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Floor Insulation again!!

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:03 am
by BadKarma
Since I'm going after the trailer Sat. I've been doing a lot of information mining the last week or so. I've done searches to no end trying to decide on if I want to insulate the floor or not. I do want to be able to do 4 season camping so I'm thinking insulation on the floor is a good idea.

So now I have a couple options I'm considering.

1. 1/2" or 3/4" EPS ON the plywood then cover with carpet.

or

2. Regular carpet pad then carpet.

or

3. Combine 1 & 2.

I'm worried that EPS alone would break down from use and leave divots.

Is the R factor between the two close enough to just go with the carpet pad?

I don't know if I'll ever camp in single digit weather, but I'd like to know I can if I want (or need) too.

Thanks all.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:34 am
by bobhenry
My wheel wells extended thru the floor on Chubby by 1 1/2" so I leveled the floor out with 2 layers of 3/4 blue foam and then a layer of 7/16 osb. My next build ,The barn , was done similarly ! It is great for sound deadning and helps not only with heat but A/C as well. I would do it no other way!

If you want a pretty floor I think a layer of the click lock laminent flooring might make a good substitute for the osb layer

:thinking:

Here is a pic of the barn, in it you can see the foam a layer of 7/16 and the pergo laminate floor in the galley and entry. Further back I installed a nice carpet remnant in the couch/sleeping area.

Image

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:09 pm
by grant whipp
I don't normally weigh in on discussions/questions like this, mostly because everybody has a different idea or opinions about it, but here's the deal ... I've built 37 teardrops in 27 years and NONE of them have insulated floors! ... the 3-4" mattress/cushions is all the insulation they've ever needed (and I've camped quite comfortably in single-digit weather on several occasions without any loss of body heat through the cushions or floor). Now, if you will be having some part of the floor that ISN'T covered by the mattress/cushions, then that's a whole 'nuttier story, but it seems to me that some simple carpet padding and nice carpet would be all that is needed ... :thinking: ...

Good Luck, and as always ...

CHEERS!

Grant

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:22 pm
by BadKarma
Thanks guys.

With all the threads I've read over the last few days, pro and con, I was a bit confused. I seem to remember someone saying that the R factor of padding and foam were close to the same. I just had that confirmed by a friend of a friend who is a building contractor/appraiser. He said the difference is negligible.

So it's carpet and pad.