You can find several distinct types of spray foam guns out there, as we have discussed before in this blog. They range from mechanical purge to solvent purge to air purge, among a few others. Whichever kind you use, it can be an excellent tool for making a masterpiece effort out of your DIY home renovation project. Your work can experience an exceptional leap in quality just from your decision to use this utensil.
With that said, you may be wondering: how does one go about choosing a spray foam gun? After all, there are different kinds, and their greatness may depend on the application. This line of thinking is the mark of a renovator who takes their work seriously, and we are more than happy to lend our expertise. Here is some advice that should help with choosing a spray foam gun for your next project.
The Type of Spray Foam
In the same article in which we compared the types of spray foam guns, we briefly mentioned that there are also two types of spray foam. Both have distinct properties that make them useful for different tasks.
Open-cell spray foam is a soft and rather bubbly material marked by the many open spaces that give it its name. Those cells shrink as the foam expands by as many as 100 times its own size. It is excellent for maintaining room temperature and providing insulation, as well as for muffling sound.
Closed-cell spray foam’s cells are already shrunken, meaning that they can expand less. While open-cell spray foam lets water run through it — which has its own practical purpose — the higher density of this type makes it more resistant to water damage and seepage. It is also more capable of preventing moisture build-up.
The Size of the Chamber
Home renovation projects vary in scale. Some do not require you to empty the toolbox or break out the big guns — or, in this case, the big spray foam guns. You may only need to use a little foam, especially because of its chemical composition — a mix of polyol resin and isocyanate. The reaction causes the foam to expand significantly, potentially growing sixtyfold. In short, a little can go a long way.
On the other hand, large projects are likely to require large tools, and DIY insulation in the home is no exception. In these instances, choosing a spray foam gun with a scaled-up mixing chamber may be preferable. These bigger cans will allow you to spray more at one time and get more done over a longer period of time. You just have to judge the scope of the job and choose accordingly.
The Time Required for Cleaning
As most of the people interested in this subject already know, DIY jobs can get dirty. Like any other tool, you will need to clean your spray foam gun at some point. Some types are harder to clean than others. Mechanical purge guns make use of more parts than others. That aspect has its benefits, but it also means that you have more parts to wash and decontaminate.
In fact, certain spray foam guns can make this task much easier for you in ways that may surprise you. In contrast to their mechanical cousins, air purge guns have much fewer parts than the rest. Solvent purge types are even better because they drop a little bit of solvent into their own mixing chamber with each spray. You still have to clean them yourself, but you would have less to handle.
The Simplicity Level of Maintenance
Cleaning is just one task in the general maintenance of a spray foam gun. A responsible DIY enthusiast should devote some time to making sure that every part of their tool is in working order. It does not have to be a whole mission in itself. Still, it should be enough to prevent, for example, the accumulation of wasted material and the loss of functionality in individual parts.
As we noted before, more parts means more maintenance. You will need to replace parts less often if you use an air purge spray foam gun. Tools that use solvent spray have slightly more parts, but they do not require you to drill the mixing chamber. This saves time and effort, allowing you to get started sooner.
The Ability to Switch Spray Patterns
Sometimes, even in projects that require a great deal of foam, you only need to spray small amounts at a time. Other times, you will have to unload bigger bursts at once. Ideally, a spray foam gun should be capable of both small and sizable spray patterns. That way, you only need the one instead of getting yourself another. To paraphrase a popular saying, “Get you a spray foam gun that can do both.”
This is where the many parts that complicate the mechanical purge spray foam gun really shine. All those parts go towards offering an excellent range of patterns. Solvent purge types are not too shabby either, making it easy to change patterns. When choosing a spray foam gun, try to find out how much and how little it can spray at a time. That information can save you some hassle and help you decide.
Order Spray Foam Guns of All Kinds Online
Like we said before, each spray foam gun was developed with specific strengths in mind, and they all have their uses. When choosing a spray foam gun, you can only really go wrong if you pick something that does not aim for high quality. You will find no such products here at Spray Foam Parts and Supplies. We only offer items that meet our standards — if we would not use it, then we would not ask anyone else to use it.
Perhaps you have a preferred pick for your present project. Perhaps you just feel like exploring all your options. Either way, feel free to check out our spray foam gun inventory today. We put a great deal of effort into making sure that you can find something worthy of you and your work.