2000 Bluebird Handybus

[halcamcoh0923]

Just recently purchased a 2000 Bluebird Handybus. Tore the seats out, and have a clean slate. Doing floors soon and was wondering about insulation. We stayed one night in it in Georgia and it got rainy and down to about 30 degrees, so a wee bit chilly on the bus. What's the best ideas everyone has seen on insulating? Also, in Augusta Georgia, don't think there are any skoolies around here, but if there is I'd love to meet up.


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[Robin97396]

Welcome halcamcoh0923

I'm in Oregon, but what we have in common is low temperatures. The general theory is stripping out all the interior walls and ceiling panels, pulling the old insulation and cleaning up before spraying with foam insulation.

There are two basic ways to insulate with foam. The spray foam kits you've probably heard of that you can order online so you can spray the interior yourself. The alternative to the do-it-yourself kit is contacting a local commercial foam insulation guy and arranging to have them spray the interior of your bus.

The commercial guys tend to make the foam much deeper than what you get with a foam kit, generally filling the wall and ceiling cavities.

Some people like the kit because it put a layer of foam about a half inch deep against the outer skin and ribs, effectively sealing the metal surfaces, while leaving an air gap between the foam and the new interior of the bus. This air gap is considered a thermal break from the outside temps.

Either way there is a lot of taping to protect interior surfaces where you don't want overspray. It took me about four days to tape off this bus and I still wish I'd taped it better.

I was told to get five rolls of the cheapest duct tape at the home store for my 26 foot bus. I think he suggested eight rolls of duct tape for a long bus. Tape the interior surface of each rib. Put plastic or whatever you're using over the windows and the floor. Cover the driver's seat, dashboard, and anything else that's exposed. The overspray lands on anything not covered and sticks. It's not that hard to get the overspray off with hot soapy water, but it's much easier to tape off everything off right the first time.

There are lots of examples of foam jobs on this site including mine. Hope that helps.

This winter was the coldest winter in the past ten years since I've lived here and was my first winter after getting the foam sprayed. My heating costs were near 25% of the previous year's heating cost. Much more comfortable.