A Different Way To Do Insulation - With Fabric and Foam Board

[tbivangirl]

A lot of people ask me about the fabric on my walls and ceiling. Well, it's actually my insulation! In this video (here), I show you how I insulated my van with foam board and fabulous fabric - with a little help from my friend Robert. Its an easy, quick, inexpensive way to get your rig insulated and ready for the road. Happy and safe travels!

Materials Used:
- Foam Board Insulation, 3/4" and 1" thick
- Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive
- Loctite® PL® 300 VOC Foamboard Adhesive
- Fabric, various sizes and types
- Scissors, Single blade utility knife
- Bungee cords, poles or anything else that works to secure covered boards to walls and ceilings while drying

NOTE: Although the heavy duty, industrial strips of velcro would probably also work for adhering the foam board to metal, I chose the Liquid Nails adhesive to keep the cost down. Plus I didn't want to "rough up" the surface (for resale later). The liquid nails adhesive used in this video has continued to work really well.

I hope this helps with some new ideas, and that you enjoy the video. Thanks!

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

Saw your video demonstration of this last week --- thought it was an inventive and colorful way to get something we all need completed. Well done!!!

 

[AbuelaLoca]

I already knew I wanted fabric on the walls, but I thought I was going to have to wrap plywood, so I loved seeing this in action and I'm pretty sure (I'm such a waffler right now) I'm gonna go this route!! Thanks for the great demonstration, Debra (and Robert)!!

 

[jaxtonsgram]

Debra: thanks for sharing this. We need to redo the walls on our old motor home and I had thought of using fabric but hadn't thought how, so this is a wonderful idea. We were going to use wood but that would add a lot of weight. My one objection ( for me) was how to keep it clean. I could picture myself opening a can of pop and it spraying all over and ruining my fabric. (I'm prone to make messes). Do you have any thothoughts on how to protect the fabric? I had thought of maybe using polyurethane or varnish over the fabric. Does anyone know if that would ruin the fabric or insulation? Does anyone have ideas of what would protect the fabric? Great idea and video Debra, thanks for the video. I'm excited about this idea. Nora

 

[TrainChaser]

Jaxtonsgram: Use upholstery fabric, and spray it with Triplex Green Guard protectorant, which doesn't have the flurocarbons like ScotchGuard. Here is the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for it, which appears to indicate that it's only dangerous if you drink it or rub it into your eyes: https://www.sun-beltusa.com/skin/frontend/default/default/pdf/Green_Guard_RTU_SDS_2015.pdf

It costs about $40/gallon, but it should be diluted. I don't know if it comes in a smaller (like a quart) container -- don't see it right off. It's also good for protecting carpet. If you have a local upholstery place, talk to them and see if you could buy a smaller container, or at least buy it w/o shipping costs. Also, there may be other brands of a similar VOC-free product.

From their website:
Directions: Use as a topical spray or add to your cleaning solution.
Dilute 1 to 9 with water and apply at a rate of 600 sq.ft. per diluted gallon.
Total coverage area: 6000 sq.ft. per gallon

 

[jaxtonsgram]

Thanks train chaser. I'll check into that. Nora

 

[tbivangirl]

Debra: thanks for sharing this. We need to redo the walls on our old motor home and I had thought of using fabric but hadn't thought how, so this is a wonderful idea. We were going to use wood but that would add a lot of weight. My one objection ( for me) was how to keep it clean. I could picture myself opening a can of pop and it spraying all over and ruining my fabric. (I'm prone to make messes). Do you have any thothoughts on how to protect the fabric? I had thought of maybe using polyurethane or varnish over the fabric. Does anyone know if that would ruin the fabric or insulation? Does anyone have ideas of what would protect the fabric? Great idea and video Debra, thanks for the video. I'm excited about this idea. Nora

Jaxtonsgram:  Use upholstery fabric, and spray it with Triplex Green Guard protectorant, which doesn't have the flurocarbons like ScotchGuard.  Here is the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for it, which appears to indicate that it's only dangerous if you drink it or rub it into your eyes:  https://www.sun-beltusa.com/skin/frontend/default/default/pdf/Green_Guard_RTU_SDS_2015.pdf

It costs about $40/gallon, but it should be diluted.  I don't know if it comes in a smaller (like a quart) container -- don't see it right off.  It's also good for protecting carpet.  If you have a local upholstery place, talk to them and see if you could buy a smaller container, or at least buy it w/o shipping costs.  Also, there may be other brands of a similar VOC-free product.

