Insulation Glue-Up
Insulation forms an important part of this conversion and gluing the boards to the floor of the van may not be necessary, it may prevent any future squeaking.
Considerations
Gluing the insulation boards to the floor and walls isn’t absolutely necessary, but it may prevent squeaking and it certainly keeps the insulation in place.
I use 3M 90 as a hi-strength spray glue, that sprays like string confetti and you can buy it in your local DIY superstore. Cheaper versions, like 3M 77 are also available and should do a similar good job. There is a variety of glues, that you can use, but being a spray glue makes things so much easier.
I used one 17.6oz bottle, which was sufficient for the entire floor of my Ford Transit LWB cargo van.
The nozzle can be turned to spray horizontally or vertically and the spray head turns left and right for a wider or narrower spray width. As always, shake the bottle well before using!
Spray both surfaces at about a foot distance and let it dry until tacky. There is no room for error when you put both surfaces together; once in contact, adjusting is not possible.
I used building paper as a background for the insulation to be sprayed, but newspapers work well too.
Which Parts To Choose
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Materials
3M 90 Spray Adhesive
Permanent
Hi-Strength
Clear Glue
12.23 oz
Bonds Laminate, Wood, Concrete, Metal, Plastic
Kraft Paper Roll
17″ x 100′
Gluing Poly-Iso
Gather your tools and materials before proceeding. Regularly shake the spray bottle during the application.
- Turn the nozzle vertical, to spray from left to right or horizontal, for top to bottom, v.v.
- Turn the nozzle head around its axle for a wider or narrower spray..
- Remove the precut insulation boards.
- Clean the floor.
- Shake the glue bottle well before using and repeat this regularly.
- Spray glue on the floor and let it dry for a minute, until it’s tacky.
- In the meantime, also spray a layer of glue on the underside of the insulation boards.
- When both floor and boards are tacky, lay the poly-iso on the floor and press lightly.
- The insulation instantly bonds with the floor.
- Adjust the spray width constantly.
- Let dry overnight.
materials
- One 17.6oz Bottle of
3M 90 glue
tools
- Vacuum/Broom & Dust Pan
- Building Paper
Conclusion
A job well-suited for even the most inexperienced DIY-er, and one that will not take more than a couple of hours to finish.
The materials for this part of the project, where acquired locally and the total cost was about $12.00.
QUESTIONS, SUBMISSIONS OR CORRECTIONS
The missing parts of the complete van conversion process are being added regularly to this Build Guide. If you want to suggest a specific build option for this guide, submit a content correction or have a general inquiry, send me an email.
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Disclaimer: Throughout this guide, all guidance, building techniques and other information are based on my own experiences of converting a cargo van into a Tiny House on wheels. This guide is only for informational purposes; always build according to local and national standards. Be aware that such a project is expensive, requires a substantial amount of broad knowledge of building techniques and involves more work hours than you can imagine. Besides of hitting a finger with a hammer, much more serious harm can be done when you work with 12V/120V electrical systems, propane installations, power tools, etc. Tapping into the vehicle’s own systems can also damage its functionality. Get professional help where needed; never take any risk!