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How do you ensure the spray-on foam is nicely or evenly applied on the walls?

Community Answer

Spray-on insulation typically uses is applied via a gun attached to a pump and an air tank. It's sprayed on fine, then swells. They shave it down afterward to either the depth of a furring wall, or shave it down so it's flush with the valleys in the corrugation.

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Question

What Type of insulation do you recommend for Patagonia, Argentina? Dry and cold with snow in winter.

Community Answer

Mineral wool. It lasts forever without losing any of its performance, and is naturally fireproof, waterproof and bug-proof. You'd want the rigid board immediately behind the exterior siding inside the wall to block convection, and batts to fill in the rest of the framing depth. Ceilings are where you'd pile it as deep as you can without compressing it; hot air rises, so you want to trap the heat for as long as you reasonably can.

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Question

What is the best insulation in a cold mountain climate at elevations above 6000 feet, relatively dry climate?

Community Answer

If you have the space, then mineral wool is the best. If space is a concern, then it'll have to be Styrofoam or other rigid foam panel with a 1/2" dead-air gap somewhere.

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Question

Can I use any kind of foam for insulation?

Community Answer

Yes, you can use any kind of foam to insulate your package or shipping container.

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Question

If I'm insulating an outside-facing wall under some windows, is it best to remove the drywall before adding insulation or can I add the insulation on top and then add additional drywall?

Community Answer

You want to remove the first layer of drywall or it will start to absorb moisture and become a breeding ground for mold.

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Question

Could I use interior plaster straight onto the spray foam to create a finished wall?

Community Answer

Assuming you find the foam smooth-enough, which is not likely (since the thickness of spray foam is hard to control precisely), then you will want to use one of two methods: 1. Apply an adhesion promoter, like Plaster Weld, then follow with a single or two-coat veneer plaster system. 2. Apply an adhesive fiberglass-reinforced synthetic stucco system like Dryvit.

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