Looking to acquire lots of cheap foam
Looking to do some cheap insulation that doesn't require dry wall or paneling.
Any ideas? Airier the better I suppose, I could use like bubble wrap or pool toys, but the air is going to leak there
You could probably get a lot of styrafoam for cheap or free, maybe you could buy styroafoam sheets or even packing peanuts if you have something to put them into.
>>922846
In third world countries they've used empty plastic bottles or even old car tires as insulation.
>>922854
I only have 2 liter bottles, they're too thick and I don't know how I'd attach them, I was just going to glue the foam to plywood, plus I'd have to put air back into them
>>922856
Expanding foam might be an option. Not sure how cheap it has to be,
http://www.fxsupply.com/poly/poly.html
>>922858
I've sealed the gaps with it, but I'd need a way to form it into bricks easily, I suppose a wooden form might work, but I'm not sure how easy it would be to get out.
Trying to do it without taking everything out of the room, as I'm lazy.
You're right that airier (is that a word?) is better. I had the idea to use recycled foam as insulation once too. I asked a guy about it and pic related was his response. I had wanted to maybe make uniform sized blocks out of packing foam if possible.
Can you find styrofoam or another foam from a company that receives a lot of packages with foam protection? If you look hard enough, of course. The question will be, is the size right for you? If it's not, how do you correct that? Are you going to make a big foam cutter and mill a bunch of foam to size? You could do that btw if you're using styrofoam.
If 2 liter plastic bottles are too big, what about small plastic bottles? Then use expanding spray foam in the gaps. You could save money by using small plastic bottles, using broken up pieces of styrofoam as a filler for the gaps, and then spray foam that or fill it some way.
Anyways good luck!
>>922879
If you get a 12 V power supply and a mechanical pencil lead (graphite) you can use it to cut foam.
>>922880
That's very interesting! I'm familiar with kanthal wire because of ecigs, so it was my first thought for a diy wire cutter
>>922887
We used to do it in chem lab back in high school. The graphite glows white hot and will pop if you set the voltage too high. It's also very fragile.
The wire is probably a better choice.
>>922846
Well... the one i've been researching is cellulose insulation, specifically plastered straw bales. I'm not sure how difficult it would be to retrofit though.
Also, >>922846
for insulation, you want lots of tiny air pockets. It's okay if they're not airtight, you just want to make it impossible for air FLOW, and big air pockets have convection currents of the air inside them so are not good insulators.
In high school I got my parents to agree to let me turn the lawn shed into a workshop for me. It got cold in the winter so I put up some ugly faux wood paneling (that shit that everyone had in their house in the 70's) that my neighbor had taken out of the den in a remodel and then I got a bunch of free packing peanuts from a local shop and just dumped them between the wall and paneling. Kept the place warmer much longer with just a small space heater. Would have been better if I could have done the roof too.
Fire hazard detected
Mylar bubble wrap. They use this crap to build freezers out of.
>>922846
I work at a warehouse for plane parts. We always have bubble wrap and foam that gets left over/thrown out. Maybe try a warehouse nearby and ask if they have extra "to be discarded" foam/bubble wrap that you could buy/have. Also Uline is the supplier we buy from if this is a big project...
I think I may have found my solution in those disposable Syrofoam coolers, now I just need to find the best place to buy some, I'm not sure many stores even really carry them anymore
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-30-Qt-Promo-Cooler-3542/203336080
Only thing is how am I going to cut it apart and attach it to my walls...I suppose simple cheap glue could work right? I only really need to cover the most exposed areas, so I think I'll see how much millage I can get out of 20 dollars or so for like 6 of these if most are around 3 dollars
>>923201
In terms of square footage of foam these are overpriced.
You can buy rigid insulation from the homo depot that yeilds more squarefoot and R value.
>>923208
if they're only 3 bucks I don't think the cost is too far off, it's like I'd need 6 of those to equal 1 of the 4x8 panels of foam which are like 20 bucks I think
the 6 is assuming my math is correct of 4608 square inches vs 812 square inches per cooler. as those are 17x14x12 although I only included the side walls in my calculation, I probably just did something wrong
another is logistics, I'd have to take a truck to get the foam insulation back, not sure when I could borrow one of those, while I could fit 6 of the coolers in my current car
>>922879
you can recycle and reuse soft packing foam and make uniform bricks or plates from it. I've worked at company that manufactures all kinds of foam and unused foam plates are recycled. they shred the original foam plate, then it is mixed with glue, probably heated a bit and pressed into large forms that makes massive foam bricks. These bricks are then cut into plates again (pic related). finished product is not so soft and squishy as original foam and I don't think it has good insulating properties but it's better than nothing.
Where do you live, OP? What kind of construction are you insulating, and from what sort of climate? Depending on various factors, insulating a structure can actually lead to its literal destruction surprisingly fast. Also, where I live it is practically illegal to insulate with plastic (polystyrene etc) unless it's on the exterior side of a concrete/masonry wall, for fire reasons. It doesn't take much burning polystyrene to line your lungs with a thin asphyxiation film, completely eliminating your chances of survival in the event of a fire.
You're not accounting for loss and the fact that they're not uniform.
Protip: You can bring a ultility knife and cut the foam in the store. Sometimes if they're not busy, they'll even do it for you.
Even compressed wool works pretty well
>>923450
I concur. >>922846
OP, I'd advise you not to make a death trap for yourself. Will this be a plant or animal shelter of some kind or a hobo hut for yourself?
I think there might be regulations on what you can use if it's for a building.
If it's super flammable that's obviously bad but if it gives off certain fumes when on fire or even heated then that's incredibly bad.
>>923210
Oh come ON.
https://www.byggmax.fi/perustukset-ja-valu/eristeet/finnfoam-p16442
5€ per m^2. Of superior insulation that doesnt suck water like a sponge.
There are other cheaper options, this is an expensive example...
>>922846
Styrofoam sheeting is pretty cheep, anon.
>>922846
What is this stuff?
It looks like it would be amazing for echo reduction in rooms.
Where can I buy it?
>>922846
>cheap insulation that doesn't require dry wall or paneling.
I think only hempcrete fills your requirement bill
>>924962
420
Blaze it faggot!
