Open or Closed Cell
Why Spray Foam Insulation? > Open or Closed Cell
Advantages of open and closed-cell in residential applications
Both open-cell spray foam and closed-cell spray foam can play an important role in your residential projects. Suitable for use on the interior, open-cell spray foam insulation can be applied into wall, ceiling and attic cavities. Closed-cell spray foam is ideal for higher R-value applications, in basements and crawlspaces and certain exterior applications.
Builders can use both open-cell spray foam and closed-cell spray foam in a home for insulation and an air barrier, for a comprehensive performance solution.
Closed-cell spray foam
- High thermal resistance per thickness
- Lower vapour permeance; acts a as vapour barrier
- Ideal for exterior, basement and crawlspace applications
- Can reject bulk water, making it ideal for homes in areas prone to flooding or high snowfall
- Can be applied at very low temperatures (as low as -15oC)
- Higher tensile and bond strength
Open-cell spray foam
- Suitable for interior applications such as wall cavities and attics
- Can be installed at a significantly lower cost than closed-cell spray foam and target the same specified RSI-value
- Lower raw material/resource use
- Permits bi-directional drying
- Will accommodate long-term creep and seasonal movement
- Hydrophobic material
