Insulate your van floor the right way. Sprinter van build.
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 1 янв 2018
- #Vanlife - Insulating the Van Floor the right way.
Removing the old plywood floor, fixing new support framework, insulating with 25mm Celotex board and foil tape vapour barrier.
The materials used in this video can be purchased here:-
25mm Celotex - rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53...
4.8mm x 50mm self-drilling screws - rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53...
50mm - 100mm foil tape - rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53...
Disclosure - As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase using the above affiliate link. Thank you for supporting our channel.
Please make sure you are subscribed for the next video in this build series. If you have found this information to be helpful to you and would like to make a donation to help fund future videos please visit www.paypal.me/gregvirgoe
Thank you for watching #gregvirgoe #vanlife #insulation 
Хобби
Here are my answers to a few of the most common questions about this video.
I'm using bright zinc plated BZP self drilling screws without the wings.
I have found the wings don't knock off on thin sheet steel and you end up with an oversized hole that the screw won't fix into.
No water will get into the van from below because the screw is plugging its own hole very tightly.
Treat the exposed screw below the van with WAXOYL underbody car sealant to prevent rusting.
Hi Greg, are the screws 38mm as stated in the description or the 50mm as shown on the box in the vid? Cheers mate, loving the series.
Good question, at 5:30 the writing on the box says 4.8 x 50mm. Maybe Greg initially used these and then decided that 5.5 x 38mm were long enough to secure the battens and don't protrude so much underneath? I've just ordered 4.8 x 38mm and will let you know how I get on.
@@lotorojo so what did you use in the end to go through your 25mm batten and floor of the van?
Hi Greg, top vids Are you referring to Celotex brand as being the best R value insulation PIR board to use compare to kingspan, Ecotherm etc.
Hi, how far apart did you lay the baton centres please?
Newbies like me really appreciate how you narrate every step. Even the ones that may seem obvious to more experienced builders
Somehow he even does Velcro calmly. He’s the bob ross of van life.
Happy accidents
Just wanted to thank you for this well informed and well delivered series, It'll help me and many others, amazing job!
You are very welcome Holly, really pleased you are enjoying the videos. Thank you
Its so beneficial to find a channel such as this. Fantastic instruction, easily understood, no over the top nonsense. Channels such as this are the gems of RUclips. Many thanks, Greg. Tip top!
Really appreciate your kind comment, glad you liked the videos, Thank you
Completely agree.
Just want to extend a Thank You for your video series on van conversion. I have only watched a few of your videos so far and I really appreciate your attention to detail and accurate fitment. You are an excellent craftsman! I am just now getting interested in converting a van into an RV and find your instructional videos very helpful. Once again, Thank You for all the work you have done in making your videos and for sharing your knowledge and ideas. -Dave from South Texas
Huge thanks for taking the time to give such great feedback Dave and I'm really pleased you are enjoying the channel and hope you like the rest of the series too
The BEST tutorial on how to secure the floor and insulate. Thank you!
Thank you very much for your kind comment
You are the man! Done my roof insulation yesterday. Followed this video and pleased with how it turned out. Batons and ply to finish. Top advice Greg!
Really great 👍🏼 I’m glad it has helped you 😃
All the diy conversion videos that i've watched, i think yours is the most intelligent and effective way ever. Thank you for sharing this awesome video series.
Super informative Greg! I know this is an old set of videos, but the information you give and the delivery is timeless.
I appreciate that! It's all still very relevant and useful to anyone doing thier own build.
absolute legend, explained everything perfectly, put all my worries to rest. thank you!
No problem Pipp, really glad it was useful to you. 😊
Absolutely brilliant Greg, I love theses videos just what you need to know and to stop you making those big and expensive mistakes, Thanks very much Andy & Bev Weston
Very informative series Greg . I really enjoy watching you go through everything so thoroughly .
Learning a lot and looking forward to watching the rest of your series .
As a carpenter / builder myself I am learning a few tips from you about the insulation components etc .....
👍
Nicely done Greg - best info on the net.
Thank you Fraser, much appreciated
Excellent Greg, I can watch this stuff all day long 👍😄
Thank you mate, really appreciated.
You love your series... you are a wise, knowledgeable man, in many areas and explain things well. Thank you for that. :)
Once again great video, followed this and today got floor battens in and most of noggins in. Insulation and taping up tomorrow. Cheers Greg, proper advice and tips!
