Two weeks we’ve been waiting for the spray foam crew to arrive thinking we had everything ready. They show up and were like “oh, the electrical wires have to be tucked into the outlets, windows and metal walls that are remaining visible need plastic coverings, and the floors need to be covered.” What!

If this had been said at time of quote, it could have been done already. Electrical wires at outlets were left long for ease of working later and were most difficult to roll up into the boxes. Between the crew and our supply there was barley enough painters tape to cover the massive amount of exposed walls and windows. Knowing their job, they did have enough drop cloths for the floor. And to think, the Dwelling Box is tiny in comparison to most jobs even with the additional walls for the rooms. Prep work for a standard size modern home of 2500sf would most likely take a couple of days, especially if the floors were already laid.

Two hours after arrival the dwelling was prepped correctly and ready to go. Foaming was done in two stages. First everything that could be reached from the floor then everything from the walking platforms. From start to finish the inside was foamed in just over three hours.

It took another three hours to remove the excess foam from studs, outlet covers, look for leak throughs, and clean up the massive amounts of debris. Spray foam is highly pressurized when installed and expands everywhere. The tiny little holes in the electrical box, filled and sealed. The gap between the angle iron and the metal wall sealed the tape and plastic to the wall itself and had to be cut free. Good thing the plastic was hung.

Long after the crew was gone for the day, the Planner was still removing excess foam from areas the crew missed and checking to ensure water lines were not comprised. He must have check more than a half dozen locations, some with no issues, others where the foam was removed from around the water lines all together to ensure they laid correctly.

The next day the crew was back bright and earlier to complete the spray foam on the underside. With a strong wind blowing, the wind was blocked to the best of everyone’s ability using heavy plastic and sheets of plywood. Mostly this stopped the wind gusts as the constant wind just swirled around the blockage and still caused some overspray issues. Luckily the crew was well versed in their materials and knew how far it would travel suspended in the air. All vehicles, including theirs, were moved upwind and some around the corner behind the trees.

Foaming the underside took hardly any time at all. By lunch the crew had setup, sprayed, cleanup and were gone. But just because the spray crew was gone did not mean there was not work to be done. All PVC and electrical conduit lines needed to have tape removed, large chunks of spray foam needed to be picked up off the ground as the chickens like to peck at them (bird brains), and over spray on framework needed to be popped off with a scrapper.

Just when we though the day was over, the Planner decided to check the utility room for over spray. He should have just left the doors closed. Foam sprayed under and between the pantry wall coating the entire side of the washer dryer boxes and reaching all the way to the back door. Spray squeezed through openings less than an inch in width and not only did it spray out the other side it sprayed feet into the utility room. The first picture is the backside of the pantry wall at the ceiling where as the second is the backside of the pantry wall at the floor in the utility room.

Feet. Once the Planner was done removing the spray from the back door we laid down in the bedroom and enjoyed the view. Only the second job ever to be done at Boxes in Fields not completed by the Planner, the Doubter, the Kid, and myself.

A completed job that is an even more impressive view from the front door.