PU Foam Spray under baths and showers

[SkintEastwood69]

Hi there

I've been looking at methods for fitting a bath by housing it inside a timber frame but infilling the small void under the base of the bath with an expanding PU foam spray. Weights will be placed inside the bath to stop the foam pushing up until curing is complete. This method removes the need for a mortar mix, grout, wooden bats or support legs under the bath base. The only other method I've seen similar is plaster of Paris but the foam method is rather tempting for its simplicity. The foam spray I'm also likely to try is Thermofoam by Everbuild.

The only concern I would have is keeping the foam from touching any plastic pipe works or fittings but I'd like to hear what the community of experts think about this method which appears popular down under and in good old USofA. What do you think then?

 

[footprints]

Hell on wheels if the bath ever needs to come out!

 

[bernardgreen]

It would work if the foam was resistant to compression and did not deform under the weight of a bath full of water and a person. Insultion foam is much weaker than structural foam.

A layer of polythene between bath and foam and floor and foam would make it easier to remove the bath if ( when ) needed to be removed.

Getting access to tap connectors and waste trap ( U bend ) would be interesting.

 

[muggles]

Sounds like sheer madness to me. Please set up a video camera and post the results to YouTube so we can all have a giggle

Seriously though, if you want to do this you'll find that canned foam simply isn't strong enough. You need this stuff http://www.mbfg.co.uk/foam-materials/foam-hard.html. Three litres should be enough. Mix it in a tub, quickly pour it into a deep roasting dish (£3-ish from Tesco) and slide it under the bath, then secure a board into place at the front of the bath to stop it escaping into the room. It should rise out of the tin and neatly form around the bath, in theory... Note that it's unlikely that your bath will have any warranty if not installed to the manufacturer's instructions, and I offer no warranty on this method working, but I think it's got more chance than bu99ering about with cans!

Don't forget that video camera....

 

[newbuildinstaller]

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

sorry but....

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

That is the worst idea I have ever heard!!!!! Please do video the results. Bare in mind the foam will go in a holes so under floors etc.

Im thinking you will need to install the bath on legs anyway before foaming to get the height and level..... so remind me what the point of the foam is?

 

[muggles]

It'll be fantastic insulation

 

[big-all]

another point

any wood that gets wet and cannot dry will rot when its at around 19% moisture for several weeks

 

[longdogs]

I can't really see any advantages, only disadvantages.

 

[muggles]

Stop discouraging the guy...honestly, some people have no sense of fun