Spray insulation

[Robin97396]

The kits are sold on Amazon and eBay so there is a certain amount of accountability there. All the kit sellers proclaimed they had tech support.

Is the Dow kit comparable in price?

When I was reviewing the foam kits there were two sizes. 600 and a 800 sq ft kits, both at about a dollar per square foot. That was why I got lazy and had a commercial foam guy do it at $800. Nobody works on these buses as carefully as each of us does.

[JDOnTheGo]

Excellent feedback/info guys - thank you!

[superdave]

I used 2 of the 600 sf kits from ebay on my 32 bus, 582 bucks each, great product.

[JDOnTheGo]

Originally Posted by superdave

I used 2 of the 600 sf kits from ebay on my 32 bus, 582 bucks each, great product.

Excellent!! I looked at your pics - great job!

Did you find the kits relatively easy to use and especially control? I'm asking as I only need to apply a thin (1" in places, 2" in other places) and don't want to create a huge mess and end up having to trim away the bulk of what I slobbered all over everything.

[Robin97396]

Spraying is going to make a fairly big mess. That's all there is to it. Do a good job of taping anything you don't want foam mist to land on. The overspray comes off of metallic and plastic surfaces fairly easily, but it doesn't like to come off of fabric very well.

If I had sprayed the foam myself I'm relatively sure I wouldn't have made such a big mess. I'd still like to shake that commercial foam guy for the job he did on my bus.

The spraying itself actually goes pretty fast, much like painting. It's the taping and cleanup that are the real work.

This is probably the best thing you can do to a bus. It may involve a little pain, but just get er done. You'll feel the difference the first time it gets cold outside.

[superdave]

touch n seal 600 is the kits I used, real easy. move around a lot and put it on in layers. I used a machete to trim it off, no problems

[PigPen]

There was some good discussion here (though most of you were involved): http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/insulation-14640.html

Does anyone have links to good threads or resources regarding the difference between foam and the alternatives in terms of specific r values and noise reduction and whatnot?

Also, how many of you have done the foam for the floor? If you have, did you do it above or below the metal? I've read people suggesting doing it underneath, but that seems like a real pain to get around everything...

[Sasquatters]

Originally Posted by family wagon

I've been eyeing the Froth Pak product too. It's more expensive than Foam It Green or Tiger Foam, but... those names feel a little gimmicky and all we have are the company's own assurances about their products. Dow on the other hand is a recognized name, perhaps more trustworthy with regards to their technical data and product representations, and I know I can go out and buy it from a local specialty building supply place.

Our friends used Froth Pak and it was great. Foam-It-Green is complete ****. Filed a complaint with the BBB and their president Janelle was full of nothing but insults and excuses. We finished our project with Tiger Foam and it was equally as great as Froth Pal and their customer service was very nice and polite. $0.02


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[superdave]

Originally Posted by PigPen

There was some good discussion here (though most of you were involved): http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/insulation-14640.html

Does anyone have links to good threads or resources regarding the difference between foam and the alternatives in terms of specific r values and noise reduction and whatnot?

Also, how many of you have done the foam for the floor? If you have, did you do it above or below the metal? I've read people suggesting doing it underneath, but that seems like a real pain to get around everything...

I spent a month in winter in my bus and many summer weekends before I sprayed mine. its the best hands down, worth ten times what I paid. a rear engine bus makes an even bigger difference with the sound factor. I put 2 "of spray foam in the ceiling and walls and I used 1" foam board on the floor. I also used 1/2 " foam board ceiling and walls as a thermal break against the ribs.

[JDOnTheGo]

Super - thanks for the feedback guys! I am much less nervous about giving it a DIY shot myself.

My scenario is a little different than others. My coach is already insulated (and sealed pretty tight) but the inside face of the frame tubing is exposed. I suspect this is about as good as having no insulation - at least in terms of a heat/cold sink. I think it needs some foam sprayed over top of it all. I don't want to give up a lot of space so at least one inch but I might go with two inches. I really did not want to get a DIY kit and end up with twelve inch thick insulation that I had to remove. Sounds like that is not a concern. Here's an older photo in which you can see all the tubing.

[Robin97396]

Most people don't actually fill the entire void between the ribs with insulation. My foam guy double filled this bus with insulation, and that's what I get for having someone else do the spray foaming for me.

Several of us have used 1/2" styrofoam rigid insulation panels to create a thermal break between the exposed portion of the ribs and whatever interior you've decided to use. That seems to work well.

As you know the exposed ribs will often hold condensated moisture from the air. Putting the rigid insulation between the ribs and your final ceiling material seals the exposed steel ribs from air contact as the insulation is pressed up against the ceiling.
I had dripping ribs this winter, but as I finished installing my ceiling panels there are absolutely no signs of condensation now, except on the windows.

[joeblack5]

OMG , I love stainless tubing.... said that already.... I love SS.
Superdave, checked out your build that is great way to go, would think that JD could follow your insulation approach and just use sheets over his insulation. Sheet is way cheaper then spray, the aluminum foil helps against insects and it leaves a smooth finish with the least amoutn of dead space for critters to get behind the interior walls.

Superdave, .. Machete... did you chop or cut,, looks like a very straight job, you must be a machete master, if i would do that I would probably go thru my aluminum walls.

later J