Thanks again Greg extremely well presented and explained, Im sure it instills confidence in others as it does for me.
Thank you Paul, appreciate your support.
Your work is excellent! Can’t wait to see more
Many thanks and great to have you on board.
Once again a very clear narrative and well thought out and executed task. Thanks Greg for yet another winning video. R & T
Really appreciate your continued support guys and as always such lovely comments. Cheers
Hands down Greg the way you insulated your van and vapour barrier is best on the net i used this method on my Citroën Dispatch hope life is treating you well 👍🍻👌
Thank you 🙏🏼 really do appreciate the nice feedback. I’m busy working atm but hope to be back out travelling soon.
Hi Greg, Was just finishing my floor today and a guy came up to me and was asking if I had seen any of your videos :) We were both saying how great they are. Cheers!
Oh my word, crazy how word gets about. thank you for letting me know.
Hi Greg, I've been watching a fair amount of your videos now, because I'm planning to convert a classic bus into a mobile home. I have to say, your level of professionalism is unmatched. Those videos of yours are just brilliant! The love to detail and your expertise are astonishing. I also like your calm and confident way of explaining everything. It makes your videos a pleasure to watch. Keep up the good work, mate! 👍🏼😉
Thank you very much for those wonderful kind words. I'm really pleased you are finding them to be useful. Best wishes with your own build.
Getting close to following your steps for my Nissan NV2500 HT. Almost finishe insulating the walls! :)
Thank you So Much for your very helpful videos!
Thankyou. I'm starting my build with a Chevy express 2500. Its a very overwhelming process to start just tearing out what is there omg. your videos are great I'm working as I watch…. Thanks again.
BIG D planning is everything watch my Q&A video where I talk about my van bible 😊
Greg, because I really enjoy watching your videos, and want to make sure you continue bringing these A+ class, I have to get on your case and ask you to use proper posture when working. Can’t avoid it, I’m a therapist and i see a lot of people with chronic back injuries and other postural related issues... use you knees by bending them when lowering your body, this will take your body along way my friend....greetings!
Great advice, thank you. I'm normally very aware of posture especially when lifting as I do have lower back problems which I have regular adjustments on. Nice that you are looking out for me, appreciate it.
All the best to you and your family Greg for 2018.
Barry (Wirral)
Hi Barry, how nice to hear from you.
Hope you had a great holiday and my very best wishes to you and your family for 2018
I have watched countless videos on how to do this but no one explained it. THank you.
Mate, absolute class helpful videos. Thanks so much for sharing your time and effort.
I'm now going to go back to No.1 and go through then.
I've now got the bug and inspiration to do my own. Cheers
You can use the old floor as a template for the new one :-). Really clean setup you made. Best so far i have seen on youtube. Great job. Happy new year.
Greetings from Belgium
Erik
Yep, that’s a brilliant idea, I did notice it was about 10mm smaller across the width before I took it up so I could draw around it and make allowance for a little extra 👍🏼
Thank you 😊
Greg Virgoe your very welcome ;-)
Thanks for all the great videos Greg. I've recently seen people put down similar rigid insulation on the floor followed by plywood but without any batons. Will they face issues later in the build? Are batons necessary if the weight on the insulation will be distributed over the plywood flooring?
Best tutorials I’ve watched .glad I found your channel before I started my new conversation.
Thank you very much Steven, I'm glad you liked it
Mr Greg just want to let you know that you are the man and you really have the best videos out there. Thank you
Paul Mann that’s really nice of you thanks for taking the time to let me know. Cheers
@@GregVirgoe Could you have put small patches or strips of insulation foil or fabric such as thinsulate under those square foam boards for more insulation?
You got very lucky in regards to pulling that old ply up with having the Velcro. lucky it wasn't stuck down with liquid nails or similar 😱
Yes, it could have been a lot worse. Nice when some things go your way.
Thought the same here...even a "simple" double sided tape could make a real pain to remove or even lifting the floor...
That's what mine was Adam..
Did you seal the screws underneath? Personally I would cover all the screws with a rust protector.
Great build by the way, thus has to be the best explained and thought out van conversion I've seen on RUclips. Thank you for sharing it all with us. Really inspiring stuff.
Can't wait to see the finished product.
Yes of course, that’s an excellent suggestion and I’ll make sure to cover that in the next video. Thank you for your kind feedback.
Greg, before sealing them, use a cut off grinder, knock them down to 1/4" then use pure silicone for extended life and pliability, be sure to clean b4 applying it.
