IDEAS ON HOW TO INSULATE THE FLOOR FOR CAMPING FALL MONTHS

[Prem]

Earnest,

Sorry 'bout the seafood allergy, and YEAH, they've got beef AND beer. Carne asada, bistec ranchero with Pacifico, Bariles, Carta Blanca, Victoria, Modelo, Negra Modelo, Dos Equis, Budweiser and that yellow stuff called Corona.

You don't even need to take planes. Just walk across the border and get on any 1st class bus to Mexico City, then to Acapulco, then to Puerto Escondido. Three easy days from Matamoros/Brownsville and a cost of about $120. In Mexico City you can stay at the Hostel beside the cathedral for US$9 a night. Don't stay in Acapulco. It stinks and it's expensive. You can take a night bus to Puerto Escondido (4 hours). The seats recline. (I go that route almost every year.)

[roadinspector]

Depends on how far back your lineage goes in Texas. They issue certified Texican Proof of Citizenship Cards and State of Texas passports. On the face at the bottom there is a seal which states your lineage. Texican, tells State Troopers yours goes back to pre-republic, Republic, is Republic of Texas times, Texan, is post-Republic thru Civil War times & the rest have a State of Texas Seal. Each lets the State Trooper know the respect due to the person, from a salute to a handshake. If you don't have your card or passport when coming back in, State Troopers can do a blood test on site. One drop of blood will provide proof of your Texas Citizenship lineage. They do charge for it but its better than facing a fine and possible lose of citizenship. You can come under investigation by the Texas Rangers if you try to falsify the documents.

Earnest (true blooded card carrying Texican)

[eggsalad]

We used foam puzzle mats on the inside to insulate the floor. It made it much warmer (and softer) and avoided any of the concerns related to external insulation. It's held up well to wear and tear too. I do suggest cutting off the "interlocking" sections at the external borders.

I plan on adding some to our "real" toy hauler as well.

I considered these as well. We use some at work, and of course HF has a cheaper version

But even the good ones stink something fierce, and I'd be concerned about all that stink in a TTT. Did you have that issue?

[Rainier70]

Fumes from the foams and carpets is the main reason next to the dirt issue that I haven't put them in. I maybe could get away with airing the stuff out in the garage for 3 to 6 months, or maybe won't be able to use it at all.

So my best bet is still to insulate from underneath. Is there anyone that has left their foam uncovered? It sounded like a couple of people in this older post had, so I was hoping to hear from them on their experience. I am leaning toward buying the coroplast sheets from HD and then using it for both the ceiling and the underside. I may have to air the coroplast out in the garage for a while too, but harder plastics usually air out quicker than foam and rubber products.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

[Prem]

Jerry wrote:

Complete thermal break.

That's optimal!

I've got aluminum studs/ribs in the walls and ceiling. The aluminum rivits that hold the interior plywood to the ribs sweat! They get water drops on them on the ceiling!

I should just carpet the interior walls and ceiling...but then again...I'm a fair weather camper.

[Rainier70]

OTTCT, I hope that you aren't getting your CT so air tight that you have "toxic air" problems. I'm glad your build is working so well for you.

But once again, I am trying to get some information on the non-perfect method of insulating from underneath. I know that it will not be as good, but it is the way I need to go for my build.

[Rainier70]

I am leaning back and forth between 3 methods now.

1. Possibly leaving the foam underneath open to encourage a little breatheablity in it. Not too sure about this as I don't want the foam to break up. Absorb moisture from the road etc.

2. Using coroplast as an over sheathing. I like this as it will give me a smooth underside and maybe even a bit of a thermal break over the ribs. Cons: Difficulty in buying --can get 10 sheets at HD If I did that then I would use coroplast for my inside ceiling also. I think I would need to seal the edges and seams also.

3. I am also considering using canvas and glue on the outside of the foam to make a skin for each piece. AKA the foamie TD method.

