Insulation
Insulation has many uses. For a campervan conversion it can be used for soundproofing, to prevent vibration or to keep heat in or out. There are many types of materials used in insulation and a combination of these were used on this project.
The roof panels are ribbed, so vibration is at a minimum here. Double sided foil bubblewrap was spray glued to the roof to reflect heat from coming through in the summer months and also to aid heat retention in cold weather. Easy to install and very effective.
Wiring for the lighting was attached to the bubblewrap at this stage.
35mm thickness of Dacron was then spray glued to the bubblewrap and care was taken to ensure all the cables were located correctly.
The complete process of applying the insulation materials can be seen in this photo.
1.Silent Coat soundproofing sheets are applied to the centre of the panel to reduce noise.
2. Double bubble is then applied on top.
3. 35mm Dacron is then used to fill any air gaps on top of the double bubble.
4. 25mm or 50mm Celotex is then shaped and fitted into the outer lip of the panel recesses.
Silent Coat sheets were applied to all the interiors of the doors and side panels of the van. The rear wheel arches were given a good coverage and you can see how the Silent Coat moulds into shape easily.
The Celotex panels finish off the insulation.
The reduction in noise when the insulation is applied is stunning! this part of the project took a while but the effort was well worth it.
Once the insulation materials are in place the plywood panelling can be attached.
In this photo you can see the flexible hoses I have fitted. One is for the 12volt extraction fan/light in the loo. The second is a spare and can be used should I decide to add an extractor to the cooking area (the wiring for this is also fitted). A good reason to plan ahead!
With the wall and roof panelling installed, Easyliner Stretch Carpet was spray glued to the panels. The carpet molds into place and the process was straight forward. I did need a little help with the roof, that was definitely a two man job.
The LED lighting was wired up as soon as the carpet was installed so that I could work late in the evenings.
You can see the cab headliner has also been carpeted and the windscreen pillars and sun visors finished off in cream leatherette.
Still a long way to go but fitting the wall carpet changed the interior completely.
It was at this stage that I knew I was getting somewhere.