# insulating with camping mats



## minus273degrees (Feb 12, 2012)

hi all

im not sure if its already on here but i cant find it so interested to know if anyone has done any insulating with camping mats i thought i saw someone refer to using them to create a vapour layer (sp???) any help on doing this too would be appreciated


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## northernspirit2001 (Feb 12, 2012)

interesting idea....insulating the underside I'm guessing?


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## minus273degrees (Feb 12, 2012)

insulating against metal work 

my plan being sheeps wool then boarding


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## DTDog (Feb 12, 2012)

I understand your thinking, but unless you have a cheap (or even free) supply of roll mats then I would think this would be an expensive way to go about it.

There are other available similar materials at a fraction of the price. The one that comes to mind is a high density foam (about 50mm thick) used for boiler insulation and can be cut easily with a blade. Available from Building supplies.


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## whitevanwoman (Feb 12, 2012)

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace  cheap camping mats - I've already got several from years of camping so am using them for roof and floor insulation and am going to get another 2 or 3, I reckon I will need about 6 altogether. Have done a first layer of insulation with silver bubble wrap stuff from B&Q about £15 a roll, have used a roll and half, so camping mats work out cheaper. 

I have sackfuls of raw sheep fleece as I have a spinning wheel and do alot of crafty stuff, but I didn't think it would be much use for insulation in the van. Do you mean Thermafleece loft insulation which is made from sheep's fleece?


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## Tbear (Feb 12, 2012)

DTDog said:


> I understand your thinking, but unless you have a cheap (or even free) supply of roll mats then I would think this would be an expensive way to go about it.
> 
> There are other available similar materials at a fraction of the price. The one that comes to mind is a high density foam (about 50mm thick) used for boiler insulation and can be cut easily with a blade. Available from Building supplies.



I think the idea is the mats are closed cell foam so much better. There is a post on here about it but I have forgoten who's. Firefox would be the man to ask and I am sure he will be on soon


Richard


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## Rubbertramp (Feb 12, 2012)

Foil backed plasterboard off-cuts for free on most building sites or three quid for a 2ft x 3ft sheet at a builder's merchant....then cut to size and placed above the insect screen in the roof vents...makes a big difference to heat loss at Rubbertramp Towers.


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## Canalsman (Feb 12, 2012)

whitevanwoman said:


> I have sackfuls of raw sheep fleece as I have a spinning wheel and do alot of crafty stuff, but I didn't think it would be much use for insulation in the van.



Surely that would be perfect ... 

Firstly, it keeps the sheep warm. Secondly, isn't it true that the air trapped in insulating materials is what increases efficiency?

If you were to use it, I should imagine it will need washing and drying first to remove any oils that could cause odour ...


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## whitevanwoman (Feb 13, 2012)

Yes, sheep fleece/ wool is an excellent insulator but it's quite heavy, think how heavy  a pure wool jumper is. Herdwick is one of the best as they are hardy cumbrian fell sheep which stay out on the fell all year but the fleece is quite rough and wiry. 

Ideally it needs to be scoured which in the olden days involved soaking in urine to bleach and soften it, and to remove the oil but i cheat & wash it on wool cycle in the washing machine in a pillowcase with a final rinse of vinegar.

For van insulation I might experiment with a hot wash to try felting it, which is pretty much what thermafleece is but with some synthetic fibres added, perhaps to reduce weight & add strength. Its easiest to wash it in summer when it can dry outside or in the greenhouse. 

If I'm spinning yarn for mittens/gloves I try not to wash out all the oil so they have some natural water resistance. But they are a bit smelly when wet!


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## northernspirit2001 (Feb 13, 2012)

wtf?....i'm drunk on a sunday night but l;ike all this sheep crafty stuff


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## Firefox (Feb 13, 2012)

Sheeps wool is good. I think Donkey Too used it to great effect in his Bongo.

As for camping mats or yoga mats I have used them but not as primary insulation. I used them on hardboard with leatherette stretched over the front and then there was rockwool behind.

In some cases I used double bubblewrap silver radiator film with the hardboard/leatherette/camping mat as a face where I wanted some thinner insulation in the bedroom to gain extra length for the transverse bed.


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## sean rua (Feb 13, 2012)

I have experimented with almost every material I came across with varying degrees of success. From what i've found, most of these insulators are great till

a) they get wet, or
b) there is a fire.

Wool is a good idea, but it is a bit bulky and, unless that natural lanolin is still in it, isn't so clever when wet. In fact, a son-in-law of mine, who was into "outward bound" and mountaineering etc, destroyed my illusions when he told me that nowadays "man-made" materials top the natural ones every time.
Not what I wanted to hear.

Again, without the two negatives of dampness or fire, old carpets can be a cheap barrier. I've even tried them externally over a plyboard shack and over tarps. This brings in another natural degrader, namely, UV light from the sun.
I tried daubing or rendering with various plasters/cements, even dirt, but, at the end of the day, nature wins. Nothing lasts for ever.

