Filling your doors and open crevices with Foam peanuts?

[Trekking]

I was wondering if anybody had use them from peanuts for filling their doors in crevices for sound protection and also for insulation. If so how did they work out.

 

[Van-Tramp]

I did a quick google search and came up with some concerns;

1) They are not fire retardant like other forms of real insulation. In fact, some can be quite flammable.
2) The recent types of foam peanuts are not made of old fashion "foam" anymore. They are corn-starch based and will dissolve in water. You may be making a huge mess come the first rain/snow.
3) The air gaps between all those peanuts will basically negate most of the insulating R-value. It may still work as sound deadening though.

 

[Trekking]

Thank you very much for that, I was thinking that they would be good and great for repurposing the materials. Being a fire hazard is not a good idea, Hello just cut a bunch of the pink stuff up and stuff it in the door then.

 

[Luisafernandes]

I was going to do something similar with the van ribs but quickly changed my mind for the same reasons.
Aside from not working as intended, it can get an electric static and stick to the metal and not go where you want it to go.

 

[Bdog1]

I added some wadded up bubble wrap in some small door areas , like around the tag mount, but later found moisture trapped inside. I guess water can get in around latches??? I reworked and reduced the amount of wrap now to not trap water. Going with the "flow through" theory.

 

[pseudo_mccoy]

I shoved chopped up bits of leftover foam board into the ribs and doors. Then I sprayed Great Stuff wherever I could to fill gaps. Not sure if that was a good idea.

 

[riffraff]

I've heard and seen enough about Great Stuff by now to avoid it at all costs. I even avert my eyes if I catch a glimpse of it while shopping at Lowe's or Home Depot.

 

[LeeRevell]

Whoowee! Go onto Amazon and check the reviews for this stuff (there are several variants according to the Dow website) - this stuff is monstrous! More 1-star ratings than five star. MANY have problems with it all coming out - once unleashed it WILL NOT STOP. ONE use only. It eats through rubber gloves. It bonds to skin, and no household cleaner or solvent will cut it. It goes where you don't intend, gets all over the place, the user's clothes and hands. Poorly designed applicator. AVOID at all cost! :s

 

[LeeRevell]

Found an alternative foam product, but not sure about possible van/bus applications. Looks like it's more suited for wide panel coverage than insertion into voids. But it sounds safer than Great Stuff, and more controllable. I have NO dog in this fight, just found this stuff by googling.

http://www.sprayfoamkit.com/videos-a-how-tos/foam-it-12-demo

 

[pseudo_mccoy]

LeeRevell, your post made me chuckle. I read those reviews too. After going through a dozen or so cans, I gotta say, the stuff wasn't awful to work with. Not great, but not bad. Just took some figuring out. I'd say most of those one star ratings were from folks who didn't read the instructions. Single use? Bad news on skin? Yup, says so on the back. I didn't see it eat through any of my gloves, and I think you can clean mistakes it before it cures with wd-40.

I also had limited success increasing its expandability by occasionally (lightly) spraying water on it as it cured.

I'm going to look into that spray foam kit you mentioned. Something like that could be the right answer. I think my van has a lot of uninsulated corners that might be fixed by something like this.

 

[LeeRevell]

On the Great Stuff site, I did find a product that is supposed to clean the GS out of the applicator guns, for the Professional grade stuff. Don't know if they have that for the home use type?
Yep, many product problems are due to user errors and not reading directions, but the massive numbers of bad reviews makes me leery.

 

[Luisafernandes]

One of the possible problems aside from many others when used to fill the van ribs, is that as it expends it could bulge out the walls.
I saw some people on you tube that had that precise problem. One of the reasons I didn't use it.

 

[Patrick46]

One of the possible problems aside from many others when used to fill the van ribs, is that as it expends it could bulge out the walls.

Hmmmmmm.....I'd hafta see that to believe it.

I mean, sure, that stuff can really expand, but to warp out metal??
(I suppose, in the right situation...anything can happen)

 

[LeeRevell]

Great Stuff has a low expansion version that prevents that problem.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Hmmmmmm.....I'd hafta see that to believe it.

I mean, sure, that stuff can really expand, but to warp out metal??
(I suppose, in the right situation...anything can happen)

Hey Patrick!
Google or YouTube that stuff in regards to van insulation, that's how I found a few people with video to prove it.
Ok, maybe they filled the crevices too much, I don't know, I just didn't want to risk my (so far) nice shiny new van.

 

[Free Range Chicken]

Hi all. Then Is pink foam board cut I'm little pieces the best idea for this task ??

 

[highdesertranger]

the great stuff foam in a can will rot your sheet metal. traps moisture. I have seen the results. highdesertranger

 

[Luisafernandes]

the great stuff foam in a can will rot your sheet metal. traps moisture. I have seen the results. highdesertranger

Yes, yet another reason why I didn't use it.

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Hi all. Then Is pink foam board cut I'm little pieces the best idea for this task ??

Hi isaacchaon!
That's what I did to the ribs. I cut pieces of pink foam use them wherever I could.

 

[Free Range Chicken]

Thanks Luis. Then I'll probably mimic your technique, pics to come later .

 

[Luisafernandes]

Thanks Luis. Then I'll probably mimic your technique, pics to come later .

You're welcome. Look at my build if you would like, I have tons of pictures detailing the process.