Van insulation... welcome to the most controversial topic since the creation of #Vanlife! After years of passionate debate, Internet experts still can't agree on the best insulation for DIY van conversions. Let's hit pause on the emotional debate and do it our way: with theoretical analysis and real-life follow up.
Table Of Content
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click a product link and buy anything from the merchant (Amazon, eBay, etc.) we will receive a commission fee. The price you pay remains the same, affiliate link or not.
1- Jumping to Conclusion
We’re not fans of shortcuts and hasty decisions, but there you have it. After 2 winters of full-time vanlife at temperatures as low as -22F (-30°C) and up to 95F (35°C), we recommend insulating your van with:
Thinsulate
We personally used Thinsulate in our van. It has kept us warm, no mold, no bugs, since 2017. It’s SO easy to work with, and there are no chemicals added (as fire retardant or bug prevention). We and our van love it.
Use “FarOutRide” code to get 5% discount at checkout!
That being said: knowledge is power! Make your own conclusion about van conversion insulation by reading the whole thing below… 🙂
2- Theory
2.1- Heat Transfer 101
The goal of adding insulation is to combat heat loss. Heat loss happens because of heat transfer (a.k.a. heat flow). Heat is always transferred from warm to cool and continues as long as there is a temperature difference; a larger temperature difference means more heat transfer potential. There are 3 heat transfer mechanisms: Conduction, Radiation & Convection.
Conduction
- Conduction is heat transfer through a material.
Examples:
- A pot handle (see picture above!)
- A spoon in a hot cup of tea
- A metal van surface getting hot inside the cargo area on a sunny day
HOW:
Energy is stored in the vibration of atoms. More heat = more energy = more vibrations. The collision of atoms between each other transfers heat.
Insulating for conduction:
The more dense a material, the closer the atoms are from each other and the more they transfer energy to their adjacent atoms (by physically colliding with each other). Therefore:
Less dense materials are a better insulator for conduction.
Radiation
- Radiation is heat transfer through electromagnetic waves.
Examples:
- The sun
- A Mr. Heater Buddy (there is some convection too but it's mainly radiant)
- A van dash getting hot when exposed to the sun
HOW:
Any hot (or warm) object radiates electromagnetic waves and can heat up other objects at distance (and therefore lose heat themselves). Energy is transferred through the electromagnetic waves, therefore, thermal radiation can happen through vacuum (without the presence of matter).
Insulating for radiation:
A white shiny surface is poor at absorbing and radiating heat. It is, therefore, a good radiant barrier.
Convection
- Convection is heat transfer through fluid (or gas) movement.
Examples:
- Hot air rising above an intense heat source (i.e. electric heater); Cold water falling towards the bottom of a lake
- A vehicle ventilation system (hot/cold air travels with the air being pushed by the fan)
HOW:
Heat is “transported” from one part of a fluid (or gas) to another by the bulk movement of the fluid itself. Hot regions are less dense, so they tend to rise and are replaced by cooler fluid from above.
Insulating for Convection:
Insulating hollow structure (i.e. frames) and eliminating air gaps minimizes air movement and reduces heat loss through convection.
While heat transfer can be separated in to 3 separate mechanisms, heat loss normally implies all 3 of them together. For example, a hot cup of coffee:
- Heat is transferred from the liquid to the cup surfaces (conduction + convection from the circulation),
- From the cup to the air and objects nearby (convection+radiation),
- From the cup to the cold table underneath (conduction),
- Blowing on coffee to cool it down (convection).
- (Heat is also lost through evaporation -change of phase-, but that’s out of our scope).
2.2- R-Value
Insulation materials are good at resisting heat flow. To quantify how good an insulating material is and to allow easy comparisons between them, a neat dude came up with R-value.
R-VALUE
R-value denotes the capacity of an insulating material to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power. It is normally noted (for example) “6.5 per inch“, which means applying one inch thickness of the material will provide 6.5 R-value; applying two inches will provide 13.0 R-value; and so on. R-value takes into account all three heat transfer mechanisms (conduction, radiation, convection). R-value is determined with the ASTM C518 test (“Standard Test Method for Steady-State Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of the Heat Flow Meter Apparatus”).