From their website:  
Directions:   Use as a topical spray or add to your cleaning solution.
Dilute 1 to 9 with water and apply at a rate of 600 sq.ft. per diluted gallon.
Total coverage area: 6000 sq.ft. per gallon

TrainChaser, thank you for replying to jaxtonsgram, Nora. I wasn't online yesterday. Nora, I was going to say that I used scotchguard on my fabric, but I really like the non-toxic solution TrainChaser provided. TrainChaser, I have a few people that have asked the same thing on my YT channel. I am going to share this info with them too. Thanks again to both of you!

 

[tbivangirl]

Saw your video demonstration of this last week --- thought it was an inventive and colorful way to get something we all need completed.  Well done!!!

I already knew I wanted fabric on the walls, but I thought I was going to have to wrap plywood, so I loved seeing this in action and I'm pretty sure (I'm such a waffler right now) I'm gonna go this route!! Thanks for the great demonstration, Debra (and Robert)!!

Thank you Thirsty Boots Nomad and AbuelaLoca (both of you have great IDs btw). I'm glad you found the video helpful. Best wishes!

 

[TrainChaser]

A belated thought on the gallon of flurocarbon-free fabric protector: If someone HAD to buy a gallon of the stuff (the only option), maybe you could 'share' it (liquid and cost) with others who like your idea. It certainly appeals to ME, as I was planning on doing almost the same thing! Like.... if you were going to be at the next RTR.....

 

[CraigL]

Fabrics? Consider testing the watery silicone-based sealants intended for grout and concrete. I do leatherwork and woodcarving, so I was looking for a sealant that wouldn't change the appearance of open leather. Tho evey sealant intended to be applied to these materials failed the appearance test, the silicone grout sealant from home depot worked GREAT.
Might work here, if fabrics are mounted?

 

[TrainChaser]

CraigL has offered another possibility.

I googled 'liquid silicone sealant concrete' and a line of them showed up w/prices. This one was cheapest at $40/gal, AND it's water-based: http://www.concretesealersusa.com/p...le&utm_medium=product_search&site=google_base priced at

Here is its MSDS: http://www.concretesealersusa.com/content/pdfs/1001_PS101MaterialSafetyDataSheet.pdf ......... which shows non-toxic.

BUT... when I did that search, one of the other things that popped up was a gallon of 'water glass' aka Sodium Silicate, for $28/gal. I recently paid more than that for a QUART of it at a drug store.

Checking the MSDS on it, they warn against skin and eye contract, and against drinking it, but all of the warnings are for the liquid, and I don't see any for the dried product: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/bf/bfcc73a7-f27c-43ab-a626-ddea373885aa.pdf .......... so if you wear protective goggles and gloves and use some common sense, it should be okay, with no off-gassing afterward. Also, it's available at or through Home Depot.

And, since I have some, I'm going to do a test to see what happens, both to the foam and to the fabric, and see how shiny it looks.

 

[DuneElliot]

And here I was thinking I was the only one using fabric on the walls except I used burlap for a very rustic look, overlaid with animals hides.

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

And here I was thinking I was the only one using fabric on the walls except I used burlap for a very rustic look, overlaid with animals hides.

Pictures?!?!?  Please!?!?!?

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Reminds me of Backroad Vanner's van.

 

[DuneElliot]

Pictures?!?!?  Please!?!?!?

Not trying to hijack the thread but the animal hides I used are also great insulation too...double duty as decoration and insulation   

It's heavily viking-influenced

Now back to the OP...

 

[TrainChaser]

I've used animal hide, but the animals were still in them...

 

[Treenotion]

I know this is an old Post, but I'd still like thoughts about my idea.  I think the faux leather alligator fabric would look so great in my Astro, but I read it has toxic properties.  They cover headboards with it.  Do I worry about it being in the ceiling of my van?  I sleep under it of course.  Can't I just let it air out?  It's so pretty.

 

[RowanFae]

My idea for fabric over insulation was to sew elastic into the fabric, like a fitted sheet, and slide over the insulation. This way I can remove the fabric easily for washing and check easily for mold. I was planning on sewing magnets into the hem to attach to the metal walls/ceiling to make it easier to remove from walls, again to clean and check for mold. Having Lupus and asthma, avoiding allergen triggers is huge.

It's all just an idea, I don't know if it would work, but when I get my van that is what I plan on doing. Or at least trying.