Polyurethane foam significantly facilitate the installation of door frames. However, this fastening device should be used with caution. Excessive zeal, caused by the desire to secure the door frame as firmly as possible, can lead to a disastrous result - its curvature.
But it’s better not to allow this. And if this does happen, you need to know how to eliminate the defect that has arisen.
To install the door correctly, first of all you need to select it to match the size of the opening in the wall, and the door frame - taking into account the thickness of the wall. Modern doors allow you to do this.
Before fixing the door frame with foam, it is necessary to carefully align it vertically and fix it so that it stands firmly.
In at least three places - at the level of the door hinges and in its middle part - the box is propped up with wooden blocks with pads or expansion spacers. The surfaces of the box that foam can get on must be covered so that you don’t have to worry about removing it later.
How to remove polyurethane foam if you make a mistake?
If necessary, traces foam, while it has not yet hardened, can be removed with acetone, solvent or cleaning agent. The cracks are filled completely with foam, but in any case it should be introduced into the cavities carefully and in small doses.
The spacers are removed only after the foam has completely hardened. This takes from 45 minutes to several hours - depending on the type of foam, the width of the gaps to be filled and the air temperature. Foam can be one- or two-component. The first is easier to work with, but the second hardens faster, does not put so much pressure on the enclosing structures and does not require moistening the internal surfaces of the cavity being filled.
There are cases when, when hanging door leaf suddenly they discover that it clearly does not “fit” into the door frame. Cause: inward curvature vertical racks boxes. And it happened under pressure polyurethane foam, introduced into the cavity between the box and the wall in excessively large quantities.
When the first signs of sagging appear door frame under the pressure of hardening polyurethane foam the foam must be removed immediately. After this, the box is bursted with bars of suitable length. The cracks formed after cleaning are filled again with foam. But to prevent this from happening, it is better not to “save” on spacers, even if they interfere with the passage from room to room.
REPAIR bulging BOX
- Where the door frame has been pushed out, the hardened polyurethane foam is cut off with a fine-toothed saw.
- The box is expanded in the appropriate place using a block of suitable length and wedges or an adjustable spacer device.
- Having given the box the desired position, the cleaned cavities are filled again with foam.
- Having installed the door frame in the wall opening, use wooden wedges and spacers to fix it in the opening.
- By loosening and tamping down the wedges, the box is positioned vertically.
- Using a square, check the squareness of the box.
- For reliability, the box can also be fixed in the opening with clamps using wooden pads.
- If the gaps are large, pieces of cardboard are inserted between the box and the wall to prevent the foam from sliding down.
- Foam is injected into the cavities continuously, but in small doses
This type of installation takes advantage of the adhesive properties of polyurethane foam, commonly known as one of the brands“macroflex”, and its ability to expand upon drying (more precisely, vulcanization), to fill all the cracks and voids. After inserting the fittings, the frame is assembled on the floor and, together with the door leaf, is installed on wedges in the opening. To prevent deformation of the frame, gaskets are inserted into the gaps between the door leaf and the frame. Next, the resulting cracks are filled with foam, and after it dries, the wedges are removed and the excess foam is cut off with a knife.
The advantages of this method include the fact that, when working with assembled block, the installer can easily assess its optimal location in the opening before its final fixation. And also the absence of holes for mounting screws in the box and the accuracy of its assembly.
The disadvantages of this method are high risk damage, because the craftsman often has to pull out the block and insert it again, for example, in order to remove unnecessary irregularities in the opening. This, of course, is not very convenient, given its dimensions and sometimes weight. In addition, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to precisely, down to the millimeter, “set the gaps” between the frame and the door leaf. The spacers inserted into these places “tighten” the hinges, removing the existing play. After their removal, the canvas returns to its natural position, as a result, the gap between the end of the canvas and the box at the top decreases and increases at the bottom. During installation, it is difficult to check how freely the door opens and closes.
The expansion properties of foam can be another disadvantage of this method. In order not to lock yourself in the room, the gaskets that limit the deformation of the box are removed after the foam has dried superficially after two to three hours. But polyurethane foam often continues to expand, and this process can continue, albeit less intensely, for quite a long time (a day or more). This often leads to deformation of frames that have insufficient rigidity, for example, Spanish doors. And as already noted, it is enough to move each post just 1-2mm so that the door leaf begins to touch the surface of the frame or the door stops closing altogether. Some installers “foam” the door frame without the door leaf, installing special spacers instead, which eliminates the risk of getting hit foam on the canvas, and most importantly, you can leave the spacers until the foam dries completely. But it is not always possible to install them with the required accuracy; again, this also depends on the amount of play in the hinges and the rectangularity of the door leaf.
