Re-Insulating the Kitchen...

[Daox]

Glad I could be of assistance and learn a thing or two.

I've always had luck scoring XPS with a razor blade and breaking it myself. Its way less mess. In fact, I know some of the sheets you can buy are prescored for this reason. You can cut/break them in half or into 3rds with hardly any work.

[S-F]

I have cut about a million sheets of all three kinds of rigid foam boards with a knife and a saw. My personal conclusion is that the knife technique is only to be used if there isn't a suitable saw available. The cut is much cleaner. I just put a really big drop cloth down. There are some hand saws that cut with less dust than others. Last week I was working in a basement where they happened to have a hand saw sitting right next to me when I needed to cut a board. The thing made very little dust at all and the particles were pretty big. I think it was a rip saw. Just go gently. Maybe if I had all the time in the world I'd score both sides and break it but it takes too long and the chances of making a rough edge are too great.

Just my 2 cents.

[ThomSjay]

When I installed polyiso board, I used a bread knife to cut. It left crumbs which plainly fell to the floor. I never thought about it at the time but a saw probably would work much easier for most of the cuts. Go figure.

[sparkchaser]

HI AC!
I was just wondering if those spacers are wood or plastic? Certain materials have lower heat transfer properties, thus lower thermal bridging. Also minimizing length of spacers could be good.

[sparkchaser]

Helo all,
Anyone use a hot knife of hot wire cutter? Its very clean and fast, just kinda stinks sometimes from burning smell of melting plastic.

[sparkchaser]

Hey folks,
For your duplex outlets and switch boxes there are available plastic extension inserts to make room for thicker walls without having to move the boxes. I prefer the plastic ones because they are easier to install, especially after the fact, and they are non-conductive both electrically and thermally. You just need longer screws for the devices. My experience with the metal ones are they are electrically dangerous, so I wrap the devices with electrical tape to cover the termination screws.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by sparkchaser

Hey folks,
For your duplex outlets and switch boxes there are available plastic extension inserts to make room for thicker walls without having to move the boxes. I prefer the plastic ones because they are easier to install, especially after the fact, and they are non-conductive both electrically and thermally. You just need longer screws for the devices. My experience with the metal ones are they are electrically dangerous, so I wrap the devices with electrical tape to cover the termination screws.

sparkchaser,

I don't know if I understand what you are describing...

So far, I have been removing the duplexs from the wall and re-attaching to the wood for the new wall.

Like to know what you're talking about, got any photos?

-AC_Hacker

[sparkchaser]

Hello, AC Hacker,
the box extension looks like this...see attached image.

The plastic one looks similar but usually has a flange all the way around the front edge. Note tape on outlet terminal screws.

[AC_Hacker]

I've been noticing that the foam I've been using takes a very long time to reach maximum expansion, and when it is at max expansion, it is more dense than I'm used to seeing it.

So I remembered a previous discussion about the need to heat foam tanks in order to get good performance.

So I put my foam into warm water and set it on the back of the stove where the oven vents (right now I'm using the oven to heat the kitchen).

It has made a big difference, foam comes out faster, expansion time is faster, density is not so 'thick', and the cans are emptier when I'm done.

-AC_Hacker

[S-F]

Also when the foam is applied cold the final product is rather friable and basically useless.