestion, protect the tip with a short piece of vinyl tubing or duct tape over the end of the gun tip.
That’s a good tip (pun intended), I think a piece of vinyl would work well
Excellent video, great tips.
This gun works awesome.
I watched this video before buying the gun and came back to say it works great.
Another tip, Gumout carb and choke cleaner #1 ingredient is Acetone. #2 is Toluene. Both great solvents and cleans uncured foam fantastic.
Some petroleum jelly on the barrel so foam won't stick.
If you take a partial can off, spray the top right away with carb cleaner.
If you wear glasses, put goggles over them. Glasses have a space where spraying liquid will go between the lenses. Experience taught me that..
These are great tips Mark, than you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this, what a lifesaver! NOBODY sells the Foam cleaner except for AMAZON ( $21 ) and I need the foam cleaner TODAY. So I'll get the gumout spray, which is also a lot cheaper than AMAZON's price.
Thanks, Mike!
You’re welcome
Great video - thanks!
You’re welcome!
Actually you can continue to use a can of you don’t use it all. Get another can of foam and use that straw and it will work. Even if the can has been sitting for weeks. Just use a new straw and you can use the rest of that can buy you need to use the other can too even if just a little. I’ve done this a few times and, trust me, it does work
Nice job Polack! (My maternal family comes from Poland). Very useful information.
Thanks! That is awesome! My paternal grandfather's side of our family comes from Poland. I've been quite interested in learning more about Poland and Polish culture & history over the last couple years. There's a lot of neat stuff.
Good info. 👍
Thanks 👍
3rd like! definitely kept my son working over the no school because of the corona virus. love to see more of these DIY videos!
Thanks Luke! I know, we all of a sudden have a lot of time to get house projects done with everything slowing down from the virus, it some ways it's kinda nice. Glad you are getting time together with your son. Stay healthy out there!
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 My son had a successful first shoot last night, filling in some mouse entry holes and added copper mesh for good measure. We love how you put the videos together too. Take care.
The mesh is a really good idea, especially when trying to keep mice out👍🏼
i like your tip about extending the 30-days by spraying some more foam out of the gun. i'll try it between my current project and the next one in a few weeks.
Thanks! I hope it works for you 😊
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 Hi Mike, 3 weeks later and the can is still good. The directions; on the can of Sika-Boom, says it's good for 2-weeks. About half the can remains so onto the 3rd project.
thanks for a very informative video that also is fun to watch, I am about to make a waterfall with the foam for some frogs, it will be sealed after with aquatic silicone and gravel placed in the silicone, hopefully with work as never used a gin before x
Nice, that sounds like it will be a fun project!
Good job!
Thanks 🙏
These things are great for micro-adjusting the bead, only problem I have is you can't switch out cans until the current one is empty unless you want to lose all the contents. This means if you want to be able to spray different foams you'll need multiple guns.
If you use this stuff or cans a lot buy or make a can shaker that uses your drill or a recirc saw. It mixes stuff so much better!
Thanks
You’re welcome
Thank you for this video. I got a gun and gaps and cracks can today. I plan to airseal my attic before blowing insulation in. I hope gaps and cracks is okay for general sealing of top plates and attic side of fixtures etc, videos seem to show pros using it for that so I went with it. Though, it is very cold right now so we'll see. I would not have taken a mister or air compressor around for this had i not watched this and read comments. wish me luck, I will do this on monday when its supposed to get in the 50s for a few hours and see how quick i can work with a room temperature can. Btw I was origianlly looking for advice on how to swap between different types, it seems swapping unfinished cans is hit or miss. Probably have to be very fast with the unscrew at point of release.
Gaps and Cracks should work perfect for general sealing. Smart move to air seal the attic before blowing in insulation. I hope you project went well!
Great info - do you know if you can use this same gun for the DAP Smartbond subfloor adhesive and clean that out with this same cleaner? Thx
I’m not sure about that, I’m not familiar with that product
at Ace Hardware you can get the gun for the rip-off price of $75 and a can of foam for $18 . I ordered the gun from Temu for $ 7 but they don't sell the foam. I am looking for the foam for a reasonable price but not have much luck.
I buy the foam at Menards. I’ve seen HomeDepot stores that carry it too.
Great video! What's that black bubble material on the surface starting at 6:12? What is it called and when is it used? Thanks!
That's a great question. It's called DMX -AG Foundation Wrap / Delta Membrane, it's used for waterproofing foundations, typically on the exterior but it can also be used in some interior applications.
Is there a way to create a fan-type application of foam, to make a thin layer over a large area (like filling in the space between floor joists)?
Not that I am aware of with foam. But there is a way to air seal with misting caulk while pressurizing a house with a blower door. It’s called Aero Barrier. I do think it’s a “whole” house application although
Great explanation. What's the maximum range of this one? Is there an air compressor version for bigger jobs?