If installation is unsuccessful after the foam has dried and finished painting work The door is difficult to fix. There are some methods, but in most cases you have to go to the “through fastening”, i.e. you need to drill holes in the wall through the door frame - in fact, the method loses one of its advantages.
The only problem is “foam” in the standard one. Because due to the thin walls of the bathroom (4-5 cm), the contact surface is too small and it is impossible to do without fastening screws.
If previously cement mortar or tapes were used to fill construction cavities mineral wool, then today the old materials have been replaced by polyurethane foam. It is much more convenient and much more practical. The foam is easy to apply and is capable of filling even the smallest cracks and cracks. It is easy to use as it is immediately ready for use. It is distinguished by good heat and sound insulation properties. And thanks to its astringent properties, foam is even used for gluing various insulating materials on walls or ceilings.
After the door frame has already been installed in the opening and adjusted vertically and horizontally, . First you need to protect the door frame, since foam that gets on the surface will then be very difficult to remove. You can try to remove still “fresh” foam with a solvent or some alcohol-containing liquid. But hardened foam can only be removed mechanically. Therefore, the box, and, if necessary, the door, is covered with masking tape or film, and the work itself is carried out with gloves.
Due to the ability of foam to increase in volume by 50-250%, the opposite beams of the door frame are strengthened in advance with spacers. If this is not done, the pressure created by the foam may well lead to deformation of the door frame.
Before use, the foam container must be shaken (30-60 seconds), and outside Moisten the door frame and the opening itself with water. Moisturizing will improve the adhesion of the foam and also speed up its hardening. The only main thing is not to overdo it with water, otherwise you can achieve the exact opposite effect. And it is important to know that while working with the cylinder it should be kept in an inverted position at all times. This is done so that the lighter gas, which displaces the foam, mixes better with all components of the cylinder.
Polyurethane foam adheres well to almost all types of building materials(stone, concrete, plaster, wood, metal, glass), so usually no problems arise. Difficulties will appear only when you have to deal with chemical materials(polypropylene, polyethylene, silicone, Teflon), with which the foam does not adhere. When working with it, it is desirable that the air temperature be in the range from +5 to +30°C. But in the cold season, you can use special foams designed for use in winter period(up to −10 °C). Also, when working with foam, you should take into account that if the air humidity is less than 35%, it will not be able to harden.
To ensure against possible distortions of the box (when the foam hardens), polyurethane foam can be applied in two stages. First, it is applied “point by point”, and then (after 1-3 hours) all remaining cavities are filled. If the distance between the door frame and the opening is very narrow, to more conveniently fill this space, the end of the spray tube is pre-flattened. And if the distance, on the contrary, is too large (from 8-9 cm), it is advisable to lay this space suitable material, and only then fill it with foam.
Given the ability of foam to expand, voids and cracks are filled only to one third of their depth. In this case, it is better to start filling vertical cavities from the bottom up. This way she will create her own support. The time it takes for the foam to completely harden varies considerably and takes approximately 3 to 24 hours. More precise information about the drying period can be found in the instructions for the specific type of polyurethane foam. After the foam has completely hardened, remove its excess and proceed to the next stage of door installation (attaching the trim, and, if necessary, “add-ons” and seals).
Although polyurethane foam is resistant to mechanical stress and has many advantages, it also has its small disadvantages. So, it is destroyed under the influence of direct sun rays and absorbs moisture quite well. Therefore, it is important to provide the polyurethane foam with reliable waterproofing protection, and, if necessary, additionally “hide” it from the influence of sunlight. For these purposes, you can use paint, putty or sealant.
At modern construction, installation or repair is widely used such multifunctional, easy to use, reliable material like polyurethane foam. Its versatility and convenience greatly simplifies construction tasks for both professional builders and ordinary consumers who prefer to do some of the repairs or install doors and windows themselves. Foam for installation appeared on the construction market relatively recently and immediately became one of the most popular, in-demand and capital-intensive products. However, it cannot be said that it was developed only in our days - the famous German technologist, chemist and industrialist Otto Bayer invented this substance back in 1947 - as a continuation of the development of the polyurethanes he himself invented. Initially, polyurethane foam was used in the form of insulating boards for military purposes, as it provides excellent protection against the threat of radioactive radiation. In the 70s, the English company Royal Chemical Industry released the first aerosol can with polyurethane foam, and its use in construction began in Sweden, at the dawn of the 80s of the last century.
