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Old 02-19-2017, 07:35 PM   #1
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insulating ceiling cavity on 2005 FrieghtlinerThomas

any advice from anyone on how to inject spray foam into the cavity space?

is there any insulation from the factory in the cavity?

removing steel sheet panels and placing foam boards looks like tons of work and time.

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Old 02-20-2017, 12:05 AM   #2
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More likely than not, there's crappy fiberglass insulation between the panels. And, for thermal bridging as well as seam inspection, it's best to pull the ceiling panels. This allows you to replace the batting, check for mold and leaks, and then put up a new ceiling after insulating.
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Old 02-20-2017, 05:45 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05FrieghtlinerThomas View Post
any advice from anyone on how to inject spray foam into the cavity space?

is there any insulation from the factory in the cavity?

removing steel sheet panels and placing foam boards looks like tons of work and time.
You can't inject spray foam into that.
Anything "bus" requires a good bit of effort. Or money.
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Old 02-20-2017, 08:15 AM   #4
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I used foam and board, look below my signature for my build
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Old 02-20-2017, 09:38 AM   #5
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A reminder (once again)...do NOT spray Great Stuff or similar household gap foam into closed cavities.

1. It will never set
2. The chemistry attacks metal
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Old 02-20-2017, 01:11 PM   #6
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We are in the process of insulating our bus ceiling. We have decided to use closed cell spray foam insulation because it helps with air drafts and water penetration.


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Old 02-20-2017, 01:13 PM   #7
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We are in the process of insulating our bus ceiling. We have decided to use closed cell spray foam insulation because it helps with air drafts and water penetration.


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Sorry, forgot to add we took all the ceiling panels down to insulate. I will be replacing the ceiling with sheet metal using thermal breaks between the ribs and the sheets.


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Old 02-21-2017, 05:23 PM   #8
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I was able to confirm today w/Thomas Engineering folks in NC that there is insulation in my '05 Thomas ceiling and I understand it's little to no value wrt thermal breaks and providing real insulation, but; if you were converting your bus for intermittent trips of a duration of days, to perhaps a few weeks, in the Mid Atlantic Region of the US, would you truly go through all the work & $$ as I have seen required to pull factory panels, spray foaming, reapplying some other wood T&G ceiling or plywood sheets - or - would you just focus on getting a good AC and heater to keep you plenty comfortable? I'm guessing we're talking about a ceiling replacement project running easily into several thousand dollars. Another option might be to inject spray foam in 2 or 3 cut openings of the existing ceiling steel panels to get around ribs and struts and to then apply a wood paneled ceiling over that?? I'm surprised no one has commented on the fact that surely Thomas relied on these steel ceiling panels for a piece of the bus' structural integrity??
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Old 02-21-2017, 05:32 PM   #9
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I can't speak to the strength of BB or Thomas, but IC/AmTran sure puts together a STRONG bus. I just hacked the entire roof off and the whole structure was/is extremely strong and rigid.
You gotta crack a few eggs to make an omelette.
I'm leaving the perforated steel ceiling panels in my daily driver short bus, because I don't care about insulation at all in this bus.
With no insulation, or the factory fiberglass batting, the ac and heat are gona be working hard to keep up with extreme highs or lows.
But I totally agree with the part about if you aren't using the bus for extended periods, the way the bus comes can be a decent way to go. No one way to do this stuff, man!
Leave the paneling in if you want, plenty of my friends do that and plenty have in the past. But don't hold back because you think you're going to weaken the bus in any real appreciable way. Ever seen how an RV is put together? They're crap. But they at the very least don't feel like you're inside a steel can.
Do whatever you think is best and enjoy busing to the fullest!!!
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Old 02-21-2017, 05:36 PM   #10
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my question on the structure was really more of a surprise that no one mentions that topic - what are your thoughts on what I can expect if I do not pull the sheets and insulate? do you not think I can make up the comfort factor with AC & heat?
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Old 02-21-2017, 05:44 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05FrieghtlinerThomas View Post
my question on the structure was really more of a surprise that no one mentions that topic - what are your thoughts on what I can expect if I do not pull the sheets and insulate? do you not think I can make up the comfort factor with AC & heat?
Sure just get at least two 15k btu roof mount ac units and a big generator.
Like the rv folks, only you'll need to run em harder.
for heat, you'll just burn a lot more fuel.
Expect a lot more condensation either way.
These buses SWEAT a lot!
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Old 02-21-2017, 09:25 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05FrieghtlinerThomas View Post
my question on the structure was really more of a surprise that no one mentions that topic - what are your thoughts on what I can expect if I do not pull the sheets and insulate? do you not think I can make up the comfort factor with AC & heat?
Well, it does get mentioned from time to time. I guess many of us just said something like "meh, I'm worried about insulation, air sealing, and noise more than I'm worried about structural integrity in a rollover."
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