When carrying out construction and repair work, polyurethane foam is widely used. The material has good sealing properties, improves the thermal insulation characteristics of structures, and is used for fixing products indoors and outdoors. The product has a long service life, resistance to moisture and temperature. To prevent the composition from losing its beneficial properties, it is necessary to prevent exposure of the treated surface to ultraviolet rays. There are several ways to protect polyurethane foam from the street and protect the sealant from the negative effects of sunlight.
Introduction to the topic
After installing windows and doors, the resulting gaps are sealed with installation sealant. The composition, which is in a cylinder under pressure, expands as the substance interacts with atmospheric moisture. Therefore, excess foam remains on the inside and outside of the structure. They are carefully trimmed with a construction knife, after which the polyurethane foam needs to be protected from the sun.
Ultraviolet rays destroy the structure of the mounting sealant if the surface is not treated with anything. The use of different methods of protection allows not only to preserve the properties of the porous mass, but also to give the installed structure a decoratively attractive appearance. For finishing treatment, painting, puttying, plastering, and priming are used.
The feasibility of using polyurethane foam for waterproofing purposes
It is not recommended to use polyurethane foam for waterproofing as a separate sealant, because it has specific properties. For example, it is not able to withstand mechanical stress. It is better to take two-component varieties. They are characterized by increased protection from moisture, so the bathroom allows the use of compounds.
Experts recommend adding paint and bitumen to achieve better results. This is the optimal installation waterproofing composition, including external ones. The use of the material is always relevant.
Is it possible to use universal polyurethane foam?
Waterproofing foam itself can be called a universal product, which is characterized by improved adhesion to various materials. The use of compositions to solve these problems is acceptable, but some features of polyurethane foam must be taken into account.
Special mounting foams for waterproofing
Many manufacturers produce their own types of polyurethane foam for the bathroom and other rooms. Here are just a few examples for roofs, seams and more:
- Makroflex PRO.
- Makroflex 65 Standard.
- Tytan Professional GUN.
- Tytan Professional Lexy 20.
- Hauser W&D.
- Tytan Euro-line GUN.
- Tytan Professional STD.
In practice, in most cases it is recommended to give preference to the first composition of polyurethane foam, two-component waterproof. The manufacturer reports a sufficient number of open and closed cells in the structure. This is important when used for waterproofing.
Specialized sealing products deserve special attention. A wide range of similar products is produced by Soudal. Its waterproofing material is one of the best.
There are other types of waterproof foam for sealing. An example of one of the most famous brands was the stop water variety. This building material is chemically neutral, it can withstand pressure of 1 bar, gas and liquid equally.
This type of polyurethane foam for waterproofing can be used for various objects:
- Concrete rings.
- Pipe
- Sealing of cables.
- Leaks.
- Areas with increased risk of floods.
Important! The foam composition for waterproofing roofs and other structures does not support combustion.
Properties and varieties
Polyurethane foam has important technical characteristics that allow the material to be used for a wide range of repair work. Long service life, convenient application and good adhesion to different surfaces are the main advantages of the composition. The product also has other useful properties:
- Primary expansion - the sealant increases in volume up to 50 times in a few minutes.
- Secondary compaction continues for some time; high-quality sealants do not shrink or form gaps.
- The substance firmly adheres to surfaces of different nature and structure - concrete, wood, cement, cinder block, brick.
Foam is used to seal cracks, seal gaps, install doors and windows, seal joints and joints. After final hardening, the polyurethane substance acquires optimal strength, density and a uniform porous structure.
Sealant protection options
Despite the excellent characteristics and properties of polyurethane foam, all products in this category are destroyed when exposed to sunlight. First, the material acquires a brown tint, decreases in volume, and then gradually spills out of the joints and gaps. Polyurethane foam in the sun is destroyed by sunlight. Negative processes can last from a year to several years. This depends on the quality of the sealant, the angle of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the thickness of the applied layer and other factors. How to protect mounting foam from the street from UV rays:
- Treatment with putty compounds. These include liquid plastic, finishing plaster with the inclusion of frost-resistant additives, window putty with the addition of liquid glass. The mixture is applied with a spatula from bottom to top along horizontal and vertical seams.
2.You can paint the installation sealant with paint or treat it with varnishes for exterior use. The best way to protect a polyurethane product is an acrylate composition, which has high adhesion to installation sealants. To obtain long-term protection, the foam is first treated with putty, and then with acrylate paint.
3. Mounting tape. This is a temporary measure, since the material will be constantly exposed to precipitation and temperature changes. In a hardware store, you can choose adhesive tape to match the color of the window frames or the frame of the front door. But every few months the tape needs to be re-glued.
Fire-resistant foam can be protected with a layer of plaster 8 cm thick. But the best option is to prime and paint the surface. To prevent the destruction of the polyurethane foam, a cement-sand mortar is sometimes used, to which a small amount of white grout is added to improve decorative characteristics.
On video: Protecting foam from ultraviolet radiation.
Why do we need protection?
The use of foam helps solve various construction and repair issues. The composition penetrates deeply into the surface being treated and adheres reliably to it. The connection can withstand significant mechanical and deformation loads. Under the influence of external factors, the installation product loses its qualities. The structure of the sealed composition is influenced to a certain extent by precipitation, but most of all the foam needs protection from ultraviolet radiation. Using a protective layer allows you to:
- Extend the service life of the sealant.