[Gonefishin]

http://www.amazon.com/We-Sell-Mats-Interlocking-Flooring/dp/B003R2JATU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386614689&sr=8-1&keywords=wood+grain+interlocking+foam+mats
I'm ordering these after the first of the year and covering my whole floor, inside, where I can clean it and keep bugs/moisture/sand out. They'll help, no doubt. To what extent, I'll let everyone know next spring.

Where I camp, it gets down into the 20's in JUNE, and AUGUST! Gaining 30 degrees above outside with a ton of insulation and way too many hours of labor while using no heat gets me nowhere. Besides, I want my inside "heated" to 75 or so, not 50-something. (sorry OTC, I love your technological analysis and motivation, but many of us aren't camping in the tropical confines of the west coast, and aren't going to be warm without heat even if we had 6 feet of insulation covering 100 percent of the trailer. 20-something degrees is just an average cool spring or fall night in the Rockies, and if its 29 outside, I want it warmer than 60 inside. )

So, I'll keep watching the nice little flame flickering through the glass door of my beloved heater, blowing warmth all around, providing a place to warm the toes and lie comfortably on top of the bed. And I'll be putting some foam on the floor. The plywood walls will have to endure for now, with their meager factory sheeting and cold hard beams. It's already passed the 20-degree test without the floor covering though, so I'll be good to go for just about anything.

Just for fun, I'm considering going out on one of these 0-degree afternoons I'm having lately and firing up the heater for a couple hours just to see how warm it will get inside. Maybe a before and after test with the foam mats. Plenty of 0-degree days and nights ahead in the next 60 days. I'm not that frozen-in yet, but getting there.

[Rainier70]

GoneFishin, how did the cold snap miss you? We were -25 F this morning at 7am. Even St. George, Utah was 5 degrees. I thought about going out and firing up my stove too, but I am not sure I can even pry the door open!!

BTW, I had the hubby "sniff test" the foam tiles, and they are a no go for me unless I aired them out for several months. They are still tempting, but it looks like smaller washable throw rugs and under-insulation is my route.

[Gonefishin]

My doors are fine, and I've peeked inside a couple times to be sure everything was ok. I guess the air moving here kept the minus-20 stuff to the north. Really windy today. I did drive through a low creek valley Saturday morning headed north and the truck thermometer hit -19. My house at 6600 feet in elevation sits about 600 feet higher than the lake and lower valleys, where the really, really cold air sinks. Its just cold though. I'm really curious about what the heater will do in this crap though, even though I have no intentions of camping in it.

[Rainier70]

You got me curious so I went out and lit mine. First issue is that below zero metal stove pipes are COLD. Second issue is that barbeque lighters do NOT work in these temperatures. Nasty old fashioned matches did the trick. It was warming up quickly, but I didn't stay long. I will go out and check it in 20 min or so. Besides the cold temps we have a nice "Idaho breeze" blowing. I hate to think what the wind chill is!

[Gonefishin]

Same here. I don't even want to go out to remove the vent cap and hook up the propane line in this wind. I do carry stick matches though! Here's where mine sits next to the house. Outta be a fair "cold weather" testing ground.

[Rainier70]

I ran it for about 20-25 min. Not on high, but with about a 1.25 or 1.5 inch flame. The temperature rose to 60 degrees at counter height. I wasn't using any fan so it was stratified and cooler lower. I didn't run it longer because I didn't want to run outside again! I am impressed, and I am glad I did. It lets me know that in an emergency situation it would work, as long as the propane holds out. But that floor is REALLY cold, I am for sure going to insulate it!

[MtnDon]

I don't want the foam to break up. Absorb moisture from the road etc.

The pink and blue XPS foam does not absorb water. None. That can not be said about the cheaper white stuff. The only reason I would cover the underside is to keep any road debris from roughing it up. Just my thoughts. Right now I am undecided about covering mine when I get it. I will be gluing pink or blue from underneath, depends on who has what price, with the distinct possibility of 3/4 to 1 inch inside. That depends on how much I apply to the roof inside. Thinking three inches there.