[huskydriver]

I've read some of the other threads and as one person has said, insulating seems like opening a can of worms with all the different methods. I just bought the 350 high roof. I race dogsleds and xc ski so I plan on using it during the winter to haul the dogs and equipment. I plan to sleep in it too with a cot for now and eventually build a fold down bed of some sort. I plan on building a workbench to do various things and also to wax ski's. I've price the liners and can get the liner for about $800 because I would like it to look nice and not all ghetto. I thought about just buying the material and cutting to fit and use the plastic snaps, but I wouldn't even know where to buy stock plastic lining. I'll be heating it with a propane portable buddy. What would the best insulation be for my cold weather purposes. I will also use to camp out during summer to go to bike races and mt. biking throughout the midwest. I thought about getting the ceiling liner too, but that's an extra $500 and thought that could wait. I appreciate any info, thanks.

 

[Haulin' Gas Adventures]

If you are looking at the Westcan pre fab stuff I'd strongly suggest against wasting your money on it.

I bought the floor , walls and ceiling kit and removed everything but their floor kit ( and it's got issues that I'll fix too) and started over.

 

[Budsky]

The factory Ford liner is a $400 option but is several thousand to buy later through them. You might luck out and find a complete set someone took out for a good price.
I might pull my factory liner out some day and use it as patterns for something more substantial, but I'd still hang on to it.

 

[huskydriver]

i believe it's made by Legend and sold the Inlad, a company here in Chicago.
https://www.inlad.com/legend-fleet-solutions-wall-liner-kit-for-ford-transit

 

[EddieZ]

i believe it's made by Legend and sold the Inlad, a company here in Chicago.
https://www.inlad.com/legend-fleet-solutions-wall-liner-kit-for-ford-transit

No, the factory liner is less substantial, and nearly black, as compared to the Inlad liner. Inlad looks like a good option. It's a corrugated vinyl core, with thin HDPE (I think) as skin. Should be much less crushable than the factory material.

 

[David]

Hello "huskydriver"! ........ ex dog sledder here.
My recommendation would be for a proper and thorough insulation job, (including the roof), and a good opening vent in the roof.
If you are going to have five dogs inside with you, plus the Li'l Buddy propane heater, you will find condensation is your biggest problem.
I would still fully insulate, even if you are going to tow a trailer for the dogs and sleds.

 

[huskydriver]

Hello "huskydriver"! ........ ex dog sledder here.
My recommendation would be for a proper and thorough insulation job, (including the roof), and a good opening vent in the roof.
If you are going to have five dogs inside with you, plus the Li'l Buddy propane heater, you will find condensation is your biggest problem.
I would still fully insulate, even if you are going to tow a trailer for the dogs and sleds.

I'm planning on insulating this weekend. I'm thinking of just using some refletix as my insulation. I'm not sure what the best option is and I really wanna get this thing lined so I can start some other mods. I'm not planning on insulating the floor, but just throw down some plywood sheets.

 

[EddieZ]

I'm planning on insulating this weekend. I'm thinking of just using some refletix as my insulation. I'm not sure what the best option is and I really wanna get this thing lined so I can start some other mods. I'm not planning on insulating the floor, but just throw down some plywood sheets.

I did plywood only, on the floor, too. The reflectix is not going to do you any real good. It has virtually no insulation value of its own, and depends on airspace on one or both sides of it, to create R value. As far as what you can probably buy locally, the pink Corning fiberglass is broadly considered to be a no no. The sheets of high density foam are sometimes used, though I've heard they squeak if not well adhered.

 

[cargovanconversion]

With all the different cavities, one is almost certain to use multiple types of insulation. As said before, Reflectix is probably overhyped; fiberglass has a stigma, but I have had very good experiences with it. It's cheap and easy to apply. PolyIso has a high R-value and should be one of the primary types of insulation. Add some Denim insulation and some spray foam and you've covered most surfaces.
Different (van) uses, need a different insulation application. There are lots of insulation materials that sometimes claim to do the impossible. Pay as much attention to ventilation as you do to insulation. Condensation is your enemy.

