Anyone here have any info regarding how flammable “builder’s foam” is? Since it’s made of styrene, I assume it burns. AS one who has had more than one failed attempt at stretching sprue over a flame, I KNOW just how NASTY that smoke is.
I’ve got this horrible picture of having an entire layout go up in smoke and toxic fumes - to say nothing of the building housing it!
Any info is welcome…
Dave
from dow’s styrofoam website
complete info at http://www.dow.com/styrofoam/ap/china/prod/tech.htm
you would think they’d design something used for building houses that didn’t burn at all
I heard a story , about a guy who used a spray on glue for scenery, on foam, then in one section he needed to do some soldering. The still slightly wet glue lit on fire and the foam began to burn, he put the fire out, and managed to salvage the layout, with a bigger canyon than planned.
Styrene foam is definitely a flammable substance. As mentioned on Dow’s website, it will burn RAPIDLY if exposed to an intense fire (flame.) Household fires can quickly become intense. All you have to do is notice the next news coverage in your area of a house fire. So you’re using a material in your basement which could burn rapidly, intensifying an already bad situation. And it will produce that thick black smoke which you are already aware of. Note here, that I’m talking about hazards which contribute to an extraordinary situation, a house fire. But they do happen, and nobody, or almost nobody, plans to have a housefire. If you think that the risk is worth the benefit, then have at it.
It’s recommended by manufacturers that the foam not be used unless it is encapsulated. For us that would mean enclosing it in a relatively non burning material, like plaster.
Also, large amounts of foam dust can be a dust explosion hazard if exposed to a spark or other ignition source.
For additional information, look up styrofoam and flammability on the web.
-Ed
Suggestions:
GET, FIT AND MAINTAIN SMOKE DETECTORS… IF YOUR LAYOUT ROOM IS A BIT CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE HOUSE YOU CAN GET DETECTORS THAT WILL LINK TOGETHER… ANY ONE GOES OFF THE WHOLE LOT WILL.
Some years ago I tried one of the spray-in cans of foam used for cavity filling… just sprayed a blob onto a board. It formed a dollop of foam which survived pretty much everything for a year or so. I was going to try spraying into a cardboard box to get ablock of the stuff… never got round to it. BEWARE! WHEN FIRST SPRAYED IT HAS AN EXOTHERMIC REACTION ( It gets HOT). I Don’t recall the make or whether I tested it for flamability. Suggest you might want to make your own tests… Also phone up the information line listed on the can / go on the web etc. I IMAGINE that cavity foam MIGHT be safer than ordinary polystyrene BUT I DON’T KNOW.
One of our bi-annual fire training upgrades we were told the story of a guy who spent all morning laying floor tiles in his kitchen with a “heavy petroleum vapour” type glue. When he was done he was so pleased with the result that he sat back on his haunches and lit himself a cigarette. Apparently the result spoilt him, and his whole kitchen as well as the new floor…
Hey… if you haven’t got detectors…GET DETECTORS ANYWAY!.. YOU CAN GET CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS AS WELL…could be specially useful in a basement… especially if you have your heater down there with you.
ASK YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT… they’d rather talk to you now than call round in a hurry later.
And then people wonder why I still use plaster! When it is dry it is rock which ain’t gonna burn.
And besides after using the hot wire foam cutter for what little foam scenery I have on my layout, the seizures usually subside after a few hours!
Bob H – Clarion, PA
Yep, smoke detectors are the way to go. In Australia where I am a fireman, it is unheard of anyone dying in a house fitted with smoke detectors, also the house is often saved due to the neighbours (if their good one’s and home) calling in the fire.
In your couch (assuming you have one, and matress) at home you have a huge amount of foam, not the same as styrofoam, but flammible just the same. And then people smoke on them. Just use common sense.
And invest in a fire extinguisher and fire blanket, If that’s what you call them in the states.[:D]
Everything burns. It’s just a matter of how quickly.
On August 15, 2005, I posted the following in reply to a similar thread:
As this is moving to be about fire I’d like to add a bit more…
I’m glad dannydd agrees with me but would like to add some pointers about extinguishers:-
YOU DO THESE TWO NOW BECAUSE even if you can go and get an extinguisher this minute IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE IT RIGHT YOU CAN END UP DEAD… OR SOMEONE ELSE DEAD…
I MAINTAIN 4kilo dry powder extinguishers in my vehicles, home and store/modelling sheds. Here they cost about the same to buy as a Kato loco. I plan to never to need to use the extinguishers … but will use them if I need to.
I also carry the small auto-shop dry-powder extinguishers on my vehicles… at least 2 on each. This is because the 4kilos are big for a vehicle/ for serious incidents my training enables me to know what to do about. The little ones are good to hit a fire with at the moment it starts to get people out and stop things fast if possible. If one of these isn’t enough and people are out I stand back and let it burn. The second small extinguisher is there as back-up until I replace the first one.
Okay… so I’m trained… but not a fireman… I DON’T TAKE RISKS. I’M NOT SUPERMAN.
Some FIRE RULES. (I’m open to be corrected on these).