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Insulation


Simon119

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Having just converted my truck cab to a van i couldn't believe how much colder it was!!! Something had to be done and this is what i decided upon.

Having read the stories of sagging headlinings i wanted to try and stop some of the condensation aswell. I wanted to use something that would be close fitting to the roof so as not to leave any gaps for condensation to form in (hopefully). I found THIS, i started fitting it this evening and all went well. I'm sticking it on with PVA, it's cheap and doesn't melt the polystyrene.

The polystyrene veneer is only 2mm thick so easily follows the curve of the roof and is very easy to cut with a sharp knife (needs to be very sharp to avoid tearing). I've used 3 layers, should provide enough insulation to keep it a bit warmer, hopefully stop condensation and leave enough clearance for me to fit my headlining without any cutting etc.

Hopefully the pics work and you can see what sort of finish it gives etc. The last pic is of a join in the material, they are hardly visable if you were using it without a headlining and were worried about asthetics.

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Hopefully someone finds this useful/interesting

Simon[

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Good writeup.

Do you find this reduces condensation? My major bugbear is condensation which forms on the inside of the roof (under the headlining) then runs down and drips out of the sunroof seal, right onto the driver's lap... :angry:

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l get that drip on my lap from the sunroof, I have a rookrack covered with chequerplate, so couldn't think where the leak was coming from cos it is bone dry under there, didn't think of condensation.

I have bought some exercise/fatigue mats(about £4/1.44 from Netto), black with a closed cell foam with a dovetail interlocking edge,I am going to insulate the cab seatbox and floor planels and finish the floor with chequer plate glued down on top, I fancy doing this for the roof now (without the chequerplate) even though I still have a reasonable looking lining.

I like your way as well. What glue did you use? was it the spray contact adhesive, or polyurethane. As long as there is no bare metal showing and is stuck down everywhere you shouldn't get any condensation,, and you could even give that a light spray paint of your choice , nice work.

Brian

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"I'm sticking it on with PVA, it's cheap and doesn't melt the polystyrene." (Quoted from the first post) :rolleyes:

Also spray paint just melts Polystyrene ;)

well if you knew me, you would know I go straight for the pictures :blink: lol

will pva not peel from the metal/paint after a while, just I thought pva worked best on porus surfaces.

Brian

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Latest update,

All seems to be working really well, every morning after the drive to work i have had ice on the outside of the back section and condensation on the inside and ice on the outside of the front section. Had only done the back section in polysterine! Unitl now that is!!!

As for the PVA, i'm using builders strength stuff, also from wickes, PVA Link. It says suitable for use on metal on the tub, hpefully it doesn't start peeling off, will keep you all updated. But SO FAR SO GOOD

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Inspired by this (and the fact that it's cheap) I've had a go.

The good news. It does appear to reduce, or eliminate, condensation.

The bad news. It looks easy. It isn't. It requires some skill, think wall papering ceiling. A skill I don't have. Also I have a dog guard and lights inside to add complication.

About half way through the pantomime a crowd of little Herbert's had gathered by the back door;

"what's he doing?"

"dunno. making himself into a snowman?"

"Naa, he's got rabies". (dried PVA on fingers)

She Who Knows Everything had to come out and help. What she didn't know was that I was using one of her best paint brushes to apply the PVA. After dispersing the crowd with a withering look, slapping me one for using her brush she got it finished in about 10 minutes. Damn, she'll be insufferable for rest of week now..................

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  • 2 weeks later...

**Sits back and waits to see if Simon119 has polystyrene dandruff shortly** :D:D

:lol:

I used 10mm closed cell neoprene foam glued on with Evostik ( :blink::P wahey! ) with a coating of loudspeaker cabinet cloth on top to stop the foam getting shredded, as hedge clippings and bikes are wont to do.

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The front edge above the winscreen is velcroed on so that you can still get to the roof / frame bolts. No condensation at all.