Sorry for going off topic a bit.

 Basically, I think the foamboards are hard to beat at present. The son-in-law reckons there's something called "Quinn", I think. I'll check and get back, if the news is good.
 He's a dedicated follower of fashion, so things may have altered by now.

sean rua.


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## Bigpeetee (Feb 13, 2012)

I use cut up camping mats as a secondary insulation under my carpet during the winter. The floor is already insulated but this adds a greater level of comfort. 

I also use them in the roof lights in winter when we're out in the van. they can be quickly removed when home to allow ventilation or when the warmer weather comes.

The high density polyurethane boards (kingspan type) are great insulation, obviously not to the same standard as houses but good, if you use expanding foam to fill the gaps as well.

Builders merchants now sell a low expansion foam for sticking plasterboard to walls, it sets quickly, fills in gaps and sticks like sh*t to a blanket.  Works well on these types of board.

Expanding foam is so useful for filling odd crevices etc, but remember it's not UV stable so needs covering


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## Tony Lee (Feb 13, 2012)

Best info on value of sheeps wool would come from the sheep themselves and they will tell you straight that even with the natural lanolin that acts as a water repellant, after a couple of days of rain, a full fleece gets so heavy that sometimes a less than fit sheep will collapse under the weight.

I've used thin sheets of polystyrene foam. Great R value and pretty much impervious to water. Very thin and light too.


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## donkey too (Feb 13, 2012)

whitevanwoman said:


> eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace  cheap camping mats - I've already got several from years of camping so am using them for roof and floor insulation and am going to get another 2 or 3, I reckon I will need about 6 altogether. Have done a first layer of insulation with silver bubble wrap stuff from B&Q about £15 a roll, have used a roll and half, so camping mats work out cheaper.
> 
> I have sackfuls of raw sheep fleece as I have a spinning wheel and do alot of crafty stuff, but I didn't think it would be much use for insulation in the van. Do you mean Thermafleece loft insulation which is made from sheep's fleece?



My van is completely insulated with sheeps wool. I save all the insulation that my meat comes packed in from my supplier. The wool is shapped in various length blocks from 300mm to 100mm and is 300mm wide and 70mm thick and is covered in a layer of perforated pasticy stuff to hold it in shape. Great stuff. I am now saving it up for my next van.


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## mrbigglesworth (Feb 13, 2012)

Foam camping mats are a great base layer when glued onto the metal of the van.  The idea is that they make a vapour barrier preventing condensation on the cold metal as well as a primary insulation layer. They will also add soundproofing and reduce vibration.  In installation they have the advantage of being easily cut, moulded and stretched.  

Thought should be given to which adhesives are used.    High temperature glue will prevent the foam coming lose in hot weather though it is expensive and can be messy to use.  Spray glue is much easier and quicker.   Perhaps a combination of the two might be best if you expect high temps.  

In my build I used a combination of silverfoil backed bubblewrap and foam mats with kingspan as the main insulation then 3.5mm ply board finishing with carpet or vinyl.  

Cheap mats can be bought at Poundland for yes, a £1.  These are not as thick and are much less durable than those from good camping shops but are fine for van purposes at a fifth of the price.  In Poundland they are usually on display in spring and summer but you can always ask the manager to check if they have some in the stockroom or even to order some for you.  

A typical van would need about 20 to thirty mats for a full install.  It will cost about £50 for the glue (if you use high temp). A far quicker and easier option for a new conversion is to spray foam the van for about 4 or 5 times the price but this would save on the Kingspan.  

For further info, head over to the SBMCC forums.

Mr B.


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## Bigpeetee (Feb 13, 2012)

Polystyrene has a higher U value than polyurethane similar to kingspan, therefore the kingspan type boards have better insulation properties for an equal thickness.

(Higher U = poorer insulation, the opposite of the R value used in the US and OZ)

Polystyrene is a cheaper product that leaves more ragged cut edges than kingspan and not so flexible.

For a one off build, I'd use polyurethane (kingspan)


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## whitevanwoman (Feb 13, 2012)

Bigpeetee said:


> Polystyrene has a higher U value than polyurethane similar to kingspan, therefore the kingspan type boards have better insulation properties for an equal thickness.
> 
> (Higher U = poorer insulation, the opposite of the R value used in the US and OZ)
> 
> ...



Serious question - are camping mats polystyrene or polyurethane? Or neither?


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## Bigpeetee (Feb 13, 2012)

Usually polyurethane foam, not as dense as the building stuff, but watch the adhesive if you layer it can be very inflammable.


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## minus273degrees (Feb 13, 2012)

cheers mr B thats basically exactly what i was after having a smaller van I'm hoping i wont need that many and i can say that they have them in the 99 pence store at the moment


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## northernspirit2001 (Feb 13, 2012)

*sheepswool insulation*


 
sheep's wool is great insulation is fine but i keep losing mine on the road.......


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