2.3- Condensation and Moisture Control
Vapor Barrier or not?
The purpose of a vapor barrier is to prevent moist air (from inside the van) from migrating towards cold surfaces. The idea is that moist air from respiration, cooking, drying gear, etc. won’t reach cold surfaces, thereby eliminating condensation issues. However, if, for any reason, moist air makes its way past the vapor barrier, it would be very hard to dry that moist air because it would be sandwiched between two vapor barrier layers (remember that metal is a vapor barrier too).
Even if one could achieve the perfect vapor barrier (which is unlikely, sorry), there are paths for outside air (charged with moisture) to infiltrate, and there are potential leak points as well:
Therefore, we believe that moist air will inevitably come in contact with cold structure, so our approach is to let the insulation layers “breathe” (no vapor barrier).
Condensation and moisture is quite complex, there is much more to talk about… we think this article should help you understand the phenomenon and help you make a better informed decision about your insulation:
2.4- Thermal Bridges
A thermal bridge is a path of least resistance for heat transfer. In other words, it’s a path for heat to “cheat” your insulation and find a way around it. It normally occurs via conduction through a dense material (such as metal).
Take for example the following picture. We added Thinsulate pretty much everywhere, except on the frames and pillars where we will attach our structure (cabinets, etc.). All the exposed metal is considered a thermal bridge, and heat will flow through it around the Thinsulate.
To mitigate the thermal bridges, a thermal break is added. We added LOW-E (EZ-COOL) since it’s pretty resistant to compression (applied by the structure attached to the van’s frames).
That’s important, especially if you’re using 80/20 aluminum extrusions for your build (structure, cabinets, etc.). Indeed, attaching the 80/20 aluminum directly to the van metal creates excellent thermal bridges; as a result, the 80/20 inside your van will be almost as cold as the van metal!
2.5- Air Loops
Hot air is less dense, so it tends to rise and be replaced by cooler air from above. That’s called an air loop and it’s a phenomenon that happens in non-insulated, hollow structures, like in the frames and pillars. So, to the question: “Is it worth shoving insulation inside frames knowing heat will find a way around (thermal bridges)?” We think it’s worth it. The total heat loss of your van is the sum of all the small pieces and bits… It all adds up!
3- Van Insulation Materials
At this point, we’re still on our quest to find THE BEST van insulation material… But in order to find out, let’s review our different options:
Thinsulate
- R-Value: 3.3 per inch.
PROS
- Very easy to install
- Hydrophobic (doesn't retain moisture)
- Doesn't off-gas
- Doesn't lose fibers and not itchy
- Good noise insulation
- Can be stuffed in hard-to-reach places
CONS
- More expensive
Bottom line: it’s a popular tried-and-true product that gives an added value to higher-end builds.
Polyiso Rigid Board
- R-Value: 5.6 per inch at 75F, 5.0 per inch at 15F.
PROS
- Impermeable to water vapor.
CONS
- R-value decreases substantially at cold temperature.
- Creates air gaps on funky surfaces (which is mostly the case in vans) = water traps.
XPS Rigid Board
- R-Value: 5.0 per inch at 75F, 6.0 per inch at 15F.
PROS
- Provides more reliable thermal performance than Polyiso.
- Impermeable to water vapor.
CONS
- Creates air gaps on funky surfaces (which is mostly the case in vans) = water traps.
- Maximum service temperature: 165F. (a darkly painted roof will get hotter than that in the sun! source: phys.org)
Spray Foam
- R-Value: 6.5 per inch.
PROS
- Conforms to curved surfaces.
- Impermeable to water vapor.
CONS
- Can distort the van panels if applied in thick layers.
- Messy to apply.
- Will block mechanism if no precautions are taken (e.g. doors).
- Some body shops won't do repairs if spray foam was applied.
Rockwool
- R-Value: 3.0 per inch.
PROS
- Easy to install
- Hydrophobic (doesn't retain moisture)
- Doesn't off-gas
CONS
- Itchy
- Can release fibers
Reflectix
- R-Value: 1.0 per inch.
