Trailer Insulation

[Thunderace]

This winter I am doing a little trailer maintenance to go along with the bike. I've already installed a new storage cabinet and I've begun to insulate the ceiling. I'm using this rigid 1" thick insulation that is being glued to the ceiling. Hopefully the liquid nails will keep it up there.

My question is for the walls. I finished my trailer shortly after buying it and I really don't want to pull off the walls to install new insulation. I was considering using that expanding foam in a can to fill the gap behind the wall. Has anyone used this before and did it make a difference?

I figure I would need to drill about 4 holes going up the wall to fill in the whole area. Nothing that a little wood filler or caulk couldn't hide. If anyone has any experience with this stuff used like this, please let me know your thoughts. TIA

 

[Backmarker]

Be very careful with that stuff in a can........

It will expand greatly and possible push your walls outward.

 

[lemondrop]

Backmarker;26864 wrote: Be very careful with that stuff in a can........

It will expand greatly and possible push your walls outward.

:agree: and depending on your craftsmanship, that could be a bad thing

 

[TheGrouch]

They make a special formula for around windows/doors that supposedly won't bend stuff from overexpansion. I've never used it, but it should be easy to test out before spraying in the trailer.

 

[physicistkev]

try using "blown" style of insulation. Cellulose or the chopped up fiberglass come to mind. Just cut a hole or slot at the top and pour or blow it in. No worries on expansion and it should be a lot cheaper. The cellulose is also recycled paper products so it's a tad greener.

 

[BigKid]

Take off the walls and do it right. It will be very expensive to use expanding foam and the results are sure to give you trouble. Cellulose is designed to be used before the walls are up. It will clump in the wall and not fill all the spaces if you try to install it from a few holes. For the little bit of effort of removing walls you will be rewarded in the long run. Liquid nails may not hold very well if the ceiling is aluminum. You could run some aluminum strap across the insulation to hold it in place or use some thin paneling.

 

[Thunderace]

The only problem that I have with removing the existing walls is the amount of things on them. I've got etrack in the middle and on the bottom all the way around. I've got Nice Raxx, overhead cabinets, hooks & strap bars one every wall. There is a painted floor board and a trim piece around the top. It is too much to take off and all of the screws and bolts in the wall are currently secure. I'd hate to put them back in the same holes and have them come loose on me.

I may consider the lesser expanding foam, but that might not happen either. I've stayed in the trailer in freezing temperatures with a heater and felt very comfortable. Maybe the insulation on the ceiling will reduce the heat loss and make it even better. I may not insulate the walls at all, or I'll wait to see how my next cold night goes next year.

I now understand the liquid nails and aluminum problem you mentioned. I put some bracing underneath to keep constant pressure on the foam until it sets up. Hopefully, I'll get good adhesion. If not, I plan on attaching that vinyl sheeting you use in shower stalls and screwing it to the ceiling studs. However it comes out, it will be better than what I had this year. Thanks everyone for their input!

 

[Backmarker]

A bigger...better heater....might just be the answer.....:idea:

 

[Thunderace]

Well, I've got four to choose from. Which one do you like?

Propane Mr. Buddy Heater

Dyna-Glo Propane Area Heater

Electric Parabolic Heater

Electric Heater Fan

 

[BigKid]

Is there a chance that you could cut an 18 inch strip of wall out all the way around the trailer and slide foam up and down into the walls? That might work.

 

[Thunderace]

John Stegman was thinking the same thing when I spoke with him earlier this evening. The wall is sealed top and bottom. I really don't want to drill holes in the wall let alone a large strip. Plus, they don't really make insulation that had a large R value that will fill the gap of a 1" space. The 1" thick stuff I bought for the ceiling on has a 6.5 R-value. I think I'll just leave well enough alone and just worry about the ceiling. I don't want to mess up the inside walls or bump out the outside walls.

I just wish the trailer manufacturers would get these things insulated during construction. How much extra would it cost? I would have paid another $100 for it!

 

[Backmarker]

Electric only JIM........

Never propane in an enclosed trailer.

 

[Thunderace]

I primarily use the parabolic electric heater. I have used the Mr. Buddy on occasion. It has a low oxygen sensor and is rated for indoor use. I normally open the ceiling vent some just in case. I personally know of two kids that died from sleeping with a kerosene heater inside an RV. It is not something I would take lightly, which is why I have a heater that is rated for such an application.

 

[Dave561]

I got a 20ft trailer and no insulation but do have the finished interior. Top and sides wrapped in white composite board or whatever you call it. Basically my only insulation is the air gap. With that being said I had no problem heating it with a decent 1500wt heater and cooling it with the 15k BTU roof mounted AC unit. I guess point being with the decreased size of yours do you really need to go through the hassle of anything beyond the ceiling.

 

[Thunderace]

Dave, that was my point exactly a few posts ago. I could go through all this and it might not help it that much. I wasn't complaining about how cold it was in there, just that I wanted to make it cosier. Before, I had a fully exposed aluminum roof and probably 75% of my heat loss was through that. With the 1" thick stuff I put on there, that should reduce my losses considerably. I'm going to forgo the walls for now. Hopefully, just doing the roof will make things a little better.

 

[STEAKUM]

You big wuss!!
Just hang some moving blankets, like we spoke of and be done with it! You cannot create you own little 'home away from home'. :doh:

 

[Thunderace]

I'm the big wuss, huh? Look at you, you fracture 3 vertebrae, a rib, jamb your thumb & finger and get knocked out and you let them take you to the hospital. We could have fixed your master cylinder and had you back out the session after lunch. Call me a wuss, sheeez!

 

[NoBull]

Jim I think you should thoroughly test it and spend every night between now and Xmas in the trailer with a variety of heaters to see which works best. That way you're ready for BR in April