Hello all, I remember a while back someone had built a nice martin house from 4 x8 sheets of foam construction insulation. Can someone tell me the type or brand name of the foam sheets? I'd also like to know the name of the adhesive that was used to glue it together.
I've stumbled across enough scrap aluminum sheet to build a really nice martin house exterior and was thinking of doing the inside floors and walls in the foam sheeting.
Thanks, db
Foam Martin House Construction Materials???
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Jim Gramke
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:17 am
- Location: Florida/Grant Valkaria
I used 3/4" pink foam board for the walls and room dividers and 1 1/2" white styrofoam for the floors and roof. They specify an adhesive but I used Liquid Nails and it worked fine. I also am going to cover the outside with aluminum.
I first used that same design for a house made of wood and it's great but quite heavy, 75# for a 12 cavity house.
When I finish this foam one I'll give a comparison.
Good luck,
Jim G.
I first used that same design for a house made of wood and it's great but quite heavy, 75# for a 12 cavity house.
When I finish this foam one I'll give a comparison.
Good luck,
Jim G.
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Guest
I was experimenting with different foams and never found one that I felt had any structural integrity.
I received a package recently that had foam packing and that stuff, what ever its called would be ideal, it was 1" thick and it took some effort to break it.It was really tough,so if you are going to build one find that .
I'm sorry I can't say who makesit but just don't settle for anything less, its available,,,,,,,,,,keep looking.
dick
I received a package recently that had foam packing and that stuff, what ever its called would be ideal, it was 1" thick and it took some effort to break it.It was really tough,so if you are going to build one find that .
I'm sorry I can't say who makesit but just don't settle for anything less, its available,,,,,,,,,,keep looking.
dick
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Bernie Nikolai
- Posts: 402
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:44 pm
- Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Hi db,
I've made several foam houses over the last 3 years, and the martins really, really like them. I had 100% occupancy in two styrofoam houses last year at one of my satellite sites (each had 10 large compartments), and 5/6 compartments chosen at a new site last year on a 6 unit house.
Foam board's strength is measured by "compression". So the Dow blueboard I use has a compression of 16 lbs per inch before it crushes. The large beaded foam used to package electronics usually has a compression of only about one lb. per inch. The pink board made by Owen's Corning is almost as strong as the blue Dow product.
The key with foam houses is the coating on the outside to prevent damage by hail and bird pecks. I have used fiberglass cloth and epoxy, which makes a hard, plastic coating over the outside which makes the styrofoam houses about as sturdy as a natural gourd is in terms of hail protection. The only part of the inside of the house you need to worry about is the floor, especially the part immediately under the nest bowl. The martins scratch this a bit in some cases, but a quick coating of fiberglass cloth and one coat of epoxy makes for an excellent, good traction and very durable floor.
Lastly I have found it absolutely essential to use SREH on my styrofoam houses. They are EXTREMELY attractive to starlings, and round holes just won't work unless you have zero starlings in your area. But in a nutshell styrofoam housing is easy to make, inexpensive, extremely well insulated, very lightweight (no winch needed to hoist the house up and down with a pulley and rope), and very readily used by martins, especially in my northern climate.
I've made several foam houses over the last 3 years, and the martins really, really like them. I had 100% occupancy in two styrofoam houses last year at one of my satellite sites (each had 10 large compartments), and 5/6 compartments chosen at a new site last year on a 6 unit house.
Foam board's strength is measured by "compression". So the Dow blueboard I use has a compression of 16 lbs per inch before it crushes. The large beaded foam used to package electronics usually has a compression of only about one lb. per inch. The pink board made by Owen's Corning is almost as strong as the blue Dow product.
The key with foam houses is the coating on the outside to prevent damage by hail and bird pecks. I have used fiberglass cloth and epoxy, which makes a hard, plastic coating over the outside which makes the styrofoam houses about as sturdy as a natural gourd is in terms of hail protection. The only part of the inside of the house you need to worry about is the floor, especially the part immediately under the nest bowl. The martins scratch this a bit in some cases, but a quick coating of fiberglass cloth and one coat of epoxy makes for an excellent, good traction and very durable floor.
Lastly I have found it absolutely essential to use SREH on my styrofoam houses. They are EXTREMELY attractive to starlings, and round holes just won't work unless you have zero starlings in your area. But in a nutshell styrofoam housing is easy to make, inexpensive, extremely well insulated, very lightweight (no winch needed to hoist the house up and down with a pulley and rope), and very readily used by martins, especially in my northern climate.
He who harbors the nesting bird shall have health and happiness all the year
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Guest
I wonder what a temp study of one of those would be. Probably excellent for us southern folk. Would save me from standing outside with a water hose, I am sure!
Thanks everyone for the replies. You've got my wheels turning.
The aluminum I have would allow for a house approximately 19"x 19"x 60"
or 32 compartments 9" x 9" x 7".
(I sometimes have a tendency to get carried away and over do things.)
The aluminum I have would allow for a house approximately 19"x 19"x 60"
or 32 compartments 9" x 9" x 7".
(I sometimes have a tendency to get carried away and over do things.)