Gluing Styrofoam?

[hamerhead 17,737]

I got stacks of 2'x3'x2" thick Styrofoam that my work was going to pitch, figuring I could insulate my garage or shed with it. I want to glue it end-to-end/edge-to-edge to make bigger sheets for the ceiling.

Got any glue recommendations for something like that?

Edited September 17, 2020 by hamerhead

[a.bandini 956]

Is it/ are they a flame retardant version of styrofoam designed to be insulation? 

Otherwise it might be a pretty significant fire hazard.   

Edited September 18, 2020 by a.bandini

[killerteddybear 7,565]

From The Google-
The best glues to use on Styrofoam are the actual Styrofoam glues such as UHU Styrofoam glue, Weldbond and 3M 77. Styrofoam glue comes in both tubes and spray. The adhesive spray, like 3M 77, makes creating projects easier and without the mess.

[Biz Prof 4,889]

I used to dabble in model railroading and found this to work well with styrofoam and foam board:  https://www.liquidnails.com/products/interior-projects-foamboard-adhesive

[cynic 6,640]

2 hours ago, killerteddybear said:

The adhesive spray, like 3M 77, makes creating projects easier and without the mess.

In my experience, adhesive spray does nothing without the mess.  My whole world gets tacky when using that shit.

[HAMERMAN 752]

If it's for thermal insulation that's one thing but if you are going for acoustic insulation I would give this video a look, kind of long but a lot of good information.

 

[hamerhead 17,737]

On 9/18/2020 at 5:45 AM, a.bandini said:

Is it/ are they a flame retardant version of styrofoam designed to be insulation? 

Otherwise it might be a pretty significant fire hazard.   

They're form cut-outs from some parts we ship. I never considered the fire aspect.

Burning down the shed would suck. But with my wiring and wood walls, it doesn't stand a chance anyways.

[a.bandini 956]

OK.  If it were me, I'd take the safe route and not install the styrofoam.  I'm pretty risk-adverse in that sort of thing.  I'll cut corners in plenty of things, but not with safety. Good luck!

 

[Steve Haynie 12,193]

The Station in Rhode Island was the site of the fire that killed over 100 people who showed up for a Great White concert.  The ceiling was covered with some kind of foam board that "flashed" all at once.  Whether your garage is attached or separate from the house does not matter.  You need to avoid having a potential disaster.  A shed that is away from the house might be OK, but remember the risk. 

No one expects a fire, but they happen.  Styrofoam burns too easy.  If the fumes or smoke get in your house you are in trouble long before the flames follow. 

[cmatthes 20,268]

[hamerhead 17,737]

[hamerhead 17,737]

On 9/21/2020 at 5:32 PM, a.bandini said:

OK.  If it were me, I'd take the safe route and not install the styrofoam.  I'm pretty risk-adverse in that sort of thing.  I'll cut corners in plenty of things, but not with safety. Good luck!

 

I'm going to light a chunk up and see what it does. If it scares me, I'll rethink it.  It's going on a ceiling that's pretty high up in a shed that sees limited open flames (almost never, actually), so while there is some risk, it isn't like the cardboard box full of oil-soaked rags in the corner next to the gas cans.

[a.bandini 956]

Steve Haynie's post hits pretty close to home - after all, Rhode Island (where I live) is not an especially big state.  

A woman I used to work with was at the Station nightclub the night of the fire.  She was pressed up against the emergency exit door's panic bar, as the fire took hold, but couldn't open the door.  As she told it to me "It was broken; I couldn't open it, and I woke up in a snow drift"  or something like that.   Horrifying. 

I think what actually happened is the crush of the crowd pushed her so hard against the door that her body was pressed against the panic bar, forcing it to open, which "blew" her a few feet into a snowdrift.  She told me she "came to" cold, wet, scared and covered with snow.  She and her boyfriend got out of it with a few bruises and survivor's guilt.  All of that is a good thing to avoid.  

Be careful with that styrofoam!  Get the good stuff.