5 Best Ways To Insulate A Campervan

A campervan is an incredible way to travel around. It’s a compact way to have both a mode of transport and accommodation on the road. If you want to travel around in a campervan, you might have an old one that you want to refurbish, like a classic Volkswagen camper. Or maybe you even have a standard van that you’d like to convert into a campervan. These projects can take a lot of work, but it’s worth it if you have a dream in mind.

One of the first things that you have to do when converting or renovating a van is putting in insulation. Insulating your campervan ensures you can keep it warm, especially at night and during the winter. It can also help to keep the van cool when you have air conditioning turned on.

Additionally, good insulation helps to prevent condensation and reduce noise levels in the van. You can insulate your van yourself if you’re willing to put in a little bit of work.

What Type of Insulation Should You Use?

There are several different types of insulation you can use in your campervan. The same types of insulation that you might use in your home can be used in a campervan. These include materials such as rigid foam (PIR insulation), wool insulation, rubber foam, and reflective insulation. Insulation materials can come in different forms and you can use them in different ways.

1. Sheep’s wool

Wool insulation is a natural option that’s a great insulator. It’s renewable and eco-friendly, and you can use it to insulate all over your van. It’s also great for its moisture control and breathability.

2. Radiant heat barriers

Radiant heat barriers have reflective coatings that can help to hold heat in and keep it out on a hot day. It’s an inexpensive solution but not really designed for your whole van. However, it’s excellent for the windows.

3. Foam board

Foam board-style insulation can come in different materials. You can find polyisocyanurate (polyiso) foam board, as well as extruded polystyrene (XPS). These can be used to insulate walls and ceilings, and the latter can be used for the floor too.

4. Spray foam

Spray foam insulation is a great choice for insulating a campervan. It’s good for preventing condensation and it’s a smart choice for dampening sound too. You can get large kits suitable for spraying your whole van. Smaller cans might also be available, and these are suited to filling in gaps.

5. Fibreglass

Fibreglass is a cheap and effective form of insulation. However, you might need to make it thicker to achieve the insulation level that you want. If you’re installing it yourself, you also have to be careful. You don’t want to breathe it in, and you need to protect your skin too.

Installing Your Campervan Insulation

The process of insulating your campervan will, of course, depend on which material you choose to use. You will need to consider insulating the floor, ceiling, walls, and windows. It’s also important to think about ventilation, which will help to deal with moisture and keep your van cool when necessary.

You can start by working out how much insulation you’re going to need. Take the internal measurements of your van, and then assume you’re going to need a little more. Extra insulation can be useful to ensure you have enough.

You will also need the right tools, which could include (but are not limited to), gloves, a mask and eye protection, a craft knife or other cutting tool, and measuring tape.

You need to prepare for insulation by removing everything from your van, including the floor if you want to insulate it. Before insulating the ceiling, you might want to consider whether you want to put any lights or ventilation in.

You will then need to apply your insulation according to which type you’ve chosen. Depending on which material you use, there are several methods you might use to fix your insulation into place. In some places, you might not need to use anything if the insulation holds itself in place. For other places, you might use tape, staples, or studs to hold your insulation in place. There are often gaps and odd shapes that you might want to fill with foam or spray foam. After insulating, you can think about what you want to cover everything up with.

If you’re thinking that all sounds like a bit too much work, why not consider buying a new, ready-insulated van instead? It’s easier to get the campervan finance that you need than you might think.