Best Insulation for Walls/Ceiling

Best Insulation for Walls/Ceiling

  • Polyiso, PIR, ISO

    Votes: 18 7.8%
  • XPS (Blue/pink 'Styrofoam')

    Votes: 9 3.9%
  • EPS (White 'Styrofoam')

    Votes: 2 0.9%
  • 3M Thinsulate SM600L (synthetic fiber)

    Votes: 139 60.4%
  • Fiberglass rolls or batts

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Polyurethane foam (white/yellow spray)

    Votes: 12 5.2%
  • Icynene foam (eco-friendly spray, closed cell)

    Votes: 3 1.3%
  • Sheep's wool

    Votes: 47 20.4%

  • Total voters
    230

taildragger

Active member
I am going to use "pour foam" urethane on my floor and walls.

PROS: R6 per inch, every nook and cranny filled, sound reducing, so strong, it will be my floor, easy to install

CONS: Expensive, $520 for 2 inches of floor insulation, messy
 

gltrimble

2017 170 4x4
Note the foam blocks are quite important per the BEG




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Too late for me, I threw the foam blocks away. Did not realize I left them out until after the headliner was reinstalled. Not sure they would have worked anyway with all the modifications.


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Garandman

Active member
Note the foam blocks are quite important per the BEG
Thanks! Looked it up.

http://www.ntea.com/NTEA/Member_benefits/Technical_resources/FMVSSguide/FMVSS201.aspx

This Standard applies to MPVs, trucks and buses with a GVWR or 10,000 lbs. (4,536 kg) or less. It establishes requirements for the use of energy-absorbing materials on the interior components such as instrument panels, seat backs, interior doors, armrests and sun visors.

Beginning Sept. 1, 2007, trucks, buses and MPVs produced in two or more stages with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. (4,536 kg) or less must provide head protection when an occupant’s head strikes upper interior components, including pillars, side rails, headers and the roof.
 
This is the first thread that I've seen Thinsulate mentioned for use in the floor. Is there a thread around that details the assembly of the layers for a floor using Thinsulate ? Are there furring strips involved to prevent the Thinsulate from compressing or is there a more dense variety of Thinsulate as there is with Rockwool ? What am I not understanding ?

Why hasn't Rockwool (Roxul) become more prevalent in insulating vans ?
 
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hein

Van Guru
This is the first thread that I've seen Thinsulate mentioned for use in the floor. Is there a thread around that details the assembly of the layers for a floor using Thinsulate ? Are there furring strips involved to prevent the Thinsulate from compressing or is there a more dense variety of Thinsulate as there is with Rockwool ? What am I not understanding ?
Minicell is our most popular floor insulation. We are also using Thinsulate AU4002-5 double scrim under plywood floors. Strategic use of furring strips or blocks may be required although I have had customers with Sprinters just roll out the Thinsulate and then lay their floor over it. It does compress a bit but will not loose all of it's loft.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098

(Below) Thinsulate AU4002-5 under the floor in our Transit. White pieces are expanded PVC furring strips attached to metal floor with VHB tape


More info and photos: https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com...-roof-for-sports-wagon-r-d-work.24553/page-16
 

99sport

Well-known member
Hein,

In a post somewhere you mentioned you would have 3M sound deadener / absorber available in the fall. I'm at the point where I need to apply sound absorbing mat if I am going to use it. Is the 3M product available yet? Do you have a spec sheet for it?
 

hein

Van Guru
Hein,

In a post somewhere you mentioned you would have 3M sound deadener / absorber available in the fall. I'm at the point where I need to apply sound absorbing mat if I am going to use it. Is the 3M product available yet? Do you have a spec sheet for it?
We have put in our order request but do not yet have a delivery date. Pricing is to be determined. We will stock both 1.6mm and 2.9mm thicknesses.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...-2-9-mm-Aluminum/?N=5002385+3289877683&rt=rud

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098
 

99sport

Well-known member
We have put in our order request but do not yet have a delivery date. Pricing is to be determined. We will stock both 1.6mm and 2.9mm thicknesses.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...-2-9-mm-Aluminum/?N=5002385+3289877683&rt=rud

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098
Thanks for the link. The details of the data are very thin, but it is nice to see marketing that actually includes some test data. Although there isn't a lot to those sheets, 3M makes great products and I'll take their claims at face value (vs a Chinese knock-off where I really want to see an independent test report).

