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
B

billintomahawk

Guest
one inch poli iso.



The cool thing is you get an automatic dead air space when you panel if you want it. Ceiling panels go up easily because you can screw directly into the ribs.

bill
 
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Neil2

Neil2
Trying to make a decision on the type of insulation material for the floor and ceiling.

What do you recommend based upon your own experience or research? Consider these variables when making your in your decision:

1) R Value
2) Installation effort
3) Toxic/safe
4) Cost
5) Thickness

Thanks!!
PolyIso and Thinsulate depending on the ease of install and possibility of modification.:2cents:
 

Niceguy12

Member
I have been looking for a table that tells the relative costs of the different insulations

Which is more expensive which is cheapest ?

Thanks
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
I took an extra piece and put it under my hood insulation blanket. Works fine. Not as fire retardant as some stuff, but there is plenty of flammable stuff under the hood already.
 

gplowdude

New member
I used fat mat for sound insulation, and then thinsulate , two layers where it would fit. I then covered the entire inside with reflectix. I then paneled with 1/4" plywood with 1/8" closed cell foam and fabric. It seems pretty quite in the back, and doesn't take much to warm it up. I do notice a lot of cold transfer on the metal surfaces that are not covered. I think that it would help to cover those surfaces with the 1/4" paneling to match the walls, but I haven't gotten a round to it yet.
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
Bang for the buck and R value you won't beat Poli iso foil faced insulation board, adhesive and hangers, a couple of cans of great stuff and some foil tape to seal the edges. I used reflectrix on the wheel arches.

Probably spent $350 USD.

Plan to throw a rug remnant on the floor after you paint it and move on to the next problem(spending the very least).





bill
 
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hein

Van Guru
Is the grade of Thinsulate used for wall insulation suitable for under hood use?
We recommend AU4002-5 with double scrim for under hood and under van use. To increase water repellency, spray the exposed scrim with Rustoleum NeverWet.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098
 
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Coast2Coast

2006 158 Cargo
Would it be possible to just tape in Polyiso Foam just on the large panels (total 6 on 158 Sprinter) so I could remove it in the future if I needed to? Also it seems it would be a simpler easier installation process. I'm using Uxcell on ceiling and Thinsulate also in the smaller spots. This is going to be a experimentation , also economically don't want to go to high end with 284k on the clock and some rust.
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
Would it be possible to just tape in Polyiso Foam just on the large panels (total 6 on 158 Sprinter) so I could remove it in the future if I needed to? Also it seems it would be a simpler easier installation process. I'm using Uxcell on ceiling and Thinsulate also in the smaller spots. This is going to be a experimentation , also economically don't want to go to high end with 284k on the clock and some rust.
I like your thinking and the idea of removable panels. My old van only had 90K so I figured it might have a long life ahead AND I read that the sheets could get loose and squeak or rattle so I nailed then in with hangers and glue.

You could skip the construction glue on the backs and just go with a few insulation hangers. They have a push on piece that locks the sheet but it can be pulled off with a pliers to remove the whole sheet. I think I posted info on them and they are very slick. Available at the big box stores.

I'm 15k in on travel and nothing has come loose. I did go back over every finish panel screw as they had settled and need to be reset both ceiling and walls.

The insulation hangers and attachment glue is inexpensive. The glue sets up fast and could be useful elsewhere.

The foil tape at Ace Hardware is better quality than some others and worth the extra price and search.
For what it's worth I think foil faced poli iso is the high end.

Have fun

bill
 
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Neil2

Neil2
Would it be possible to just tape in Polyiso Foam just on the large panels (total 6 on 158 Sprinter) so I could remove it in the future if I needed to? Also it seems it would be a simpler easier installation process. I'm using Uxcell on ceiling and Thinsulate also in the smaller spots. This is going to be a experimentation , also economically don't want to go to high end with 284k on the clock and some rust.
#1 Bear in mind some here are selling similar products, which may/not be optimum for your needs/latitude.

#2 Latitude/s may factor in your decisions.

I used PolyIso, which I used decades ago professionally, leaving air/condensation gaps btwn the factory skin~PI and btwn the wall floor~PI. I used spray PI along the four edges so to seal btwn the PI edges~factory wall ribs. I think taped a vapor barrier over all and finished the wall with plywood. This meant I only had to detach the outer ply (easy with nutserts/bolts), slice the VB, and using a drywall hand saw, cut a hole in the foam just large enough to work. Afterwards I simply foamed along the cut out/re-tape the VP/replace the ply.

There are seasons/locations (i.e. doors) which make 'purple' foam board a better option and the Thinsulate either/both easier to install and more effective. YMMV :2cents:
 

Garandman

Active member
Here's a "duh" question. What opening are others using to pull Thinsulate into the reinforcement ribs in the roof? Haven't found anything that looks big enough. I was thinking on using a hole saw to open them up someplace.
 

travisap

2008 Dodge Sprinter Campervan
Here's a "duh" question. What opening are others using to pull Thinsulate into the reinforcement ribs in the roof? Haven't found anything that looks big enough. I was thinking on using a hole saw to open them up someplace.
Great question. The ceiling ribs don't have an opening large enough to fish a line through. We did a combo of Ez-Cool and Great Stuff spray insulation. Make sure you use duct tape or something to cover the holes so it doesn't expand anywhere you don't want it to go.

*Ez-Cool is better than Reflectix because it actually has a thin layer of foam between two layers of foil, providing enough insulation to act as a thermal break.
 
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JIB

Well-known member
Tape closed all of the holes except the ends and use a vacuum to suck the "fish" line from one end to the other.

Disclaimer: I read and seen Youtube videos of people doing this, but have not done it myself.

Jack
 

Shawn182

Well-known member
Here's a "duh" question. What opening are others using to pull Thinsulate into the reinforcement ribs in the roof? Haven't found anything that looks big enough. I was thinking on using a hole saw to open them up someplace.
My ribs have about a 1" hole at each end. Was easily able to feed through an electrical fish tape, cut a slit in the Thinsualte strips to hook on and pull through while shoving it in the hole. Thinsulate will compress then decompress quite a bit.
 

hein

Van Guru
Tape closed all of the holes except the ends and use a vacuum to suck the "fish" line from one end to the other.

Disclaimer: I read and seen Youtube videos of people doing this, but have not done it myself.

Jack
No need to cut or enlarge holes. Cut Thinsulate into strips and then fold it along it's length so the scrim is on the outside. That will allow it to slip through a smaller hole. Use a blunt flexible stick to poke it in or suck a string through the space with a shop vac and then tug the strip through. First one you do takes a bit of fiddling but all the rest will go quickly after you have developed and mastered your technique.

https://www.impact3d.com/Thinsulate_installation.html

We have Thinsulate SM600L on sale right now. 16% off our regular price with free shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/131754566187


All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098
 
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Boathik

Tinkerer extraordinaire
Super fast way to insulate the ribs or any difficulty to get to spot:

Take an electrical fish tape and tie a loop of string to the end.

Cut your strips of Thinsulate to size... 55” x2” IIRC.
Fish the tape through the rib from the big hole on one end to the other, pulling the loop through the hole.

Make a “larks head” or “cow hitch” in the string loop.


Fold the end strip into half so the scrim is on the outside then slip the larks head over it and tighten it an inch or so from the end of the strip.

Now one person can feed the strip into the hole, keeping it folded so the scrim is out, while a second person gently pulls it through with the fish tape.

When it reaches the far end, the hitch is easy to remove from the strip and the ends of the thinsulate can be poked into final position.
 

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