Floor: 3M Thinsulate or Reflectix Insulation?

[bored]

Before anyone from Northern California or Southern for that matter starts looking for 1/2 inch XPS. Don't waste your time. No one has it and no one will bring it in unless you buy 100 sheets.

Called Owens Corning and Dupont for dealers and nope...had to use 3/4 inch xps for floors.

 

[westyventures]

From what I could find from a quick search, EnGuard was discontinued in 2013. Do you have a stash?


Greg

I did...I bought 80 bags from two insulation companies in the east coast, sold almost all of it to other friends except for enough bags to finish three of my own projects. Most R19, some R13 24" wide batts.

 

[julie777]

It’s a fine plan. Forget the Reflectix. You don’t need it anywhere. Also, forget the “sound deadening strips” for the floor. Just use Thinsulate AU4005-2 for the floor.

I wouldn't use thinsulate on the floor unless you are going to raise the floor with some kind of supports. Thinsulate works because of loft which holds dead air. If you compress it flat you will be spending a lot of money for not much insulating value.

 

[MotoXPress]

I wouldn't use thinsulate on the floor unless you are going to raise the floor with some kind of supports. Thinsulate works because of loft which holds dead air. If you compress it flat you will be spending a lot of money for not much insulating value.

"3M Thinsulate(TM) A4002-5 is resisant to compression and works well under floors. We've had it on our Transit for 6 months and recently removed the plywood floor for some rework. There was no visible sign of compression and it had filled into the low spots."

???

 

[GSWatson]

"3M Thinsulate(TM) A4002-5 is resisant to compression and works well under floors. We've had it on our Transit for 6 months and recently removed the plywood floor for some rework. There was no visible sign of compression and it had filled into the low spots."



???

Thinsulate comes in different flavors, and the floor stuff was designed particularly for floors. These are automotive variants, so it’s not like stuffing sleeping bags under the floor.


Greg

 

[mtncrawler]

I completely over-thunk my floor. Started off filling ribs with microcell/XPS. Then a layer of Luxury Liner Pro. I used 3 sheets of T&G Advantech sub floor oriented to side to side. Outlined the shape of the floor on the 3 pieces (placing the seams in places I wanted) and then located/routed a series of l-track slots (some are contained within one sheet - others cross seams. In order NOT to crush the insulation (although its pretty stout) AND to assure a good solid hold of the L-Track (loading a lighter dual sport) - I used a hole saw for the locating holes through the subfloor/insulation to give me places for a series of round spacers. I have 4-5 bolts in each section of l track. Made the spacers just so I would tighten everything down - just as the flanged L track picked the top of the wood floor.

I went overboard - but if I wasn't after such good tie down points - the LLP under the subfloor alone would be a good way to go. Feels solid even without the track mounted - and really knocked down the sounds too.

 

[MotoXPress]

I completely over-thunk my floor. Started off filling ribs with microcell/XPS. Then a layer of Luxury Liner Pro. I used 3 sheets of T&G Advantech sub floor oriented to side to side. Outlined the shape of the floor on the 3 pieces (placing the seams in places I wanted) and then located/routed a series of l-track slots (some are contained within one sheet - others cross seams. In order NOT to crush the insulation (although its pretty stout) AND to assure a good solid hold of the L-Track (loading a lighter dual sport) - I used a hole saw for the locating holes through the subfloor/insulation to give me places for a series of round spacers. I have 4-5 bolts in each section of l track. Made the spacers just so I would tighten everything down - just as the flanged L track picked the top of the wood floor.

I went overboard - but if I wasn't after such good tie down points - the LLP under the subfloor alone would be a good way to go. Feels solid even without the track mounted - and really knocked down the sounds too.

Great setup! I'm also going to use a fair amount of L track for my dual sport and ADV bike tie down points. I hope to use some of the existing and unused seat mounts in my Crew van and bolt to those hidden nuts.

How are you planning to secure and brace the L- Track from the bottom under the floor? Using large washers, steel plates or ?

Please post more picts when done!

 

[mtncrawler]

Great setup! I'm also going to use a fair amount of L track for my dual sport and ADV bike tie down points. I hope to use some of the existing and unused seat mounts in my Crew van and bolt to those hidden nuts.

How are you planning to secure and brace the L- Track from the bottom under the floor? Using large washers, steel plates or ?