Composition and scope of application
All polyurethane foams that are on the market contain almost the same composition and are polyurethane foam one-component sealant, enclosed in an aerosol package. In addition to the liquid prepolymer, the can also contains propellant– gas under excess pressure, displacing the prepolymer. To harden, the substance does not require mixing with other components - when sprayed, the composition inside the can hardens on its own (polymerization process), under the influence of moisture in the air, forming a porous material resembling foam in its properties. Cured foam is well and easily processed for the following construction stages– cut to the desired shape, puttied or plastered.
The name itself – “assembly” – clearly indicates the scope of application – use in the installation or repair of door frames, window sills, window frames and any other wooden, concrete, metal or plastic structures. Filling the gaps between structures and openings gives a significantly greater sealing effect than using cement mortar, tow, mineral or simple wool, foam rubber, besides, such work requires much less time and is much more convenient. When using foam, no additional tools or devices are required, and no energy sources are needed.
Properties
The substance can penetrate into the most hard to reach places, turning into a fairly hard material in a few hours.
The resulting material is not subject to rotting, has good temperature and sound insulation properties, and is also a sealing agent. In addition to filling gaps, cracks and cavities, polyurethane foam is used for insulation, sealing of structures, additional fixation of water pipes or heating pipes, electrical wiring, sealing materials when roofing works– tiles or corrugated metal sheets. It is also widely used when installing stationary refrigeration units and in cars when transporting frozen foods. Parameters such as adhesiveness and dielectric properties, fire safety (this parameter is determined by the flammability class of the foam) are also important.
- Sealing (thermal insulation)– allows you to insulate rooms by filling cracks – relevant for work spaces, warehouses, greenhouses, hangars, garages, etc. Filling gaps and cracks during repairs and installations roofing structures. Use when installing door and window frames - creating a moisture-resistant, heat-insulating seam. Filling voids that arise during the installation of water or heating pipes, which are formed when they pass through walls or floor slabs.
- Gluing– you can quite confidently fix the door and window units even without the use of nails or screws. This property also makes it possible to secure insulating or insulation materials– for example, when insulating a room using foam, you can glue foam boards to the wall.
- Soundproofing– sealing junctions of air conditioners and hoods, ventilation ducts, gaps between pipes, allows you to reduce the noise level arising from vibrations.
Varieties
As noted above, the composition of polyurethane foam is almost the same regardless of the purpose of its use. But there are differences in the design of the cylinders themselves, and on this basis the foam is divided into professional and household.
Professional- or as the manufacturers themselves call it - pistol. It is distinguished by the presence of a special working valve in the cylinder. To work with such foam, it is necessary to use a special dosing device - assembly gun applicator. Such a gun is placed on the balloon valve intended for it, as a result of which it becomes possible to dose foam into the cracks and cavities. This mode will allow you to significantly more accurately control the required amount of foam supply, while achieving consumption savings of up to 30%. Also important is the ability to operate the pistol with one hand. The energetic handle and dispenser trigger make work much more convenient, and, therefore, more productive. The presence of a long, thin metal barrel allows foam to be supplied to hard-to-reach places.
Cylinder valves can be either threaded - screwed onto the gun, or “fastened” in one movement. Recently, almost all major manufacturers of foam for installation are equipping cylinders with a so-called reusable valve, which allows you to hermetically close the cylinder with remaining foam and use it after some time without drying out the contents. In addition, it also has additional convenience - you can work not only by holding the can upside down, as was customary, but also with the valve up, which often makes work easier, and during some work, sometimes holding the can upside down is not only inconvenient, but also simple impossible.
The disadvantage of using an applicator gun is its considerable price, so there is no point in purchasing it for occasional household work - this device is needed for professionally engaged in such installation work builders and repairmen. In addition, during its operation, additional costs will be required - after each use, the gun must be washed with a special solution that cleans the internal cavities of the applicator from remnants of foam that has not yet thickened. This cleaning agent is also located in a cylinder, which has attachments that simplify cleaning, under excess pressure.
