Need insulation help! - Fiberglass RV
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Old 01-18-2018, 01:21 PM   #1
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Name: Jeremiah
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Need insulation help!

So my FGRV has been completely gutted and ready to be brought back to life. There have been hours of research and I am still trying to figure everything out. This is my thought for insulation....Please let me know if there is a better alternative.

Directly on the FG I will lay a layer of reflectix. Next I Was thinking polystyrene and then a vapor barrier.

Is this a good idea with a FG shell?
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Old 01-18-2018, 01:32 PM   #2
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Just a thought but what about spray foam?
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Old 01-18-2018, 02:16 PM   #3
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I have thought about spray foam but cost is a little steep. It is definitely a possibility though.
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Old 01-18-2018, 07:19 PM   #4
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I am not familiar with your RV. A Google search showed me a fiberglass body on what I think was a large Dodge van chassis. Does the fiberglass portion have any wood or metal framing? Or is it stand alone fiberglass like egg trailers?
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Old 01-19-2018, 09:11 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Nor Cal Mike View Post
I am not familiar with your RV. A Google search showed me a fiberglass body on what I think was a large Dodge van chassis. Does the fiberglass portion have any wood or metal framing? Or is it stand alone fiberglass like egg trailers?
Hello Nor Cal Mike! This is full fiberglass egg shell. There is not any metal or wood framing.
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Old 01-19-2018, 09:19 AM   #6
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insulation

these campers are hard to deal with that as far as insulation our 40f converted bus had 1in foam glued to everything with a naugahyde cover. our scamper has the foil not much to it covered with ratfur! to be frank I don't think you will find anything better than the foil stuff you have to cover it is a problem!

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Old 01-19-2018, 11:08 AM   #7
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Bear in mind that many full eggs utilize cabinetry & woodwork as critical structural support. Specifics depend on brand & model.
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Old 01-19-2018, 11:11 AM   #8
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insulation

You don't want to create two vapour barriers.
The fiberglass shell is already a vapour barrier.If you put polyethelne over the insulation on the inside you are creating another vapour barrrier. moisture will get between the two causing condensation, then mould, the rotting. Not where you want to go.The moisture does not get there by water dripping into the insulation unless there is a leak from the outside(windows, doors, cracks in fiberglass)The moisture gets there by air transported moisture. If an area has the ability to get wet it must have the ability to dry. Moisture gets in from the inside through a non continuous vapour barrier where it is cut around light installations, windows, door, etc. Whereever the vapour barrier is cut it must be sealed with acoustic sealant (really messy to deal with). However tight you might think you have made the inside vapour barrier believe me it is not perfect and air transported moisture will find its way in. Moisture moves from hot to cold. The inside is warmer than outside so the moisture w
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Old 01-19-2018, 11:31 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by CamperVanCarl View Post
Hello Nor Cal Mike! This is full fiberglass egg shell. There is not any metal or wood framing.
Then I assume your camper had some kind of fabric, rat fur or carpet covering if it did not have a molded fiberglass inner wall. The advantage of the flexible fabric type materials are that they add insulation value to the living space while providing a finished appearance at minimum of cost and effort. To try to add some kind of to bendable but torsionally rigid insulation to compound curves followed by the even more torsionally rigid finished wall covering such as paneling (ala Airstream) would require considerable skill without a set of predetermined patterns and some kind of framing behind it to attach it all to.

The advantage of installing carpet, fabrics etc, is that they can be simply glued with something like contact cement to the fiberglass walls. Imperfect seams can be made invisible by simply scrunching the adjoining pieces together or by adding a thin strip using the fluffiness of the surface to hide the discrepancy. If you wish to add more R value you might try following Casita's cue by gluing the carpet to a thin sheet of foam rubber before installing it.

I hope this helps.
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Old 01-19-2018, 11:40 AM   #10
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Classic Ensolite just looks better and better. Too bad it is so difficult to source.
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Old 01-19-2018, 11:47 AM   #11
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insulation

continued, the batteries wore out in my keyboard.
so the moisture will go from inside the trailer to the outside. It gets into the insulated space. Spray foam as already mentioned is the best by far. A little hard to work with. Extruded styrofoam is next best then glass bat. Do not put a vapour barrier over it on the inside.
Good luck.
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Old 01-19-2018, 12:13 PM   #12
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So spray foam it is. I found this link to a place that seems to be affordable. Thank you for all of the help! Once I figure out how to post photos I will update!

https://sprayfoamkit.com/spray-foam-insulation-kits/
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Old 01-19-2018, 12:14 PM   #13
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A quick Google search on "Ensolite" led me to a side path called "hull blanket" which brought up a bunch of marine products sold as "hull liner". Hull Liner came in different textures of of surface. You might look into that.
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Old 01-19-2018, 12:22 PM   #14
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Murray, I realize that your point is that no vapor barrier will allow any condensed moisture to evaporate.
I am no expert, but with no vapor barrier over the inside of the insulation, the moist air inside the trailer, (breathing, catalytic heaters....) can then penetrate to the cold shell. This will condense there and will cause mold. I think it is debatable which approach will be the bigger problem.
Current manufactures use Reflectix covered by rat fur. I gotta think that they have a reason for this.
How does one finish spray foam? Without framing, how is it possible to even get an even thickness?
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Old 01-19-2018, 12:43 PM   #15
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Here are a few places that sell ensolite without any facing. You could put rat fur on it like you would with the reflectix.

https://www.foammart.com/p-456-ensolite.aspx
https://www.scs-interiors.com/ensoli...-material.html
https://www.professionalplastics.com...ITEPVC-NBRFAOM
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Old 01-19-2018, 12:44 PM   #16
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Never did it , but if you were quick you could apply spray foam and use it to glue reflextix to the fiberglass.
The reflextix in my Scamp is amazingly adequate, but if you want more... how about two layers its not very thick.
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Old 01-19-2018, 01:29 PM   #17
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Has anybody heard of this company? It is closed cell insulation. Probably more in my budget then some of the competitors out there.

https://sprayfoamkit.com/spray-foam-insulation-kits/
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Old 01-19-2018, 02:54 PM   #18
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insulation

To spray foam on interior you would need to frame out with wood first. When the foam dries you then take a hot wire and run it down the wood framing. This of course cuts the foam. You may find some you tube videos of this.
Discuss this with your trailer manufacturer for their input.
Good luck
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Old 01-19-2018, 03:26 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by floyd View Post
Never did it , but if you were quick you could apply spray foam and use it to glue reflextix to the fiberglass.
The reflextix in my Scamp is amazingly adequate, but if you want more... how about two layers its not very thick.
So you are saying to just add a couple layers of reflectix and not anything else?
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Old 01-19-2018, 03:33 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by CamperVanCarl View Post
So my FGRV has been completely gutted and ready to be brought back to life. There have been hours of research and I am still trying to figure everything out. This is my thought for insulation....Please let me know if there is a better alternative.

Directly on the FG I will lay a layer of reflectix. Next I Was thinking polystyrene and then a vapor barrier.

Is this a good idea with a FG shell?
:you can buy spray foam from Lowes comes in two containers which is mixed as you spray it. One thing is make sure you cover your body with some kind of outfit. DO NOT GET THIS STUFF ON YOUR SKIN, HAIR if you do it will be there until you die! This stuff has the toughest built in glues, but if you do it right then you have the easiest way to insulate, by the way it gets hot while your doing this. If a pro does it he has a cool line going through his suit of clothing to cool off or keep cool.
Personally I think 1.5" Blue or Pink Styrofoam is the way to go, cut and fit it then glue. The white stuff does not have the good R factor the other 2 have.
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