Closed and unopened containers of Polecrete^® and Postloc^® components should be stored out of direct sunlight at 50°-95°F (10°-35°C). RSP™ and Padcrete™ can be stored at temperatures up to 105°F (40°C).

Shelf life varies between products. RSP™ and Padcrete™ can be safely stored for twelve (12) months before use, while unopened Postloc^® components have a twenty-four (24)-month shelf life. Polecrete^® components have an indefinite shelf life, so long as it is stored under recommended conditions and proper care is taken to agitate the ISO (A) and Polyol (B) components before mixing, if the product has been stored for an extended period of time. All BMK products should be kept tightly sealed, as they are moisture-sensitive.

For best results, we recommend that all our products are kept within the recommended storage temperature range.

Yes. However, for best results, kits should be kept at 70°F (20°C) prior to use. In addition, holes should be augured at the same time the product will be used.

Yes.

No. Following the initial product cure, outside temperatures do not affect performance.

No.

No.

In rigid form, no, but in liquid form, yes. For optimal results, we recommend that foam should be kept at 70°F (20°C) or above before use.

15 minutes at 70°F (20°C). Colder temperatures can lengthen curing times.

No.

Freezing and thawing has no effect on the cured foam.

Testing has confirmed that there was no change in the properties of the chemicals after being frozen. Color, appearance, reactivity and density were not affected when subjected to below freezing temperatures for a 2 week period.

No.

Yes. Both a Technical Data Sheet and a Safety Data Sheet for all BMK products are available for download. They can be found on the Product Downloads/Documents page, as well as on each individual product page.

We ask that users wear eyewear that conforms to the ANSI Z87.1 D3 standard, as well as chemical-resistant gloves, when using BMK products. A pair of gloves is included in each BMK product package. Face masks or respirators are not required but certainly recommended.

No. BMK foam products release carbon dioxide (CO2) when mixed.

Yes. Instructions are provided with each kit. We also have a number of how-to videos available on our site in the Resource Center. BMK representatives can also provide an in-person demo to your crew at no additional charge.

Yes. Do not burn the cured foam.

Please refer to the individual Technical Data Sheets and Safety Data Sheets for each BMK product. Those are available for download here.

No.

All BMK products are classified as non-hazardous by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT). They have also been confirmed as having zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP).

No.

While most closed-cell urethanes typically float in water, BMK foam products have been used successfully in marshy environments. Once set, our foam’s performance is typically much better in these environments when compared to concrete or other tamping/holding materials.

In liquid form, BMK foam products should not be consumed. After the foam has cured, it is not digestible and does not break down.

No.

No.

Yes. Cured urethane foam is legally acceptable to be disposed of in landfills.

Yes. However, typically when a pole is removed from the ground, the urethane will come out of the ground with it. This is a testament to the holding strength of BMK foam products.

Yes. Empty plastic containers can be recycled or placed in landfills.

Rigid, properly mixed urethane foam is totally inert. Liquid urethane seals the pores of a wooden pole, which not only preserves the pole but also keeps wood treatments and preservatives from leaching into the soil.

80 pounds-per-square-inch (PSI) is the limit.

Yes, over and above the aforementioned limit of 80 psi.

Standard electric utility constraints should be followed. The usual equation for this is depth setting= 10% of pole length + 2 feet.

Yes. All standard electric utility constraints should be followed.

No. Standard electric utility constraints should be followed. BMK foam products, after they expand and cure, will occupy the excavation space. This reduces or eliminates the amount of soil needed to be used as backfill.

No.

Place an auger next to the pole and auger down greater than half-way the original buried length. Then, pull the pole into the augured slot.

None.

We do not have a definitive answer, but suspect it is forever. BMK Products has been in existence since 1988, and we know that foam used in installations from that time has lasted until the present day.

No. BMK products have the same bonding properties no matter the material used.

No.

No.

Yes. Use crushed limestone to dissipate the water, or fill with limestone up to the water level, before filling with Polecrete or another BMK foam product.

No. BMK foam forms a permanent bond directly to the pole, which keeps water out and also typically prevents shrinkage.

No. The foam forms a permanent bond directly to the pole, keeping water out.

No. The condition of the soil or pole does not affect the bonding of the foam to the pole.

If the pole is properly grounded, the foam used to set the pole has little to no effect on the grounding. The pole must either have a pole ground butt plate installed or wound copper nailed to the bottom of the pole. The ground wire should be attached to that and run up the pole and attached per RUS construction methods. If the butt of the pole remains in direct contact with the soil, the foam that surrounds the butt does not interfere with electricities path to ground. A preferred method to grounding a pole set in foam would be to drive a ground rod outside the circumference of the foam plug supporting the pole in the ground and attach the pole ground wire to that.