Household foam– either semi-professional or manual. Its use does not involve the use of any devices other than the cylinder itself. To get started, you need to put on the valve the plastic tube that comes with the cylinder, which has a lever - an adapter. For small amounts of work, this option is convenient and practical. As a rule, it is used in cases where foam expansion is not too important a factor - in ventilation shafts, interpanel seams, installation of door and window frames.
If not the entire volume of the cylinder has been used, the tube can be removed, washed with a solvent (for example, acetone) and reused after some time.
Use temperature
- Summer foam– at the temperature indicated on the cans from 5C to 35C, the foam must be used at the temperature of the surfaces being treated within the same limits. However, this temperature limit only indicates the temperature during work, and the temperature resistance of hardened foam is in a much larger range - from -50C to +90C - this applies to both summer foam, and for winter.
- Winter foam- worker temperature Range ranges from -18C (some types -10C) to +35C. “Winter” options contain special additives and additives that allow polymerization at a small percentage of humidity, since frosty air is much drier than at warm temperature. Moisturizing surfaces in cold weather is ineffective - water quickly freezes and becomes ice. It must be borne in mind that the already expanded foam depends on the external temperature - the lower it is, the less the expansion value. For example, 300 ml of liquid foam at +20C will expand to 30L, at zero - up to 25L, at -5C - about 20L, and at -10 - only 15L.
- All-season foam- appeared relatively recently, so not all manufacturers can offer it. It has best properties summer and winter foam, providing, thanks to the improved formula, a large volume of foam at the output, rapid polymerization and the ability to work with it at -10C without warming up the container.
Requirements for polyurethane foam
- Guaranteed declared output – competitive fight for the market is often carried out using methods that are not entirely justified for the consumer - even manufacturers of high-quality and well-proven foam try to reduce the price of their products due to banal underfilling. For example, with a declared volume of 45 liters, only 37 actually comes out, and from 65 liters - no more than 50. Therefore, it is advisable to control the weight of the cylinder - with a volume of liquid substance of 750 ml, the cylinder should weigh 850-920 grams.
- Secondary expansion– is also a fairly important indicator, especially when installing window sills, doors and windows.
The fact is that foam expansion occurs in two stages - when exiting liquid polyurethane Compressed gas from the cylinder expands, equalizing pressure with environment, and expands the pores of the composite, turning it into foam with a significantly higher volume. This is the so called primary expansion. Then, the foam coming into contact with moisture provokes the occurrence of chemical reaction, as a result of which it hardens. But at the same time, CO2 carbon dioxide is released, which creates excess pressure in the pores of the foam, and its volume gradually increases over a fairly long period of time - even up to several days, although 24 hours are usually written. This is the secondary expansion of the foam. When installing window and door frames, the percentage increase in secondary expansion relative to the primary should not exceed 15-25%. But some manufacturers, saving at the expense of the main components, produce “on-the-mountain” products with a secondary increase of 50-60%. What this threatens is easy to guess - door frames concave inwards, deformed windows and swollen window sills. Therefore, it is very advisable to purchase proven foam. - Complete release of foam from the container– this indicator characterizes the filling of the cylinder with an “honest” volume of the composite. If there is underfilling, then during operation the pressure quickly drops - as a result, there is still foam inside, but it is no longer possible to use it - the low pressure is not able to squeeze it out of there. As a result, not only the foam that “went into use” is paid for, but also the remaining foam in the cylinder.
- Approximate foam consumption you can estimate based on the following data - 300 ml of composite gives about 30 liters of foam - with this volume you can “foam” a standard door frame with gaps of 3-5 cm. 500 ml of composite will give a yield of up to 35-40 liters - this is enough for one and a half boxes under the same conditions. 750ml - 45-50l output - enough to process two or slightly more standard door frames.
- A few more requirements in terms of the quality of the foam - it should stick well to surfaces without draining from them, the degree of shrinkage should be small (shrinkage is a slight decrease in volume after final hardening). It should also be elastic, not crack or crumble after it hardens, especially in frosty weather.
Rules of application
Preparation. Polyurethane foam sealant polymerizes using air humidity, so it would be advisable to moisten the surfaces with water before using it - the hardening time will decrease and the expansion of the foam will increase. If work is carried out in winter time– Ice and frost must be removed from surfaces.
Immediately before use, the container should be shaken vigorously for about a minute, and in cold weather, warmed up to room temperature, but without using open fire. These measures will help increase foam yield and density.
When installing and sealing window and door frames, you need to remember to double or triple the volume of sealant, therefore, to prevent deformation of door or window blocks, they need to be strengthened with spacers, without removing them until the foam has completely hardened.
