If you are searching for a top notch spray foam insulation kit, this guide will help you out!
We'll go over...
- Our top choice for spray foam kits
- Factors to consider when buying
- Frequently asked questions
- And more!
As a home inspector, I have seen many attics and crawlspaces that had deteriorated and inadequate insulation — think of insulation from the 1940's.
The great thing about spray foam insulation is that it doesn't deteriorate like traditional batt or fiberglass insulation, and it actually gives structural strength to the wall or ceiling.
DIY spray foam insulation kits allow homeowners to insulate rim joists, stud walls, attic rafters, and small rooms at a fraction of the cost!
Check out my comparison table below of my top picks for spray foam insulation kits or keep on reading for their individual reviews and other buying tips.
Image | Product | |||
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Overall Best | Overall Best | Froth-Pak 650
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| View on Amazon |
Best By DAP | Best By DAP | DAP Touch N Seal 600
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| View on Amazon |
Best Can Kit | Best Can Kit | Seal Spray 600
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| View on Amazon |
Best NOT On Amazon | Best NOT On Amazon | Tiger Foam TF-600FR
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| View on Amazon |
Best With Temp Gauge | Best With Temp Gauge | Foam It Green 602
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| View on Amazon |
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
- 650-SF of foam insulation at 1-inch thick
- Class 3 vapor retarder
- InstaFlo foam dispenser that reduces overspray
- 6.7 R-Value
Our overall #1 top pick for the best DIY spray foam insulation kit goes to the Froth-Pak 650 because it features a patented dual nozzle system that produces an even foam mix. This spray foam kit is made by world-renowned Dupont so you can be sure it's the highest quality. It will cover 650 square feet at a 1-inch thickness. Go for the Froth-Pak 210 if you want a smaller foam amount.
Top 5 Best DIY Spray Foam Insulation Kits
- Froth-Pak 650 (Best Overall Pick)
- Touch n' Seal 600 (Best By DAP)
- Seal Spray Foam 600 (Best Can Kit)
- Tiger Foam TF-600FR (Best NOT On Amazon)
- Foam It Green 602 (Best With Temp Gauge)
What Is A Spray Foam Kit?
Spray foam insulation is extremely effective and a common way to insulate and air seal homes around the country—it can also act as a great moisture barrier.
Expanding foam insulation kits typically come with two chemical tanks (each tank either having isocyanate or polyol), spray gun dispenser, hose, and spray nozzles.
Spray foam kits do NOT usually come with safety gear.
How Effective Is It?
Foam insulation can reduce energy losses in a home by up to nearly 50%. Foam insulation tends to work better than standard insulation because it is flexible (takes the shape of the cavity).
It is an effective air seal which is great because the majority of energy loss in a home is through air leaks. Foam insulation will also act as a moisture barrier (much more than standard insulation) to help prevent condensation (water droplets) and subsequent mold growth.
Closed cell insulation can also add additional structural integrity to a wall or roof because of its density.
Read Also >> How To Remove Spray Foam Insulation From Skin?
How To Pick The Best DIY Spray Foam Kit?
1. Coverage in Board Feet
All spray foam kits will rate their insulation with board feet.
The Board feet rating is simply the coverage area of the spray foam in square footage with a 1-inch thickness.
So if your room needs 500-SF of insulation, then you will need at least a 500 board foot rating if you only plan on spraying 1-inch thick foam.
However, most homeowners will spray at least 2-inches of spray foam in order to get a high R-value of approximately 14 which will cut the board feet rating in half.
It is also essential to factor in spray foam waste of around 25%. So if the spray foam kit advertises as 600 board feet, homeowners can expect to only get around 450 board feet.
2. Safety Gear
The vast majority of spray foam kits will NOT come with any safety gear. Trust me, homeowners should not get any of this stuff on their skin, hair, or in the lungs. If spray foam gets on your hair, it will literally need to be shaved or cut off. There are a few ways to remove spray foam from skin however.
Here are some of the essential safety gear:
- Full body Tyvek suit (cover for hair)
- Respirator with organic vapor filter (and prefilter for particulates)
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
- Ventilation fans
Homeowners will also need some way to ventilate the room while applying the spray foam. Airflow should be moving across the entire spray area during the job.
3. Closed Cell Vs. Open Cell
Closed cell foam insulation is the most popular type of spray foam for the typical homeowner. As the name implies, closed cell insulation is made up of many tiny bubbles that have their own individual cell walls and therefore are considered 'closed'.
Virtually ALL of the DIY spray foam insulation kits on the market are closed cell (including all of our picks).
Open cell foam insulation is the less common form of spray foam in DIY kits. Open cell insulation means that the foam 'cells' are not totally closed which allows air to pass through easily.
Open cell spray foam isn't as rigid as closed cell and also has less material or density. Open cell insulation will likely need to be applied by a contractor since virtually all DIY kits are closed cell. Open cell insulation is typically used for areas that may get wet such as in the attic because it can dry out quickly.
Here are a few of the pros and cons of each type:
closed cell Pros
closed cell Cons
open cell Pros
open cell Cons
Read Also >> What Are The Best Attic Stair Insulation Covers?
How To Apply DIY Spray Foam?
Even though each spray foam kit will have their own idiosyncrasies, many kits are similar in application. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions but here is a rough guide on how to use a spray polyurethane foam kit...
1. Connect hose to tank
One of the first steps is to connect the spray hose to the tank. You may have to tighten the connection with a wrench.
2. Rock the Tanks
With many kits you will have to rock the tank, and then fully open the valves.
3. Purge The Tanks
Now it's time to briefly purge the tank by spraying foam into a waste container. This also allows you to verify the quality of the foam sealant and that its mixed correctly.
