"Great Stuff" expanding insulation foam

Mike120 · Post by **Mike120** » Fri May 20, 2011 10:56 pm

When I was searching the Internet for things I would need to make a waterfall, I searched for "Great Stuff" and I came up with several results. Some were for windows and doors, others were for gaps... Stuff like that. I was wondering which one I should get. I'm a little lost...

Post by **wodesorel** » Fri May 20, 2011 11:00 pm

It depends on the type of project you're doing. The window and door will expand, but only slightly and is better for detail work or for filling small areas where you don't want foam to explode from. The gap filler will cover huge areas and expand greatly, so it works great for backgrounds. I've also read that the window and door is better for sculpting and cutting to size as it has much smaller air holes than the gap stuff, which has massive air pockets in comparison. There's also an outside pond and waterfall Great Stuff that comes in black.

Mike120 · Post by **Mike120** » Fri May 20, 2011 11:05 pm

Okay so I should probably get the door and window. I will be using pieces of polystyrene as a frame, and cover that with the foam to carve out the designs. Thanks!

wendyj · Post by **wendyj** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 1:37 pm

I am assuming that "Great Stuff" is a product used for caulking or foam material and stuff??? I am looking for a product that is hermie safe myself that I could spray onto arcyllic (sp) and carve into shapes for a small background piece.

Then if I find it I need to know what other materials are hermie safe to cover/paint it with to make it realistic and add fake plants. Any ideas?

Post by **wodesorel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:35 pm

Great Stuff is a weatherizer that expands from a thin stream of liquid into a thick expanded foam. When cured it's a completely inert polyurethane foam, but it comes pre-mixed in a easy-spray can rather than a messy two-part pour-and-mix. It's fish and invertebrate safe and is the main go-to building component of home-made backgrounds for both fish tanks and vivariums.

It should be just because it's relatively soft and also a bit spongy since it is a foam. For fish and inverts many people use potable water safe paint, but with hermit claws it probably wouldn't last long!

Two options that I read about all the time is to cover it with concrete so it looks like rocks, or to find a safe glue and press on expanded but dry cocofiber into it. The concrete will make it look like a rock wall, but it's heavy, prone to cracking, and often fails after a year or two. The glue method seems to be the easiest and will raise humidity, and you can used smeared on silicone, concrete binder (not sure on safe brands), or Titebond III to hold the cocofiber in place.

Mike120 · Post by **Mike120** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 6:56 pm

I was actually just about to update this thread but I saw it was active. Well my update is that I started the waterfall and I have most of my frame made, I wish I could post pictures. It will hold almost a gallon and it will circulate well because the output is on the opposite end and the intake is on the other with filters in between. I do have a little question... There is a little pit in the polystyrene (I was using pieces from a TV box that my mom got) and I would like to utilize that for something. It is about 3 inches wide, 5 inches long, and 1 inch deep. It sits right by where the water comes out and the first pool is made, perfect for a resting spot. I was thinking a moss pit, but if it gets in my water it will make it "rotten". I will have plants coming from it too so it wont be terribly exposed. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I would really like to utilize it.

Post by **wodesorel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:55 pm

What about using Java Moss? It's a living aquarium plant that grows quickly and can handle being only partly submerged. It shouldn't rot since it's alive and it would hopefully outgrow any occasional snacking (which would also be safe). Granted the trouble will be finding it, since even though it's really common I've never seen it at chain stores.

Mike120 · Post by **Mike120** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:49 pm

I meant the area it is supposed to be in won't have water, but I'm worried about any potential debris falling into the nearby water.

jayjay · Post by **jayjay** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:19 pm

wodesorel wrote:What about using Java Moss? It's a living aquarium plant that grows quickly and can handle being only partly submerged. It shouldn't rot since it's alive and it would hopefully outgrow any occasional snacking (which would also be safe). Granted the trouble will be finding it, since even though it's really common I've never seen it at chain stores.

My Walmart carries it fairly often. Yours might not, but its worth a check if that's what you decide on. Good luck! Its a neat project I might try myself.

Mike120 · Post by **Mike120** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:36 pm

I used the spray foam today and I will carve it out tomorrow. I really underestimated the stuff though, it expanded WAY more than I thought it would. I read somewhere that if you shake it for 5 minutes ( besides the 60 seconds the label said) it would come out better... I guess they were doing a different project because I really didn't want it to expand that much. It is completely watertight from the looks of it, so I will test it out when I finish carving it. So far all is going well. I'll keep you guys updated and see if I can use my moms camera to post pics.