My apologies for the name mixup, I am well aware of your work and what you publish here and at the PM forum. Your reputation precedes you.
Will keep an open mind on safe products used to protect the van wall from corrosion due to condensation. Yes any product sprayed must meet the criteria you outlined, bonding to the skin and great stuff, not outgassing toxic by products for starters. Not hopeful there is such a safe product but if I do find something will be happy to report on the forum.
Meantime, I see polyiso and great stuff as the way to go. Am very familiar with and use both. Have the pro gun and avoid using compressed cans with straws.
Our build target is next year due to projects wife and I have committed to. Meantime will continue researching and note taking so that we can hit the ground running when we do start the conversion sometime next year.
Thank you for all the hard work you share with us.
Hi Marc, in research phase waiting for 2018 to buy PM and convert. Storing all details of builds in the meantime. I admire your work as well as your spreadsheet. I modified all surface areas that reflect the additional 19% longer living space of the 159″ wheel base. It’s the manual J of camper vans, thank you.
Now to my question: has anyone tried to spray/roll the interior skin with undercoating type of material that will isolate the skin from cabin water vapor? It’s done on underground slabs, automotive undercoating etc. No insulation just protecting skin and allow the foam boards over it to insulate the van.
Only drawback I can think of is toxicity issues over time. Maybe there is a gentle organic type product out there and if so would it be helpful prior to adding boards.
I think you might have me (Gary) and Marc confused — So, I’ll give an answer and maybe Marc can chime in also.
I’ve thought about some form of protective coat on the inner skin of the van before doing insulation. I think it might be a good idea and offer some additional protection. I do think its important to do some research on what you use. Has to bond well, not be affected by temps that might go up toward 200F, not outgas or smell, be compatible with the Great Stuff and Polyiso, and it has to bond well with the polyiso so you don’t get squeaking.
When I was at Boeing they were using a lot of LPS3, so that might be another option to look at. But, not sure if it can be painted over or not or whether it would offer a good bond to the Polyiso.
My gut says that something that is relatively thin so that it pentrates all the tiny cracks and seams. That would be my hesitation about an undercoating material (along with the other things you mention).
Sounds like you have some research time — this might be a good thing to spend some time on.
One of the guys on the PM form the other day said that people are overthinking the insulation issues — he may be correct 🙂
Gary,
First of all, awesome article. I’m planning on starting a reefer upfitting van business and contemplating in which insulation system to use. If you have some time, I would like to discuss with you some of the options that you mentioned in your article. Thank you in advance.
Hi Marc,
Not sure I know enough about reefer upfitting to be much help, but would be glad to talk to you. We are on a 3 week vacation right now.
You can email me at BuildAGreenRV@gmail.com
You are amazing for leaving this detailed report on here as my wife and I are going to rent the house and live in a sprinter for a couple of years. How is your journey going and how is the insulation holding? Thank you very much!
Gary do you wood panel over the spray foam and if so , can u post any photos . Also you didn’t spray the beams is that required
Hi Dean,
Here is the page on the paneling: https://www.buildagreenrv.com/our-conversion/our-conversion-paneling/
This page has a list of all the detail pages for insulation, electrical, paneling, galley, …
https://www.buildagreenrv.com/our-conversion/
Gary
Hello Gary.
My apologies for the name mixup, I am well aware of your work and what you publish here and at the PM forum. Your reputation precedes you.
Will keep an open mind on safe products used to protect the van wall from corrosion due to condensation. Yes any product sprayed must meet the criteria you outlined, bonding to the skin and great stuff, not outgassing toxic by products for starters. Not hopeful there is such a safe product but if I do find something will be happy to report on the forum.
Meantime, I see polyiso and great stuff as the way to go. Am very familiar with and use both. Have the pro gun and avoid using compressed cans with straws.
Our build target is next year due to projects wife and I have committed to. Meantime will continue researching and note taking so that we can hit the ground running when we do start the conversion sometime next year.
Thank you for all the hard work you share with us.
Hi — I think that the POR-15 that Bob came up with is worth a good look. If you take a more detailed look at it, please let us know what you find out.
Gary
Hi Marc, in research phase waiting for 2018 to buy PM and convert. Storing all details of builds in the meantime. I admire your work as well as your spreadsheet. I modified all surface areas that reflect the additional 19% longer living space of the 159″ wheel base. It’s the manual J of camper vans, thank you.
Now to my question: has anyone tried to spray/roll the interior skin with undercoating type of material that will isolate the skin from cabin water vapor? It’s done on underground slabs, automotive undercoating etc. No insulation just protecting skin and allow the foam boards over it to insulate the van.
Only drawback I can think of is toxicity issues over time. Maybe there is a gentle organic type product out there and if so would it be helpful prior to adding boards.
BTW, enjoy your posts on the PM forum.
Thanks,
Santiago
Hi Santiago,
I think you might have me (Gary) and Marc confused — So, I’ll give an answer and maybe Marc can chime in also.
I’ve thought about some form of protective coat on the inner skin of the van before doing insulation. I think it might be a good idea and offer some additional protection. I do think its important to do some research on what you use. Has to bond well, not be affected by temps that might go up toward 200F, not outgas or smell, be compatible with the Great Stuff and Polyiso, and it has to bond well with the polyiso so you don’t get squeaking.
I think that Bob makes a pretty good case for POR-15 here: http://rampromaster.weebly.com/insulation.html
You might ask him for an update on how it has worked out for him.
When I was at Boeing they were using a lot of LPS3, so that might be another option to look at. But, not sure if it can be painted over or not or whether it would offer a good bond to the Polyiso.
My gut says that something that is relatively thin so that it pentrates all the tiny cracks and seams. That would be my hesitation about an undercoating material (along with the other things you mention).
Sounds like you have some research time — this might be a good thing to spend some time on.
One of the guys on the PM form the other day said that people are overthinking the insulation issues — he may be correct 🙂
Gary
Gary,
First of all, awesome article. I’m planning on starting a reefer upfitting van business and contemplating in which insulation system to use. If you have some time, I would like to discuss with you some of the options that you mentioned in your article. Thank you in advance.
Hi Marc,
Not sure I know enough about reefer upfitting to be much help, but would be glad to talk to you. We are on a 3 week vacation right now.
You can email me at BuildAGreenRV@gmail.com
Gary
You are amazing for leaving this detailed report on here as my wife and I are going to rent the house and live in a sprinter for a couple of years. How is your journey going and how is the insulation holding? Thank you very much!
Hi John,
Have taken a few more trips in the van and made some small changes, but its doing fine.
Insulation is doing fine- no problems.
Gary