Foil backed bubble insulation

[PaulyPaul]

Hi guys, I have done alot of searching on here about insulating my 67 bus behind the panels and decided to go with the bubblewrap that has foil backing. I have two questions though.
Firstly do I fix directly onto the metalwork with glue etc, or do I attach it to the bearers leaving small gap between insualting material and metalwork, and secondly, do I face the foil outwards towards the bodywork and the plastic bubbles inwards. I thought maybe because I want to keep cold out in winter and heat out in summer (if we are lucky to have a summer over here) that is the way it goes.
I am hoping that this will act as a sound deadening aswell.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks, Paul

[Ragman]

[campingbox]

I'd recommend against gluing it in place. I insulated my '55 with this stuff, and I just laid it behind the panel and screwed it into place. On some places, I laid two layers of the stuff down. Gluing it in place is unnecessary and could be potentially annoying to a future owner.

[rebapuck]

Seen alot of debating about insulating our busses. This came to me in a dream, I swear. When roofers put on a wood shingle roof, they first put down a mesh to allow airflow. Helps prevent rot. Could we use something similar to hold insulation away from the metal while allowing condensation to drip down and out?
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Judy
1966 Camper "Hannah"
1967 SingleCab "Khady"

[WM971252]

The advantage of the foil and bubble insulation is that it does not hold water. Eliminates any moisture problems of insulation. Mice do try to use it for nests but it does not work well for them.

[Eric&Barb]

[greg334]

The bubble wrap stuff is not insulaiton but a heat barrier.

I just finished insulating a friends sleeper and I used Polyisocyanurate housing insulation on the walls and Reflex heat barrier material (foil clad bubble pack) over it with a vapor barrier tacked to the walls behind the panels. I glued it right to the walls, and for the gaps I used plastic painter's drop cloth cut to fit into the gaps then sprayed in closed cell foam.

When I did my van (sorry but it was a GMC) with this combination, I had a big improvement keeping the heat in in the cold weather (-10 degrees) and keeping it cool in Yuma in the summer. I was sleeping in the van for weeks at a time while I was working and the weather was sometimes very harsh.

If water is an issue, than you can use close cell foam. I use the plastic painter's drop cloth to 'wrap' it in so I can remove it if there is an accident or have to do something in that area.

[Aaron]

POR-15 can also be used as an adhesive.
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[Clara]

[Aaron]

[SurfCityRacing]

Just throwing it out there. I buy kayaks wrapped in industrial bubble wrap 'sleeping bags'. It's smooth on one side and bubble on the other. It's not covered with foil. I used this in my bus because it was free and it worked great. I have rolls of it and I hate throwing it away because its basically new. If anyone wants some for their bus and is near Santa Cruz send me a PM and come get as much as you want. No shipping, just come by and scoop a roll.
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Riding with Surf City had me thinking "F'n Piercy" was your real name.

[VWHoward]

On both of my last panels I first installed 200 sq. ft. of 1/8" alum foil/rubber sound deadener to all inside surfaces (floor, sides, roof, doors, front nose). It,s costly (around $2.00 per sq. ft. ) but well worth it. I then add 2 layers of the alum/bubble/alum insulation, 400 sq. ft total, then install 1/8 " venier paneling on walls, roof, doors ect. On the floors I install 1/2" plywood over the sound deadner, then 1/2' carpet foam, then a good grade carpet from Sewfine. Not on bit of tinny noise and very well insulated in winter and our 120 plus summer days. I even install it in the overhead vent area. You can buy the alum/bubble/alum at any air cond outlet. The 400 Sq ft roll runs about $150.00 and comes 4 ft high and 100 ft long. Have picts if anyone wants to see them.

[greg334]

Well maybe I should have just stayed quiet. Just trying to help out.

The stuff is a supposed to be heat barrier, not an true insulation and it used to be listed on their website as such. It really needs an air gap to work effectively. After testing different combination of insulation, heat barriers and such for the past 4 years because I have to live in the trucks and vans I drive, the best combination that I came up with was the insulation against the metal, closed foam in the gaps and the reflex stuff covering it to reflect the warm/cool air back into the space.

With temps when I was in Yuma last year reaching over 100, I saw an overall 30 degree drop in heat with the air running in the sleeper compared to the year before.

The best stuff I found is from a company MIRCO & ALEX MAGNANI s.r.l. They actually make a reflective insulation and the samples I have really work great.

[quartermilecamel]

What about using clear silicone? I was considering its water repellant abilities. smear it on the main areas 1/8 to 1/4 thick. Not sure if it would cause rust or deaden sound. It would work as insulation. I want to reduce noise, and insulate.

[Eric&Barb]

Well silcon is water proof, but not water/rust repelant like tar. Seen plenty of rusted out Beetle floor pans in which the spots of tar that glued down the factory sound deadening sandwich of tar paper, styrofoam, tar paper. Only to find the pan around the tar glueing down the sound deadener was perfectly rust free for a few inches around.

Have also seen a 1967 Beetle where modern self sticking sound deadener material was installed. In the doors at the top of this material a bit of dirt/dust collected and any water that dripped past the roll down windows kept it wet there. Making for a nice horizontal rust line right through the door sheet metal. Maybe if the material had been installed in more of a diamond shape to shed the dirt/water it would have worked or just a bit longer before rusting....
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[Clara]

[candyman]

[alex111]

try some top carpet underlay works a treat !!

[slammedcamper57]

[LAGrunthaner]