Installing appropriate insulation in your van is critical to making sure you remain comfortable during all four seasons, and cutting energy costs. It also serves to lower energy usage costs.
Understanding each type of van insulation available will allow you to select the appropriate option for your build.
Spray Foam
Spray foam insulation is one of the most widely-used insulation options for homes and commercial buildings alike, offering high R-values while mitigating moisture buildup, sealing seams and blocking out exterior noise pollution.
Insulation for vans should be fast, easy, and efficient to install – quickly, easily, and completely – making the van more comfortable year-round. Foil insulation offers this benefit by creating an airtight seal to eliminate air leakage and make driving safer.
Spray foam is an excellent way of filling any small holes or gaps in a van’s metal frame, provided it is applied correctly. However, in order for it to do its job effectively.
Extruded Polystyrene
XPS (extruded polystyrene) is created through extrusion by melting together plastic resin and additives into a thick liquid form and extrusion through a die. Once created, this foam material expands over time into foam-like structures.
EPS’ closed-cell structure protects it against air and water intrusion, making it the ideal material to use in humid environments like vans.
Insulation is measured using R-value per inch. A higher R-value indicates stronger insulation properties that help keep your van warmer during winter and cooler during summer.
Spray foam insulation is one of the more expensive options available for van insulation, yet can help to solve moisture issues by sealing off air gaps between walls. Unfortunately, spray foam is susceptible to mold and mildew growth and should only be used as a supplementary method of protection.
Mineral Wool
Mineral wool (rockwool) insulation can make an excellent addition to a campervan’s interior, with its higher R-value than glass fibre insulation and hydrophobic qualities that do not absorb water.
Mineral wool makes an effective sound absorber and is more costly and heavier than glass fibre insulation, thus reducing road noise levels inside your van. Unfortunately, mineral wool costs more and weighs more.
Havelock wool comes in 2″ batts and is an impressively flexible material, easily shaping itself to fill in tight spaces while leaving thin layers over larger areas. Some people even like using string to secure it in place.
Fibreglass
Fiberglass insulation is an increasingly popular choice for camper van insulation and should only be applied on walls that are at least 3.5 inches thick. Although fiberglass is relatively inert when inhaled, it can cause significant skin irritation if exposed directly and should therefore not be inhaled or touched directly.
Thinsulate insulation, commonly found in high end outdoor puffy jackets, offers more sustainable options when it comes to thermal protection and noise dampening. Not only is this material highly breathable and ultra sound deadening effective.
Vapour barrier should be completely sealed around it in order to avoid mould from developing and be protected from fire hazards.
Radiative Barrier
Radiation barriers are an effective way to keep heat out of your van, reflecting radiant heat (sun’s rays) back out and preventing it from entering.
Radiant barriers consist of reflective, low emittance surfaces such as aluminum foil. It can be adhered to one or both sides of insulation materials like polyisocyanurate foam board, rigid foam, bubble insulation and OSB for use as radiant barriers.
Radiation barriers provide two major benefits, preventing thermal bridging and sealing off moisture that could enter insulated areas and cause mold growth. While they are the most expensive form of insulation available, if you have enough money they could be an excellent way to insulate your van while eliminating any risks of mildew or rust developing behind its walls.