4. Verify Temperature
Most foam kits will not spray or cure properly if it is too cold, either the room temperature or the tank temperature. Make sure you are in the temperature parameters of your kit or you may get poor results.
5. Spray Foam
Spray the foam insulation around 6-inches to 24-inches away from the material. Don't apply the foam too thick, at most apply 2 inches. If you want it to be thicker, it will need to be a separate application. If you don't spray out of the nozzle within a minute or so, you may have to replace the nozzle.
6. Curing Time
The majority of foam kits will cure within a few minutes.
Read Also >> How To Insulate Bathroom Fan Ducting?
Our Reviews of the Best DIY Spray Foam Insulation Kits
Pick #1: Froth-Pak 650
Best Overall
Our overall top pick for the best spray foam insulation kit goes to the FROTH-PAK 650 because it is made by world-renowned Dupont with a patented nozzle system that produces an even mix and reduces overspray!
Homeowners can use this all-in-one kit to insulate and air-seal wall studs, rim joists, and around ducts.
The 650 kit is a complete spray foam kit that is perfect for up to 650 square foot jobs (at a 1-inch thickness). If you want a smaller foam amount, go for the Froth-Pak 210.
Each FROTH-PAK kit comes with a isocyanate tank (A), polyol tank (B), Insta-Flo gun dispenser, 15-foot spray hose, 8 cone spray nozzles, 4 fan spray nozzles, and 1 pack of petroleum jelly.
Since this insulation kit is closed cell insulation, it will effectively block out moisture and air infiltration and is considered a class 3 vapor retarder. I highly recommend the Froth-Pak 650 as the absolute top choice for DIY spray foam kits!
Board Feet: 650 | Type: Closed Cell | R-Value: 6.7 | Vapor Barrier: Class 3 Retarder |
Pick #2: Touch n' Seal 600
Best By DAP
The Touch N' Seal 600 is our top pick for the best spray foam insulation kit made by DAP.
DAP Global was founded in 1865 and they are a world renowned manufacturer of caulking, sealants, adhesives, foam, and other home products.
This spray foam kit will allow you to quickly insulate wall/floor cavities, attics, rim joists, crawl spaces, and more.
It includes everything you need (except safety gear) so you can insulate up to 600 square feet at up to 1-inch thick. If you don't need that much spray foam, check out the DAP 200 kit here.
The quick cure feature of this kit means that the insulation will skin over in less than a minute, and fully cure in about an hour. The two part polyurethane foam kit comes with the gun dispenser, spray nozzles, and hose assembly.
Board Feet: 600 | Type: Closed Cell | R-value: 6.6 |
Pick #3: Seal Spray Foam 600
Best Can Kit
The Seal Spray Foam kit by Industrial Products is a nice alternative to the bulky two-part spray foam kits and it is our best pick for spray foam can kits.
It comes with 24-cans for a total coverage of 600 board feet. Each can will cover approximately 25 board feet.
The spray foam is closed cell insulation.
One feature of this kit is that you won't waste the entire kit if you just want to insulate a small area. You can also have two people spraying at the same time. And it is just much easier to move around.
Board Feet: 600 | Type: Closed Cell | R-value: 4.37 |
Pick #4: Tiger Foam TF-600FR
Best NOT On Amazon
The Tiger Foam TF-600FR is our best choice for a spray foam insulation kit that you can't buy on Amazon and it will need to be ordered direct from the Tiger Foam website.
This spray foam kit has a high R-value of approximately 7.0 and will cover 600 square feet at a 1-inch thickness.
This spray foam kit has everything you need (except safety gear) and it includes:
- Two tanks
- 15-ft gun and hose assembly
- 8 dual-use nozzle tips
- Instructions
Tiger Foam has 'dual use' nozzles which means it can be used for fan and cone spray patterns. All homeowners have to do is snap off the top and it will go from fan to cone pattern.
Board Feet: 600 | Type: Closed Cell | R-Value: ~7 |
Pick #5: Foam It Green 602
Best With Temp Gauge
The Foam it Green 602 spray foam kit is our top pick for spray foam kits that include a temperature gauge on the tank (B only).
This kit will cover 602 square feet at a 1-inch thickness and is considered a Class 3 Vapor Retarder.
This kit comes with:
- A and B tanks
- 15-foot gun and hose assembly
- 10 mixing nozzles
- 3 fan tips
- wrench
- petroleum jelly
Foam It Green also has a 602 version for high rise foam and high density foam.
A cool feature of Foam It Green is in the name — the spray foam turns green if the tanks are properly mixed. The spray foam also has anti-microbial properties (ASTM G21) and it is rated at a high R-value of about 7.0.
Board Feet: 600 | Type: Closed Cell | R-Value: ~7 | Vapor Barrier: Class 3 Vapor Retarder
Our #1 Top Pick: Froth-Pak 650
Our overall best pick for DIY spray foam kits goes to the Froth-Pak 650. Here's why...
#1. Wide Coverage
This foam kit is perfect for single rooms or other small areas and it will cover 650 square feet up to 1-inch thick. Homeowners should probably factor in 25% waste and you may need another kit if you want thicker insulation or a higher R-value.
#2. Patented Gun Dispenser
Made by world-renowned Dupont, the Froth-Pak 650 includes a patented gun dispenser that evenly mixes the spray foam and helps reduce overspray.
#3. Air And Moisture Barrier
The Froth-Pak 650 is a Class 3 vapor retarder and acts as an effective air seal. It has a high 6.7 R-value so you can keep your home perfectly insulated from air intrusion.