Any idea if you'll have stock by the holidays? I have 2 weeks off and plan to start on my conversion then - the panel damping is the very first step. I'm interested in the 2.9mm.
 

karsh

New member
If you can do sheep's wool, I would go with that. Much cleaner, safer, more sustainable, with tremendous properties that make it infinitely times more beneficial than Thinsulate. It is roughly the same cost as thinsulate, has a similar price point, but much safer and more conducive to the extremes it is subjected to in a van traveling to different climates. Ignore the arguments about the automotive industry having used it for years. This is a combination of lobbying efforts and frankly, most people don't LIVE in those vehicles. Here you have an opportunity to choose the BEST thing and after careful evaluation I have found that absolutely nothing is better than sheep's wool, particularly because of its unique moisture wicking properties.

If however cost is prohibitive and you don't mind potential off gassing issues. Polyisocynaurate is going to be a bit cheaper and provide you a superior R-value. As long as you don't use the hazardous foam spray to seal it in and find some other safer to breath alternative, I think this a safer enough option.
 

GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
If you can do sheep's wool, I would go with that. Much cleaner, safer, more sustainable, with tremendous properties that make it infinitely times more beneficial than Thinsulate. It is roughly the same cost as thinsulate, has a similar price point, but much safer and more conducive to the extremes it is subjected to in a van traveling to different climates. Ignore the arguments about the automotive industry having used it for years. This is a combination of lobbying efforts and frankly, most people don't LIVE in those vehicles. Here you have an opportunity to choose the BEST thing and after careful evaluation I have found that absolutely nothing is better than sheep's wool, particularly because of its unique moisture wicking properties.

If however cost is prohibitive and you don't mind potential off gassing issues. Polyisocynaurate is going to be a bit cheaper and provide you a superior R-value. As long as you don't use the hazardous foam spray to seal it in and find some other safer to breath alternative, I think this a safer enough option.
Are you selling wool? "infinitely", wow, that is impressive, no number if infinite.
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
If you can do sheep's wool, I would go with that. Much cleaner, safer, more sustainable, with tremendous properties that make it infinitely times more beneficial than Thinsulate. It is roughly the same cost as thinsulate, has a similar price point, but much safer and more conducive to the extremes it is subjected to in a van traveling to different climates. Ignore the arguments about the automotive industry having used it for years. This is a combination of lobbying efforts and frankly, most people don't LIVE in those vehicles. Here you have an opportunity to choose the BEST thing and after careful evaluation I have found that absolutely nothing is better than sheep's wool, particularly because of its unique moisture wicking properties.

If however cost is prohibitive and you don't mind potential off gassing issues. Polyisocynaurate is going to be a bit cheaper and provide you a superior R-value. As long as you don't use the hazardous foam spray to seal it in and find some other safer to breath alternative, I think this a safer enough option.
Facts, do you even?
 

Attachments

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
If however cost is prohibitive and you don't mind potential off gassing issues. Polyisocynaurate is going to be a bit cheaper and provide you a superior R-value. As long as you don't use the hazardous foam spray to seal it in
Used Polyisocynaurate rigid insulation and "sealed it in" with Great Stuff spay insulation. Did sold Sprinter van that way 10 years ago as well as the 2015 Transit. Have not died yet.
 

hein

Van Guru
The problem with wool is that it smells like ammonia when exposed to moisture. Don't know why it does that. We would be happy to send a sample of Thinsulate to anyone interested in evaluating it for their van. It is widely used with excellent results and is designed specifically for use in vehicles.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan.com
541 490 5098
 

GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
The problem with wool is that it smells like ammonia when exposed to moisture. Don't know why it does that. We would be happy to send a sample of Thinsulate to anyone interested in evaluating it for their van. It is widely used with excellent results and is designed specifically for use in vehicles.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan.com
541 490 5098
Ammonia could be a good thing, it would be a great pest repellent. :cheers:

Cheers,
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
Polyiso on the floor or ceiling also reduces the standing height - a big concern for taller people.


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One inch of foil faced poli iso in the ceiling fits between the ribs perfectly and leaves a nice dead air space when you panel over it. You get unmatched R value. Nothing else is even close. Use insulation hangers to make it easy.

Move on to the walls and do the same. The dollars spent and the R value are unmatched as is the simplicity.

In the sidewalls a little right stuff and foil tape around the edges and you are done. If you leave the factory plywood floor and throw a jute backed rug on it you have unparalleled sound proofing and reasonable warmth.

You can make this difficult f you want to but it's really not necessary especially if you are working in a used van and money is important.


bill
 
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wankel7

Active member
The problem with wool is that it smells like ammonia when exposed to moisture. Don't know why it does that. We would be happy to send a sample of Thinsulate to anyone interested in evaluating it for their van. It is widely used with excellent results and is designed specifically for use in vehicles.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan.com
541 490 5098

Odd.

Not my experience stuffing 4.5 bags of Havelock into a van in very humid conditions. When saturated it smells like wet wool. It smells exactly the same as when my morino wool base layers get wet.
 

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