Insulating van doors

[Almost There]

ERLH:  What would you store in van doors?

I hope you aren't going to tell me something I should have know when I lived in a van for months, carefully pointing out that I had wasted, unused space in that little Ford!

One of these days when I get a round tuit, I will be building out cabinets in the doors of the van.

There's actually some good usable space in them. When you take off the interior panels there's this big open area that is not used for door mechanisms, locks etc. They can be framed out quite nicely with a little ingenuity!

My front side cargo door is going to have a tilt out garbage bag space built in - the garbage bag hangs on the door handle now and after a year of living in it, it's still the most convenient spot I've found for the garbage bag.

The rear side cargo door will get a flip up table with an open storage compartment inside the door. Not sure what will go in there but I know I'll find something.

A lot of people use the two rear doors for things like quarts of engine oil, brake fluid, the roll of blue towels. jumper cables etc. All the small 'must carry' stuff that gets in the way and runs around the van loose in a lot of cases.

 

[Mobilesport]

Build over the doors with insulated doors.  Works for me.

That's about the only way to do it if you want to keep the heat  in.
I'm looking in to getting some kind of thick plastic sheets to cover the doors and door jambs , i need something that will stick to the walls and to itself.
I can feel a small draft now.

 

[B and C]

I can feel a small draft now.

You may find that putting your efforts towards making sure the rubber seals around the doors are sealing properly.  A lot less work and a more "elegant" finish.  Rubber seals dry out and get hard when they age.

My $0.02

 

[TrainChaser]

AlmostThere, you do that build, and when we meet, you'll need to explain to me how you did it, so I can do it.

 

[DrJean]

Personally I am moving away from the thought of using any spray foam.  Not only for the vapors and possible outgassing, but after a few years it begins to break down and dissipates into dust.  But having crumbling old spray foam (or any cheap foam) into the door mechanism is not something with which I want to contend in the future.  Something to think about.

Another van build the guy used BITHUTHENE ...  Sticky (on one side) thin rubber.  He stuck it everywhere inside on the bare metal.  I don't know about the outgassing on something like that and he didn't care to find out and tell me but maybe you can find it online? (The information.)

It sounds like the ideal item for the inside of the doors, unless, like me you might mount the campstove fold-up rack there.  I do plan on using that space though in one fashion or another, even if only to put prodex in and store upright canisters...vehicle supplies like oil or such?  Not knowing exactly how much space is there I can't offer more solutions...

 

[LeeRevell]

Just remember when using those void spaces for storage, they get hot from the sun on the outside of the body/door, and they can sweat from condensation.

 

[DrJean]

I agree you have to insulate vapor barrier whatever IMO all metal in the van... (Like your siggie btw)

 

[TrainChaser]

LR: "Just remember when using those void spaces for storage, they get hot from the sun on the outside of the body/door, and they can sweat from condensation."

Okay........ I could put sturdy flat bags of water in the doors to heat up, and drill holes in the bottom for drainage?

 

[questorfla]

I would think the bubble-wrap idea would be great for windows where you dont have a lot of options and want to still allow light to come in.   I think I will give that a try myself on the roof skylight of the van.  
But for empty cavity spaces such as inside doors and walls, it seems that it would not provide enough isolated dead-air to achieve the maximum amount of insulation for not just temperature but sound as well.  I HATE fiberglass of any kind and start to itch when i even think about it.   If it were not prohibitively expensive I would have done as someone else mentioned and pumped in a few cans of "Great Stuff" foam insulation.  But that option is also a one way street that cant be undone later if needed .  

I was wondering if anyone has seen a wholesale supplier for the special bubble wrap used to ship frozen or temperature sensitive food items?  I have seen packets made from a silvery material that feels like bubble wrap but is made to provide the maximum thermal protection for items that need to stay frozen or cold during shipping.  If it could be purchased cheaply, it is flexible enough to be stuffed into all kinds of oddly shaped cavities.
 
Innovative Energy is one company that makes the material and their may be others.  I will post back after i receive some samples and see how well it can be adapted to use in a Van or RV.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

How about a loose insulation like vermiculite?
You could seal up all holes and pour in at top of door panel.
If the doors don't have roll down windows, the vermiculite won't interfere with window mechanisms and door handle/locking mechanisms shouldn't be a problem.
Vermiculite is mineral and if it gets wet, it dries without compacting like fiberglass.

It would be easy to remove with a shop-vac (and reused) if repairs are needed.
R-value isn't great but not bad.

 

[jpaddler]

Doesn't vermiculite contain asbestos?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk