Installing Campervan Insulation in our DIY Sprinter Campervan - Ep: 8 | Adventure in a Backpack
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Trying to find the best way to insulate a van was a tedious process. Campervan Insulation is a debated subject and there are many types of van insulation. No one way is right or wrong, but this is how we decided how to insulate a van.
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We built a 100% DIY Campervan so we could travel full-time and take adventures around North America. Want to see how we built it? Check out this playlist: • How to Prep The Floor ...
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Nate and Steph are a couple of crazy adventurers who decided that life was too short to spend their time and money accumulating "stuff." So, they set out in an RV in January 2016 to travel North America and replace their stuff with experiences. In March 2017, they sold their RV and bought a Sprinter Van, which they built out into a campervan to continue their travels and adventures in #vanlife style.
Both originally from the small town of Blanchard, Oklahoma, Nate and Steph enjoy learning about new cultures and experiencing different ways of life across the world. They like to meet new people from all walks of life and just sit and have a beer with whoever shows up. It's all about spontaneity in this life!
They travel with their two pups, Pyros and Sparta, who have become great travelers and adventure pups as well.
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Want to work/collaborate with us? Email Nate@Adventureinabackpack.com
Want to see how the final project turned out? This video is a must see: th-cam.com/video/srZyAUh4iU0/w-d-xo.html
“The best type of insulation is insulation that’s installed.” I laughed out loud at that and it took a little pressure off as I’m watching countless videos on insulating. Thanks 😉
YOU & YOUR WIFE DID A SUPBERB JOB TOGETHER AS A TEEM PROJECT. WHAT WE DON'T SEE ANYMORE & WE NEED TO SEE MORE COUPLES WORKING TOGETHER NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER. EXCELLENT JOB YOU TWO. YOU BOTH NEED A SHOUT OUT.
Aw man! You're awesome! :D :D That's what we love to hear. We are very lucky to be able to do what we do and sync up when we are working. It does seem like a rarity. Thanks again! :D
Great work.
I like that you foamed all the cracks
if you install a panel with tube of silicone or construction adhesive, apply it in circles. the circle forms a suction cup and will hold the work better until it dries.
Silicone holds very well.
64maxpower Thanks! Good idea! I'd never heard of that before. I was surprised at how well the expanding foam held the panels in place. That's some sticky stuff!
Obviously far to late but you are supposed to wait till both surfaces you spray with that glue are tacky and then put the surfaces together. Probably wouldn't have needed the supports if you did that. Just an FYI if anyone reads this. Though it does look like excellent work you guys did!
Thanks so much! Yeah, we were just following the instruction that were on the can. lol At least for the ceiling, the supports were nice because of how much even pressure we needed to make them form to the roof. The supports on the sides would have been nice to do without.
so scientific measuring temperature with your hands, brilliant!
Haha! Exactly! lol :D
OH ,, GIRL WORKS ,,, CONSTANTLY,,,,
Insulation is a good place to overkill. It will pay off later. Job well done :)
One can of Great Stuff can be used multiple times if you simply use a can of carburetor cleaner to dissolve the foam in the tube and spray nozzle.
Carburetor cleaner is spray acetone. Acetone dissolves styrofoam.
So you can do that if you want to. But if you want to do it all in one run that's fine too. I have done it both ways.
Love the van. Please come do mine.
Uncle Kent isn’t that how you make napalm?
@@StephenShreds No napalm is gasoline and styrofoam
This was an informative video and thanks for posting it! Finally I bought a van yesterday; a low miles 1994 G20 conversion with the little high top. I plan on ripping out the interior and building my own. I test drove a few cargo vans first and didn't notice until I drove the one I bought how handy having windows on the right side was. I would suggest adding a window on the right side because when you pull out of a side road and the intersection is at an angle vs. a "T" how those windows make it easier to see oncoming traffic. I realize I will have to have insulated and removable window inserts. Good Luck with your build! I can't wait until I get started on mine after I go thru the mechanicals and make sure it's safe.
