Spray foam insulation.

[Darcar]

Hi I’ve been a fan of the spray foam insulation ever since I built my last van. ( the Merc vario ) & Obviously it HAD to be the closed cell type.

However these days it’s falling out of favour with the building industry for some reason! Apparently it’s something to do with remortgaging! Or not!
Anyway I now can’t find anyone locally who will spray our van. So I’m going to have to use the kingspan type of solid foam board!
Tbh I’ve never used it before as the builds before the Merc we used cosywrap loft insulation( not nice stuff ).
So would you recommend sticking the boards to the aluminium side walls or just wedges it in?
Cheers Darren

 

[xsilvergs]

Look on YouTube for Greg Virgo's Sprinter build.

 

[Millie Master]

Hi I’ve been a fan of the spray foam insulation ever since I built my last van. ( the Merc vario ) & Obviously it HAD to be the closed cell type.

Cheers Darren

Darren I don't know where you live but I do know there is one of the very best spray foam installers located in Sheffield https://www.oneinsulation.co.uk/, there are also quite a few others located around the country, most especially close to any of the large junctions of the canal network as so many narrow boats are spray foam lined these days.

But as for the lads in Sheffield, they are absolute perfectionists, I only wish I had used them for 'Millie' rather than the company I did!!!

However with nice large flat areas like in your new build, I honestly believe that Kingspan or similar might be a better bet as there is never going to be any cutting back needed.
Good luck

Phil

 

[Squiffy]

Just put several dots and dabs of sealant adhesive on the board and push it up against the panel. The board is so light weight that it holds easily in place. I've used Kingspan in all four of my builds and wouldn't contemplate using spray foam and all the hidden problems it causes I.e. Time consuming cutting back and masking up in the first instance not to mention accident repairs requiring scraping of the spray foam from damaged areas, where insulation board can be pulled off just as easily as it was stuck up. . Phil

P.s. We use our van throughout the winter and the wife has never complained that the van was cold.

 

[MarkJ]

Just put several dots and dabs of sealant adhesive on the board and push it up against the panel

That's what I did, but I also put a bead around the edge and then covered joins in aluminium tape. My attempt at a vapour barrier. I didn't get too carried away, and it wasn't a perfect seal, but I reckon large parts of the van metal are probably sealed off.

 

[JIXAMAN]

Ah used kingspan in all the gaps ah could get it into then covered over everything with the foil backed foam and the silver tape, the ply went over that... Works ah think...

Ah never thought of spray foam but then ah wouldnt think its something ah could get my hands on cheap, theres equipment to think of too n ah wouldnt go down the road of paying someone to do it... Have heard of people using tins of expanding foam and wrecking their van but never seen it myself, might youtube it for a laff....

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I'd drive as far as practical for the proper spray foam, there is nothing better.

 

[Nabsim]

Think spray foam done properly is best for thickness and performance but as said with your straight, flat walls Kinspan type should be great. Someone mention the sticky pins that Greg Virgo used, I remember seeing those and thinking how much easier it seemed to make fitting.

 

[Duckato]

@Darcar
Don't use Stick pins as a permanent fixture they do not hold very long when something like the van roof gets hot in the sun.
FYI there are still plenty of places doing spray foam, look for companies that do refrigerated vans and boat hulls e.g. https://www.mpinsulations.co.uk/

If you have flat walls of your van and do decide to go with king span type PIR then I have found bog standard cheap water soluable (when still wet) vinyl flooring adhesive works very well but it does take a long time to go off hence where the stick pins come in handy.

It is also by far the best stuff I have ever used for sticking pvc cladding on ply i.e in shower rooms.

My current van has the usual B&Q Dial recycled bottle stuff against the van walls and in all the ribs, to properly fill all the voids and being in full contact it also makes pointless heavy bitumen based sound proofing unnecessary

Then I have then 25-50mm mm pir and on top of that YBS super-quilt as a kind of mega vapour barrier and because I needed to maximise space in a couple of places.

The latter is an absolute bar Steward to work with but incredibly effective.

 

[Darcar]

@Darcar
Don't use Stick pins as a permanent fixture they do not hold very long when something like the van roof gets hot in the sun.
FYI there are still plenty of places doing spray foam, look for companies that do refrigerated vans and boat hulls e.g. https://www.mpinsulations.co.uk/

If you have flat walls of your van and do decide to go with king span type PIR then I have found bog standard cheap water soluable (when still wet) vinyl flooring adhesive works very well but it does take a long time to go off hence where the stick pins come in handy.

It is also by far the best stuff I have ever used for sticking pvc cladding on ply i.e in shower rooms.

My current van has the usual B&Q Dial recycled bottle stuff against the van walls and in all the ribs, to properly fill all the voids and being in full contact it also makes pointless heavy bitumen based sound proofing unnecessary

Then I have then 25-50mm mm pir and on top of that YBS super-quilt as a kind of mega vapour barrier and because I needed to maximise space in a couple of places.

The latter is an absolute bar Steward to work with but incredibly effective.

cheers Duckato.
As we have completely flat walls & ceiling I’m going to use the kingspan like stuff.
I’ll try the flooring adhesive to stick it in place. Although the ply will hold it against the wall, pretty well once screwed in.

 

[weefish]

Think spray foam done properly is best for thickness and performance but as said with your straight, flat walls Kinspan type should be great. Someone mention the sticky pins that Greg Virgo used, I remember seeing those and thinking how much easier it seemed to make fitting.

I tried stick pins. Useless. The “great one“ is not always right and can be very defensive.

 

[Nabsim]

I tried stick pins. Useless. The “great one“ is not always right and can be very defensive.

I am fully aware of that, particularly when it comes to gas lol

 

[Darcar]

I tried stick pins. Useless. The “great one“ is not always right and can be very defensive.

I don’t see the need for the stick pins. Our kingspan is wedged into place and I’ve gripfilled it to the panel just for good measure.

 

[trevskoda]

My van was set with thin ply over insulation and riveted to the steel box frame which the outside alloy panels are fixed to, i used wide head rivets then covered the panels with trim cloth.

 

[Darcar]

My van was set with thin ply over insulation and riveted to the steel box frame which the outside alloy panels are fixed to, i used wide head rivets then covered the panels with trim cloth.View attachment 5837View attachment 5838View attachment 5837View attachment 5838View attachment 5839

We’ve done something similar.. but I’ve attached 2x2 timber to the side of the steel frames and screwed the ply up to that.

 

[HTF]

These "new" insulations are very good and easy to install. I don't know if the link below works for you directly but the company is UK based. This one in particular is said to be equivalent to 210mm of mineral wool. I used a variant of this in my build.

https://www.archiexpo.com/prod/proctor-group/product-99172-1543233.html

 

[Pudsey Bear]

These "new" insulations are very good and easy to install. I don't know if the link below works for you directly but the company is UK based. This one in particular is said to be equivalent to 210mm of mineral wool. I used a variant of this in my build.

https://www.archiexpo.com/prod/proctor-group/product-99172-1543233.html

Unable to read it but most thinsulate type require 100mm air gap to be effective, how much does this one need?

 

[HTF]

Unable to read it but most thinsulate type require 100mm air gap to be effective, how much does this one need?

No gap is mentioned besides the 30mm space it takes.