# Expanding Foam and Wood ?



## Scrimey (May 12, 2012)

Would I be able to use expanding foam in a wooden vivarium, if so could I possibly see some examples ? Thanks :victory:


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Scrimey said:


> Would I be able to use expanding foam in a wooden vivarium, if so could I possibly see some examples ? Thanks :victory:


Yes of course. It sticks well! No examples from me though I'm afraid.

Edit: Scrap that, I have a poor example at best... Filling gaps at the top of a build. 





































I appreciate it isn't the best example of what you're looking for but it proves its fine none the less. And once its blended in (almost) and covered over...


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## Scrimey (May 12, 2012)

tomcannon said:


> Yes of course. It sticks well! No examples from me though I'm afraid.


Had a feeling you might of popped up :2thumb:


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## dramen (May 29, 2012)

Thats really handy to know as if i decide to attempt to make a custom background for Boris in the future i have some of that foam!
Had to filler a gap under my daughters window sill as it was giving a cold draft exactly where she was sleeping, :censor: housing association refused to do it!

Only warning with this stuff is DONT get it on your hands. Vegetable oil and a lot of patience is required to get it off without ripping skin with it!

Btw :- Tom love your custom viv's shame i am not great at artistic things so i wouldnt get one as looking as good as yours do!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

dramen said:


> Only warning with this stuff is DONT get it on your hands. Vegetable oil and a lot of patience is required to get it off without ripping skin with it!


Been there on more than one occasion... I never learn. It's the worst of a bad bunch, gorilla glue is easier than expanding foam. A lot of scrubbing and soaking to loosen it off, then scrape it off with a sharp knife. Takes a good few hours but its ok in the evening in front of the tv... Or just wear gloves!


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## dramen (May 29, 2012)

tomcannon said:


> Been there on more than one occasion... I never learn. It's the worst of a bad bunch, gorilla glue is easier than expanding foam. A lot of scrubbing and soaking to loosen it off, then scrape it off with a sharp knife. Takes a good few hours but its ok in the evening in front of the tv... Or just wear gloves!


My foam came with the cheap plastic gloves and immediatly i ripped holes in them smoothing it out a bit lol. Probably best to buy a pair of marigold washing up gloves!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Definitely. However to be fair you shouldn't need to touch it when wet. Just allow it to fully cure then carve it back.


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## Scrimey (May 12, 2012)

Once it's dry , what do I do it ? It will be for a Leopard Gecko vivarium, so what do I after ? Grout/ silicone ? and I can use normal acrylic paint right ?


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Scrimey said:


> Once it's dry , what do I do it ? It will be for a Leopard Gecko vivarium, so what do I after ? Grout/ silicone ? and I can use normal acrylic paint right ?


Use a knife or dremel or similar to carve it to shape. Then grout, a couple of thin layers will be fine for a Leo, then paint, acrylic is fine. You can seal it too if need be but as its a dry setup it won't be necessary.


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

:lol2: Hands up who _hasn't_ gotten expanding foam on their hands.......no-one, you, thought so. I've shaved my fingertips in the past to get it off. Seriously, gillette mach 3, takes it off lovely! And leaves your fingertips nice and soft!


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

my_shed said:


> :lol2: Hands up who _hasn't_ gotten expanding foam on their hands.......no-one, you, thought so. I've shaved my fingertips in the past to get it off. Seriously, gillette mach 3, takes it off lovely! And leaves your fingertips nice and soft!


I thought using a knife was going far enough! I never tried the razor as I assumed it would just cut you up?!


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## mxjay (Feb 17, 2013)

This is what you want the next time you cover yourself in foam, foam gun cleaner, use it when the foam is still wet, it will dissolve it. I have seen some nasty things happen with expanding foam, seen a guy drop a tin from a second story and land beside a guy and burst, it was summer and the guy was working with no top on and he was a right hairy dude, you should have seen the state of him. He had to get his missus to shave his chest and back.


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## davy27 (Jul 17, 2011)

Your right with the foam cleaner bit cold on the hands tho lol I'm a window fitter and use it all the time


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

tomcannon said:


> I thought using a knife was going far enough! I never tried the razor as I assumed it would just cut you up?!


Well, you know the "safety bars" advertised :lol2: seriously though, it actually works pretty well, I guess if you try and force the skin into it you'll cut yourself but just drawing it over the skin seems to pull it off the surface quite well.