Once upon a time, someone decided to insulate his van with Reflectix and blogged about it. Then everyone started using it.
By now, we know Reflectix is a very poor insulator. And on top of that, it requires an air gap in order to be effective.
It’s a good option to make your own window covers (to reflect the sun), but we prefer LOW-E as it is more resistant to tear and doesn’t have that annoying foil noise.
Low-E (EZ-Cool)
- R-Value: ?
PROS
- No foil noise
- Resistant to pressure (when inserted between van and structure)
Low-E insulation (formerly EZ-COOL) is sold as a “radiant-barrier”. It doesn’t have much R-Value, but it’s convenient to use as a thermal break and for insulated window covers.
From Heros to Zeros:
Recycled Denim
- R-Value: 3.5 per inch.
Why we don't recommend it
It’s hydrophilic: it absorbs and retains moisture. People sometimes attempt to enclose it in garbage bags only to find out later that the bags are torn and the insulation is soaked or moldy.
Fiberglass
- R-Value: 3.2 per inch.
Why we don't recommend it
It’s hydrophilic: it absorbs and retains moisture. People sometimes attempt to enclose it in garbage bags only to find out later that the bags are torn and the insulation is soaked or moldy.
Lizard Skin and other insulating Paint
- R-Value: Negligible
Why we don't recommend it
By now we know that efficient insulation materials are low-density. A coat of paint is everything except low density…
The manufacturers don’t provide any data (i.e. R-value, etc.) to backup their claims; there’s probably a good reason why (it would be fairly easy to test and publish data).
According to this Scientific American article, the EPA does not recommend insulating paint: “We haven’t seen any independent studies that can verify their insulating qualities”. They noted some heat gain reduction on surfaces directly exposed to sun only, and that “the reflectivity of the painted surfaces decline considerably with time”. It’s all about reflectivity, not insulation capacity. Are you really gonna paint the exterior or your van with insulating paint..?
Until independent studies show a benefit of insulating paint through standardized test, save your money and your time.
4- Our Insulation Strategy
Going from theory to real-life implies making compromises; there is no perfect solution! The best vanlife insulation is not just about R-Value, it’s also about:
- Ease of installation for the average DIYer
- Risk of messing things up (i.e. warped van panels)
- Condensation and moisture control
- Conformity to curved and uneven surfaces
- Material properties (i.e. maximum temperature, resistance to pressure)
With that in mind, here is how we insulated our campervan:
4.1- Floor
- XPS RIGID BOARD
To be efficient, any compressible insulation material (thinsulate, wool, etc.) must be fully expanded. As a result, they’re not ideal for floor insulation. On the other hand, XPS is an excellent insulator, provides a solid and flat foundation for our floor, is quite cheap, and is readily available at your local hardware store.
So, does it work in real-life? Definitely! We installed our Webasto so it blows hot air in our living space near and parallel to our floor; as a result, the floor is nice and warm, even in sub-freezing temperatures. But don’t get us wrong: the farther you go from the Webasto, the colder the floor gets. Cold air falls, remember? So even a perfectly insulated floor won’t be nice and warm all over unless it’s heated somehow. No, we don’t think a radiant heated floor is necessary (but could be a nice luxury); a pair of slippers is just fine and much more energy efficient!
We chose XPS Rigid Board C-200 to insulate our floor. The C-200 is rated 20PSI capable; human footprint = 16 PSI.
Here are our layers from bottom-up:
- 1/2″ thick XPS (to fill the corrugations)
- 1″ thick XPS
- MLV -not shown in the picture- (noise insulation, but we’d skip that layer if we had to start over)
- 1/2″ thick Plywood
- Vinyl Flooring -not shown in the picture-
We documented EVERYTHING about our floor installation here (insulation, sealing, bonding, plywood, vinyl, etc.):
4.2- Walls, Ceiling, Overhead cabin & Sliding Door
- THINSULATE
Installing Thinsulate insulation in a DIY conversion is a piece of cake: there’s no mess, no risk of messing things up, it’s not permanent, and it’s easy to work with. You’ll be all done in a weekend. Here is how it goes:
- Cut Thinsulate to size (using tailor scissors)
- Apply 3M 90 spray adhesive to the van wall and on the white face of the Thinsulate
- Wait 30-60 seconds for the adhesive to become tacky
- Press the Thinsulate against the wall
- That’s all!