Thanks for watching! You're very welcome! Sounds like an awesome project! Those angle intersections are definitely tricky. Most of the time, I can kind of swing around a little further and kind of turn it into a T intersection. For the times I can, Stephanie is always willing to lend a watchful eye. Good luck with your build!! :D :D
Great video. This is exactly how I plan on my upcoming build and also thanks for the rattle trap tape concept. The only thing I won't use is that good stuff spray insulation to fill in the cracks. Instead I'll just cut tiny strips of cotton or polyester batting and use tape, and just stuff the ribs with batting as well. That spray stuff is just too damn messy. Besides I live in southern California so I really don't need to go overboard with my insulation and I won't insulate the floor either. Good job you two!
nice to see this kind of cool peoples in this world full of chaos.
I'm loving your progress. I bought a 170" sprinter at the beginning of March. My brain is absolutely fried with the hours I've spent researching and planning. I think i'm paralyzed. I've installed a maxair fan and roof rails. Added sound dampener and Insulated the rear doors. The amount of braces you used made me a bit anxious lol, but it turned out great guys! well done. I also follow you on IG. @2dogsandavan
RedSea Desert Awesome! There is SO much information out there. we are aiming to do a solid job...without over thinking it.
I got away with cutting an inch or so off the spray tube after it hardened when I went to use it later. If you camp in super cold weather the floor is important but, those sealed air gaps air also insulators. Good job.
Oh, nice! I didn't even think about cutting off a bit of the tube. Looks like we will be going super cold this winter so we will have some first-hand intel. Thanks for watching!
thought of the name " self sticking push pins with washer" to use for the insulation board on the ceiling and walls
Nice work - you will never "overkill" insulation unless you always park at 70F in the shade...
Hey, I agree with that!
That was an awesome job. However, the floor will heat up when driving in hot weather...
Thanks so much! Perhaps a bit, but as we said in the video, "The best way to do insulation, is the way that is finished".
lol I've never used this before the next day Pro tip so funny. Great video.
Thanks so much! :D :D
adamhar exactly right. Amateur tip
I liked your video because your background music was very slight and was JUST in the BG... also the content was cool as well. Thumbs Up
One of the best how to videos I have seen to date. Great Job !!!
I laugh every time I see someone with spray foam !! You learn really quick to ware GLOVES !!! :) What a mess !
Ron Hart Haha, right?! And I wish I could say that was my first time making that mistake. rofl! I'm we ways like "well, I'll be careful this time". lol Nope!
really appreciate these videos😊
Sigrid Festøy No problem! you got it!
TIP: When you're ready to tackle a van conversion with insulation. Please do yourself a favor. Get some silicone for sheet metal/body work. Your local body shop can advise about type/brand. Well even "bathroom" silicone work well.
Go trough EVERY single spot where metal meets metal, all the joints, etc. Give it a go with a nice bead of silicone. Sounds tedious but in fact is one of the fastest operation in a van conversion. :-)
Let it settle and go for a ride... at least 50% less panel drumming. Enjoy... ;-)
+crpth1 Cool idea! :) :) I wouldn't have thought of that!
crpth1 polyurethane calking works just as well and will last longer
I think you did a great job, I went with the polyurethane (closed cell) sprayed everywhere (ceiling and upper walls) and polyurethane poured into the lower walls (small amount at a time to prevent warping) and a 1" rigid foam board on the floor.
like you said there are so many ways and everybody thinks there way is better...
evypr0ductions Nice! would you do it that way again or would you explore other options if you were to do it again?
As of now yes I would do it again, I'm an architectural technician and one thing that you learn about insulation is that moisture will condensate if you have air pockets, you guys seem to be only worried about the outside heat, but I live in Canada so I have to worry about the cold outside air as well, the last thing I wanted was to have inside moisture (breath, shower or cooking) condensating on the cold van panels. my van conversion is operational but not 100% complete so I will see in the long run if it was a good option.
Awesome! Good to hear. You didn't have any issues with warping? Obviously, slow and steady seems to be the way to go there, eh?
exactly slow and steady is the key, in my case I had 24 linear feet of lower walls to pour polyurethane into so you dump one cup every 18inches, you can pour a layer every day (1hour). the other thing is that if you trap the foam it will warp the panels, so if you have upper free space for the foam to expand to, you won't have any issues with warping, my van is an extended Ford E250.
Love your info videos they are the best.From Georgia
Good work guys. Thanks for sharing your knowledge
Thanks so much! :D Thanks for watching!
guys look for the 3M 90 if you want bomb proof holding power!
Nice! Yeah, we used the 3M 77 and it... kind of didn't really hold very well... That expanding foam though... Wow! Once that stuff expands and dries, it holds that rigid foam in there like damn concrete! We will def give the 90 a shot next time we need a spray adhesive!