Obviously the posts above about foam cleaner are an easier route, but I resent the fact that it costs more than the actual foam! Also I tend to hit big areas in one go, and by the time i've finished getting it all over myself it's no longer wet foam, it's solid finger caps :lol2:

Dave


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## davy27 (Jul 17, 2011)

The trick of the trade is to put a straw in the cap for better accuracy lol
You will find is a lot cheaper if you buy things like this from euro cell or window firms normally half the price of b&q or wicks


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

davy27 said:


> The trick of the trade is to put a straw in the cap for better accuracy lol
> You will find is a lot cheaper if you buy things like this from euro cell or window firms normally half the price of b&q or wicks


Funny thing is i've got a discount shopping place near me, and for my viv stuff it's ace (£2-£3 for expanding foam, aquarium silicone £2.50, fablon £1, etc.) and all the times i buy foam, i never remember to see if they've got the cleaner! I reckon if they do it'll only be a few quid........time to take a look i guess 

On a side note, i can't remember the last time I bought anything viv related from a major DIY outlet (nearly called them hardware stores....too much time on dendroboards!) as the prices are daft compared to going trade or my handy discount place. Advice to anyone, shop around.

Dave


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## bob brown (Mar 15, 2010)

I dont know if this will work but here is my wooden viv http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/planted-vivariums/929791-bamboo-rat-snake-planted-viv.html

if that dont work its in Palanted section (=
expanding foam and silicon,etc...

And yeh it sticks to everything, i tryed to clean it wi kitchen roll... just glued that to my hands too :blush:


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## cold blooded beast (Mar 17, 2011)

dramen said:


> Only warning with this stuff is DONT get it on your hands. Vegetable oil and a lot of patience is required to get it off without ripping skin with it!


I found getting the stuff of my nails was a total nightmare ...fingernails that look like rocks ain't QUITE the look I was ever after !:gasp:


tomcannon said:


> Definitely. However to be fair you shouldn't need to touch it when wet. Just allow it to fully cure then carve it back.


I didn't wanna TOUCH it ...didn't NEED to touch it ...it just kinda jumped outta the can and tried to completely engulf me ... ! .....
At one point it must have resembled the carbonite bath scene with Han Solo..... from Star Wars 
:lol2: not too cool at the time really!!!


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## acromyrmexbob (Oct 3, 2010)

my_shed said:


> :lol2: Hands up who _hasn't_ gotten expanding foam on their hands.......no-one, you, thought so. I've shaved my fingertips in the past to get it off. Seriously, gillette mach 3, takes it off lovely! And leaves your fingertips nice and soft!


There are some things, however helpful and problem solving, that simply should just be kept to yourself, as a secret! We all understand and can even be a source of support when times get bad and you find yourself shaving your fingers in your spare time but if anyone from the real world happens to come across this then the next knock at your door might be guys in white suits with a little padded van! I think there was a bad case of shaven fingers in the film 'Seven'. Are you sure you are not a super criminal and you have simply forgotten that the reason you shaved your fingers was to get rid of your fingerprints and not the foam? Or is that a handy side effect from an over enthusiastic shaving session, you can rob a bank and get clean away as well as having no foam on your fingers. If you are planning any trips to Scotland in the near future can you let me know, I will hide things of value and make sure the expanding foam is out of reach. Its OK, your secret is safe with us!:help:


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

acromyrmexbob said:


> There are some things, however helpful and problem solving, that simply should just be kept to yourself, as a secret! We all understand and can even be a source of support when times get bad and you find yourself shaving your fingers in your spare time but if anyone from the real world happens to come across this then the next knock at your door might be guys in white suits with a little padded van! I think there was a bad case of shaven fingers in the film 'Seven'. Are you sure you are not a super criminal and you have simply forgotten that the reason you shaved your fingers was to get rid of your fingerprints and not the foam? Or is that a handy side effect from an over enthusiastic shaving session, you can rob a bank and get clean away as well as having no foam on your fingers. If you are planning any trips to Scotland in the near future can you let me know, I will hide things of value and make sure the expanding foam is out of reach. Its OK, your secret is safe with us!:help:


Banks? Nahhh......I'm taking you up on your invite to a guided tour of Trinidad......they'll never know whoi stole the Golden Tree Frogs  Oh, and 7 kms of earth worms!!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Oh, and by the way, thanks for revealing my nefarious alter ego to the world *grumbles* _sheesh, nothings sacred these days_

:bash:

Dave


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