What's the best insulation for a van conversion?

Desperately wading through dozens of videos trying to make sense of what insulation to use for your van conversion is a right of passage for everyone building a campervan. Hopefully this video gives you some peace of mind knowing that despite everyone's opinionated videos pushing one material or another, there are a few choices to pick from that all get the job done. You really can't go wrong with any of theses! Pick whichever one of these three options feels right to you and buy it! Decision made, well done. Time to move on to agonize over the next 100 decisions for you van build 😝

HOWEVER! As the video suggests, I would also happily be using either XPS (Bunnings or online) or natural sheep's wool (Havelock is one option) as well.

Good luck with your decision!
Ask away if you have any questions at all, I'd love to be able to help!
Cheers

[BarneyFrankland]

Mate, that was so concise and excellent! There's so much confusing information out there. Thanks

[ValueCarsAU]

Great video, straight to the point. Thanks mate

[AdamGoldswain]

Cheers fella this was a very informative vid. Straight to the point with great visual demonstration too. I think I’ll choose the self adhesive closed cell purely for ease of installation. Thanks again! 👍😎🇬🇧

[Russellbeta]

Worth mentioning that the synthetic and adhesive releases VOC's and formaldehyde which is bad for your health, also about the sheeps wool drying out YMMV as it depends on climate, ventilation and how much moisture/heat is inside the van.

[jamesreynolds]

Hi, there is also “insulation fleece” made from recycled plastic bottles. Lots of people here in the Uk are using it now. It’s cheap, hydrophobic and easy to fit. I’m using the closed cell liner (made by dodo here) that you used and then adding a layer of 50 or 100 mm plastic fleece. The liner doesn’t gain much performance from being thicker, air is the insulator, hence the fleece.
Lots of discussion about wool here too. Obviously we’d all prefer it if it performs well but there are some concerns that the marketing exceeds performance particularly about moisture retention. My van will be lined, and it’s very cold here in the winter so there isn’t much chance for air to circulate in the voids or for the wool to evaporate the moisture off. Some have reported sodden and smelly vans.
Wool may be the correct choice for some, but like most things environmental, it’s site and use specific.
Really enjoyed your video and will be watching others . :)

[glenlockyer]

Last item is good but do seal the joins to stop the "peel off"effect - next use a proprietary insulation, rock wool, sheep's, or even the latest thing...loft insulation made from recycled pop bottles. Be sure to make a vapour barrier, then do whatever interior panelling you like...YW!

[sasstewart]

after building a few vans, 3M thinsulate is the best (followed by havelock wool)

[CB]

That last one is hands down the best product but don't get the cheap stuff. Previous owner did that on the ceiling and its absolutely dripping wet in comparison to the dodo thermoliner. You can always double up too, adding a layer of recycled bottle on top

[davidschloeder]

Two sided 1"cell foam board I put in the cargo door and rear doors worked great for me. I duct taped it in place with Nashua Canadian water resistant tape. While the doors were still wet and it held !
Can't use wool, highly allergic to it.
I used two sided ventilation insulation but I have to redo it. BC the window indents were foam boarded with Dollar Store 1/4" artist foam board. Yeh I goofed.
Anyhow I'll check out the store u mentioned for adhesive one sided thicker flexible cell foam.
Big problem, can't order it on line. Like many Van Lifers, I have no address to send it to. Til it's resolved.
So any van product people take note. We can't
all order your products on line. We don't trust even friends when it comes to van accessories. Too expensive to lose.

[annabellamy]

Great, concise, video! Please tell me where you got the rolls of closed cell foam from, in Australia. Having trouble sourcing this.
A similar but different product is available at Bunnings, Moroday (750mm x 10mm x 1.8m, no metal surface. Close enough?

[largemarge]

2003, after a half-century of make-do camping in lesser rigs, we built our ExpeditionVehicle.
Our insulation:
* against the ceiling and inside wall, adhesive-back acoustic, a gap, then
* one-inch pink-board, another air-gap, then
* two-inch foil-side poly.
.
Windows:
We mounted 3010 (three feet wide by a foot tall) dual-pane sliders designed for a stand-still house.
We mounted these at our eye-level standing inside, about eight feet above pavement.
.
Heater:
We use a Wave 3 catalytic heater, set on 'LOW'.
We always open two windows on opposite walls.
Escaping warm air carries humidity and odors.

[hassan.kerryzarif]

Excellent video thanks for sharing 👍 🙏🙏

[claytonsmixer]

How about VOC s from the adhesive? I have concreters foam in my Ute canopy and smells horrible on a warm day if closed up. Glad I don’t sleep inside

[bunnyandbeyond]

I just wish I could FIND self adhesive closed cell foam by the roll- or at all! In the states I can only seem to get reflectix, rock wool or fiberglass at our hardware stores

[johnward]

Rockwool has no fibre glass in it, it is rock slag from the manufacturing of iron from the melted rock and the waste was used to make the insulation. the manufactures make a Rockwool called Comfort 80 with is a solid sheet of Rockwool batting 1.5 inches thick and a R value of 6 it's water proof fire proof up to 2100 degree and mould and mildew resistant. Rockwool is recommended if you have kids with allergies and it doesn't make you itch. I use it for a fire barrier when i am welding or soldering pipes around other flammable materials. I have used it around my Selkirk chimneys in the walls to protect the wood studding from possible chimney fire pipe over heating, every bit of protection is a good thing. And it is it's own Vapour barriers because of it being so compacted air can't pass through it and also repels water.

[LazybonezAus]

What about doing both the stick on insulation and packing walls and roof with wool😅 that's what I'm about to do🎉

[Senna-xigr]

The sheep’s wool is defo the best because over the years it won’t break down like foam will. Foam eventually goes to dust but natural wool won’t.

[lsnow]

Correction: rock wool/ mineral wool does not contain any fiberglass fibers

[jonathanlambert]

Hey mate, just wondering how much of the sound deadener you purchased?

[kermitefrog]

Mineral wool, also known as rockwool or stone wool, is made from natural materials like glass, rock, slag, and other minerals that are heated until molten and then spun and formed into fibers. The fibers are then formed into insulation products like slabs, rolls, pipe sections, and loose wool or granulate.