New to forums not sure if this is in the right place but hi

[TheHex]

I'm thinking real hard about converting a school bus to a permanent living situation type rv here in cold cold Canada any suggestions?
I'm a carpenter by trade so converting won't be a problem.
I'm wondering if anyone else has lived in one in a cold climate and if so how thick of insulation they went with ( Im assuming foam boards are the best way to go)
Also I've got some experience with mechanical but know nothing about busses in particular anyone know how many kms a bus will last ?
I'm hoping to keep driving this for the next 10 years lol thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction


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[roach711]

For your location in The Great White North I'd recommend pulling the inner steel walls/ceiling, removing/covering as many of the leaky single pane windows as possible and insulating with spray foam with an eye toward eliminating as many thermal bridges as possible.

 

[TheHex]

Thank you yes I was planning on removing as many windows as practical and welding in panels to seal them up, as well as insulating but I'm thinking of going with foam board due to cost. I of course will seal all the joints and eliminate thermal bridging as much as possible.
I guess my question is how much insulation do you need if it's all sealed up tight ?
Also for the thermal bridging I was thinking of building a second wall inside to make a cavity for the insulation and wiring as well as giving me something to hang things on so this brings me to my next questions
How do you fasten to the bus without causing leaks? Weld in steel studs? Also is this the best way to go ?


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[lucasd-SKO]

Most people who use foam board (poly iso seems to be the most cost effective) typically create ribs or runners of some kind from wood and secure these to the already installed struts which support the bus roof and walls. You can just extend them a few inches to get whatever depth of insulation space you want to fill.

 

[roach711]

The thickness of floor & ceiling insulation is limited by available headroom although some here have insulated the underside of the floor to save space. In most school buses headroom is already an issue even before adding insulation. On the walls, of course, you can add as much as you want. If the bus will be a "house with wheels" adding straw bales around the perimeter will keep a lot of cold air away from the bottom of the floor.

Some build out the wall channels with 2x3 or 2x4 lumber then insulate and cover with 3/8" plywood as an interior wall. Others have screwed 1x3 cleats going the length of the bus then insulating and installing the plywood walls to the cleats.

A third option for a bus that won't be driven is to build stud walls on the outside of the bus (basically building a shed around it) then insulating the hell out of it with fiberglass and maybe some T-111 as siding. That way you get your full inside space and good insulation as well. You could even add a loft or a second floor. As long as it's not a permanent structure your property taxes stay low.

Check out BurlKing's thread for the "build out" method.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/92-thomas-international-navistar-11151-31.html

 

[TheHex]

It's going to be driven for sure does anyone raise the roof ?
Welding for me is not a problem so I was considering it


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[Carytowncat]

Welcome!

So i have an 8ft bedroom with a propane fireplace, and i am noticing that to be discreete i can hang out in there because it is better insulated than the rest of the bus where i have the wood stove, which heats that larger area well but smoke shows at the chimney.

I am wondering if a bedroom area that is absurdly insulated for those extra cold days, and maybe plentiful insulation in the rest of the bus... or absurd amount of insulation throughout. Lol why not, right?

Also a few different heat sources in case. I have 3.

Good luck! Excited to see what unfolds for your needs up there.

 

[roach711]

It's going to be driven for sure does anyone raise the roof ?
Welding for me is not a problem so I was considering it

Read Burlking's build from the beginning; he did a great roof raise.

 

[TheHex]

Ok will do


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[TheHex]

Read Burlking's build from the beginning; he did a great roof raise.

Ok so stupid question can't seem to find this build post when I click on the link you sent above I see two posts by a Steve and that's it
How can I find this build ?
I tried searching Burlking nothing came up
I'm using Tapatalk on my iPhone if that makes any difference


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[roach711]

Go to the "Skoolie conversion projects" forum and scroll down to "92 Thomas International Navistar"