Tried spray foam insulation on my own place, ended up calling a pro after two rooms

I've been framing and doing general carpentry for about 15 years now, so I figured insulating my own garage and bonus room would be a straightforward weekend gig. Bought one of those rental rigs from a supply house in Boise, watched a couple videos, felt confident. First room came out okay-ish, but the second one had this weird chemical smell that lingered for weeks and I noticed some gaps where the foam didnt expand right. Turns out the temperature was too cold for the mix, and the nozzles needed a specific cleaning routine I skipped. I called in a local spray crew to fix it, cost me about $1,100 extra on top of the rental fees. Learned my lesson that foam is one of those materials where the equipment and conditions matter more than raw effort. Has anyone else tried to DIY this and just made a bigger headache for themselves, or is it just me?

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jenniferblack21d ago

Gosh, that stinks! I totally get why you thought you could handle it, especially with your background. But honestly, that's the exact reason I've never tried it myself, the temperature and humidity stuff is way too finicky for a weekend project. You sort of proved my point that even with skill, the conditions have to be just right, and the cleanup is half the battle. I've seen guys do it perfectly on a cool, dry day and then totally mess it up a week later when it's damp out. The $1,100 extra is a brutal pill to swallow, but at least you know it's solid now and you didn't leave a mold factory in your walls.