How does it perform in real-life? Since we moved full-time in our van (2017), we’ve had everything between -22F (-30°C) and +95F (+35°C), and we’re in a good position to say it’s a tried-and-true van insulation material. If we had to build another van, we’d use Thinsulate insulation again without any hesitation.
We documented EVERYTHING about the installation of our Thinsulate insulation (walls, ceiling, overhead cabin storage, sliding door, etc.) in the following article. We also have a calculator to help you find out how much insulation to purchase:
- LOW-E
We covered all the remaining exposed metal and about 50% of Thinsulate surfaces with LOW-E insulation; this is to create thermal breaks and add some radiant barrier. We didn’t completely cover the Thinsulate in order to let it “breathe” (the LOW-E acts as a vapor barrier). As usual, we documented the whole thing:
4.3- Windows
- DIY Insulated Window Covers
You can spend a lot of money and time on the best insulation, but remember that glass is an excellent heat conductor (in other words, a horrible insulator). You can make cheap & dirty Reflectix covers to reflect the sun in summer, but if you are skiers like us, you will want something that performs better… To minimize heat loss during winter, we made insulated window covers out of low-e + thinsulate + fabric. They make a HUGE difference in sub-freezing temperatures, and they’re just plain essential below 5F (-15°C). Here is how we made them:
5- On Second Thought
You can read our second thoughts in each respective installation article listed above. But to sum it up: we would choose exactly the same van insulation strategy if we had to start over! It has served us very well.
Want to know more about winter vanlife? Driving in snow, 4×4, FWD vs RWD, electricity, finding water, finding camp spots, etc.? We wrote a debrief after our first winter full-time in the van (and plan on updating it every winter):
Hey all,
LOVE the site and purchased your electrical guides, etc a few weeks back and just got the handwritten envelope with stickers earlier this week! So kind.
I am using a ton of your info for my build (and the affiliate links so you get compensated) and I’m leaning towards doing all of your insulations methed, except with Sheepswool in lieu of Thinsulate. Sounds like with Thinsulate that you use 3m tape, but curious about your recommendations on adhering sheepswool?
Hi Alex!
I believe people attach the sheep wool with strings. I’m pretty sure you’ll find guidance if you google it. 🙂
Hi, your website is amazing. I just bought a Van and will start with my conversion soon and this website is by far the best i came across.
I will became a Patron because you definitely deserve it.
Before starting with my insulation i do have a question, did you considered X-trem insulation material? i read that some people are choosing this one and now i’m trying to decide between X-trem or Thinsulate.
I’d like to hear your thoughts about X-trem.
Best regards and stay safe,
Bruno
Not familiar with X-trem, but I’d stick with tried-and-true insulation. Thinsulate has been around for a while; it’s SO easy to install and it just works!
Cheers
Hi!
Did you use EZcool because it was better than nothing for your thermal bridging? It seems it works just like Relfectix which everyone seems to say is ineffective for conductive insulation? I’m debating whether I should do this since I don’t intend to winter camp.
Also, I am converting a van whose ceiling is almost entirely sunroof and the spaces that hold the sunroof when retracted. I cannot actually get to the metal roof of the van. So I’m wondering if Reflectix/EZcool might actually be appropriate solution in this case? It would mostly be against air or plastic (the case that holds the sunroof). There is about 2″ of space behind that until reaching the metal roof.
Thanks for all this detailed information. It is so well explained and organized and really helpful!
I’m from Australia and trying to find a product that is 100% wool unfortunately I’ve only been able to come across a 40/60 ratio wool to polyester!
From my readings it sounds like the wool holds up on its part on absorbing the moisture and warming up and preventing condensation….. still a tad nervous about the poly.