- Prevent moisture from getting on the foam.
- Maintain the integrity of the structure of the substance.
- Prevent the formation of mold and mildew.
- Give the surface a decorative look.
To effectively protect the foam from precipitation, primers and impregnations are used. The substances penetrate deeply into the porous structure of the foam substance and, after treatment, do not allow water to pass through. The sun coloring composition is better placed on the primer layer. A primer alone cannot provide UV protection, but it will prevent moisture penetration.
Puttying process
After choosing a protective agent, the foamed surface should be prepared for processing. Even with the most careful foaming, the installation sealant does not apply evenly as a result of the composition increasing in volume. Excess foam must be cut off with a knife. This can be done half a day after applying the product. The puttying process is easy to perform:
1. It is convenient to cut the foam with a knife with a triangular-shaped oblique blade.
2. Remove excess installation that extends beyond the boundaries of the slope.
3. It is necessary to go deeper into the thickness of the layer - a place for putty.
4. Foam for painting should be sanded with sandpaper.
5. If the surface is treated with putty, sanding is not necessary.
6. The surface is impregnated with a primer and allowed to dry.
7. Cover the polyurethane foam on the outside of the window along the joint with masking tape.
8. Apply the putty in a thin layer - first the starting layer, then the finishing layer.
For more reliable protection, after the putty has dried, the mounting foam can be painted with acrylate paint. The work must be done carefully so as not to stain the frames, double-glazed windows, or the front door; it is convenient to cover the gaps with masking tape. The tape is removed after the putty has dried or painted, depending on the chosen method of protection.
Protection Features
To increase the service life of the sealant, you need to choose a high-quality putty. The working mixture is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions - the proportions of the solution with water are indicated on the packaging. The solution should have a thick, uniform consistency. The mixture must be applied perpendicular to the seam - this ensures a more dense filling of voids and cracks.
The putty is distributed not level with the height of the joint, but with a slight excess. Before painting, the excess compound is sanded with sandpaper or construction mesh for finishing work. The putty should be rubbed down after it has completely dried so that the solution does not “smear.” The result is a smooth base on which the paint lies smoothly. It must be resistant to low temperature and moisture, suitable for external processing of products and structures.
What to consider when choosing
It is important to consider the expansion rate of the foam.
The most important thing for waterproofing is the product's ability to act as a barrier to water . If the material allows moisture to pass through, it is not suitable for these purposes. You should also pay attention to the following characteristics:
- the severity of the primary and secondary expansion of the composition (a significant parameter for accurate filling of cavities);
- volume of material output;
- fire resistance;
- temperature values at which repair and operation of this foam are possible.
Speed of drying is also important. It is recommended to study the manufacturer's installation instructions, in particular how to remove excess material.
Other methods of protection
If you need to process a large number of seams filled with polyurethane sealants, using putty is not always appropriate. This requires a lot of consumables and time. A simple option to protect the polyurethane foam from sunlight is to make a cement mortar. To ensure that the seams do not stand out against the general background of the wall, white grout is added to the mixture. After the cement has dried, the surface is painted in a suitable color.
How else to protect the foam:
- Trim off excess mounting sealant.
- Rub in the dense substance evenly.
- Apply light paint in several layers.
In this case, it is not necessary to use putty. A thick layer of paint will protect the foam from ultraviolet radiation for a long time. If the decorative component is not important, and the foamed area is constantly in the shade, the mass is only trimmed and not treated with anything else. Also, UV rays do not affect sealant covered with metal sheets, plasterboard, boards or roofing felt.
Useful video
Builders do not recommend saving on insulation materials. Otherwise, they will not be able to boast of working resources and quickly cease to perform their main function. With the proper level of quality, materials last for many years and provide comfortable conditions inside any room. Polyurethane foam is one of the most successful solutions in this area. With a responsible approach to the matter, the result will delight you for many years, just like the sealant and waterproofing itself. Which option to choose is up to everyone to decide for themselves. There are compositions designed for ordinary pipes and heating pipes.
Basic recommendations
If you are not sure that the foam will not be exposed to sunlight outside, the sealant must be puttied and painted. Experienced craftsmen advise adhering to some rules in their work:
- The putty mixture must be thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous thick consistency is obtained.
- To speed up the process, you can use an electric drill with an attachment or a construction mixer.
- A small depression is made in the foam under the protective layer. And the mixture itself is applied with a slight excess.
- For external work to protect polyurethane foam, use frost-resistant putty in a layer of at least 5 mm.
- The tool must be cleaned immediately after work - dried putty is difficult to remove.
According to its technical characteristics, polyurethane foam is ideal for filling joints and gaps. The service life of the material increases significantly when a protective layer is applied against UV rays. Surfaces can be treated with putty and acrylate paint, which is “not afraid” of frost and moisture.
UV protection of foam (2 videos)
Methods for protecting polyurethane foam (15 photos)
Types of waterproof polyurethane foams
If we remain within the framework of mass preference - polyurethane -, then objects produced on its basis are divided into two categories: those that have open pores, and those that have closed pores. There is a third subgroup of “mixed versions”, but we will talk about it later.
In fact, it is not necessary for the average consumer to delve into such small indicators in order to choose the ideal option for the bathroom.