You are right about not filling the channels in the floor. The proper rigid board has sufficient compressive strength that bridging over the channels is not a problem. A continuous layer of insulation on the floor is needed. The metal conducts heat from the outside in orThe walls and roof should have a continuous layer of insulation as well. The depressions can be filled with rigid insulation and then the continuous layer applied over it.
Joe Hearn Awesome! yeah, so far so good and we have had several nights in the 30-40 degree range with no heater.
You do great work. Thanks for sharing
You can wash out the nozzle of the spray insulation with thinner and you what you have left can be reused
Good to know! :D
looks great. I will follow this build. that insulation I think is the best. it will not suck up condensation/moisture that can be muld.
I agree that it's a lot of different ways of insulation on TH-cam, but it's looks like people don't think of moisture.
christoffer1973 yeah, that's kind of what we thought. We felt like this would be the quickest to dry if it did happen to get wet. Thanks for the comment!
What is the name of the insulation you used? You did not put it on "Info"
I realy like your videos!
Thanks so much! It is R-Max Insulation. That is the brand name, but they 'type' of insulation is called "PolyIso Insulation". Thanks for watching! :D :D
Thank you for the info.. That help me search for the right produkt.. Sitting and watching your videos... Just going to wach if you have video on the fridge/cooling box
Trying to get polyiso to stick can be a pita...
I wound up using r13 fiberglass in the upper and lower side panels, great suggestions large gap filler where I couldn't access, and I'm trying to get polyiso glued in with construction adhesive...
FYI, rip-cutting lumber refers to the grain direction: a cut with the grain is a rip-cut and across the grain is a cross-cut! The actual length of the cut is not relevant except for the choice of cutting tool (not the saw-tooth shape or number -- very relevant). Plywood cut across the small or long dimension of a piece is both with and against the grain, since the lumber is cross-laminated.
Neat, thanks!
every helpful so thank you so much.
Love your content you both come across very natural and informative.
Next time you may want to consider using a pro gun for the spray foam, they are cheap and have finer control and you don't need to use it all in one go. The foam cans are cheaper. You can also get a can of solvent that just dissolves the foam (soft or hardened) which is great for cleaning it off of clothes, get that T-Shirt out of the trash.... Do you intend to do a followup video with your thought on how effective it has been and what if any you may do differently next time?.
Thanks so much! Good tips! We will definitely check into the pro gun next time. Before starting the project, we underestimated how many cans it would take. lol We will indeed do a followup video, likely in the spring as it looks like we will be spending winter in the mountains.
What type and brand of insulation did you use under your subflooring? Was it half inch EPS, XPS, or Polyiso? I’m currently insulating my van and I love your videos! Such a big help! Thanks!
It was the same polyiso foam that's in the walls. This could help: adventureinabackpack.com/how-to-insulate-a-campervan/
The term ripping is usually applied to solid wood when you cut in the same direction of the grain fibers.. in plywood the grain runs in both directions...
Rob Vann good to know!
subbed. Looking forward to this
Looking good!
zdemigod Thanks so much! coming right along!
Did you adhere wood strips on the floor of the van (before putting down the rigid foam board). If so, how did you do it? Did you adhere the rigid foam board to those strips? And how did you adhere the plywood to the foam board? (If you have another video about your flooring installation, I can't find it. Sorry). Can you please explain your floor instillation process in more detail? Thanks!!
*nice job*
Hey - great videos and extremely helpful - thanks for putting them together. I'm just starting to insulate. How did you size the insulation to the gaps in the size of the van as they're each different? Thanks
Thanks so much! We actually just took measurements to the approximate size then trimmed to fit. We tried templates, but that took too long for not very much savings. Good luck! It's a long process! :D :D
just wanted to mention that they make a thumb tack like self sticking wire you attach to the surface and push the foam board onto it and then push the locking tab on over the foam board. if i think about the name will mention it later
Did you consider under carriage insulation? A lot of refrigerated trucks spray foam underneath. Needs to be re-coated every three years.
Dreux Jacques Actually, we never considered that and really didn't know it existed. Seems like something that would be easy to add down the road if needed. Thanks!
Be sure to used closed cell foam insulation. If it's open cell foam it will act like a sponge and cause rust.
@EMU I'd love to hear more about this.
