Wall and ceiling insulation?

[captnredbeerd]

a lot about ceilings and walls here, what about the floor? I'm doing my conversion with some friends, and I seem to be the only one who wants to insulate the floor (even just 1" polyiso and plywood/linoleum?). they're talking about an electric radiant system under engineered laminate flooring.

Bus conversion newbies (granted), but how important is the floor insulation?
Thanks!

[Rusty]

Not sure which posts you read, but many advocate 2" of floor insulation. Mine has sprayfoam underneath.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/an...oor+insulation

[Plan"C"]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Not sure which posts you read, but many advocate 2" of floor insulation. Mine has sprayfoam underneath.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/an...oor+insulation

I thought about using spray foam under the metal floor. I am apprehensive to use spray foam under because the foam is super flammable. Rusty, did you seal the insulation after? If so, with what?

[Dana]

We checked our insulation and it looked fine. So we left the ceiling and walls alone. We did pull up the rubber floor and put down new flooring. The only place we added insulation was the wheel wells, and that was more for sound than anything.

Bus windows have an R rating of less than 1 (usually). So unless you are planning on installing double pane glass or removing the windows entirely a lot of the extra insulation work could be for not.

It depends on the usage I guess. We chase 70 degree weather, if we end up in freezing weather something has gone seriously wrong. We are comfortable down into the mid 40's and thats good enough for us.

We are more concerned with keeping bugs out. Window screens continue to be a challenge.

[Rooty]

My livable space is 138 sf in the bus I bought. What real value in heat loss/gain will I achieve in replacing the existing metal ceiling with insulation/ribbing/ceiling (loss of ~1" from an already low (6') ceiling. I understand the moisture barrier/insulation idea...but this bus is early 70s, rivets are stubborn...convince me why to bother. I plan to insulate the floor, and walls.

[JDOnTheGo]

How do you plan to use the bus?? Knowing that is the only way a person can answer.

If planning to sit in the desert southwest in the heat of summer - insulate.
If planning to sit in the heat/humidity (anywhere) - insulate.

If planning for only occasional use in moderate temperatures - the additional work might not be worth it.

[WanderlustExistence]

Anyone know where to find 1.5 inch foam board Insulation? Trying to insulated the walls/sides but can seem to find this size and really would prefer not to have to double up on the boards if possible since that would be really pricey. What have you guys used or found?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by WanderlustExistence

Anyone know where to find 1.5 inch foam board Insulation? Trying to insulated the walls/sides but can seem to find this size and really would prefer not to have to double up on the boards if possible since that would be really pricey. What have you guys used or found?

No one I know of makes rigid board insulation in 1-1/2" sizes. It does throw the economy off when 1" is $19 and half that is $15. I found the polyiso in 1/2" cheaper than the pink board, so I'm stacking 1" and 1/2" in the walls and triple 1/2" in the ceiling.

[WanderlustExistence]

Originally Posted by o1marc

No one I know of makes rigid board insulation in 1-1/2" sizes. It does throw the economy off when 1" is $19 and half that is $15. I found the polyiso in 1/2" cheaper than the pink board, so I'm stacking 1" and 1/2" in the walls and triple 1/2" in the ceiling.

Thanks is so much for the reply. How many boards did you end up needing for the sides? We are probably going to do the same thing.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by WanderlustExistence

Thanks is so much for the reply. How many boards did you end up needing for the sides? We are probably going to do the same thing.

Haven't gotten to that step yet. Measure height and width of the panels being filled to determine how many sheets you will need. Don't go by square footage to be cover, go by how many pieces you can get out of a 4x8 sheet. You'll end up with scrap that can bemused to fill other areas.
My cavities are 32.5" x 25.5", That means you only get 3 pieces from a 4 x 8 with an 8' x 15.5" scrap piece

[captnredbeerd]

I sprayed great foam down into the lowesst part of the side cavities, then doubled up 1/2 polyiso board, down an inch or so past the ‘chair rail’, finally finishing up with a layer of reflectix roll insulation, taping the sides down with tape.

[Rothbardian]

Originally Posted by WanderlustExistence

Anyone know where to find 1.5 inch foam board Insulation? Trying to insulated the walls/sides but can seem to find this size and really would prefer not to have to double up on the boards if possible since that would be really pricey. What have you guys used or found?

Owens Corning makes a 1.5" version of their Foamular 150, sold at Home Depot for about $24/4x8 sheet. I am insulating my ceiling and walls right now.

I found that, using a jigsaw, I can make a series of 45 degree cuts to fit the curve of the ceiling pretty closely. Usually 3 4-6" sections does the trick.

[Pupcinder]

I have a 40' rear engine Canadian edition bluebird school bus converting to motor home does anybody know how thick the insulation is in these busses? And how thick the walls are?

[bus-bro]

I'd say 2 inches of fiberglass in the cap and 1 inch in the walls.

[Phatman]

Originally Posted by o1marc

No one I know of makes rigid board insulation in 1-1/2" sizes. It does throw the economy off when 1" is $19 and half that is $15. I found the polyiso in 1/2" cheaper than the pink board, so I'm stacking 1" and 1/2" in the walls and triple 1/2" in the ceiling.

I forget what the brand name of the blue board, it comes in 1/2”,3/4”,1”,1 1/2”, 2”, 2 1/2”, 3”,4” & 6”. Use it all the time for building dioramas.

[DeMac]

[IMG][/IMG]

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Phatman

I forget what the brand name of the blue board, it comes in 1/2”,3/4”,1”,1 1/2”, 2”, 2 1/2”, 3”,4” & 6”. Use it all the time for building dioramas.

Kingspan GreenGuard? - that name will be burned into my brain forever, although it's more aqua/greenish than blue. Lowe's carries it (Home Despot sells the pink Foamular) but not in the 1.5" thickness.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by DeMac

[IMG][/IMG]

It was awfully nice of International to make their ribs 1.5" deep. Insulating in the cavities would have been more difficult if they were 1.75" or something like that.

[Phatman]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Kingspan GreenGuard? - that name will be burned into my brain forever, although it's more aqua/greenish than blue. Lowe's carries it (Home Despot sells the pink Foamular) but not in the 1.5" thickness.

I finally got back to the house to look at my blue styrofoam. It is DOW. I’ve been buying this stuff for years at an insulation company on the north side of Houston. They sell me 2x8 & 4x8 sheets that have broken corners and gouges that they cannot sell to their customers. I use it to build dioramas for train layouts. I don’t think any of the box stores carry anything bigger than 3/4”.

[DeMac]

This Insulation Supply site is updated frequently. They have a wide variety Owens insulation products and adhesives. Competitive pricing, as well.

https://insulation.supply/products/

***Check out the ratings on ThermaPink.
*No thermal barrier (drywall) required. *Approved for direct to steel roof applications.