Finishing Tools

Finishing Tools for PU Foam

By spraying a stream of polyurethane foam onto the surface, we are unable to control polyurethane foam from expansion. Sometimes the foam expands too much and we are forced to trim the excess. Without this it will not be possible to assemble boards. Our company has tested several ways to remove the foam excess. We tested the air-driven pneumatic knife and the foxtale saw blade. Other tools we checked were a chain saw milling machine, 60cm mineral wool knife and a foam scraper. So what to choose to receive smooth polyurethane foam layer without spending too much money?

Pneumatic Knife for Polyurethane Insulation

We had to spend as much as 1200PLN fot this tool. After first usage of the knife every single person from our teem felt exhausted, because the blade created very strong vibrations. As if it wasn’t enough, the knife broke down only after being used twice. Perhaps it was a technological defect, perhaps it was just our bad luck.

Foxtale Saw Blade

This solution is slightly better than the pneumatic cutter, however the problem of vibrations remain. The cost of the tool is 450PLN for the blade plus 500PLN for the saw. It’s not a perfect solution for dealing with polyurethane foam excess, however in this price range it is quite decent.

Hand Knife with 90cm blade

Hand knife is made of high-speed steel and it is very sharp. You just need to hold the knife to the open-cell foam than drag it, and the foam is cut off. It is a simple, cheap and effective solution. The drawback of the hand knife is the time consuming performance. The foam from rafters or partition walls must be cut off slowly.

Chainsaw milling machine for polyurethane foam

This tool is expensive but it is very effective in removing excess of polyurethane foam. The disadvantage of the milling machine is the formation of byproduct in form of molecules of foam, that cover all the working space. The price for this finishing tool varies from $ 1000 to $ 1800. It’s expensive, considering that chainsaw will be used sporadically, as in Europe foam is usually sprayed under the frame. And in such cases the shape of the foam is not important because in the end it’s covered with a frame with plasterboard.

Manual Scraper

The polyurethane foam scraper is actually a comb for horsehair adapted by the polyurethane foam industry. It consists of several circles made of tool steel. The advantages of this tool are simplicity and price. On e-bay such scraper can be bought for 20PLN. The disadvantage is the time required for entire performance. You really need to work hard to cutt off the foam in the whole attic.