Any informative information would go a long way thank you so much for your site and knowledge through out your journey!!!
Raul.
Hey guys, i’m so impressed with what you have achieved! I’ve finally Bought a Ford Transit myself and will be converting it in Scotland before driving out to Italy for the winter season. I was wondering if you considered using hemp as insulation at all? Also do you if you are able to buy Thinsulate in the UK. You have inspired me to follow my dream and being a snow searcher myself, you have become my role models!
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks! Chris
We did not considered hemp; we’re not too familiar about it to be honest. No idea about Thinsulate shipping to the UK, maybe contact Hein at https://diyvan.com/ and ask.
Good luck with your project, pray for snow!
Antoine
Great article! Unfortunately, it’s hard to find Thinsulate in Europe..
A lot of people over here are using cork as a base layer, have you heard anything about the benefits / drawbacks?
It just a wool based product so why not use Diall recycled plastic insulation from B&Q it’s the same K value but thicker so much better R value and cheaper than thinsulare. Result!
Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge you two share with the world!
I’d like to hear your thoughts on professional spray foam applications. Is there a condensation reason or other reason that made you not use spray foam?
Thanks!
It’s mostly because we felt Thinsulate is good enough and much easier to install. Spray foam has excellent R value, but there’s a risk of warping the sheet metal; if you’re confident you can install it properly and avoid the warping, I don’t see any issue with spray foam.
Do you have an update on your headline Thinsulate vs. Wool headliner test? Any condensation/mold etc on the wool?
Oh man, we finally spent the winter in Mexico, so no… it’s HOT here 😉 I’m afraid the test will be next winter (no plans to go to mexico).
CHeers!
Maybe I missed this but I’m wondering about insulation if you are in warm/hot/humid climates 90% of the time? I know some people say not to insulate but I’m certain those people have never spent a summer in the South. haha! Any suggestions would be helpful– I’m afraid I read too many blog posts and articles. I’m a bit lost now…
It’s still the same strategy! I’d personally insulate it FOR SURE; the only reason you wouldn’t is if you’re on a very tight budget… A layer of Thinsulate just like we did here would works just fine: https://faroutride.com/thinsulate/
And I’d add:
– Choose a van with light color (white being the best);
– Make sure to have window covers: https://faroutride.com/insulated-window-covers/ (If it’s for hot climate only, you could skip the Thinsulate layer to save $…).
– Good ventilation
Good luck!
Thank you so much for the information! I don’t foresee Thinsulate in my future. Even if I could get past the incessant marketing campaign by the owner, Thinsulate is on the expensive side. I happen to have access to 3 sheets of polyiso. No idea if that is enough to cover my van (Promaster 159″ ext. high roof) but will give it a go. If I didn’t have the polyiso, I might have found a way for the Thinsulate to fit into my budget— just not a fan of people posting on boards about products while conveniently leaving out that they are the owner of the company. It feels like a lie of omission. That said, enough people attest to its viability but, for me, it causes me to doubt the quality. I think I worked in research and forensics for too long and am always looking to see if there’s something behind motives. haha If you have a brilliant product, stand up and say “hey! I have a brilliant product and this is why…” Sorry, I digress.
And I shall add:
1. I blew it on the van color… definitely not light but the price was good! lol
2. Working on Window covers. You are right about windows and heat! OY! I had planned on adding more windows but the number has been cut down significantly due to the heat blaring through windows! Planning on having all windows tinted once I have one (!) window installed.
3. Two Maxxair fans are in the plans. Lord knows, I’m gonna need it!
Your website is so very helpful to the van life community. Thank you for what you do!
Hi~
Could you tell me how many roll of the “Thinsulate Acoustic” you used for for your Transit?
and on Other every product like How much, How long ( of gas pipe) … that is what I want to know.
We have a calculator available to determine how much Thinsulate you need: https://faroutride.com/thinsulate/
As reference, we used about 70 linear feet (40′ + 30′ rolls).
As for every other products, we’d spend all week making you a list 😉 Most of that information is available here: https://faroutride.com/build-journal/
Good luck!
antoine
Hi Guys
Absolutely fantastic website, thanks for such well documented resource.