Van Williams

 

[huskydriver]

So I've researched some of this FOAM IT GREEN closed cell foam. Has anybody had any experience with this stuff and how the application went?

 

[David]

I'm planning on insulating this weekend. I'm thinking of just using some refletix as my insulation.

Reflectix will serve as a vapour barrier, and will reduce radiant heat loss/gain, but as an insulator, it is questionable.

 

[danski0224]

So I've researched some of this FOAM IT GREEN closed cell foam. Has anybody had any experience with this stuff and how the application went?

There are several tales out there about warped exterior panels from spray foam.

It will take several thin layers. Try for one shot, and you will warp the sheet metal.

 

[GaryBIS]

So I've researched some of this FOAM IT GREEN closed cell foam. Has anybody had any experience with this stuff and how the application went?

hi,
I've used a similar polyurethane foam kit that I got at Home Depot -- its likely quite similar to the FoamIt polyurethane two component foam.

I thought it gave good results. It takes a lot of preparation as stopping in the middle of the job to straighten something out is not a good thing to do. Lots of careful masking as the polyurethane foam sticks very well to anything it contacts.

I used several thin coats and had no trouble at all with distortion of the van walls, but I have read about rare cases of this happening.

The coverage was not quite up to what the kit said -- I'd say about 3/4's of the depth they promised. This was with making sure the temperature of the bottles was right up to the recommendation. So, I'd consider buying a bigger kit than you think you need.

The foam sticks very well to the van skin. There is no tendency for it to crack or come off. There is no tendency for it to squeak.

Its a good vapor barrier and will keep water vapor from getting to the cold van skin and condensing. The fact that its a good insulator will likely result in the temperature of the inner surface of the insulation being above the dew point, so no condensation on the inside surface of the insulation either.
The only caveat here is that its hard to get the foam into every single nook and cranny -- I did some hand work with Great Stuff Pro (also a polyurethane foam) to fill in some areas that I did not get with the kit.

There are a lot of pictures and description of my job here: http://www.buildagreenrv.com/our-conversion/our-conversion-insulation/

All this said, if I were doing it over, I would probably use sheets of rigid polyisocyanurate insulation glued to the van skin with Great Stuff Pro. Polyiso is a closed cell polyurethane foam similar to the FoamIt etc. I think you would likely end up with just as good a job and while the amount of work might be about the same, the stress level while doing it would be much less, and the cost would be much less.
There are some pictures of RD's polyiso rigid foam job down this page a ways: http://www.buildagreenrv.com/design-and-build-information-for-camper-vans/install-insulation/ search for "Ridgi Faom Panel Insulation".

I think either method will give you a good job.

Gary

 

[tthrsn]

All this said, if I were doing it over, I would probably use sheets of rigid polyisocyanurate insulation glued to the van skin with Great Stuff Pro. Polyiso is a closed cell polyurethane foam similar to the FoamIt etc. I think you would likely end up with just as good a job and while the amount of work might be about the same, the stress level while doing it would be much less, and the cost would be much less.
There are some pictures of RD's polyiso rigid foam job down this page a ways: http://www.buildagreenrv.com/design-and-build-information-for-camper-vans/install-insulation/ search for "Ridgi Faom Panel Insulation".

I think either method will give you a good job.

Gary

Note that the ProMaster (your examples) and Sprinter, with their more uniform flattish surfaces, both seem easier to insulate than the Transit. Unfortunately the Transit, with its deep multilevel window wells and large cavities near the floor and ceiling, has additional complications. I wonder if using spray foam on the Transit might be easier and more effective than rigid panels.

 

[orton]

Not much different to insulate my 15 Transit compared to my sold 08 Sprinter.

The large cavities above and below the window indents were filled with small pieces of polyiso in the Sprinter with Great Stuff filling the gaps. I changed to 1" thick flexible closed cell foam for the Transit build. Much easier to do but a little less "R" value.

