Todo's Insulation Thread

[Uncle Todo]

So yeah, I'm not 100% on using that yet, I went to HD primarily to get some sheet metal. The conversion company cuts the side supports out of the body to install the windows, and on mine they cut them back quite a bit further than what to me looks like what was needed.
So I'm going to cut and fold some pieces to screw to the supports and the window frames. I can see the sides bulging out from pressure closing doors, although the MaxxFan should alleviate any pressure I still want to reinforce those a bit.

 

[highdesertranger]

" The conversion company cuts the side supports out of the body to install the windows, and on mine they cut them back quite a bit further than what to me looks like what was needed."

that's "SOP" Standard Operating Procedure" when vans are converted.

as far as the insulation it's not that it absorbs moisture but it holds it. I don't know if that really explains it but if water were to get in there it would hold it for months maybe years. by the time anybody found it it would be a black moldy mess. I know I have seen it enough.

unless your walls are going to have 6 inches of space you are going to have to compress the stuff and that starts cutting the R-Value the more you compress it the lower the R-Value goes.

highdesertranger

 

[Uncle Todo]

Yes, I both know and agree with what you're saying, except for the compressing.
It comes compressed in a roll, one long piece rolled up and about 1" thick.
There were a couple open packs there, it wasn't decompressing or expanding to 6" thick. It may over time, but the expansion force isn't going to pop my walls off.

I'm not sure if I'll use it or not, but I don't see that it'll get that soggy anytime soon to be much of a rust concern.
But I want a batt type insulation to ease the install, if the material isn't ideal it may have to be a so be it deal.

 

[Uncle Todo]

Actually, I'll probably take back what I got and get this instead. Same thing but it says 3.5" thick.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Knauf-I...oll-3-1-2-in-x-15-in-x-32-ft-524187/303648136

I got the current stuff at a different HD than I normally go to, they didn't have it otherwise I would have gone with it initially.

 

[66788]

A wise man learns from the mistakes of others;

The fool learns from his own mistakes. (Unknown)

On the second line I would add: ...or not at all.

 

[Camper]

I just read that R-19 or R-13 fiberglass that's compressed down to 1-1/2" becomes about R-6.

 

[Uncle Todo]

The inside doesn't really matter so much, I'm going to veneer the outside with Foamular.
Hot dang, I've always wanted a pink foam camper van!

 

[Uncle Todo]

So I may very well end up doing the 1/2' Foamular in my latest revision.
This isn't due to not wanting to use the roll insulation, but ease of install as it'll sit flush over the windows allowing for simple large square pieces.
Then in the voids behind it I'll use Reflectix and in the conversion windows. Hopefully gives a cool silvery look to them lol.
Any who, I'm working on the floor now and hopefully onto the walls soon.

 

[Pavel]

I'm much interested in this topic. I have two things to add to the mix. One is that I would think that it would be a good idea that whichever insulation type is used, that a vapor barier, probably put next to the bottom or outside layer, should be a good idea to help with efficiency as it stops movement of air.

The other is that as someone who worked in thermoplastics a part of his life, I would be very eager to research which materials the foam style insulations are made of. The thing is that many of of the foam bases, and some of the rigid foam especially are made of chemicals that when exposed to high temperatures, they give off formaldehyde gasses in small, but potentially harmful amounts. For that reason, I'd be inclined to use old fashioned fiberglass or perhaps rock wool insulation, unless I can find out exactly what is in that foam insulation.