We are just about to start our build in the UK
I have many questions that no doubt will be answered via the site content. However I am curious why when constructing, at insulation and wall cladding stage you chose not to cover the underbed storage area as you have the main parts of the van with insulation and cladding. Has there been any cold air, condensation issues with the garage area.
Look forward to your response
Kind regards
Paul
The underbed storage was covered later with plywood sheet (instead of tong and groove cladding); it is insulated as well.
Does that answer your question?
Is there an alternative adhesive to the 3M90? Amazon is estimating a 1 to 2 month shipping time from China. I assume this is because of the viral outbreak there, and if that is correct it could take even longer to get the supply chain up and going again. I would really appreciate any suggestions you could make.
Thanks for an awesome website. Easily the best build/conversion information I have seen.
Go here: https://amzn.to/393pwNd and make sure to select “17.6 oz”, then QUANTITY = 4 (in your cart). This item is sold by amazon.com (USA), it’s not from China. If you choose “4 cans”, then it might come from China and it’s actually more expensive…
cheers!
I see metal tape on the inside of the van before you applied thinsulate. What is this product and would you recommend applying it?
Are you referring to this: https://faroutride.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Ford-Transit-Camper-Van-Thinsulate-Installation-18.jpeg ?
It’s sound deadening, and if we had to start over we would skip it as we feel the Thinsulate has good enough sound insulation properties! So, no, wouldn’t really recommend it…
Hi,
Do you think Thinsulate would make a good insulator for HVAC hard metal ducts? I would like to avoid using regular fiberglass duct wrap. My thought was to wrap them with a layer of thinsulate then with a layer of reflectix or ez-cool as a vapor barrier. Or I could use a layer of thinsulate and then a layer of sheep wool since the wool acts as a vapor barrier of sorts by absorbing the moisture into its fibers.
My question is what is the purpose of the HVAC hard metal ducts?
We are doing our floor now and I have a question for ya.
I am doing 1/2″ closed cell foam between the ridges on the floor, and then another 1/2 board to sit on top of the ridges and the first 1/2″, and then plywood as the subfloor.
My question is, should I put down some wood planks in the floor instead of the 1st layer of insulation to steady the floor more and have more wood for the cabinests to screw into? Or does foam on foam atop the ridges, and plywood have enough grip that I can screw into that and be fine?
Thanks!!
We’d go for foam again if we had to start over; it works just fine! Actually we would use Minicell as described here: https://faroutride.com/floor-installation/
Cheers
bonjour,
je veux transformer une petite van genre Transit connect,
je veux l’utiliser principalement l’été mais aussi l’automne au Québec environ (-5 nuit)
que me suggérez-vous comme isolation, est-ce que le Thinsulate nécessaire ou juste une barrière comme le ez-cool serait suffisante.
merci
Le ez-cool seul ne fera pas grand chose; on vous recommande fortement du Thinsulate!
Do you know where to find Thinsulate that will be delivered to Quebec city?
Thanks
Go to the eBay store (here) and click on “Contact Seller”. We had our Thinsulate shipped to Quebec Province, shouldn’t be an issue!
Antoine
I researched and found this awesome high R-value insulation that I wanted to tell y’all about. I feel like I have stuck gold with this insulation’s high R value of 22 and with how thin it is, especially for insulating something like the floor. But from feedback from other van people, I’m starting to get confused because they don’t seem impressed. Am I missing something that makes this insulation not awesome?
Prodex 10M:
https://www.insulation4less.com/insulation4lessproduct-62-prodex-total-10m.aspx
Installation Advice:
https://www.insulation4less.com/insulationmethods-35-van—sprinter-or-cargo-click-for-installation-instructions.aspx
That’s EZ-COOL, basically. Manufacturer attribute them high R-VALUE because of the radiant barrier, but in practice they cannot achieve that. REFLECTIX has a similar story…
We used EZ-COOL as thermal-break barrier (and would use it again), but I wouldn’t recommend it as your main insulation (definitely not R22 as advertised).
