"Great Stuff" For Wall Insulation

It is sold in large 20lb containers but I dought its worth as concrete has near zero R value.

Can you get to the insides of the block? If so, pour in ground up expanded polystyrene beads. There are some companies that do that for new construction, but I don' tknow how easily it is done on old houses.

As for your idea for using foam insulation in your walls, I am not qualified to give you advice on that project.

However, if you go this route, you will find that to insulate an entire wall using multiple cans of Great Stuff will be quite costly. If expanding foam is your choice, consider ordering in bulk. I picked up a 16 pound tank of Handi Foam from Tek Supply complete with nozzle and hose for much less than it would have cost using Great Stuff.

They are online at,

Before you try it, get your hands on a cinderblock and fill the centerhole with great stuff. I did once and it cracked the block. I wouldn't use it on my house.

I'd be nervous about the expandable foam just separating the block from the fir strips. [not to mention the cost & aggravation]

Have you priced 1-2" styrofoam panels & new sheetrock? I daresay the job would be just slightly more work, but your insulation value would be 3-4 times as high. [you can go to 2" thick, and you'll have no voids] By the time you get done patching all the holes you'll need for the 'great stuff' application, you might as well put a skim coat on new sheetrock.

Dow makes a product called 'wall mate' that leaves a groove for 1x4 fir strips for mounting your sheetrock. Spot glue the styrofoam to the wall - screw on the fir strips-- mount the sheetrock. . .

Good luck- Jim

I had an older home in Tempe AZ. I called a company called Thermal Advantage. For 900 bucks they drilled the block in the gout areas and pumped in foam into the block wall. House was noticeable quieter and energy use. I made them pump the garage wall which was common with the dining room and kitchen. You could not hear the dryer any more nor a car running in the garage. Also the walls were not warm to the touch in the summer time on the inside. If I ever have an other block home I will give them a call.

I've used this product. It expands, and keeps expanding. One friend of mine foamed in the sides of his door frame (between the door frame and the sides of the storm door). It expanded so much that it pushed the sides of the frame in. Now, the door won't shut.

"Buck Turgidson" wrote

I doubt that the concrete blocks are all that "enclosed". Concrete is porous, and there's always a bit of air leak between the blocks. I've used lots of the stuff and find it great.

Just be aware that the stuff can exert quite a bit of expansion force, so make sure there's an escape hole or you risk bowing out the drywall.

How about an inner surface to the wall? Half inch styrofoam, or bubble wrap, or something?

Great Stuff is sold in a formulation made specifically for doors and windows that does not expand as much to solve this exact problem. John Keith snipped-for-privacy@juno.com