Almost everyone who has personally made home improvements has used urethane foam sealant during the course of their work. The main use is usually for sealing windows and doors although it can be used for sealing any type of a hole.
The problem with urethane foam is that it is messy and will not come off when it is dried. This is good for the area sealed but bad for hands and clothing, and hair. In addition, the continually expanding of up to 200% after installation put pressure on door frames and window sashes sometimes causing warping of the frames. Although it does an incredible job of sealing these drawbacks are not pleasant to deal with.
Now, just like with paint and caulking, there is a new foam based on latex. Like foam it is sold in aerosol cans using the nozzle-and-trigger system to dispatch the foam. However, unlike the urethane foams it is easy to clean up and expands to 75% of its total size upon application. This means that it will not keep growing and increase pressure on the frames.
Latex foam is not a new product. It is used extensively in the make-up departments on movie sets, especially in horror flicks where grotesque masks are needed. So what's the difference?
1. Latex foams are usually "open celled" and can absorb moisture. If there is moisture around this property can cause rot or deterioration in wood.
2. Because latex foam does not expand to the degree that urethanes do some inner areas may be missed. The key here is to fill the voids completely.
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