Ethafoam Rod Alternatives

spw

Member
Does anyone know of a foam product similar to ethafoam rod that has a high density? I still need flexibility, but ethafoam can be a pain to attach with fastbond. I know you can get those foam pool noodles, but the diameters are pretty large.

Thanks.
 
Yeah, I'm not sure I know of an alternative. The best thing I've found for attaching it is Fosters 30 NF. I get it at a local Insulation supply house. It is a Latex based contact cement. It's safe on Ethafoam, styrofoam, and it sticks to everything. Since it's Latex based it cleans up with water, while wet. and it's a contact cement so you coat the two things you to stick together, let it set up, then stick 'em!
 
It may not be high enough density for you but pipe insulation comes in a variety of diameters. As a bonus it comes with peel and stick adhesive strips.
 
Look in concrete supplies. Where a piece of concrete butts against a building, a gap frequently forms. They have foam backer rod in many diameters that they stuff into the deep crack then fill the shallow remaining crack with flexible caulk.
 
McMaster has a variety of polyethylene foam rods:
McMaster-Carr

If I remember right you can glue it with 3M Spray 74 or Welwood's contact cement.
 
as a BTW... Years ago I had a TD show me a trick for painting Ethyfoam: he would "paint" it with plasti-dip first then you could paint it with any kind of latex paint. Now Plasti-Dip IS kind of expensive but if you need a flexible coating over the Ethyfoam rod it works like a wonder.
< standard disclaimers Be sure to read understand and follow all manufacturers warnings and use in a well ventilated area.... It's toxic as heck>
 
as a BTW... Years ago I had a TD show me a trick for painting Ethyfoam: he would "paint" it with plasti-dip first then you could paint it with any kind of latex paint. Now Plasti-Dip IS kind of expensive but if you need a flexible coating over the Ethyfoam rod it works like a wonder.
< standard disclaimers Be sure to read understand and follow all manufacturers warnings and use in a well ventilated area.... It's toxic as heck>

This spray rubber undercoating works well too for $7 a can.
McMaster-Carr
 

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