Thanks for the heads up! Cheers 🙂
Great article. Thank you! I am insulating my first van soon… I think… Dare I try living in a van without insulation…?
Anyways, I want to suggest a minor correction of your description of radiative heat transfer:
You said: “no particles move when heat is radiated”
Particles indeed move when heat is radiated from a body. Electromagnetic waves are comprised of photons, which the physics community considers a particle. I understood what you were driving at with your statement but technically it’s false.
To be more accurate you could replace:
“Unlike other mechanism (conduction, convection) no particles move when heat is radiated; therefore, heat can be transferred through vacuum.”
with
“Unlike other mechanism (conduction, convection) direct physical contact between two objects is not required in order for heat to be transferred from one object to another.”
Source: Wikipedia and I am a mechanical engineering dropout
Good catch! You’re right about the particle’s movement 🙂 I’ve updated the description.
Thanks for the head’s up, have a good one!
Antoine
In process, and loe your website. I have a mid roof 2019 Transit. Trying to conserve headroom. Can I use 1/2″ XPS on top, instead of one inch and 3/8″ plywood. This would save5/8″ inch height. Would 3’8″ ply be sufficient for lower cabinet bolt down ?
Do you plan on using your van in winter (i.e. for skiing)? If not, you could save even more space by using this Minicell package (view on eBay). It fills the corrugations and the top layer (included in the package) is only 0.25″ thick (instead of 1/2″ as you proposed).
– If using your van in winter, I wouldn’t go lower than 1/2″ XPS.
– For the plywood, I wouldn’t go lower than 1/2″ to prevent warping & because 3/8 doesn’t provide much grip for the screw (for the cabinets).
Cheers, hope that helps!
Love your website. By far the best put together and most informative vanlife site I’ve come across. I’m in the middle of my build now and trying to decide on insulation. I’m taking a two layer approach….thinsulate or sheepswool covered on top with sheets of .75 inch polyiso panels. The van will be almost exclusively used in freezing temps as ski rig. My primary concern with thinsulate is the health safety of product. I’ve looked at SDS and it looks like thinsulate a mix of polyethylene and polypropylene with less than 1 percent of some proprietary undisclosed magic sauce. I’ve ordered sample and seems inert…no smell, hydrophobic, doesn’t burn. Great stuff….but I don’t trust 3M and I don’t have enough of a chemistry background to understand how this stuff degrades, breaks down, flakes off etc etc. Sheeps wool seems like a great alternative expect for the problem of bugs….and maybe organophosphates retained in wool. Is there any testing with regards to plastics in thinsulate and potential endocrine effects? Sorry, I know this comes off as a bit overzealous but modern insulation for as effective as it is has a lot of unknown side effects that give me reason for pause. As far as polyiso…not perfect as it contains halogenated flame retardants but having foil taped all edges I feel it’s pretty well sealed up.
Hi, I love the site and the work you’re doing, I bought my van last week and I will use it occasionally at least for a while, I’m not sure I’m ready to take on the full electrical system quite yet, instead I’m purchasing a goal zero because it’s much less of a commitment, I do have to insulate the van though, I will try to follow what you did, and here are my questions: Did you do electrical work first or insulation? Also how much harder would it be to do the electrical work later on top of the insulation?
Insulation first! So if you need to do any upgrade/change/repair to your electrical, it is not hidden under the insulation. We documented our build in chronological order here: https://faroutride.com/build-journal/
Good luck! 🙂
I feel this is a very valid concern and it’s sad the authors did not reply. Thinsulate is the “smallest” poly fibres, so if it eventually degrades (or what have you) into the air – could easily get into our bodies.. Has it been around for 10 or 20 years inside campers, with people living in that system? probably not. And even if it does have a detrimental effect, chances are it will never be linked to this cause.
In this day and age, when plastic is everywhere, i feel we have to do our utmost to protect ourselves in places where we can. But there are so many variables, that a bad natural insulation could cause even more health risks. I wish someone holistic-health orientated and with same aptitude as FarOutRide would be documenting van builds ;D