Hi everyone,
We've just bought ourselves a van and are in the very early stages of converting it. We haven't done anything like this before so all hints and tips would be most welcome.
We'd love to know your advice on how to best insulate the floor of the van. We're going to lay a water resistant floating laminate floor over a layer iof ply, but we're stumped on how to insulate down there? The hardware store dude said a 2mm layer of foam between the ply and floating floor would do the job. We don't think so, its the sort of white foam sheets that new computers/TVs come wrapped in.
The hardware store dude also pointed out that some foam underfloor insulation is a fire hazard but didn't expand on this point further. Do any of you know the do's and don'ts regarding floor insulation and fire safety.
Do we need to give any special consideration to the floor ionsulation in areas of the van where the shower unit and fridge will go?
Cheers.
Underfloor van insulation
Fri, 07/30/2010 - 07:40 — campermasterHi, good question - I'd suggest the same stuff you would use on the walls and ceiling - see the campervan insulation section. Anything like the computer wrap you describe or polystyrene-based sheets etc has the potential to be really squeaky. Also you don't want anything which will break up over time either and potentially rattle about! I put in battens to support the plywood floor and then put insulation in between the battens, this was some thick foam I had left over which is specially designed for campervans. I'm pretty sure you could also use standard house insulation. Hope that helps.
Floor insulation
Sun, 08/01/2010 - 11:28 — RASHERHi Guys, we to are starting our conversion, our van is a volkswagen LT35 high roof mwb. Our floor has ribs from front to back, I used the van as a glazing van with 9.5mm ply screw straight to the ribs. I have now removed this, painted the floor with heat retaining non slip paint, we are then going to lay the 2mm foam (as you are looking at) on top of the painted floor (which is brilliant, the paint is amazing!!!) then we are going to lay 9.5mm good one side ply over the top finished with cushion flooring.
The paint keeps all generated heat in the van, all external heat out of the van and is non slip so the foam will stay in place.
The foam will reduce noise levels of the ply on the van floor. Plus add insulation.
The ply will give strength to the base.
The cushion flooring is 2mm thick which will be nice to walk on.
Hope this helps.
Rasher
floor insulation
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 21:40 — dannyteam101iv gone back to the metal floor
fixed 2"x1" battons about 300mm apart with deck screws, running across the van then cut & placed 25mm kingspan inbetween then fixed plastic coated ply to the battons