That is a great question! It's hard to know exactly how much foam you will get out of these can because the manufacture doesn't spec their yields (or at least I haven't found where yet. The closest I found is here where they estimate how many windows you can seal with the Window and Door Foam: _images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/ea/eac1c7ae-ecac-45ff-958d-f9bcfcd27193.pdf_ Of course there are way too many variables when sealing windows to know for certain, like how big of windows, how deep is the joint being sealed? How wide is the gap? etc. So not very helpful). In my experience, the Pro Foam cans do seem to last much longer than the straw style cans. This could be because: *1)* You have more control with this setup, so you're less likely to waste foam by inaccurate application *2)* The chemical formula could actually be different, causing a higher yield. *3)* It could just be because the cans are bigger (Most probable). For example, the Pro Gaps and Cracks comes in 24 oz and 30 oz cans, where the Straw Style comes in 12 oz and 16 oz cans.
There is not an air compressor driven polyurethane foam set up that I am aware of, however, they do make a larger 2 component set ups (about the size of a propane tank) for larger applications. Dow Froth Pak by DuPont is one example. Yields for these are specified in "board feet". They have models that yield 12, 210, 620, 650, board feet of foam.
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 Thanks so much for the in depth. This may sound crazy but if you ever saw the video 'slaughterbots', I'm thinking drone defense. Hey, it's worth a look if you haven't seen it yet. Happy Halloween.
czcams.com/video/9fa9lVwHHqg/video.html
I'm sure you can disassemble the gun and clean it I have reused the cheap cans months later once it was all cured use a wire to clean it out
non chlorinated brake parts cleaner works great for cleaning also. it contains acetone, toluene, and a type of alcohol the censor wont let me type. carb and choke cleaner also.
Awesome, thanks for the tip. I’ll have to try that.
What the deal about the black nozzle caps?
Hey Mike. The AllPro cleaner should've come with a detachable spray nozzle. Did you lose yours? Lol. Thanks for all your work and education. It helped.
William, yes you are correct, all the cleaners have a spray nozzle, which is supper useful! Their previous generation/design of the cleaners didn't have the nozzle (that's the one I was using in this video). I've since bought a new can of cleaner that does. I'm glad Great Stuff decided to add that feature, because it does make cleaning the gun much easier 🙂. I'm glad you found this helpful! Let me know if there are any other topics you'd like to see a video on. Thanks William!
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 Hi Mike I have a deep project I have to do in my basement to fill big holes and gaps in walls and ceilings, only thing is I purchased cans of Great Stuff with the straw, I haven't used them yet, and want to know where can I purchase the gun for the foam, and can I easily attach it to the cans I have with the straw.( if so of course I will know to remove the straw) Also can the gun be used on any foam can. Awaiting your reply, thank you.
@@cdsouthsidec1 Hi Carla, that is a great question. So the "straw style cans" will not fit on the foam gun. The part of the gun that receives the can requires a different shaped can, cans that are specifically made for the gun. The cans for the gun and the cans for the "straw style" are not interchangeable. You can buy the gun at home improvement stores like Home Depot or Menards. (Lowes might carry them too, maybe check their website first).
Since I made this video Dow has come out with a model in between the "Pro Gun" and the "Straw Style" it's called "Smart Dispenser." Smart Dispenser cans are about $5-$7 per can. So it might be worth buying one of those to see if it will fit the straw style cans you already have. Judging from photos (from a quick search) it looks like it might fit. I hope that helps and good luck with your project! Let me know what you end up doing 🙂
Question. What do you do when you swap between different cans. Do you have to use only one can at a time? I might need to use one can for small gaps and then swap for another for big gaps. Will the other bottle dry up if not finished? Thanks for the video.
Two comments below -- mine and someone else's -- show that removing a partially full can can easily empty the remaining contents with no control. If you attempt it, only do so over a trash bag and be prepared to lose that entire can! Also know that Great Stuff never claims it can be done. They assume you'll use up an entire can.
Kraken ,only way to go.
I put the finger of my used glove over the tip and tape it. Without air and moisture it will not cure and the can will be available next time.
This fact is also why people get shit results when they fill cavities with no moisture or air and the uncured foam just sits there until it collapses into a fluid and mess waiting to poison you.
Surprised no one mentions to apply the foam to a surface that is not dusty. I experimented today in my attic, spraying it on drywall that had drywall dust and cut waste and can confirm that after curing, it never really fully adhered to the drywall. So I carry a can of compressed air and give the area a quick blast.
That's a great tip, compressed air! Dust, dirt, and particles certainly affects adhesion to substrates.
are there any adapters so that we can use the regular "straw" styles with this gun???
That’s a good question! None that I’m aware of
and just how many thumbs do you have? I can see two gloved thumbs, and there's supposedly a thumb under the rag of the cleaner pushing the button? Three? :) Thanks for the video, btw. Very helpful information!
Haha 😂 thanks 😊
So I need the large cans to fit ? the smaller cans that come with the straw --the pointy cone which the straw attaches to is not a FIT?
Correct, do you need the larger “pro” cans to fit with the pro foam gun
This videos music reminded me of far cry 5.
Spray foam can be cleaned with paint thinner
I've use brake cleaner to clean up before it cures.
what in side thee green botle,,,is that water,,did wea are use that water before and after spray that foam,,,and what thats us to be?????