Please post more picts when done!

Thanks!
I ordered some 1.5” dia washers that are, I believe 1/8-3/16” thick from McMaster Carr. They fit into the floor channel corregations from underneath. Flanged lock nuts. Feels pretty solid. Thought about using unistrut or a c channel shape as well. I can always swap the washers out for some bars. I’ll post up when finished. I had it all in for a short time but pulling it out to do some final mods before reinstalling for good.

 

[julie777]

"3M Thinsulate(TM) A4002-5 is resisant to compression and works well under floors. We've had it on our Transit for 6 months and recently removed the plywood floor for some rework. There was no visible sign of compression and it had filled into the low spots."

???

Good to know. I didn't realize that there was a non-compressible Thinsulate. I was referring to the kind I bought from you for my walls and ceiling.

 

[hein]

Good to know. I didn't realize that there was a non-compressible Thinsulate. I was referring to the kind I bought from you for my walls and ceiling.

Allow me to clarify. It is not rigid and can be compressed so that it will conform to the high and low spots. It does not appear to continue to settle or break down over time. Areas that are thinner will not have quite the full R-value of the full thickness areas. AU-4002-5 does not offer quite the same support as minicell foam. Furring strips or spacers are recommended under places where cabinets and other interior structure is thru-bolted to the floor. The floor will 'give' a little when weight is on it but that is not all that perceivable when walking around in the van. In our Transit, which has wide low areas near the walls it was necessary to add furring strips along the walls and threshold to the cab. We essentially furred out the perimeter of the floor.

All the best,
Hein

 

[julie777]

Great setup! I'm also going to use a fair amount of L track for my dual sport and ADV bike tie down points. I hope to use some of the existing and unused seat mounts in my Crew van and bolt to those hidden nuts.

How are you planning to secure and brace the L- Track from the bottom under the floor? Using large washers, steel plates or ?

Please post more picts when done!

I used rivnuts with 1.5" stainless washers under the floor to provide a little extra pull out strength. Remember that L track is distributing the force among all the fasteners and 1) the force is not vertical on all the fasteners and 2) ends up much stronger than you would imagine.

 

[travisap]

Thank you for the great feedback! With that information and additional research, what do you think of this floor layering system?

1) POR 15 / Flex seal holes and rust areas

2) Sound Deadening wheel wells (Noico or similar product)

3) Plastic lumber strips in cavities (height of ribs) under base cabinets

4) Thinsulate over entire floor

5) 1/2" or 5/8" sub floor (marine grade plywood)

6) Laminate floor pieces

 

[GSWatson]

Thank you for the great feedback! With that information and additional research, what do you think of this floor layering system?

1) POR 15 / Flex seal holes and rust areas

2) Sound Deadening wheel wells (Noico or similar product)

3) Plastic lumber strips in cavities (height of ribs) under base cabinets

4) Thinsulate over entire floor

5) 1/2" or 5/8" sub floor (marine grade plywood)

6) Laminate floor pieces

That sounds like a solid plan; it’s what I’m doing over this conversion. When I did my floor, MLV (mass-loaded vinyl) was all the rage (anyone remember those days?)I still have the factory wood floor with outdoor carpet over mine, so when I take my ‘temporary’ cabinets out to properly do them, I’ll take out the mlv. I have mini-cell in the ribs; I’ll probably just keep the foam underlayment I had sandwiched the MLV in and save 100 lbs...


Cheers,
Greg

 

[ThomD]

Rather than sound deaden the wheel wells, just throw more Thinsulate on them. There have been reports of people with laminate plank floors that do not do well with the temperature extremes in a van - too much expansion leads to gaps.

FWIW, my floor is 1" polyiso, 3/4 quality plywood, then sheet flooring. Any point that is through bolted has a 1" PVC collar in the polyiso so that the bolt doesn't compress the polyiso. I took the floor out after a year (final fit) and there was little evidence of the polyiso compressing fully into the floor cavities. I don't think filling the cavities is gets you anything.

 

[hein]

You can spray Rustoleum Truck Bed Coating (multiple coats) on the tire side of the wheel wells to reduce noise from rocks and protect the metal. This also increases the mass of the panel which reduces its resonance frequency. Then cover them with Thinsulate(TM) on the inside.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan