The diverse applications of spray foam

By Anna Lockhart.  

For specialty projects and buildings with strict insulation needs, spray foam roofing can be an ideal choice for the job.  

In a recent Coatings Cast™ conversation, Karen Edwards sat down with Will Lorenz from General Coatings to discuss the ways in which spray foam coatings stand out, and how the material can be used in a variety of specialty applications.  

For example, cold storage buildings have a strict set of materials that can be used in maintaining the integrity and complex needs of the structural interiors. Because of this, contractors must consider only the most durable and insulating products for the job. Will noted that spray foam is a rather excellent choice for cold storage, sharing, “You have a building where temperatures need to range from -20 to -50. So, what happens is you have a requirement for a significant amount of insulation on that roof, but then you also have to seal it well... Spray foam is a continuous insulation and can be applied in multiple layers, allowing it to fill that role based on what the building requirements are.” 

Not only can spray foam act as a great cushioning insulation to keep the cold in; it can also act as a vapor retarder, preventing any moisture from entering the structure and harming the materials within. Will explained, “Many people don’t realize that moisture can come in and saturate the insulation of a building, which can act like a can of soda. If you have something like a can of pop out there, and you see it sweating, what's happening is that colder soda is drawing moisture from the air to condense onto that surface, and you need insulation to do that, and that's how spray foam works. It's the insulation that keeps that condensation from happening in the building or on top of the building because it's well insulated.” 

In the end, thinking of spray foam roofing like a building’s very own custom koozie is a great way to conceptualize the versatility the coating can provide. As Will emphasized in the conversation, many contractors will come across projects over the course of their careers that require outside-of-the-box solutions, and it’s important that coatings like spray foam are considered for the job. Looking to the future, Will believes spray foam just might be the coating many roofing professionals will find that they need.  

In the roofing market, it’s about innovation, sustainability and what’s next for the future. Will shared, “Sustainability is big for all of us. We all want to make an investment once and make incremental investments rather than having to make those investments at a high-level, multiple times. Spray foam is a great solution for that.” 

Listen to the conversation or Watch the recording to learn more about the possibilities with spray foam!