Thank you so much for scrolling though the previous comments Derek to find your answer, that really does help me loads and would save lots of time if everyone did that first. Many thanks 👍🏼😃
Greg - Love your accent, and your calm detailed description of your build! I'M A FAN! ;-)
Thanks Greg for all the fantastic videos. We are converting a Ford Transit right now and we reference your content frequently! Just ordered basically all the same materials you have used here to do our subfloor. Been using plenty of your ebay links, hope you get a few quid from it! Cheers, Rick
Greg, great video series. Learning a lot of info. 1 question I have is do you have to screw your floor baten into the body of the van itself? Or would construction adhesive be good enough?
No need to screw, not the best information imo
Your channel is an excellent resource! Thank you!
I am preparing a 23ft step van, which has a cargo area of 7ft x 14ft. How should I insulate it for a tropical climate? I am in Puerto Rico.
Thanks in advance!
David Sage it’s still a good idea to use the same principles as insulation will also work to keep the place cool in the heat and you also still need to protect against moisture from inside so follow these rules and you will be good. If it’s a box shape you can easily use PIR board which has the best thermal properties will be easy to install and most already have the foil covering.
Just found Greg’s channel and the Sprinter van build series probably are the best on RUclips (or anywhere in DIY fashion). Subbed right way! Great work on the van and thank you for sharing it!
Brilliant work, as always, Greg!
Thanks John, really appreciated. What field of work are you in as you know your stuff. Construction?
Hi Greg, Thanks for another great video! Question for you, do you think screwing the boards into the floor was really necessary? I ask because I know you kept replaceability in mind when choosing insulation, but I feel with screwing in the floor it is now very permanent, and for a benefit I don't really see. Were you concerned with it sliding if not screwed in? Thank you very much for your time and keep up the great work!
Great question Taylor and thanks for asking. The floor is the one constant that now its down will never change. The decision to fix it down came from the need to have a very solid foundation to secure walls, cabinets, and internal fitting too. There's a lot of movement and G-forces when driving and I didn't want anything moving about. If the van was ever in an accident I don't want things flying toward the cab because the floor is not fixed down properly.
Hey Greg. Thanks again for sharing. I was showing your video to my wife as we are planning our conversion ourselves. She was looking at how clean and organized your shop was and said...look honey somebody just like you:). Actually as other have said, your clean and organized area and work is a great sign of craftsmanship and from my opinion reconfirms the quality of your build.
With regard to this video and above question. I completely agree with your floor design and reasoning. I have read through all other responses but didn't see where anybody asked the question about having to screw the flooring members down at all. This would avoid any concerns with screws going through the deck and having to seal to prevent rust, etc. The reason I ask because as a wood worker I have grown up believing that a glued flat joint with sufficient bonding surface area is infinitely stronger than any fastener and therefore the only reason to use fasteners/screws in some applications is to 'clamp' the surfaces together to get good adhesion between the surfaces long enough for the glue to dry. With that, did you consider not screwing your wood floor members to the the steel deck and perhaps just weight the boards down to get good contact adhesion and rely on the glue/sealant for structural requirements? Or in this installation you believe the screws were necessary from a structural standpoint in addition to the glue/sealant?
"There's a lot of movement and G-forces when driving " - Will this effect the alignment of the van over time? I would think it might be better to not have it screwed down, and leave it somewhat flexible to movement, much like the construction of bridges. What is your thought since you've had it for 2 months now?
Jonathan I totally agree with glue in wood joints. I wasn’t convinced with a glue to painted van floor so the screws are there to secure it and the sealant is more for anti vibration than glueing.
The shop does need a tidy up.
Thanks for great feedback.
Hi Belinda, I’m my opinion there is absolutely no way you want anything floating about.
In an accident anything that is not secure will be launched towards the cab. At any other time flexing in the floor or furniture will cause all your joints to prematurely fail due to additional stress of constant flexing. I personally cannot have it fixed enough for my choice. Thanks 😊
I’m so grateful to have found you! Thank you!
great work as always, thrilled to have found your build well ahead of my scheduled start. getting fantastic information and ideas out of you!
That’s great Allen, pleased you found them to be useful. What are you planning to build?
Thanks for making these videos. I’m doing the same to my van and your workmanship and techniques have been of great help to me. Cheers.
I’m glad you liked them. Good luck with your build 👍🏼😃
Meticulous work! Pleasure to see such a thorough job.