The ceiling will still use polyiso held in place with Great Stuff.

In order to get a 74" cross van bed platform the rear window indents will only have 1" rigid polyiso covered with indoor/outdoor carpet.

Did apply two coats of insulation paint on inside of van panels. You mix in hollow glass spheres into paint. I did put two coats on one side of the van "forehead" to see if I could feel a difference. Definitely could tell a temperature difference but do not have a way to measure the change.

 

[danski0224]

hi,
The coverage was not quite up to what the kit said -- I'd say about 3/4's of the depth they promised. This was with making sure the temperature of the bottles was right up to the recommendation. So, I'd consider buying a bigger kit than you think you need.

None of the kits will, too many variables.

The biggie is the application- it is impossible for a person to apply the product to a uniform thickness by eye.

Second would be product temperature. Short of a thermostatically controlled warming blanket or larger bucket of hot water to set the chemicals into, there is no way to obtain the ideal application temperature. Professional foam application trucks have heated chemical barrels and heated delivery hoses. Smaller pro applicators marketed at foundation mudsill infiltration sealing/insulation and other "small" jobs are also heated- at least the tanks are.

Third would be air and surface temperature. Too hot or too cold and it will expand differently. Too cold and it doesn't cure right and doesn't stick. Too warm and it cures too quickly.

Improper initial fill at the manufacturer is also possible.

Buy at least 25% more than you think you need based upon manufacturers published coverage data and strive for ideal application temperatures (chemical tanks, ambient air, surface to be treated).

 

[fogartykck]

Did apply two coats of insulation paint on inside of van panels. You mix in hollow glass spheres into paint. I did put two coats on one side of the van "forehead" to see if I could feel a difference. Definitely could tell a temperature difference but do not have a way to measure the change.

Did you roll, brush, or spray? If you sprayed what rig and orifice did it take? Thanks for the suggestion of insulated paint

________________________________

Ordering next week

 

[orton]

Did you roll, brush, or spray? If you sprayed what rig and orifice did it take? Thanks for the suggestion of insulated paint

________________________________

Ordering next week

Started using a small roller but found it easier just to use a brush. No need for being concerned about what it looks like since it will all be hidden under insulation. Only did the steel that is the exterior skin. Did not do any of the interior steel that is offset from the exterior steel. Spraying would be difficult to do only the exterior skin.

Brush painting was simple to do. Mixed the spheres into latex paint that I had mixed to match the van color.

Maybe someone with a temperature gauge will confirm how well the paint works.

 

[David]

When using Great Stuff to glue a large foam panel in place, is there a problem with the spray foam starting to cure at your start point, before you have finished "buttering"it and pressing it into place?
Seems to me that stuff starts to cure pretty quick, and would work fine for gluing a small piece of rigid foam, but not so good for large areas?
If some of the Great Stuff has partially cured before you press the rigid foam into place, there will be poor adhesion in spots.
Also - like the idea of coating the inner panel steel with an extra coat of paint before burying it "forever" behind foam. That ceramic sphere insulating paint sounds like an excellent choice, so long as it sticks really well to the painted steel surfaces.

 

[orton]

On the Sprinter I did not use the Great Stuff as the adhesive. Used 3M #77 spray adhesive to glue the panels to the roof then used the Great Stuff to fill the voids around the perimeter.

http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=151926&postcount=1

On the Transit I will not be applying the sound deadener to 100% of the surface. Just add a rectangle of MLV to areas that do not have the factory rectangles. I did put two coats of insulating paint on all the interior of the outside exposed van steel. The Transit is quiet enough to not require 100% sound deadening. Only adding the MLV rectangles because I have some left over from the floor installation. This time I will use 3M #90 as the spray adhesive to glue the polyiso to the roof and walls.

The insulating paint is just latex paint with the spheres mixed into the paint. It is interesting that you have to remix paint left in the can if it sits. The spheres float to the top. They easily mix back in.