And of course, no boy racer machine is complete with bangin' choons, so the speakers are right behind the front seats, out of water damage range (it also means you can hear the music at 60mph - its a standard TD). Also shown in this picture is the 22mm polyurethane pipe insulation (covered in cloth too) clipped over the edge of the hardtop as finishers, very neat, but not finished in this picture, I ran out:

post-8420-126305444307_thumb.jpg

The back of the roof has a scientifically shaped push-in bit round the vents so that I can still get to the working light fixings and washer jet nut:

post-8420-126305454747_thumb.jpg

The added plus of all this is how much quieter it is without the hardtop roof adding to the noise!

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I would worry about flamability and wicking, roll that and get fuel on it and you have napalm.

Something like TG-1 spray on insulation covered with Dynamat or similar is probably a lot safer. If you want more insulation then closed cell neoprene is not a bad choice after. Also, do not underestimate the thermal advantage of putting tinfoil shiny side down on the back of the headliner with glue, this is basically what all the emergency 'space blankets' are. It is not insulation but it does help keep the heat in.

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I would worry about flamability and wicking, roll that and get fuel on it and you have napalm.

you would also need an ignition source and gravity to reverse itself for the napalm to get onto you, if you're ever in an upside down land rover full of fuel vapour and it ignites I would think the headlining melting and burning you would be low on the list of concerns.

I've used this method on several transit vans over the years that doubled up as race transport/accomodation for kart race meeting and it always did the trick

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I'm running 1/2" of camping mat, EVAZOTE®, Closed cell cross-linked ethylene copolymer foam against the roof. It is water and air impermeable, so acts as a vapour barrier. It is glued on with a special adhesive for foam. It has one of the higher insulating values around. This is covered with 1/2" of a perforated vinyl backed open celled foam for more insulation and to make it look decent. Flat walls and floors in the back have 1" of Corning board insulation covered in 1/4" plywood. Toasty warm at -40 all with a stock heater.

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I'm running 1/2" of camping mat, EVAZOTE®, Closed cell cross-linked ethylene copolymer foam against the roof. It is water and air impermeable, so acts as a vapour barrier. It is glued on with a special adhesive for foam. It has one of the higher insulating values around. This is covered with 1/2" of a perforated vinyl backed open celled foam for more insulation and to make it look decent. Flat walls and floors in the back have 1" of Corning board insulation covered in 1/4" plywood. Toasty warm at -40 all with a stock heater.

Hi Red,

Any piccies? Also do you have any cheap suppliers for the EVAZOTE (the first site I visited want £18 for a 1.5 x 1 m sheet).

Also which vinyl backed foam you used?

Thanks, and dont forget the piccies! :D

Cheers

G :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Red,

Any piccies? Also do you have any cheap suppliers for the EVAZOTE (the first site I visited want £18 for a 1.5 x 1 m sheet).

Also which vinyl backed foam you used?

Thanks, and dont forget the piccies! :D

Cheers

G :)

i've thought about doing this myself and a search brought up these but hurry, they only have 3008 left in stock!!

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I'm running 1/2" of camping mat, EVAZOTE®, Closed cell cross-linked ethylene copolymer foam against the roof. It is water and air impermeable, so acts as a vapour barrier. It is glued on with a special adhesive for foam. It has one of the higher insulating values around. This is covered with 1/2" of a perforated vinyl backed open celled foam for more insulation and to make it look decent. Flat walls and floors in the back have 1" of Corning board insulation covered in 1/4" plywood. Toasty warm at -40 all with a stock heater.

perhaps you can share your draught exclusion techniques. that's the biggest issue i find. or indeed can't find. it freezes my right leg, but is coming in somewhere in th bulkhead i think. very frustrating.

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I thought about using polystyrene as i had a load of the stuff left when i bought a new bed. I was worried about the potential for fumes etc in the event of a fire, but when i tried it out, the most anooying thing was the squeaking - all the time!!!!!! Every shake of the defender and the stuff rubbed somewhere and squeaked. Drove me mad so i ripped it all out. I will be doing the roof with camping mats i think.

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