Ha - just saw you've already answered my question..... keep up the great work mate, we all really appreciate you. Trust me....
great video, thankyou. Hadn't seen anyone else screw right into the base of the van on their build videos, but was wondering about doing this myself for extra security. Thanks for the tips
Hi Greg, your videos have been a great help. I've jus brought a transit mini bus to convert, i have no solid plans yet but your videos have pointed me in the right direction. Thanks! Suscribed!
Just fantastic help, and very empowering videos. Thank you very much Greg.
Mr. Greg I appreciate this so much!!!!
Nice work again Greg, love the neatness of it all, well presented video yet again.....cheers mate.
Thank you David, you will no doubt see a trend here. 😊
I’m a bit of a perfectionist and like to do things as best I can.
Nothing wrong with having pride in your work
You've made a cracking job of that floor mate much better than some commercial brands I could mention lol
Hello Mate, Happy New Year to you. Hope you had a nice break.
What insulation do you guys use in your campers? Cheers
Greg Virgoe we don't in the floor mate just lay the battens down then 12 mm ply on top we only use the wool stuff in the walls p#ss poor really for the prices
Well done Greg. Great video and well explained details.
That’s made my day to see your comment, thank you 👍🏼
@@GregVirgoe hi Greg? Is that just sound deadening you put on the wheel arches in the back?? Please thank you
@@muffyvalentine not sound deafening it’s a couple of layers of foil faced bubble wrap to act act as thermal break and continue the vapour barrier.
Nice work yet again, full of learning to be had.....hope you keep the old flooring, just in case you ever want to convert back before selling it on...cheers Greg 👍🏼😊
Hello Marc, The vehicle will be a permanent conversion and I will be changing the DVLA registration class of vehicle.
Once completed my £7k panel van with £8k worth of additional equipment will be worth 3x it’s initial value. It doesn’t make sense to then rip it all out and go backwards.
The old floor will be cut up and scrapped I’m afraid. 😊
Greg Virgoe I also suppose it’ll be worthless for an additional van once you’ve won the lottery...😉😂😊
Greg, save the old flooring for a "Template" and note where fastener holes if any were, they will help with future build design and plans. Also, there is a possibility of others in need of your flooring, a "moving" company???
Hello Dak, I did exactly that. Clamped the new board to the old and traced around them.
Saved a lot of time measuring and marking etc. Video is in the cutting room right now.
Hi Greg. I came across your videos looking at camper builds as I am in the process of buying a van. The quality and content of your videos is superb. I am already an avid viewer. I think you will be guiding me through the complete build of my van. Thank you!
Jon Williams hope it really helps you. Have you subscribed? 👍🏼😃
@@GregVirgoe Yes mate. Picked up my van today.
You do such a fantastic job
Thank you very much, nice of you to say so.
Super info Greg. Thanks! Love from Scotland, X.
Inquisitive1 thank you for all the lovely comments 😊😃
Got my insulation a couple of weeks ago did wanted to get celotex but my budget wouldn't allow, so I opted for the cheaper version @ £13 a 8x4 sheet only to be told the supplier couldn't get it. So in the end I was offered celotex as alternative for the same cost as the cheaper version £200 for 11 sheets, now that was a bargain.
I'm one happy camper, be nice and warm like Greg. I'm now in the process of fitting it. Great info.
greenthing one what a result! Great when things like that happen. 😀
Very thorough and you capture every step. You are the demi god of van build ,👍
Thank you very much 👍🏼😃
Loved the video & the tips. Super useful !! Thank you !!
You are most welcome Maria, thank you for watching
That's awesome you had the floor boards you pulled up to use as templates.
If you don’t you can make cardboard ones before cutting the new wood.
@@GregVirgoe What are your thoughts on using Tyvek house wrap on the raw metal sided of the van? Before putting in the rock wool insulation, then the vapor barrier, then the interior walls, (of which I hope to have a large wall of peg board to hang/clamp stuff to.) I'm still in the planning stages of my build. My thought was that any condensation that happens to form on metal walls then wont soak into the rock wool. I live in a place that gets really cold in winter and hot and humid in the summer. For humidity issues I plan on using silica beads and rock salt. Very informative videos; thanks for sharing your knowledge.
@@Wendy-il3lu if you make a very good job of the vapour barrier you will not get any condensation. The key is to stop it forming in the first place so you don’t need to worry about any problem cures. 👍🏼😊
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍Excellent way of installing a van floor.