Did you notice any distortion of the metal panels as a result of using the expanding foam insulation? Sometimes people do not expect the pressure caused by the foam expanding inside of an enclosed space. Injecting the expanding foam into those ribs is the questionable area only. I was just wondering if it's possible for that to cause bulges on the outside of the van body.
I've heard of that, but never actually seen it. We did multiple light layers of the foam in the ribs of the van to avoid that though and we had no problems with it.
Once again, a very helpful video! As I looked at your Oceans 12 support board gauntlet, I kept thinking: Thinsulate. Did you consider Thinsulate? I know it's more expensive that polyiso but not bracing required and maybe easier to fit in weird places/conforms more. Just curious how you chose the polyiso. I also read that polyiso loses R-value in the cold, but maybe not enough to matter.
We considered all options; then we picked the one we felt would be the best at the time.
Thank you for the informational video. I think I saw you add a few narrow strips of wood on the floor before the insulation went down. Am I correct? If so, what were they for and why only a few? Thank you.
They were just to take up some space on some of the deeper ribs of the van floor.
@@EXPLORISTlife Gotcha. Thanks!
I don't know if you updated your website but I remember you had a link to amazon with a shopping list you created to match what you used to build up your rig. Now that I bought a van and finally have the $ to shop I can not find your link. Please help friends.
How did the rigid foam work out for you guys? Was it squeaky? It seems more cost-effective and accessible than the Thinsulate everyone is using these days.
It worked out pretty well! It wasn't squeaky.
Looking back on this, would you have put all of your wiring in before the insulation? And would you have put some windows in?
Wiring before insulation, yes. Windows would have put us over-budget for that particular build; so no. We put wiring behind the walls and added windows in our current build, though, so consider checking that out if you haven't already. Here is a link to the playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLmvhcyi4n0TVfA4XCYJBkzfUXunSON1zX.html
almost the same results screwing sheets of foam board directly to the metal framing leaving an air space in the voids.
Yeah, pretty much right!
super one day i want to do
ripping is cutting with the grain a more saw (back in the days of hand saws) was used. crosscut goes across the grain of the wood. plywood is wood stacked top grain goes one way the next layer goes the other. ect ect ect
Good to know! Thanks for the terminology lesson! :)
With all of that spray foam, aren't you concerned at all with off gassing? There are other greener and less toxic ways to go, any reason you went this way? Just curious, I haven't priced the greener foams available either. Thanks.
You're thinking of the old foams that used to be used, the new ones only give off gasses for a while until it hardens.
CrossGrain Wood Products,LTD There is ALWAYS A greener way to go and we love going that way. unfortunately, in our research, we never came across any products that were both green, useful, AND within our budget. That being said, the foam doesn't have any smell, really, at all... I wish I had some data to back up a claim that it doesn't off gas, but I don't. But it does pass the sniff test and that will have to be good enough for us. Plus, we have some killer ventilation set up too! lol
Hello I am since episode 1 of your van conversion. Your many videos are very appreciated and I congratulate you. Now I transform my van and I would like to follow up on the insulation of the floor of your van. Living in a cold region and knowing that you do a lot of winter activities, are you satisfied with half an inch of floor insulation under the wooden floor? Thank you
Although our floor does get cold, I don't feel it's excessive, so yes, we are happy with it.
Was going to congratulate you on a really thorough job on the insulation (especially for an US build) which it was until you bailed out on the floor - no soundproofing, 1/2 inch & thin ply - it's cool now - I believe you are heading for Alaska - it will be really cool then - if it was me - sound proofing (full) 1/2inch which will deform into the gaps, ply, 1 inch, 2nd ply, you don't need battons just screw the ply sandwich together - then dense foam tiles (like for a garage floor) then carpet tiles or afgan rugs. You are lucky you have the height - don't skint on the floor. Apart from that looking really good.
Nick Wood We would have loved to have been able to do that much on the floor but Nate is 6'2" and we needed to preserve as much headroom as possible since we plan on living in it. We didn't really bail out on the floor, more of a calculated sacrifice. Also, Alaska is incredibly moderate in the summer!
Looks a good 2 to 3 inches left to me - eg @19:55 - here in the UK you can still get frosts in the summer - my floor in a 5ft high van is over 2 inches thick - the perceived feeling of solidity also adds to the comfort - admittingly he wouldn't be able to jump up and down much :)
Nick Wood haha! Yeah, even before installing the actual flooring (wood lam/vinyl or whatever we decide to use) his hair is already touching after installing the ceiling. Going lite on the floor insulation was definitely a good choice for us.
