Camper Insulation: Your Key to Year-Round Comfort

Insulating your DIY camper is a very important step in creating a comfortable and energy-efficient living space. Proper insulation will ensure that you can better regulate temperature, reduces noise, prevents condensation and will add to your overall comfort during your adventures. In this blog post, we will tell you a bit more about how to insulate your campervan, ensuring that you can enjoy your camper in any season and climate.

Overview

Work equipment for this phase

Anti-drumming plates

Self-adhesive armaflex 19mm

Self-adhesive armaflex 6mm

Utility knife or scissor

Straightedge or ruler

Aluminum/insulation tape

Why did we choose for armaflex

- Self-adhesive, so no mess with glue and no moisture can get behind it
- Good insulation capacity
- Price to quality ratio
- It comes in different thicknesses, so it is as flexible as needed 
- Light weight

Apply anti-drumming plates

Start by identifying areas in your camper that produce noticeable vibrations or tend to create drumming sounds. Common areas include the walls, ceiling, and floor panels. Focus on areas that are susceptible to resonance or that have a large surface area.

Select high-quality anti-drumming plates specifically designed for automotive or camper applications. These plates are typically made of materials like butyl rubber or similar composites, which offer excellent sound-deadening properties. Ensure that the plates are easy to cut and apply to various surfaces.

Peel off the backing of the plate and carefully apply it to the desired surface, ensuring it adheres smoothly and completely. Press firmly to ensure a strong bond between the plate and the surface. Continue applying the anti-drumming plates to all identified areas, ensuring complete coverage. Pay attention to overlapping seams and edges, as these are common areas for vibrations and noise. Apply additional plates to cover overlaps and seams, effectively minimizing any potential drumming effect.

Tap or knock on the treated surfaces to assess the improvement. Notice the reduction in resonance and drumming sounds, indicating the effectiveness of the treatment. Make adjustments or add more plates as necessary to achieve the desired acoustic comfort

Assess Your Camper's Insulation Needs

Start by evaluating the current insulation status of your camper. If you have existing insulation, determine its condition and effectiveness. Identify areas that may need additional insulation or improvements, such as walls, floors, ceilings, doors, and windows. This assessment will help you plan and prioritize your insulation efforts.

This assessment will help you plan and estimate the amount of Armaflex insulation required.

We had no insulation as it was a cargo van. As a result, we quickly came to the conclusion that everything had to be isolated.

Prepare the Surfaces

Clean and prepare the surfaces to ensure proper adhesion. Start with the walls so you don’t need to walk over it when you should start with the floor. Remove any dirt, dust, or grease using a mild cleaning solution. Ensure the surfaces are dry before proceeding with the insulation installation. Take note of any repairs or maintenance needed, such as sealing gaps or fixing damaged areas.

Measure and Cut Armaflex Insulation

Measure the dimensions of the areas you wish to insulate and transfer the measurements onto the Armaflex sheets or tubes. Use a straightedge or ruler and a utility knife to make precise cuts. Take care to cut the Armaflex to fit snugly against the surfaces, leaving minimal gaps for optimal insulation performance.

Install the Armaflex on the walls

Press the Armaflex firmly onto the prepared surfaces, making sure it adheres smoothly without wrinkles or air pockets. Pay attention to corners, edges, and joints to ensure complete coverage. We used 19mm Armaflex for all the big parts, the 6mm is easier to apply on places where it’s more difficult to reach because it’s a bit more flexible. 

We also used the more flexible 6mm armaflex for the support beams, the bridges, the wheel housings, the frame of the doorways and on the doors themselves because otherwise they take up too much space and our interior space became smaller.

Prepare the floor and install the armaflex

Screw wooden beams to the floor so that you can place the armaflex between them. This allows you to start from a better base later when building your new floor.

We used 19mm Armaflex for this.

Seal Seams and Edges

Use aluminum tape to seal any seams, edges, or gaps between adjacent pieces of Armaflex insulation. This helps create an airtight seal, preventing air leakage and maximizing insulation effectiveness. Apply the tape firmly, smoothing out any wrinkles or creases for a tight seal.

Perform a Final Inspection

Once the Armaflex insulation is installed, perform a thorough inspection. Check for any gaps, loose edges, or areas that require additional attention. Make any necessary adjustments or additions to ensure complete insulation coverage.

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Camper Insulation: Your Key to Year-Round Comfort
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Strip and Clean: A Step-by-Step Guide to DIY Camper Renovation
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