A Full Information to Van Insulation, Sound Dampening & Wall Panels – Bearfoot Principle

Van insulation is a hotly debated subject amongst van lifers (pun meant!), however there’s one factor for sure: if you wish to keep comfy in your transformed camper van, you want correct insulation. A poorly insulated van may imply struggling in uncomfortably sizzling or chilly temperates, coping with mould points, or having to take heed to all the things that’s occurring outdoors your van always resulting from poor soundproofing.

I’ve lived and traveled in two transformed Sprinter vans and I’m planning the construct and structure for my third, so I’ve a fairly good understanding of insulate a van and one of the best supplies to make use of.

On this submit, I break down all the things that you must know to make smart selections about your van insulation whether or not you’re doing a DIY van construct or working with knowledgeable builder. You’ll study totally different choices for insulation supplies, the significance of sound dampening, and some recommendations on selecting van wall panels.

Keep heat, cool, and dry in your van with this information to camper van insulation plus recommendations on soundproofing and wall panels.

Van Insulation Fundamentals

Earlier than we soar into one of the best choices for van insulation supplies, it’s necessary to get a fundamental understanding of how insulation works and why you want it.

Warmth Switch 101

The purpose of van insulation is to maintain the within of your van at a continuing, comfy temperature as a lot as attainable. On sizzling days, this implies absorbing, redirecting, and reflecting warmth so your van stays cool. On chilly days, good insulation helps preserve the within of your van heat and comfortable.

There are three sorts of warmth switch mechanisms you want to bear in mind when selecting insulation supplies and constructing out your van:

1. Radiation
2. Convection
3. Conduction

Radiation

Radiation is the warmth that’s transferred straight from the solar into your van, usually by clear home windows. Radiant warmth will be nice for chilly, winter days, but it surely’s positively not preferrred throughout sizzling summer season temps.

Reflective window coverings or movie can be utilized on home windows to reduce the solar’s radiant warmth. Alternatively, if you wish to retain warmth in colder months, you need to use reflective surfaces inside your van to absorb the solar’s rays.

A reflective windshield sunshade can be a good suggestion to make use of when you find yourself parked or tenting beneath direct daylight.

Convection

Convection is the method by which warmth strikes by the air. Since heat air rises, having insulation on the roof of your van may help preserve warmth in throughout chilly temperatures. Alternatively, if you wish to cut back convection warmth in your van, putting in a ceiling fan may help transfer heat air out, maintaining temps cooler inside.

Conduction

Conduction refers to warmth that’s transferred by strong surfaces. When the solar’s rays heat the outside metallic panels of your van, a few of that warmth is then performed by the metallic and into your van, heating up the inside. That is the place a white van is more likely to keep cooler in comparison with a black van since white displays daylight and black absorbs it.

Conduction may also happen in the other way. When it’s chilly, warmth from inside your van will be misplaced by conduction to the skin by way of the metallic panels in case you don’t have correct insulation.

R-value

When you do numerous backpacking or tent tenting, you’re in all probability accustomed to the time period R-value since many sleeping pads have an R-value ranking. The R-value of a fabric signifies its means to insulate. The next R-value gives higher insulation whereas a decrease R-value permits for extra airflow and subsequently much less insulating energy.

Totally different van insulation supplies may have totally different R-values. When you plan on doing numerous winter tenting, you’ll need to use a fabric with a excessive R-value.

Condensation management

Some van builds embrace a vapor barrier which, in principle, prevents moisture from inflicting rust or mould and mildew. Nevertheless, a seal-tight vapor barrier is sort of unimaginable to realize, so as an alternative, we advocate selecting van insulation supplies that don’t retain moisture.

Greatest Camper Van Insulation Supplies

There are a variety of various campervan insulation choices obtainable they usually all have their professionals and cons. No matter materials you in the end select, it ought to have these 4 issues going for it:

1. Be immune to water, mildew, and mould
2. Be simple to put in in case you’re doing it your self
3. Be non-toxic
4. Be reasonably priced

Whereas there are numerous insulation choices on the market, not all are match for camper vans, so we’re narrowing it right down to the highest three van insulation supplies right here to chop to the chase and prevent a while: 3M Thinsulate, Havelock Wool, and foam boards.

3M Thinsulate

For my second Sprinter van, Outdoors Van used 3M Thinsulate for insulation. 3M Thinsulate is an artificial materials that’s non-toxic and straightforward to put in. It additionally has some sound dampening properties. Regardless of having a better price ticket and a barely decrease R-value of 5.2 than among the different choices, 3M Thinsulate is a transparent front-runner in discussions on Sprinter Van boards.

