Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Canvas covered foamies (Thrifty Alternatives...)

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Re: Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Postby pchast » Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:45 pm

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Re: Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Postby GPW » Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:49 am

What is more ECO friendly than capturing plastic and keeping it out of the oceans … ? Like capturing carbon in a tree, good for as long as you don’t burn it … :thinking:

The foam we use is not a great quantity, it’s already made for so many other purposes , so exists whether we like it or not , and the good thing is, it Lasts forever, with the potential of providing a Thousand year trailer … :o
JMHO, if we want to do something eco friendly , lets utilize existing foams to make Lighter trailers that require less FUEL to Burn … our air quality is already over the 400 ppm of Carbon that was the point of no return … The Foam is captive in a trailer , the extra Fuel for heavy trailers just pollutes the air more …

With the current changes in technology , a more suitable material may be available soon ??? … Great new stuff comes out every day … 8)


And then , as we mentioned long ago, there’s the old aircraft construction , painted canvas over lightweight wood or metal /plastic frames ( no foam , no insulation , bring your sleeping bag ) … What Eagle first named , the “ hard tent” …
Since antique aircraft flew over 200 mph , I assume it would be quite practical for highway speeds … and Very light … :thinking:

Just a thought !!!
There’s no place like Foam !
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Re: Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Postby John61CT » Wed Jul 01, 2020 5:36 am

GPW wrote: old aircraft construction , painted canvas over lightweight wood or metal /plastic frames ( no foam , no insulation , bring your sleeping bag ) … What Eagle first named , the “ hard tent” …
Since antique aircraft flew over 200 mph , I assume it would be quite practical for highway speeds … and Very light
Traditional canoes & kayaks from the indigenous peoples like Ainu, Inuit and Aleut of the Arctic North

is where they got these ideas. Used for hunting seals, walruses, caribou even

I think of this design type as "freeform PMF" not limited to flat boards.

My idea is mesh screening over aluminum tubing framework for its greater tensile strength and puncture resistance, then

PU foam sprayed both sides, starting with the more rigid and durable high densities for structural support

then the lighter grades for thermal insulation

Finally sealed with a strong and UV resistant waterproof primer / paint.

viewtopic.php?f=55&t=71343

The kayak were made from 100% organics, wood or bone structure, stitched and oiled seal skin, so I guess if you were really committed to the idea. . .
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Re: Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Postby S. Heisley » Wed Jul 01, 2020 5:54 pm

:thinking: Double layered polypropylene (corrugated plastic), if you can figure out how to put it together. I don't believe there are any insulation properties to the stuff, either.

You might try contacting the ORU company and see what they say. They make kayaks out of it...: https://www.orukayak.com/pages/compare

Also, look at some of these. Some are 4'x8' and might do what you need...: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Ma ... dgZ1z10nvb

Greenhouse plastic might work for you but most are see-through, so you'd have to do something about that...: https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/cov ... te-sheets/

Remember that plastic sheets can let the heat and cold through and possibly even multiply the amount of heat inside.

But, if you mean natural as in nature, probably not.

You can use wood products treated with CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) It's made with natural wood resin (tree sap) ...: https://www.rotdoctor.com/products/cpes.html
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Re: Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Postby joshuag » Wed Aug 12, 2020 7:21 pm

SunRay Kelley built a house with mushroom bricks for insulation. They had to blast hot air at the bricks after it was built because mushrooms started growing out of the walls.
-Joshua

I want to build a Tipoon clone foamie but I bought a truck, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do next.

Tipoon Youtube
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Re: Is there a natural substitute for xps foam ?

Postby rowerwet » Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:49 am

I've wondered about a paper mache teardrop before, seems like it could be built with a minimal frame work. If you finished the outer layers with shellac it would be waterproof without an additional finish.
You could integrate cardboard into the walls for some insulation value.
I doubt it could be as light or well insulated as foam.

The first composite boats used in professional rowing racing were built out of paper using a proprietary system of paper and shellac. This was back around 1900.

It was part of a paper boat craze for a number of years during the massive popularity of canoes in the 1890s.

The safety bicycle ended the boating craze, and a massive fire that destroyed the factory ended the paper boat era for racing.
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