Very clean, very tidy, great explanation, the timing of the video is great!!! One of the best I have seen. Thanks for sharing!!! : )
You are obviously at the same stage, what van do you have?
No van at the moment, just accumulating info for the project. : ) The work you do is amaziing!!! You got really great skills. ...and the videos are really cool, great patience in explanations, really really helpful. : )
Beautiful work ❤
nice job...i do same thing on my old van..........100 years old....'greetings from croatia
Here is Helio from Brasil. Excelente video serie so far.
Nicely done. Thanks for sharing.
Super informative video. Thank you for posting!
You are most welcome Gene, thanks for your support 👍🏼
another great video Greg.
Thank you Nell, pleased you're enjoying this series
That insulation is nice and thick!
This is what I like very clean job
Hi, thanks for the tutorial, your channel is great, lots of good ideas.
Best video on youtube mate for this kind of thing you didnt miss any steps perfect for others to follow. One thing id say would be pricing on the instolation and timber would be good 👌
Hello Pete, the insulation came in 8'x4' sheets and I used 3x25mm Celotex for the floor, 3x50mm Kingspan for the roof and 2x50mm Kingspan for the side panels and rear doors. 3xpacks of Earthwool for the walls. Total cost including timber batten and new plywood floor just under £500 for the lot.
nice job ,doing the same thing at the mo to my new high roof on my vw t5.
They are really nice vans, hold their money too, bit pricey for us.
Thanks for the information and I will use your suggestion for waxoyl for the rust spots on van floor.😊
Once again a great video
Beautiful job.
Thank you 🙏
Hi Greg. Excellent video. I'm about three stages behind you in building my camper and your video's are proving invaluable! I really loved the consumer unit you built. I don't suppose you would consider building another one for me would you? Cheers and keep up the great work. Chris
Hello Chris, thank you for your kind comments. As you may appreciate my time is extremely limited. As well as this channel and my own build I have a full time job in London. You would probably be able to get one made for you at about £500 but there are also commercial ones available.
Look up Power Management Systems. This one on eBay is less than what I paid for parts.
rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F261652598767
I appreciate the SketchUp tutorial, it was very helpful.
You are welcome Larry, glad you liked it.
Brilliant video i am converting a small transit very informative information 👍
Been waiting for this! Cheers!
Thank you very much :D
Good choice in using that blue wood to raise the subfloor.
Lose some height in there but at least the floor won't get soggy from condensation.
Why is a British accent so lovely...being respectful...but you know what I mean...
Suzie Q why, thank you my lady. How delightful 😁😊
well done mate, thanks for sharing
Very nice jobe, thanks a lot for sharing !!!
Such a good video, cheers
Super helpful, thank you for sharing 🙏🏻🧡
I’m glad you liked it 🤩👍🏼
Greg, just found your channel, scribed! You definitely explain the tiny details with reasons. If I may, one thought I'd add is to not walk on the material between your ribs but to try and stay on the wood rib itself. Your insulation will "crush" and may get punctured by dropping a tool or to step on a screw. I'm looking forward to your other build vids in this endeavor. Fantastic job. As always with me, Free Ideas, Use M or Lose M. Larry
Hello, you will notice from this and the next video that we either use another board to spread across the battens or just stand on the battens like you say so as not to damage the new insulation. If you did puncture it make sure you repair with foil tape. Cheers
Great explanation about insulation. Thank you.
göker çermik if you haven’t seen it watch my insulation workshop too there are lots of helpful tips in that too 😀
Greg Virgoe i Have already watched that too. Actually before this one. That was also good. I am about to finish all about conversion. Great job. 👍👏👏
Brilliant Videos
Great job
This is my 1st job this weekend on my van. I am still trying to research the 12v system.
Omg this is the professional job so far
Thank you Cora 😊
Great job !
Nice job.
Great vid, thanks Greg..
Very much appreciated Davy, cheers
made this so simple to understand thank you
Fantastic workmanship and so informative, I’m really enjoying your videos lol you ran out of 100 meters foil tape 😂👍🏻
Hi Neil, I have gone through quite a few rolls of foil tape. 😁
@@GregVirgoe how many ?
So happy I found this video. I just did my floor insulation and it looks identical to this. I was wondering if it was an overkill because I see people debate insulation so much. I didn't watch very many videos due to so many opinions. I love my turnout