Mixed with further sound dampening materials, Outdoors Van estimates that they achieved an R-value of round 6 in my second Sprinter van. Placing numbers apart and talking from qualitative expertise, the insulation in my van appears very efficient. We do have a heater (extra on that in our information to van heating and cooling programs), however we’ve slept in sub-freezing temperatures on ski journeys and have had no points with temperature management or moisture.

Fast Stats:

• R-Worth: 5.2
• Thickness: 1 3/4″
• Price: $1.70/sf
• The place to purchase: Amazon

Test value: Amazon

Havelock Wool

One other rising front-runner for van insulation is sheep’s wool from an organization known as Havelock Wool. An all-natural materials, sheep’s wool has been touted as an eco-friendly insulation selection. It’s received a barely larger R-value than 3M Thinsulate (R-value of seven.2 for a 2″ thick batt) and it’s cheaper, has pure moisture-wicking properties, and in addition gives sound dampening.

Nevertheless, bugs love wool, so to be able to stop bugs, in addition to cut back flammability, Havelock applies a small quantity of boric acid to the sheep’s wool. That is thought-about non-toxic, in line with the Nationwide Pesticide Data Middle.

One last item to contemplate is that in comparison with 3M Thinsulate, sheep’s wool is reported to be barely messier on the set up, though Havelock’s insulation is available in 4’x1.3′ batts (sheets) to assist simplify set up.

Fast Stats:

• R-Worth: 7.2
• Thickness: 2″
• Price: $1.50/sf
• The place to purchase: Havelock Wool

Foam Boards

A ultimate possibility I’ll point out for van insulation is inflexible foam boards, like Polyisocyanurate. Polyisocyanurate foam boards have an R-value of 6 for a 1″ thick panel though thinner panels can be found as properly (R-5 for a 0.75″ panel – you don’t need to go any decrease than that if you’d like your van to be good and comfortable). These are extensively obtainable at {hardware} shops and are comparatively low cost making them funds possibility.

When you resolve to make use of a inflexible foam board, you’ll want to concentrate to any air gaps between the boards and ensure to fill them in with spray foam, 3M Thinsulate, or wool. In any other case, airflow will end in moisture build-up in these areas.

Additionally value mentioning is that Polyisocyanurate foam boards are created from plastic, so whereas they’re thought-about non-toxic and don’t off-gas, they aren’t essentially environmentally pleasant.

Fast Stats:

• R-Worth: 6 for 1″ thick panel
• Thickness: Varies from 0.5″ – 1″
• Price: ~ $0.78/sf
• The place to purchase: Most {hardware} shops

Van Insulation Choices to Keep away from

There are a number of supplies you’ll need to keep away from for van insulation, together with

Denim

Denim retains moisture so that you don’t need to use it when insulating your van partitions, despite the fact that it’s unhazardous and environmentally pleasant because it’s created from used/recycled supplies.

Reflectix

Reflectix was once standard as a van life insulation, however because it seems, it’s not very efficient. Reflectix is nice for reflecting daylight and radiant warmth, which is why it’s generally used as a sunshade for entrance windshields and on the skin dealing with aspect of insulated window coverings. However it has a low R-value, so as soon as put behind a wall, it’s not very efficient.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass comprises formaldehyde and is poisonous – not one thing you need in your dwelling area. Whereas that’s sufficient mentioned proper there, fiberglass additionally has a decrease R-value than the really useful van insulation choices listed right here and it absorbs moisture which you positively don’t need.

Insulating your Van Home windows

The home windows of your van are a major method that each warmth and chilly can enter and exit your van. Actually, the extra home windows you’ve got, the much less insulated your van might be general and the extra topic it will likely be to outdoors temperatures.

You’ll be able to reduce this by buying or making insulated window covers. These make an enormous distinction by way of comfy temps inside your van and are nice for privateness as properly.

DIY Insulating Window Covers

Whereas we’ve heard that DIYing insulated window covers is a ton of labor, it’s doable in case you’re on a funds, useful with a stitching machine, and have time in your arms. The outward-facing aspect is usually created from a reflective materials reminiscent of Reflectix or Low-E with a layer of cloth on the within for a completed look. For extra insulation which you’ll probably need in case you’re touring in sizzling or chilly climates, you may add a layer of insulating materials (3M Thinsulate as mentioned in one of the best van insulation choices above is an efficient selection) between the reflective outer layer and material interior layer. You may additionally need to contemplate making the within of your insulated window coverings black so you may flip them round at night time when that you must go stealth mode.

Needless to say you’ll additionally want to determine a method to simply connect and detach your insulated covers to your home windows. Magnets are essentially the most generally used possibility we’ve heard of.

