Art House Mark Ham

If you’ve ever walked along an even, smooth sidewalk, or kicked back in a toasty log cabin during a blizzard, you owe a debt of gratitude to a product you’ve likely never seen. That product is foam backer rod; an incredibly important building material in masonry and construction that gives structures durability, flexibility, and longevity.

 

Backer rod, also known as expansion joint filler, is a thin waterproof foam cylinder that is packed into the joints between poured concrete, logs in cabin construction, and cracks or fractures in the repair of similar building materials. Its role as a bond breaker between substrate base surfaces and the waterproof sealant applied to the joint is vital, because if caulk completely fills the joint, a three-point bond is formed. If this happens, due to the expansion and contraction during seasons and temperature changes, the adhesive will pull against the two materials it is sealing and the substrate, causing damage or failure when it tears away from one. It also is important to fill these joints for the purpose of keeping joints free of moisture. Cover foam and sealant protects against the damage and degradation of building materials during freeze cycles. If a joint between two slabs in a sidewalk remains unsealed and fills with moisture and freezes, the expansion of water into ice can crack the cement.

 

Caulk and sealant do not bond to the foam backer rod which is packed in tight enough to expand with materials. Keeping that space filled allows the sealant to stretch and compress, much like a rubber band. Filling the majority of the crack’s space with foam is also much more cost-effective than doing the same with caulk, making backer rod a cost-saving measure as well, in addition to its structure-saving benefits.

Whether you’re rooting on your team at the Super Bowl or cheering for your kids at their little league game, team spirit always makes games more fun and interesting. And while we can hoot and holler until we’re hoarse, showing our spirit is much easier than saying it, and foam products are one of the best ways to let your allegiance be known.

A cornerstone of the cheering world is the foam finger. These have come a long way since their original papier mache versions, and it’s difficult to attend a game at any level without seeing the foamy affirmation that your team is number one. These decorative foam accessories are bulk-cut from soft foam blocks and are often used in fundraisers or contests because of their affordability. Today, there are various novelty designs used, many tailored to individual teams. Hammers, talons, claws, and pitchforks are just a few of the newer patterns fans enjoy cheering with.

Cheering all day at the game can become uncomfortable though, whether you’re subjected to hard molded seats or cold metal bleachers. This is where foam steps in once again, to make showing your fandom that much comfier. In stadiums that allow them, cushioning bench pads soften hard seats, relieve pressure, and make it much easier to comfortably sit through a whole game. It cushions, pads and softens, but can also be used to show spirit as well. Cushions come in multitudes of colors so you can keep your team look consistent, and some even feature logos to go further in showing pride for your team. Before you head out to the ballpark, make sure you’re equipped to let your favorite team know that you’re on their side.

When an individual needs reduced noise or improved sound, the first areas that receive acoustic treatment are often the walls. However, in large rooms, open-space offices, and multi-story homes, more can be accomplished if you also address the space above you with acoustical treatment for your ceilings.

Ceilings are often neglected when a space is being treated for sound reduction with acoustical treatment. But in multiple-story structures, sound travels upward and downward just as easily as it moves outward. Ceilings are like noise lids, containing sounds and allowing echoes and reverberation. In large areas, like offices with multiple departments sectioned by dividers or cubicles under a shared ceiling, single departments are subjected to the whole floor’s noise. In an expansive classroom or auditorium, just a few voices can create sound reflections distracting enough to make hearing difficult for others. For these reasons, insulating sound in ceilings is vital for the acoustical treatment of a room. Fortunately, products exist for this very task, with foam mat sound barriers being affordable and fairly easy to implement.

In basements, acoustical drop ceiling tiles are great for clarifying sound and reducing noise sent to the floor above. Drop ceiling tiles are also very beneficial in offices or classrooms for cutting down on sound reflections, resulting in increased productivity and focus. Foam can be also factored into the acoustic construction of rooms. Closed-cell foam material sheets added between floors act as a sound deadening layer that can reduce noise, and some varieties also provide the added benefit of thermal insulation.

If you encounter noise issues and have looked all around for a solution, perhaps the problem isn’t all around you, but rather, above you.