Here, you will find the most frequently asked questions by customers about our foams. These are only basic questions about foam and not about specific areas of application. You can see answers to specific areas of application in our online guide.
1. Are foams heavy?
Our foams are very light compared to some other building materials. There are indeed lighter foams (for example, Basotect) and heavier foams (for example, ester absorber), but even the heavy foams are still relatively light. Thus a cubic metre of Basotect would weigh only about 9Kg - a cubic metre of ester absorber approximately 35Kg. The sheets which we offer have only up to a maximum of 0.2 cubic metre volume (for example, ester absorber 100 x 200 x 10cm) - the weight of this “heavy" sheet is thus only a few kilograms.
2. Are foams malleable?
Yes, all our foams, except Quash, are fully flexible and can be compressed and bent. They are also reversible, that is, they return to their original state after deformation. Our ester and PUR foams are extremely flexible. Our Basotect is somewhat firmer (it does not buckle when you position it, for example), but you can bend this foam also. Only our Quash is hard and stiff and can hardly be bent.
3. Can you paint and coat foams?
This is possible in principle, but you destroy the sound-absorbing effect if you do so because you then clog the pores and the surface hardens, and thus incident sound waves are reflected again. If you use foams for decorative purposes, (for example, stage design, etc.), then it does not matter naturally. We offer our customers the option of concealing Basotect with colour. We have developed a process in which the sheets are sprayed and the absorption remains largely unaffected. Furthermore, we offer coloured PUR foams.
4. Is water harmful to foams?
Yes, if foams constantly become wet and then dry again, their service life is drastically reduced. The structures become porous and disintegrate over time. Open-cell foams absorb water like a sponge. You should thus ensure that water does not come into contact with foams. High humidity is not optimal either. You should thus ventilate relevant rooms (classrooms, rehearsal rooms, etc.) well.
5. Can you make foams which are highly flammable subsequently flame-resistant?
Although it is theoretically possible, we do not offer it for safety reasons. Choose our flame-retardant Basotect from the outset for your own safety. You are on the safe side with it. In many facilities (child care centres, industrial buildings and production facilities, schools, offices, gyms or other venues), you are usually legally obliged to install only relevant materials. Ask the local fire brigade or local authority and clarify with which fire protection regulations you must comply. Also weigh up yourself how great the risk is that an open fire may occur, for example, due to lightning, a cable fire, etc.
6. How do you mount foams?
You can easily mount foam because it is very light compared to other materials such as wood, metal or plastic. There should be few static problems. Foams are usually adhered. For customers who want to avoid residues on surfaces (rental property, etc.), there is our hook system with which you can also simply suspend our firmer foams such as Basotect, for example. Read more about the various mounting options below.
1. Adhering
Foams are usually adhered. Double-sided adhesive tape is, unfortunately, unlikely to hold in most cases. All the self-adhesive foams in our ranges are very easy to mount - here, you just pull off a protective film at the back and can thus adhere the foam to virtually all dust and grease-free surfaces. Alternatively, you can also order from us separate adhesive such as spray adhesive or mounting adhesive - the mounting adhesive is applied by means of putty on the wall or ceiling and the foam sheets are then pressed briefly - they hold immediately. The heavier the foams, the more adhesive you need naturally.
2. Inlay systems for stiff foams like Basotect or Quash
With our premium product Basotect, you have the option of dispensing with adhesive if you have installed relevant inlay systems on the ceiling or on the walls and can simply insert the sheets there - Basotect is stable in shape and does not bend compared to other foams.
3. Suspending foams by means of hooks (for example, for our Basotect)
You can simply suspend Basotect by means of our hook system. In this case, you need only our hook sets, which you simply screw into the foam. You also need hooks from the hardware store, which you drill into the wall. You can then stretch a rope (made of nylon or steel) across the room and suspend the Basotect foams with the hooks. Thus you minimise soiling or wear and tear of ceilings and walls due to adhesive residues, but have only small holes in the walls, which you can simply seal again when dismantling. However, this is only suitable with firmer foams in which you can also screw our hooks - you will have problems screwing the thread of the hook system into the foam with very soft foams.
4. Alternative mounting options
...there are only a few - you can also nail or staple the sheets, but they will rarely hold well or look well. Adhering certainly requires the least effort. Our adhesives are water soluble - if you want to dismantle the sheets again, you will naturally find residues on the subsurface, but it should be possible to remove these well with some water and a spatula.
7. Are foam materials a health hazard?
No, in principle! Foam material is a chemical product. Gases that are unhealthy develop during the manufacturing process. However, this process is complete after foaming. Foams are harmless in terms of your health. Incidentally, foams are to be found in many areas of daily life: in cars, aircraft, in your couch or in your bed in the form of a mattress. A certain smell is initially quite normal (as in a new car, for example) - but this disappears relatively quickly and is absolutely harmless.
8. Foam material is always the same, isn’t it?Why should you buy a more expensive convoluted foam if there are other convoluted foams which are less expensive?
Do you often buy bread rolls at the bakery? Does it annoy you when you cut the bread and discover here that only air was included and little dough? This is comparable with foams - one is “more airy" and of inferior quality, while the other is more fine-pored in contrast. As a customer, it is difficult for you to determine the differences in quality. Our foams are especially suitable for acoustic use and are of particularly high quality. You will determine this if you touch the foam and see the fine pores, and you will also determine after some years that the service life of our foams is particularly long. Our foam is also completely manufactured and cut in Germany - we thus ensure that no CFCs are released during production or that no employees have to work for dumping wages. Unfortunately, some other providers see it differently. Therefore, ask exactly before you accept something like this due to a seemingly reasonable price.
9. Smell of foam
Foams initially have their own smell, which becomes less over time, and finally adopts the environmental smells. The smell can be stronger or weaker initially depending on the extent to which the manufacturing process has progressed. However, the smell becomes neutral over time in any case. Good ventilation can accelerate this process.
10. The myth of the egg carton
Forget egg cartons! These are of little or no use. We are unaware of the origin of this myth or how it arose, but customers tell us about it on an almost daily basis - save yourself the the work and money and do not mount egg cartons under any circumstances. Use proper acoustic foam materials from the outset.