@Nick Wood... You get about a bit lol :-)
@Campervan HandyMan - not as far as Lanzarote -definitely a video too far :)
Hi, Nate and Steph. Great videos and website.
I'm thinking about insulating my floor the same way you guys did. Are you still happy with what you ended up doing? Specifically, what can you tell me about possible noise...Is it relatively quiet, or does it squeak at all when walking on it? Thanks for your time, and have fun.
-Mike
Sorry about the delay. Your message got stuck in the spam filter. Anyway...we are happy with it. There is essentially zero noise. After a thousand miles or so, the build is pretty quiet. There is a rattle or a squeak here and there occasionally, but no worse than any other car we've had, but I can't say if it's due to the insulation or not. Also, there is no squeaking when walking on it.
Hey, love this video series. Some of the best walk throughs I've seen. Nice work, thanks for taking the time to share them. I see you filled the ribs with foam. Did you run any conduit or electrical cables first? If not, where do you plan to put them?
Andrew Sleigh I would also like to know this.
Andrew Sleigh Sorry guys! must have missed this comment. We did not run wires in the walls as we weren't exactly sure where we were going to run everything. We are enclosing our wiring in split loom and hiding it in a 'wire chaise' style.
Sorry, what's 'wire chaise'?!
oops, weird autocorrect... wire chase. Like a hidden compartment or area for wires to run through.
OK, cool. Well, I'd love to see a future video on running wiring, if I can place a vote for that! I'm a little way behind you, but documenting my progress at wildebeestdiaries.com
Awesome - very helpful - what did you use to insulate the wheelwells? Thanks
Thanks so much! Glad to hear it helped out. The only thing we did on the wheel wells was Rattletrap Sound dampener and used no additional insulation.
What about condensation? Did you make run off channels, or do you even need those?
Nope! We didn't add them.
What should I use on roof of gmc Savana hitop fiberglass. Only have about half an inch due to headroom. Thought of 3/8” Ultratouch radient barrier denim towards ext foil int. I have some 1/2” polyiso foil on one side. And what about 1/4 or 1/2” pinkboard XPS but it’s not foil faced. I want keep sun heat out yet and cool inside as well as warm in winter. Confused....
Hello from northern Michigan. Have you noticed any squeaking with the iso foam now? We had an ambulance that came from the manufacturer and squeaked horribly. So much that we tore apart the wall and pulled it out.
Nope! No squeaking so far! Polyiso is much quieter than polystyrene (styrofoam).
Hey thanks for reply. Let me know if you venture to Northern Michigan. You are a brother firefighter and I would be happy to suggest stops and items of interest on your adventures.
Nail polish remover would have removed that form from the straw.
Looks good how is it working in cold and hot weather
So far so good! We do avoid temperature extremes though, but the heat and cold we have been in, it seems to work very very well!
Curious why you used the existing floor as a template but didnt just reuse the existing floor? Im doing a similar build and my floor is in pretty good shape that was pulled up. Seeing that it is 1/2 inch thick (just like 1/2 inch thick plywood) I was thinking to simplify life and reuse. Clearly Im bringing this up for any opinions as to why NOT re use it so I might rethink this? Im not trying to be judgmental, just want to think it through properly if Im making a mistake. Thanks.
Great question! Our van was used as a plumbing van and had all kinds of smelly grease and grime on them that never would have cleaned up. If the floors are clean, I'd definitely consider using them, but ours weren't.
The simple way is to use the same stuff that Winnebago and other class B builders use for insulators use
vegasdavetv Ahh, but is that way both simple and cost effective?
ok.. i am looking for the stuff you put on your wheel wells What is it called? where can i get it? How tall is he? I am 6'3" and i am trying to conserve all my vertical space in my sprinter. Did my walls first, now i am getting ready for the floor and ceiling... Love your vids!!!!
Thanks Luke! We put Ratteltrap on our wheel wells. We ordered it from Amazon here: amzn.to/2tfAZ7q 80 sq feet was plenty to do the major parts of the van.
