Container Insulation with Froth-Pak PU Foam

In this article you can read how you can easily insulate a container with Froth-Pak insulation foam, the perfect container insulation product.

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Insulating a container is an essential step for maintaining temperature and protecting it from external influences. In this article, you can read how to easily insulate a container with Froth-Pak insulation foam. This PU spray foam has a closed cell structure and does therefore not absorb moisture, making it perfectly waterproof. Ideal for modular construction, home offices, tiny houses, double-walled refrigerated containers and technical containers.

From calculating the required materials to carrying out the insulation work, we cover all aspects in this article to ensure that your container is optimally insulated.

Tip: want to know more about Froth-Pak PU foam? Then read our information article “Tips and tricks for using Froth-Pak insulation foam”.

Benefits of Froth-Pak for insulating containers

High insulation value (0.022 W/mK).
Airtight.
Watertight.
Fast and easy solution.
Sustainable HFO insulation foam.
Do-it-yourself solution.

Insulating containers (step-by-step plan)

Follow the steps below for insulating a container with Froth-Pak PU foam. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact our product specialists.

Step 1. Calculate the surface area and volume (from m2 to m3)

Before you can order the materials, it is useful to know how much insulation foam you actually need for the job. To calculate the required volume of foam, we have to multiply the surface area by the desired thickness.

Example: if you want to insulate a 20FT container with a surface area of 74 m2 with an insulation layer of 8 cm, you will need 5.92 m3 of insulation foam (74 x 0.08 = 5.92).

Container dimensions

	20FT container	40FT container
Length	6.06 metres	12,02 metres
Width	2.44 metres	2,44 metres
Height	2.59 metres	2,59 metres

Wall surface	44 m2	76 m2
Floor and roof surface	30 m2	60 m2

Total surface	74 m2	136 m2

Please note: because the walls of a container are corrugated (sandwich panels), you must include 20% extra surface area in your calculation.

Step 2. Order the necessary materials

To insulate a container with Froth-Pak, the following products are required. Due to working in confined spaces, it is recommended to choose insulation foam with minimal condensation. Froth-Pak is known for its minimal condensation and is therefore particularly suitable for insulating containers. You will need:

Step 3. Prepare the container

To ensure optimum adhesion, it is important that the container walls are clean, grease free and dry when applying the insulation foam. Most PUR foam available at DIY stores usually requires moisture to start the chemical reaction. With Froth-Pak, this is exactly the other way around. Drying the surface is therefore very important. You can do this with a cloth or by heating the inside of the container with, for example, an electric blower.

A second important point of attention is the temperature of the container. Both the inside of the container and the surface that is sprayed must have a temperature of above 5°C to achieve perfect adhesion.

Step 4. Follow the procedure per application

The way Froth-Pak works can vary depending on the application. To avoid condensation, a foam layer of 2-3 cm is sufficient to completely cover the metal. If you want to insulate a container, a thicker layer should be applied. We then recommend applying a thickness of, for example, 8 cm in 2 separate layers, with the first layer hardening after approximately 5 minutes. As soon as you can touch the foam without it sticking to the glove, another layer can be applied. When you have reached the desired thickness, the foam can be trimmed or sanded as desired.

The Froth-Pak system is very user-friendly. After the cylinders have been heated to at least 24°C for a few hours, the hoses are connected to the cylinders. The cylinders can now be fully opened to provide an equal flow of both components. When using for the first time or after a few days of inactivity, you should flush the system. To do this, simply open the trigger at full force for a few seconds into a waste bag. Then clean the gun with PU cleaner and apply a layer of Vaseline to extend the life of the gun. Click a nozzle on the gun and spray a sample.

Tip: watch this instructional video on how to prepare a Froth-Pak set for use.

More information about insulating with Froth-Pak?

Do you have any questions about Froth-Pak or about insulating a container? Please feel free to contact our customer service. We will be happy to provide you with expert and personal advice tailored to your needs and will be happy to make you a quote for your project.