Insulation: Creating Dead Air

[squirbel]

I've been reading about insulation, and the word is that dead air does not transfer temperatures.

So on top of having foam insulation, I could create dead air space to increase the insulation value, right?

My project is for insulating my box truck. What if I took one piece of foam, applied two layers of thick double sided tape, and applied another piece of foam to that? Dead air, right?

 

[bee]

Seems like a sound idea to me.  Though I want to say that insulation generally insulates better then just an air gap because the air will move "convection".  Other options might also be to use one thick piece of insulation.  If that is to ridged then possibly fiberglass insulation for the curve and something else for the interior wall.

 

[Scott_1776]

Try bubble wrap as those little air bubbles are a bunch of dead air space and heat transfer will be limited to conduction and not convection.  Foam board installation is micro dead air spaces (very little air bubbles in the foam).  There's been some conversion logs that have used cheap bubble wrap to fill spaces to add R value instead of the more expensive expansion foam (and toxic) or the itchy fiberglass stuff. Either way, your on the right track.

 

[squirbel]

There isn't a curve in a box truck >.>

Thanks guys!

 

[Possum]

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: large;">A huge HELLO to</span><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">&nbsp;<span style="font-size: large;">everybody</span></span><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><img src="/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><span style="font-size: large;">.......I guess I got lucky with the box van I picked up for a grand as it has 3 inches of insulation all the way around , top and bottom! &nbsp;It used to be a ice cream delivery van.......The walls, ceiling, floor are encased by 1/8 thick rolled aluminum, pretty durable. I think your going in the right direction/choice for insulation!<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">.......</span><br><br><br><br></span>

 

[creationode]

The idea of dead air space is dead on, and totally worth including in your insulation plans.&nbsp; It is the tried and true method to insulate the roof of a house from the ceilings, and earthships, or even LEED buildings, take the dead air method to the maximum, using double external walls and more.<br><br>The foam board insulation is NOT that expensive for what it will provide you with, and you really will not need THAT much of it...<br><br>Creating a double-walled van/box truck insulation should be fairly easy.<br><br>When I insulate my van, I will focuse mainly on the floor, then the ceiling...the walls are irrelevant to me at this point, as I can actually feel the engine heat and pavement in the floor...and the ceiling is blasted by the sun, so I plan to put a board/cover on my roof rack to provide shade.<br><br>Putting the bubble wrap between the sheets of insulation sounds like a prime idea, and I plan to emulate it myself.<br><br>My FIRST layer will be a good bed liner on the walls...I know it off-gases, but I plan to drive around plenty to vent it, and largely stay out of the back during the drying time.&nbsp; I am not worried so much about VOCs hurting me ATM...there are many, worse things to get me so far.&nbsp; <br><br>My SECOND layer will be the foam board insulation, mounted on very short wood ribs/runners, to create a first dead-air space between the coated wall and the board.&nbsp; I can use this space to run wires if I need.&nbsp; <br><br>My THIRD layer will be the bubble wrap, simply stapled/tacked to the foam board.&nbsp; I do not like to use lots of adheisives, and am comfortable enough with metal and building techniques to be able to focus on fasteners.<br><br>My FOURTH layer will be some kind of fascia wood paneling.&nbsp; HD sells some for very good prices, and some of it is quite attractive.&nbsp; It is VERY thin, and stainable.&nbsp; I will simply staples/tack/screw this fascia to another set of ribs/runners.<br><br>My idea is to create at least two dead-air spaces, with a little room left for wiring/very thing PEX tubing plumbing, and to provide me with a nice, homey wood wall space to attach whatever comes next in terms of internal fixtures.&nbsp; I will have to attach the foam board and wood fascia in segments, to keep the wall curve.&nbsp; Wherever the gap lies, I will simply cover that gap in reflective/aluminum tape, and matching wood veneer tape.<br><br>The floor, is an entirely different animal, and still bugs me.&nbsp; I want to raise it a little bit, but not so much to make me bend over even more.&nbsp; I plan to install a different floor system in the area that will be under my bed.&nbsp; So...that is another topic entirely.<br><br><strong><span style="font-size: large;">FOAM BOARD INSULATION AND BUBBLE WRAP, YES!</span></strong>