How warm must a foam can be in cold weather?
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Check the can, the surface and the outdoor temperature separately before you start.
For SoudaFoam All Season, keep the can above 5°C for the sheet’s yield and cure-time figures, and within its stated application range of 5–35°C. Soudal recommends 10–25°C for both can and surface. A cold-weather rating doesn’t mean you can use a freezing can: the sheet’s low ambient extrusion rating of −25°C still requires a can at least 5°C.
A warm can doesn’t settle the surface temperature
Working outside at −10°C? Check the surface too. The sheet says the foam can extrude at ambient temperatures down to −25°C, but its application instructions list both can and surface temperatures at 5–35°C. It also says the product can be applied at frost temperatures, without explaining how that fits the surface limit.
Don’t treat the −25°C figure as permission to apply onto a −25°C surface. If your surface is below 5°C, get clarification from Soudal for that condition before proceeding.
What to check before opening the can
Confirm the exact product name first. These figures belong to SoudaFoam All Season; use the instructions for the can you’re holding if it’s another foam.
Check can and surface temperatures against the application range, aiming for the recommended 10–25°C. For storage, Soudal specifies a cool, dry place at 5–25°C, with the valve pointing upwards.
Can left in a freezing vehicle? The supplied sheet gives no warming method or conditioning time. Don’t guess at a hot-water temperature or heating time. Ask Soudal for the approved procedure before using that can.
Allow for the colder cure figures
With the can above 5°C, Soudal lists cure times of 1.5 hours at 20°C ambient, 3–5 hours at 0°C, 8–10 hours at −10°C and 10–12 hours at −25°C. Those are the sheet’s listed figures, not a promised completion time for your installation.
The 8-minute skin-formation figure is measured at 20°C and 65% relative humidity. Don’t use it as a cold-weather cure time. The cured foam’s temperature resistance of −40°C to 90°C is a separate property and doesn’t set the temperature at which you can apply it.
Confirm the conditions for your job
Check the SoudaFoam All Season product details before ordering. For clarification, give Cranco the product name, can temperature, surface material and temperature, and expected outdoor temperature.
The supplied Soudal USA sheet carries a 2016 revision date. Confirm the current instructions for the product supplied in Canada, particularly if you need to work below the stated surface-temperature range.