Nate is 6'2" so we also had to conserve as much vertical as possible! He fits fine, just has to keep his hair from getting too long or it'll get caught in the ceiling! :D
So if I got this right, you used 1 inch insulation and then 1/2 inch insulation on top of that on the ceiling and the walls? If that is correct, why would you put two layers of insulation on top of each other instead of one bigger peace? And on the floor, did you nail the plywood and insulation down onto the wood you put down or did you use some time of adhesive spray? Btw thank you for the great video!!
Xgaming4You Thanks! We used a combo of 1 inch and .5 inch for two reasons. First and biggest reason: we couldn't find 1.5" locally. Second: in some places we needed half inch, in some spots we needed 1 inch, and in some places we needed 1.5 inch, so it was a bit more of a 'flexible option.
The floor is secured with a bolt on each corner of the plywood flooring that we laid over the foam and the foam is just sandwiched there.
Adventure in a Backpack thank you for the reply. Do you mean that on the floor the bolt goes through the plywood, through the insulation and into the van floor? And is it correct that you need different thickness insulation at different because you want it to fit in between the ribs? So sometimes 1 inch would be thick enough to fit in there?
Right! Bolt through the plywood, the insulation, and the van floor. Lock washer, washer, and nut on the bottom of the van, then coat the nut with some kind of undercoat spray.
As far as the different thicknesses, you could do that, but we did not feel like the time needed to be that intricate would be worth the added insulation, so we did not do it like that.
How did you make out having the roof vent already installed? I'm wondering if i should wait to put the roof vent in until the insulation is in.
Wilje pretty good really! it was nice not having anything in the way when I was doing the fan. if I were to do it again, I would do it the same way.
Subscribed!!
Awesome! Welcome aboard!
Have you noticed any squeaking from the foam?
Nope! Nice and tight with no squeaking!
Did you guys experience any squeakiness from the foam? And I've read that this type of spray foam is open cell meaning susceptible to absorbing moisture and thus mold over time, what are your thoughts on that?
Nope, no squeakiness and this type of spray foam is closed cell.
What's that X X X stuff taped to the van wholes?? Before any of the foam board insulation was put in?
That's sound dampening Material. Here is the video for that process. th-cam.com/video/j-LoPJ_mADA/w-d-xo.html
Nice build, How many cans of Great Seal did you end up going through? I assume 24 oz sized?
Thanks!! We ended up using 21 total cans, separated between the standard stuff and the 'big cracks' stuff. Dollar per oz, it was actually more economical to use the 12oz cans when we priced it out at the hardware store, so we used the 12oz cans. We have some more specifics on the blog post about how many rigid foam panels wee used and such as well (adventureinabackpack.com/how-to-insulate-a-campervan/)
Thanks, were you on CO TF1 or NE TF1? You referenced SCT training. Only saw your TH-cam stuff, didn't know to check out the blog. Thx.
No problem at all! I was a firefighter in Norman Oklahoma before I moved to Colorado and was a part of their Technical Rescue Team. You have experience in that?
Use to be a Search Team Manager for COTF1. Now I'm back to a canine search specialist for them. Odie was my K9 at the WTC in 2001. Doing a lot of research and planning for a van conversion similar to what you did. Let me know if you swing through the Aspen area.
Very awesome!! I always love watching the search dogs work. The department I was at JUST got a dog...pretty cool! :D I'll definitely let you know if we hit up the Aspen area. I'm sure we will at some point! Love that place.
Now that we are getting on to cooler weather? How do you feel the insulation is working? Did it keep the heat out during the summer?
It worked well in the heat. With all of the fans on, it was like sitting under a shade tree.
was the 1'" insulation not enough or why did you add the 1/2" layer?
We just added it for extra insulation.
Any concerns about condensation between the outside skin and the insulation?
+balkandancer nope!
Must be nice! To have time to sniff expanding foam.
You got a sub from me, nice work & great vid, you have done similar to me :-) Looking forward to watching your progress. I am at about the same stage as you at the minute but the Manchester (UK) weather holding me back :-( I used a strong adhesive so there was no need for fireman's roof supporting thingymabobs....
Fantastic! Welcome aboard! I'll check your build for sure. It's never fun when the weather is keeping us from progress. I was REALLY hoping to be done before tornado season starts around here in May, but I really don't think that's going to happen. :( Oh well... no sense in worrying about it!
No need for all that wood supports, you could have brought a expanding foam gun and tube cleaner!
Tahir Rana For the wood, yes we did. The adhesive was not strong enough to hold.