Usage. When spraying, the cylinder should be held upside down so that the composite is near the valve, otherwise, as a result of the release of compressed air, a decrease in pressure may occur and a significant part of the foam will remain in the cylinder.
The seam must be filled from the bottom up, moving the balloon evenly, while filling the void volume by no more than half. If the cavities are larger than 50mm, they need to be filled not in one go, but in several steps, waiting for each layer to harden.
You need to know that although foam has a fairly strong adhesive property, it is not suitable for working with polyethylene and silicone - it will not stick to these materials.
End of work. If foam gets on clothes, some objects or hands, it can be washed off or special means, or just acetone.
The initial hardening of the foam surface occurs after 20 minutes - you can already touch it. But it will completely harden no earlier than after 7-8 hours - this largely depends on the surrounding humidity and temperature.
After complete drying, you can cut off excess foam fragments with a knife, after which the surface must be protected from external influences, in particular from sunlight - it can be plastered, puttied or painted.
Precautionary measures
Foam in liquid form may cause skin, respiratory tract or eye irritation. Therefore, when working, you need to use gloves and safety glasses; in case of poor ventilation and large volumes of work, use respirators, since the concentration of vapors may be increased.
When renovating an apartment, sooner or later the time comes to change the openings of interior doors. How to install interior doors using polyurethane foam, see below.
Using polyurethane foam when installing a door
Polyurethane foam is a one-component polyurethane foam sealant. This system. the material has become very popular in our country. Nowadays, no one would imagine, for example, installing a window or door without the use of polyurethane foam. And it’s not surprising - it’s incredibly good to work with it, the foam gets into the most inaccessible places and, when frozen, fills them with a dense mass. Previously, cement and tow were most often used for such work: first, cement was mixed, then the tow was soaked and hammered into the cracks between the frame and the wall. The installation procedure was long and often ineffective. Now a bottle of polyurethane foam is enough to get a good result without any effort.
But working with this material requires not only certain knowledge - instructions for use are usually placed on the tube - but also skills in handling it.
Let's share some professional techniques for working with polyurethane foam using an example.
PREPARATION FOR WORK
1 . Polyurethane foam is used to fill the gaps between the wall and the door frame after installing the latter. The box bars are usually secured with dowels or, as in our case, with the help of plate metal connectors.
2 . The temperature of the container with polyurethane foam must be brought to room temperature, leaving it in the room for 24 hours. Optimal temperature for Tytan Professional LOW EXPANSION foam, which we chose for work, is +20°C. The temperature of the applicator (gun for polyurethane foam) should not be lower than the temperature of the cylinder. Before starting work, the container should be shaken for 10 seconds.
FILLING CRACKS
The next operation is to fill the gaps between the frame and the wall. It is recommended to do this wearing protective gloves.
3 . The work begins with installing the applicator on the balloon.
4 . When applying foam, the container should be held upside down.
5.6 . Vertical gaps must be filled with foam, starting from the bottom and moving upward. For gaps wider than 5 cm, the use of polyurethane foam is unacceptable. Gaps over 3 cm wide must be filled in vertical layers. Before applying each subsequent layer, you need to make sure that the previous one has reached the pre-treatment state (usually 30-45 minutes) and is moistened.
7 . Do not fill the gap completely - the foam will increase in volume as a result of secondary expansion.
REMOVING EXCESS FOAM AND INSTALLING COVERS
8 . The Tytan Professional LOW EXPANSION product hardens quite quickly, and already 30-35 minutes after its use, you can cut off excess foam protruding beyond the door frame bars.
9 . As a result of the expansion of the polyurethane foam, the gap between the door frame and the wall must be completely filled.
10 . The final step of door installation is the installation of trims that close the gaps filled with foam.
Adviсe
If you don’t have enough experience working with foam, then in order not to stain the door frame, it is advisable to protect the side surfaces of its bars with masking tape. The surfaces of the box and wall should be cleaned and degreased.
To speed up the hardening of the foam, it is recommended to moisten the surfaces of the door frame and wall with water; it is more convenient to do this using a sprayer.
It is better to use foam with low secondary expansion to avoid the risk of deformation of the box after the product used has hardened.
The volume of the applied foam roller and the speed of its application are controlled by the force of pressure on the applicator trigger. If the applicator has not been used for more than 15 minutes, it must be washed with a foam cleaner. Before re-application (application), you must shake the container.