Home owners that are considering spray foam insulation might be asking “What is a Board Foot in Spray Foam Insulation?”. Today’s post will help consumers understand what a board foot is, how it is used, and what it means for your insulation project.
Spray foam manufacturers and installers use a unit of measure for spray foam insulation called a “Board Foot” or “Board Feet”. It is a measurement of how much coverage or yield a specific manufacturer’s spray foam will offer.
A board foot is a square foot of spray foam insulation at a thickness of one inch. As the industry standard measurement it includes the square footage of the surface that will be sprayed as well as home many inches thick the foam should be.
How To Calculate Board Feet
It is easy to calculate the board feet needed for a given project. Take the measurements to get the square footage of cavities that should be insulated and multiply that number by the desired thickness of insulation.
How Thick Should Spray Foam Insulation Be?
This measurement varies by which type of spray foam insulation is chosen, open or closed cell. Closed cell offers superior R-Value and will require less thickness to achieve the desired thermal performance. To calculate how thick your spray foam will be you should have a target R-value in mind for your home and choose the option that fits your walls, attic, and needs.
Open-Cell Spray Foam has an R-Value of about 3.6/Inch. The cost per board foot is about $0.44 to $0.65. To achieve the desired R-Value open cell must be applied in thicker coatings. If the framing is deep enough to allow for thicker application this can be a high performance and more affordable option.
Closed-Cell Spray Foam has a higher R-Value of about 6.5/Inch. This means that it can achieve higher thermal performance with less thickness. The cost per board foot of closed-cell spray foam is about $0.70 to $1 dollar. In addition to being a higher performance thermal insulator it also adds structural strength to roofs, walls, or any area it is sprayed.
How Much Does My Home Need?
Your local spray foam insulation contractor will help you choose the right spray foam insulation for your application. The type of framing, joists, and rafters will affect the decision based on their depth and the room available to install the insulation.
Choosing Conscientious Spray Foam Installers
Part of every home improvement project is choosing the right products and the right people do install them. While that many times can be the homeowner it isn’t recommended for spray foam insulation. Attic or whole home spray foam insulation jobs require trailers or trucks which carry the spray equipment and chemicals needed to do the job.
Spray Foam Is A Messy Job
As the spray foam insulation is sprayed there are tiny expanding droplets of foam that are in the air. This highly adhesive foam ends up on whatever you’re wearing, your skin, and in your hair. It also ends up on the floors, tools, and anything else in the house which isn’t covered. Professional spray foam insulation installation includes the proper preparation of the home by getting people out, using drop cloths, tape, and caulk to help minimize the spread of the droplets. Removing any spray foam which has existed and sealed a gap or crack in your home’s building envelope is also a service you should expect as part of professional insulation install.
Experienced Installers Matter
While pulling a trigger and spraying the chemical is simple applying the insulation correctly takes training and knowledge. Spray foam insulation isn’t foolproof or as simple as mashing a trigger. Problems are created by sloppy or careless spray which needs to be corrected or scraped off. Sloppy spraying can also miss areas that should be insulated, which creates voids. These voids are places might be hidden or hard to reach, but must be sprayed correctly to ensure effective insulation.
The chemicals also need to be at a certain temperature to mix and cure correctly. Inexperienced or impatient spray foam applicators might not wait until the chemicals have reached the right temperature and the foam will not mix correctly. This leads to foam that shrinks away from the cavities it is meant to insulate.
Valleywide Phoenix Insulation Contractors
If you live in the Phoenix valley in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Scottsdale, or Tempe Barrier Insulation, Inc. offers the highest quality spray foam insulation installation available. We will help your remove any old insulation that isn’t working and install the best new insulation available. Improving your home or business’ insulation will help cut down energy bills and save you money!
Call today if you have questions or to schedule.
602-499-2922 or