How Many Cans of PU Foam Do You Need? Yield per Can, per Door and per Window
A typical internal door frame with a 2 cm gap, 10 cm deep, needs about 10 litres of cured foam, and a 1.2 m by 1.2 m window with a 1.5 cm gap, 7 cm deep, needs about 5 litres. On the yields published on our product pages, that is roughly a quarter of a can of Hauser Basic (45 L) per door, a quarter to a third of a can of Akfix 805 (30 to 45 L) and half a can of Proson 606 (20 L). On site you rarely get the full published figure, so as general guidance plan on about half of it: one can of Hauser for every two doors, and about one can of Proson per door.
Step 1: work out the volume of the gap
Gap volume in litres = gap width (cm) × depth (cm) × perimeter (m) ÷ 10. For a door, foam the two jambs and the head, not the floor.
| Opening | Gap × depth | Foamed perimeter | Gap volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal door, 0.9 m × 2.1 m | 2 cm × 10 cm | 5.1 m (2 jambs + head) | about 10.2 L |
| Window, 1.2 m × 1.2 m | 1.5 cm × 7 cm | 4.8 m (all four sides) | about 5.0 L |
These are example sizes; measure your own. A 3 cm gap needs half as much foam again as a 2 cm gap.
What about filling to one third?
You run the wet foam in at about a third of the gap because it grows into the rest. A published yield is the volume of expanded foam a can gives, so compare it with the full gap volume above, not with a third of it. The one-third rule is about how you dispense, which our guide to using PU foam spray covers.
Step 2: convert the published yield into cans
Only three of the foams we stock carry a published yield: Hauser Basic 750 ml at 45 L, Akfix 805 at 30 to 45 L "depending on temperature and humidity", and Proson 606 at 20 L. As general guidance, a published yield is a best-case figure. In a real joint you lose foam to uneven gaps, starting and stopping a straw can, and trimming, so the half-yield column below is a general site allowance, not a manufacturer figure. For Akfix 805 we use the low end of the range.
| Foam | Published yield | Doors per can (published / half) | Windows per can (published / half) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser Basic 750 ml | 45 L | 4.4 / 2.2 | 9 / 4.5 |
| Akfix 805 | 30 to 45 L | 2.9 / 1.5 | 6 / 3 |
| Proson 606 | 20 L | 2.0 / 1.0 | 4 / 2 |
Worked example: a house with 10 doors and 15 windows
Using the example openings: 10 doors × 10.2 L plus 15 windows × 5.0 L comes to about 178 L of foam.
| Foam | Cans at published yield | Cans at half yield | Cheapest way to buy the half-yield quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser Basic | 4 | 8 | 8 singles, KSh 7,200 (a carton of 12 is KSh 10,200) |
| Akfix 805 | 6 | 12 | 1 carton of 12, KSh 10,800 |
| Proson 606 | 9 | 18 | 1 carton of 12 + 6 singles, KSh 12,000 |
Cost per litre, not cost per can
The cheapest can is not always the cheapest foam. Dividing today's price by the published yield gives the real comparison. Carton and pallet figures are the per-can price inside that pack.
| Foam | Single | Carton (per can) | Pallet (per can) | KSh per litre: single / carton / pallet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser Basic, 45 L | KSh 900 | KSh 10,200 for 12 (850) | KSh 480,000 for 600 (800) | 20.0 / 18.9 / 17.8 |
| Akfix 805, 30 to 45 L | KSh 950 | KSh 10,800 for 12 (900) | not offered | 21.1 to 31.7 / 20.0 to 30.0 |
| Proson 606, 20 L | KSh 700 | KSh 7,800 for 12 (650) | KSh 372,000 for 600 (620) | 35.0 / 32.5 / 31.0 |
On published figures, Hauser costs more per can than Proson but gives over twice the foam, so it works out the cheaper foam per litre at every pack size. For current per-can prices across every brand, see our PU foam price guide.
Foams with no published yield
We do not have a yield figure for Akfix 606, Sista PU Foam Universal, IG STAR IG-150, IG STAR IG-170 or Knicker PU Foam, so we do not estimate one. Akfix publish no technical data sheet for the 606 in their current range, and Henkel publish only a safety data sheet for the Sista can. To price a job with one, foam a measured opening with a single can and count.
750 ml versus 900 g
Millilitres are a volume and grams a weight, and IG STAR quote gross weight, which includes the can itself. Neither converts into litres of foam without the maker's yield. A heavier can of the same type generally holds more foam, but that is general guidance, not a figure you can plan a job on.
When a carton or pallet beats singles
A carton becomes the cheaper buy once you need more cans than the carton price divided by the single price:
| Foam | Single | Carton | Carton is cheaper from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser Basic | KSh 900 | KSh 10,200 (12) | 12 cans |
| Akfix 805 | KSh 950 | KSh 10,800 (12) | 12 cans |
| Proson 606 | KSh 700 | KSh 7,800 (12) | 12 cans |
| Akfix 606 | KSh 750 | KSh 8,400 (12) | 12 cans |
| IG STAR IG-150 | KSh 420 | KSh 4,560 (12) | 11 cans |
| IG STAR IG-170 | KSh 450 | KSh 4,920 (12) | 11 cans |
| Knicker PU Foam | KSh 500 | KSh 6,750 (15) | 14 cans |
Sista is sold only by the carton of 12, at KSh 14,880. A pallet of Hauser or Proson holds 600 cans, the same as 50 cartons, and costs less than 48 cartons, so it pays for itself once you need 48 cartons or more. That is a reseller or multi-site quantity; for one house, a carton is usually the right buy.
Not sure foam is the right product for the joint at all? See adhesive vs silicone vs foam.
Where to buy
Every foam above is in our PU foam collection, with piece, carton and pallet prices on each page. Collect from our Nairobi trade counter at Royal Business Park, opposite Complast, Old Mombasa Road, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 17:30, with free pickup, or order for countrywide delivery at a flat KSh 350, free on orders over KSh 15,000. Contractors and resellers can request a trade quote on our trade page, and you can send us your door and window list on WhatsApp for a quantity check.
Common questions
How many cans of PU foam do I need for one door frame?
For a typical internal door with a 2 cm gap and a 10 cm deep frame, about 10 litres of foam. Planning on half the published yield, that is about half a can of Hauser Basic, two-thirds of a can of Akfix 805 or one can of Proson 606. Wider gaps need proportionally more.
What is the yield of a can of PU foam?
It depends on the product. Hauser Basic 750 ml is published at 45 L, Akfix 805 at 30 to 45 L depending on temperature and humidity, and Proson 606 at 20 L. The other foams we stock carry no published yield.
Is the cheapest can the cheapest foam?
Not necessarily. Proson 606 is cheaper per can than Hauser Basic, but on published yields Hauser costs about KSh 20 per litre against about KSh 35 for Proson when bought as singles.
Should I buy a carton for one house?
If your count reaches 12 cans of Hauser Basic, Akfix or Proson, yes. For IG STAR the carton of 12 pays from 11 cans, and for Knicker the carton of 15 pays from 14 cans.