The place to Purchase Insulating Window Covers

The far simpler (though pricier) method to go is to spend money on set of insulating window covers which are professionally made, look good, and are tremendous simple to put in. They need to final you a really very long time so when you’ll be spending extra upfront, you’ll probably have a product that you find yourself being happier with for years and years.

Journey Van Co who was at our van life pageant, Open Roads Fest, makes nice insulating window curtains for Sprinters, Ford Transits, Ford E-Sequence vans, and for Dodge Promasters.

Insulating your Van Flooring

You’ll need to insulate and add sound dampening to your van flooring as a part of your construct as properly. The identical insulation choices really useful above in addition to the sound dampening supplies really useful under apply.

Outdoors Van insulated the ground of my second van with 3M Thinsulate, the identical materials they used to insulate the partitions. Beneath that, they put in a layer of sound deadening materials just like the choices lined under.

For extra on this subject try our submit on camper van flooring layers.

Sound Dampening Supplies in your Van

Sound dampening supplies make an enormous distinction in decreasing the vibrations and street noise in your van. These supplies assist preserve outdoors sounds inside and outside sounds inside so you may benefit from the peace and quiet of your van whether or not on the street or camped out. You additionally gained’t be as simply heard from the skin, which is useful when stealth tenting.

Sound dampening supplies are usually put in straight on the within of the automobile’s metallic partitions earlier than including insulation.

Peel-and-stick sound deadeners are a well-liked possibility for van conversions. They’re simple to put in and also you don’t want a ton of fabric to make a giant distinction. Making use of the fabric to even simply 25% of the within area will considerably cut back outdoors noise and vibrations in case you’re utilizing product particularly designed for this objective.

I counsel making use of sound-deadening supplies to partitions, the ceiling, the cab, the ground, wheel wells, doorways, and beneath the hood. 50 sq. toes is usually sufficient for the main areas of a panel van, however you’ll want extra if you wish to cowl all the inside.

Outdoors Van lined the entire inside of my second van with sound dampening supplies, and different van lifers who rode in it all the time commented on how quiet it was. So I’d say including sound dampening to the within of your van partitions earlier than putting in insulation is value it.

Listed here are three standard sound dampening supplies which are generally utilized in camper vans:

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Van Wall Panels

On the subject of deciding on supplies for the wall panels and ceiling in your van to cowl the layers of sound dampening materials and insulation, there are numerous choices. You’ll be able to go together with one thing prefabricated or custom-built, and you may go in quite a lot of instructions by way of look, from rustic wood-paneled partitions to one thing extra fashionable and clear.

There are some nice assets on the market that provide constructing supplies at discounted costs, like salvage yards, upcycling facilities, and native building shops – so preserve that in thoughts as you seek for the appropriate wall panels in your van in case you’re doing a DIY construct.

In the end, materials choice relies on a number of issues: funds, aesthetic selection, and availability of assets.

In my second van, Outdoors Van used Mahogany luan panels (mainly a kind of plywood) for the partitions. They adhered a layer of closed-cell foam to present the panels a bit cushioning after which wrapped every panel within the desired upholstery. Within the case of Outdoors Van, they usually use polyolefin, which is an upholstery with many makes use of reminiscent of carpeting and automobile interiors. It’s sturdy, immune to stains, mildew, and daylight, so it’s an awesome possibility for camper vans.

In my second van, Outdoors Van used a fabric known as Sil-Leather-based, which is fabricated from silicon. Sil-Leather-based is eco-friendly, non-toxic, waterproof, and extremely sturdy, and I used to be very proud of it in my van. I may actually get a moist material and wipe the partitions clear (particularly good because the partitions had been white). I additionally love that canine hair doesn’t keep on with it like it will on extra conventional upholstery.

Another choice to contemplate for upholstered wall panels is Sunbrella which is a sturdy out of doors material that’s simple to wash (though not as simple as wiping Sil-Leather-based) and doesn’t fade like numerous different supplies.

Different van lifers just like the look of wooden paneling. I don’t have private expertise with wooden, however many DIYers go for tongue and groove paneling. Others on a tighter funds simply use marine-grade plywood and paint over it.

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Van Inside Conversion Package Possibility

A ultimate van insulation possibility I’ll advocate is the Journey Wagon Van Conversion Package. These conversion kits are presently obtainable for Sprinters (each the 144 and 170 wheelbase) and Ford Transits. They arrive with all the things that you must construct a strong basis in your van together with insulation, wiring, upholstered wall panels, trim, L-track, and extra.

For folk who need to DIY however don’t need to take care of constructing all of the infrastructure, this can be a nice possibility.

Assets Part