Closed-Cell Spray Foam Utilized To Create Realistic Boat for Theater Play

LANCASTER, PA – August 28, 2013 – Spray polyurethane foam has become an increasingly popular suggestion by general contractors for many a roofing or insulation project. However, it has been found that SPF can be used for other applications outside of construction. SPF has also found its place in the field of performing arts, as more set designers become aware of its ability to render theater props with a more realistic look. Whether it's a mountain, a tree stump, or a cavern, SPF can give a life-like appearance to a structure without weighing it down. While preparing for their production of "Jonah," the crew from Sight & Sound Theater wanted to give the play's boat, an aluminum-framed skeleton prop, a realistic look and opted for the use of spray polyurethane foam to accomplish that feat.

Sight & Sound contracted Foam-Tech Insulation Service for the application. The set designers of Sight & Sound had a work history with SPF contracting company Foam-Tech Insulation, as they had brought them in for other prop projects SPF applications in different theater play productions. According to Lee Stoltzfus, owner of Foam-Tech, this proved to be one of the most interesting SPF application he has been involved in, in terms of theater props.

"It was a great project to be a part of," said Stoltzfus. "To be part of the design that complemented a part of a major theater production was rewarding."

The frame of the boat was constructed from aluminum piping, which was covered by chicken mesh screen that acted as the substrate on the exterior of the structure. The project consisted of applying foam to the inside and the outside of the screening. First, foam was applied in the resulting cavities between the aluminum tubes to provide the boat with additional structural strength. foam was then applied to the exterior of the chicken mesh and later carved to give shape to the boat that would appear in "Jonah."

The application was carried out at Sight & Sound's workshop. According to Stoltzfus, the workshop had 50-foot curtains that encased the boat while the application took place. The floors of the workshop and the wheels of the cart supporting the structure were masked off with plastic. The Foam-Tech crew wore PPE and fresh air respirators and had fans going for ventilation for the duration of the project.

The crew applied Heatlok Soy 200, a 2 lb. closed-cell spray polyurethane foam made by Demilec (USA), spraying nearly three sets of foam in total. Stoltzfus pointed out that the depth of foam varied from three to six inches at times, depending on what the set designer wanted.

"The great thing about spray foam, when it comes to stage props, is that you have options: you can add on foam if a more rock-like, dense structure is wanted or, if too much is applied, carving it out is so easy so the structure looks like you want it to look," said Stoltzfus. "You can make mistakes and easily amend them and, spray foam gets the job done much quicker than if you used fiberglass or things of the sort."

After the stage artist carved out the boat, the Foam-Tech crew applied approximately 180 mils in three coats of MAXGUARD CG-CM Series 4800, a marble gel bedliner hard coat, which covered the foam and made the outside of the structure look like wood on a boat.

The Foam-Tech crew had their box-truck rig equipped with a Graco Reactor E-30 and Graco Reactor H-25. Both proportioners were used intermittently during the five months that the project took to complete. The crew carted in a third proportioner – a Graco Reactor E-20 – to apply the coating, which Stoltzfus explained was left at Sight & Sound's workshop during the project and is still there now.

"As the stage artists carved out the boat, they would ask us to come back and spray in certain areas of it to add weight, so the project went off and on," said Stoltzfus. "We have a such long standing relationship with our client that we felt compiled to leave one of our proportioners there in case more work needed to be done in the future."

The SPF-based boat has been used for the production of "Jonah" in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Branston, Missouri for some time now. Stoltzfus himself watched the play and was very satisfied with the end product of the SPF application.

"It looked amazing," said Stoltzfus. "I look forward to working with Sight & Sound soon to see what they can challenge me with next."

About Foam-Tech Insulation Service: Foam-Tech is based in Gordonville, Pennsylvania and provides spray foam insulation to help their customers bring their energy costs down and ultimately save them money. Foam-Tech sprays insulation products manufactured by Demilec (USA). For more information about Foam-Tech and Sight & Sound, please use the contact details and links provided below.