That is a good question. Yes, it is water. I did wet the area before and after the foam
Are there canned spray foams available which are water-proof?
Well I’m not completely sure, I know great stuff makes one for ponds, like landscaping ponds. It may need to cure before it comes in contact with water. But I imagine that one would be waterproof.
Hey there. Can you adjust the foam gun to fine spray setting?
Hi, yes. There is a black dial located at the end of the gun, this allows to adjust how much foam comes out of the gun. A lower setting makes a smaller or more fine bead of foam, a high setting results in a thicker or larger bead of foam. Hope that helps!
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 thanks for the info!
So I have to buy the pro cans to use with the pro applicator? I bought the regular cans with the crap applicator I want to use the gun with those if I can
James that is a good question, you are correct. The Pro cans need to be used with the Pro Applicator. You cannot use the Crap applicator cans with the Pro Foam Gun.
i thought the directions said you could leave the bottle attached to the gun and it would work 10 days later when you needed it?
Should be 30 days
How do you use the gun pointing up at a steep angle without the can pointing sideways and not working?
It admittedly doesn’t work very well at a steep angle. You may be able to get it to work for a few seconds, then go back to using it at a non steep angle for a bit, then back to the steep angle and so on repeating this. It doesn’t work great, but I’ve gotten to “kind of” work doing it this way.
So I've been thinking about this some more... I think I may have a solution for you.
You could buy a small roll of clear vinyl tubing and cut off a 1-3' section and use it as a "flexible extension" of sorts. You would end up tossing it away after you're done becase the foam would cure in the tubing. I used this once for some hard-to-reach places when sealing a rim joist and I don't see why it wouldn't also work in your situation. The tubing would be long enough that you could access the needed area while keeping the gun upright, avoiding the problematic steep angle. Just be sure to get a diameter of the tubing that would fit over the end of the gun.
If you try something like this, let me know! I'd love to hear if it works. Best of luck!
Good video. I hate the straws…to much waste.
I actually have foam stuck between the gun and the canister. If I take it off I will lose all the gas? If I don't I can't clean it? What to do?
Hi Philip!
Sorry for not replying to your question earlier than now as I'm sure this was pretty urgent.
If you remove the canister of foam form the gun it will not loose all its gas. Just be sure to unscrew the can fairly quickly (if done slowly more foam may discharge at the connection point between the gun and the can), and wear safety glasses while doing so (just in case)
You can clean the uncured foam with acetone. You could also use a q-tip cotton swab with acetone to remove it. I've also used as flat head screw drive wrapped with a thin cloth, dipping it into acetone to and then readjusting the cloth as it gets gunk-ed up with foam.
The "Great Stuff PRO Dispensing Gun Cleaner" in a can primary uses acetone I believe. You can also discharge the gun cleaner into a rag and use that to try to clean up the foam (also wear safety glasses)
If the foam has already cleared unfortunately Gun Cleaner or Acetone won't do much. You might be able to chip out the cured foam with a razor knife or metal pick set, but be careful not to scratch or chip the teflon coating (grey-ish in color) on the gun.
I did unfortunately have one Pro Foam Gun I had to throw out because the foam cured inside of it. Hopefully that doesn't happen to you!
I hope that is helpful, best of luck to you.
Again, sorry for not commenting sooner.
How do you screw it on without the foam exploding????
That’s a good question, you screwed it on really fast. Lol
Can you remove a half used can of foam to clean the gun? I tried once and the can emptied out on the garage floor
So far I’ve had mixed results with that. Sometimes removing a half can has worked and sometimes it hasn’t
Same thing happened to me today. Unscrewed from the gun and it just all came out. Luckily I was over a trash bag when I did it. Wasted just about the whole thing.
I've never misted with water. Is that really necessary?? Thank you
I wouldn’t say that it is “necessary” but it is best practice. It’s more important the lower your relative humidity is on site
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 thank you!
Can the Grate stuff Pro be used over head ?
Hi John, yes it can. However, I've noticed that it doesn't work very well if you turn it upside down. When in that position sometimes only air/gas will come out of the gun and not foam
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 Thanks!
Can you use foam from other companies with this gun?
That is a good question! I am honestly not sure, I haven’t tried it yet. Anyone else out there reading these comments know the answer to this question?
I'd bet the cap of the can and the connection point on the gun is proprietary.
You can actually take the gun apart and clean it if it gets backed up. Its not hard to do
would it be worth it to take new gun apart and apply anti seize on the threads so they don't jam up.
Watch lots of crap, this was very useful.
Glad it helped
This would pay for itself by reducing wasted foam.
That’s a good point that I hadn’t thought of before
I have 102 pro series guns and 196 great foam 24 oz can for sale anyone wants it
Voice quality not so great
Yeah, the audio sucks, video quality could be better too
@@mikekrzesowiak7944 thanks to this recording I have ordered 2 cans of the pur black and the spray nozzle gun from eBay. Now, to try the merchandise.
NOTE: cans say to not spray inside. I suppose the fumes are toxic???
I was really looking forward to mixing this foam with round bundles of coarse shredded wire and tuck them into the crevices between the carpet and the wood molding