For the expanding foam: Yes we could've, BUT...we didn't. Remember, our opinion is: the best way to insulate the van is the way that is done. ;)
where is your eye protection?
It was likely in the upper right drawer under the work table or on the top tray of the toolbox.
Safety equipment for your eyes ?
Yes. Definitely a good idea.
what do you have covering the wheel areas?
The shiny patches are a sound deadening material (amzn.to/2oKeiZj). We have a video about that as well (th-cam.com/video/j-LoPJ_mADA/w-d-xo.html). We are not insulating over the wheel wells and have not exactly decided how we will finish out the wheel wells. They will be in the "garage" area of our van, so having a 'automotive' look would exactly be a bad thing.
FYI for the next guy. "If you have" a table saw, it will cut Styrofoam perfectly :) Just an Fyi
Sorry about the gripe, but ripping is cutting with the grain of the wood, and cross-cut is, well, across the grain. (for you non-carpenters)
No worries! Good to know!
5:40 you seriously had to make that noise. That should be illegal
Insulation was one of our favourite parts within our van conversion! van-derlust.com/insulation/
try using a facemask with that spray adhesive dude.
ReturntoNatureSkills Definitely. It's some nasty stuff.
thanks for the video. all part of my inspiration on my own van journey at instagram.com/returntonature
Adventure in a Backpack ..When are y'all going to make more follow up videos ? ..I just subbed and hope to see more. ✌
Visual Traveler This week! We got stuck with like 5 projects stuck at 95% completion so couldn't properly finish the videos. They all fell in place within the last few days. get ready! :)
Adventure in a Backpack ..okay thanks. :-) ✌
That stuff is so loud.
gloves, eye protection and respirator.
Daily Dump News Yes, definitely. good tip.
Anyone heard of tape
Ridged is BETTER!
Take your measurements in centimeters so you don't have 54 and 1/2 or 13 and 3/4.
54 and 1/2 is 138 cm, 13 and 3/4 is 35 cm. So much easier. Only Americans use such an obsolete measuring system.
Whereas I do wish America was on the Metric system, we are not, and all of our measuring tools are imperial.
Johnny MF Bravo It's actually a pretty logical system of measurement for construction. I'd use metric for engineering parts and other things though. I'm always amazed as to why people from other countries talk shit about our education system (admittedly, not great), yet fractions are too confusing for them.
to anyone watching this video, follow what they did if you choose too, BUT before you do anything they have shown here, run all the wiring first an all plumbing. When it comes to wiring run a few extra lengths an put the wiring in conduits. Don't be lazy, take the time and do it right first time or pull your hair out later an still not be able to do it. Odds are you are going to forget something, or add something later on.
...or you could run it inside of conduit just like we did and hide it inside cabinets on the outside of the walls. A lot of people when doing their first build (us included) don't know where they are going to need outlets and plugs. Running the wires AFTER the insulation is a perfectly fine alternative.
We didn't forget the wires or anything. We knew exactly why we did it like this.
Thanks for watching
wont work,sorry,but u need to do your research,in order for ANY insulation to work ,u need to install a VAPOR BARRIER,and u need proper fresh air supply and stale air exhaust,PERIOD, If u dont,besides not working,u will develop mold,sooner or later
After only one week, the thermal properties worked VERY well. From 30 degrees to 90 degrees, it actually stayed pretty manageable, but thanks for the heads up! I'll keep an eye out for mold and mildew. I guess you haven't seen our other videos because we have some pretty awesome fresh air flow with two MaxxAir Vents...airflow for days!! Thanks for your concern! How would you have insulated it?
@adanacman666 why do you criticise without giving any alternative methods to insulate?
He did mention the need for a vapour barrier to be fair. I can see the Celotex working well. But the hollow metal structures can become cold spots and that is where moisture can condense out and that can lead to water becoming trapped and rust. Your climate looks warm so it may not be an issue. In England trapped moisture is my concern with any insulation approach.
Apparently applying reflectives directly on the inside surface of the metal van walls wont do the job, an air gap is needed between the reflectives and the van wall, some people use an open cell foam in the air gap to prevent condensation build up.
We can all blame Bob Wells for this insulation in fighting.
Believe it or not...I'm not sure what you're referencing...and I probably won't look it up... ROFL!
Adventure in a Backpack Bob Wells is the 😈