expanding foam??

Misty-Bug

New member
you know that spray foam you can get that expands once it is out of the can? Well we were wondering if you can make a mold for the carseat and then use expanding foam instead of the pool noodles. So we would make a bolster type thing and then fill it with expanding foam then cut it better. I already had to replace the pool noodles cause it compressed too much. It was a quick install and so simple and I loved how smoothly it went in.

also, the bolsters that they sell.....do you need to replace THOSE after a set time cause they compress too much?

if anything we were thinking of filling the holes that are in the pool noodle with the expanding foam. To make it stronger.

I really hope this makes sense!
 
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keri1292

Well-known member
Hmmm...not sure how you'd make a mold? But, the noodles in your pic are the small ones with holes. We have the big thick ones and they compress, but never too much. More like the one you can buy. That would be your best bet.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
That's not a good idea. That spray stuff is toxic to breathe in if little bits of it shave off in a crash and end up airborne.

Kimberly
 

jdchic3

New member
Also, it's pretty breakable. Much more so than a noodle. It's possible you can fine a solid noodle, instead of one with a hole.
 

Misty-Bug

New member
i have yet to find a pool noodle without the hole. darn! Makes sense about the foam though. what about those bolsters you can buy? Do they deteriorate? Are they worth the money? are they any good?
 

southpawboston

New member
yeah, that expanding foam tends to crumble, much like stryofoam. also, it's hard to work with. most people tend to apply more than they need to, and it over-expands. and it can destroy the surfaces that it expands on to, because it has a solvent/glue base to it. you would have to line every surface of the mold with plastic (like garbage bag plastic) before making the mold. they use this stuff now as packaging for some things--custom molded to the item without having to make a styrofoam mold.

even though it can crumble somewhat, i wouldn't worry about airborne bits being toxic. the most toxicity is when it's still wet and expanding. the solvent is pretty nasty, as are the solvents in most adhesives. the dry foam is pretty much just expanded urethane-- pretty much inert if ingested.

i like the idea, actually! (but i don't think it can be implemented very well).
 
Last edited:

beeman

Active member
The one thing that worries me is that the expanding foam doesn't have as much give as a pool noodle and is more of a brittle foam. Southpaw pretty much summed it up. Use a garbage bag (one without any holes) as a mold, so it doesn't stick to other surfaces, because it does not come off, wet or dry. We've had a can explode in our basement :whistle: and then we rushed it outside in a panic. The trail is still there.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
i have yet to find a pool noodle without the hole. darn! Makes sense about the foam though. what about those bolsters you can buy? Do they deteriorate? Are they worth the money? are they any good?

You're talking about the ones designed specifically for car seats and are kind of triangular? Those are fantastic! They do get ridges from the car seat - or at least mine did, but it never compressed enough to change the angle or anything. Unfortunately I cut mine a little narrow when I cut it, but it still worked with the AO without a base.

Definitely worth the $12 - especially since pool noodles are going to be impossible to find very soon if they're not already. (I bought the last 2 at TRU just a couple weeks ago. I have to go check if CT still has some because I only have 3 right now.)
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
USA Baby (I know, not much help in Canada ;)) sells bolsters that are like sections of the large solid pool noodles without holes. They're probably 6" in diameter and about $8. I'll take a peek at the brand next time I'm in. Maybe you can find it from a retailer that's available to you.
 

Frenchie

New member
I've seen the solid noodles designed for carseat installs at Toys R Us. The ones I've seen are made by Sunshine Kids. I've also seen something similar at Babies R Us but it looks more like an arch. I've been having the same problem with the pool noodles compressing so I was just thinking about buying one.
 

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