Club 80-90 Forums

If you use wool or fiberglass insulation to insulate your van or camper, do you have to worry about condensation, or the wool or fiber absorbing moisture like a sponge?

example

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/t5-in ... 45118.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks

MrH29 wrote:If you use wool or fiberglass insulation to insulate your van or camper, do you have to worry about condensation, or the wool or fiber absorbing moisture like a sponge?

example

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/t5-in ... 45118.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks

The most important thing is to ensure that the void you wish to insulate is protected from corosion by paint or waxoil treatment and that it is ventilated and has drainage. It should ideally be accesible for maintaineance. Much rust damage is caused by water collecting in dust or rubbish within an enclosed space. Condensation is caused by warm moist air coming into contact with cold surfaces so if you can fit insulation directly onto the inner surfaces of your exterior metalwork you are halfway there. Blown foam such as used in aerosol form by plumbers/buiders would seem to be ideal but once installed it renders the void imposible to inspect, or repair particularly by welding. Keeping the van warm in winter is not so difficult. Rust prevention is another challenge altogether. Insulation material which can absorb water is not a good idea as it will stay wet foe a long time and may even wick the water into an othewrwise dry space . Hope this helps. Others might have different views.
Cheers
Wolfie

Thanks mate, I been informed sheeps wool insulation wont absorb moisture as much. Also I been on a few websites were people fit out campers etc they just put the insulation directly on to the metal panels. I'll keep on looking.

Use the search facility up there ^^^.

There's been a few previous posts on this. I think a lot of people prefer to use the bubble wrap type stuff as it won't hold any moisture.

I insulated my T25 this winter, I used glass wool in the cavities, with the wool being inside sealed plastic bags. I then used the silver coated bubble wrap on the back of the boards, then re-fitted boards. Where there was no boards (behind sink etc, I glued the bubble wrap directly onto the walls. Great stuff, as it can follow all shapes and corners etc. I put the same stuff inside the front and rear top stowage areas, and the place it so easy to heat now, and stays hot longer than it ever did.
Hope this helps.
Jim.

I avoided rockwool having pulled wads of it, sopping wet, out of my van when I bought it in mid-summer 2005.

Mine's done like this, working outside in

1) metal van panel, covered with self adhesive sound deadening
2) layer of 50mm Celotex expanded foam, cut to fit round metalwork
3) foil bubblewrap stuff covering, and also stuffed into gaps where Celotex didn;'t fit
4) layer of plastic sheeting, taped down for airtightness
5) mdf panel, fully waterproofed and covered in scrim foam and vinyl

As per pics below: (plenty more full resto pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/piersmason ... 304695580/ )
1


2 (NB - can't find tailgate pic


3


4


5

Looks good, where did you get the foil type insulation?
Also I never seen that type of sound deadening before, where might that be from?

The sound deadening stuff has made a huge difference to road noise levels.

Foil bubble wrap came from either B&Q or Wickes, about £15 for the entire van's worth.
Deadening mats came from bodyshopwarehouse.co.uk, I used 2 packs. Your local motor factors should sell similar which would save you postage (it's relatively heavy.)

Your way is the way to go, wish I had that info before I done mine now.
Superb.
Well - you live and learn.
Jim.

plurker wrote:The sound deadening stuff has made a huge difference to road noise levels.

Foil bubble wrap came from either B&Q or Wickes, about £15 for the entire van's worth.
Deadening mats came from bodyshopwarehouse.co.uk, I used 2 packs. Your local motor factors should sell similar which would save you postage (it's relatively heavy.)

I had a look on the bodyshopwarehouse but they don't stock it no more, I found some other stuff here http://www.incarmart.com/search/?search=sound+deadening" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, it's just I didn't know if some stuff is better than others?

Ive also fitted some insulation, a layer of what can be described as the stuff u put behind radiators but not so padded (u can see below, in white, metal foil is facing out) and then on top of that 20mm styrophone.

20mm styrophone.

styrofoam?

Blue closed-cell styrofoam, Dow Corning, one of the best foam insulations, usually for flat roof and under floor slabs, excellent mechanical characterstics too, also used for aircraft wings, as in that Bert Rutan plane that flew all a round the world without re-fuelling (with Bert's wife and his brother Dick flying it)

I like some of the solutions above... and they look very thoroughly carried out
Thin solid foam would be one way, kingspan/celotex can be bought in 20 or even 17mm thickness and is slightly flexible, styrofoam being stronger than polurethane might be bent and deformed a bi more even when thin. If thicker kingspan isn't flexed to be up against the outer skin and warm air can get behind it in places, bingo, or bongo - condensation...

Self-adhesive sound deadening sheet as the first layer on the inside of body panels seems a good idea, buying them cheap enough is the trick... some charge double what others do