The Family Handyman – August 2019

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FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM JULY/AUGUST 2019 61

GUN DISPENSERS

The guns screw to the top of cans and let you control the flow of foam
better than straw-type dispensers. They also stop the flow of foam
quickly at the tip, so it won’t ooze out when you let go of the trigger.
Because of the sealed tip, gun dispensers keep the foam usable
up to 30 days after the first use, as long as the gun stays
attached to the can. There are disposable guns,
guns for water-based polyurethanes and
guns with extended barrels for
sealing difficult-to-reach areas.
Brand-name guns cost $40 to $100; aftermarket versions cost about
half that. Designs differ among the manufacturers, so make sure the gun
you buy works with the brand of foam you plan to apply.
Some products sold in the pro format for use with gun dispensers also
come packaged in the smaller cans, but others are only available in the
pro format. They include adhesives, all-season foams and gasket foams.

BETTER

DISPENSER

STRAWS!

The Smart Dispenser

included with Great Stuff

foams makes applying

spray foams cleaner and

more precise. It functions

more like a gun-type dis-

penser: Pull the yellow tip

at the end of the straw to

dispense foam. When

you’re done, push the tip

to close the straw, keeping

the remaining foam for

future use.

Closing the straw at the

tip prevents oozing, makes

it easier to control the

bead size and lets you

apply foam from the can

up to 30 days after its first

use. The nozzle also elimi-

nates the need to invert

the can during application.

It dispenses however the

can is oriented.

GUN

CLEANERS

Cleaning prod-

ucts flush the

gun dispenser

barrel and

remove

uncured foam

from tools and

other surfaces.

Available in

VOC-free for-

mulas. $8 for

a 12-oz. can.

SEE IT IN

ACTION!

For a video

of the gun

dispenser and

gun cleaner, go to

tfhmag.com/expandingfoam

REPLACEMENT

STRAW

NOZZLES

Even nozzles made for reuse

can get clogged. If you don’t

want to clean them, keep a

pack of replacement nozzles

on hand (shown at right). A

pack of 10 costs $7 online.