Tag: insulation for van walls

A bare steel van is an oven in summer, a fridge in winter and a drum on corrugated roads. Van insulation fixes all three, and it does it with two layers fitted in the right order.

This guide takes you through the job panel by panel, using the Kool Wrap van insulation range. Self-adhesive sound deadener goes on the bare metal. Then 10mm foil-faced Van Liner goes over it. Both are peel and stick, so you need no spray adhesive and no mechanical fixings.

Plan the job before you peel anything

• Strip the van back to bare metal. Remove the wall and roof lining panels, floor covering, door cards and any old insulation. Bag and label the trim clips as you go.
• Check for rust. Treat and seal it now, because you will not see it again once the panels are lined.
• Clean every surface you plan to cover. Use wax and grease remover or isopropyl alcohol on a lint-free cloth. Adhesive will not hold on dust, oil or silicone residue.
• Map your openings. Mark where the roof fan, windows, solar cable entry and cabinet mounts will go so you do not bury them.
• Pick a dry, mild day. Self-adhesive products grip best on a clean, dry panel at room temperature.

The layer order that works

Every panel gets the same system, from the metal inwards.

1. Sound deadener on the metal. These high-mass sheets measure 50 x 32cm, sit around 2mm thick, weigh 3kg per square metre and carry an aluminium top layer. The mass stops thin steel from ringing.
2. Van Liner over the deadener. It is 10mm closed-cell foam with a foil face and a pressure sensitive adhesive back. It keeps the van warmer in winter and cooler in summer, reduces noise and helps prevent condensation.
3. Aluminium foil tape over every join. Taped seams keep the foil face continuous and stop moist air reaching cold metal.
4. Your lining panels. Ply, lining board or carpet-lined panels go on last, after the wiring.

You do not need deadener on every square centimetre. Kool Wrap kit guidance is 100 per cent of the floor, then smaller sections in the centre of the side panels and ceiling, covering about 20 to 30 per cent of those panels. The centre of a flat panel vibrates most, so that is where the mass earns its place. How much sound deadening a van needs goes into that in detail.

Each 50 x 32cm sheet covers 0.16 square metres. Divide the area you want to treat by 0.16 to get your sheet count. Buy car and van sound deadener in packs of 4, 12 or 24 sheets, and seal joins with aluminium foil tape.

Tools and materials

• Trim removal tools and a socket set
• Wax and grease remover or isopropyl alcohol, plus lint-free cloths
• Sharp scissors and a utility knife
• A roller applicator to press the deadener down
• Tape measure, marker and cardboard for templates
• 50mm aluminium foil tape
• Gloves and a head torch

Walls step by step

1. Knock on each panel with your knuckle. The spots that boom are where the deadener goes first.
2. Cut deadener pieces to fit between the ribs, centred on each large panel. Aim for about 20 to 30 per cent of the panel area.
3. Peel the backing and place the piece. Roll it firmly from the centre out until it sits flat with no air pockets.
4. Make a cardboard template for each wall section, including ribs, handles and openings.
5. Trace the template onto the Van Liner and cut it with scissors.
6. Peel and stick the liner from the top edge down. Press it into the ribs and around curves. The foam contours to curved surfaces, so work it in with your palm.
7. Tape every join and cut edge with aluminium foil tape.

Van roof insulation step by step

The roof takes the most direct sun, so it is the priority for heat.

1. Cut and fit the roof fan, vents and solar cable glands first. Cutting through insulation later tears the foil and leaves gaps.
2. Apply deadener to the centre of each roof panel between the roof bows. Again, aim for about 20 to 30 per cent of the area.
3. Cut the Van Liner into lengths of about a metre so you can handle it overhead.
4. Peel back the first part of the backing, fix that edge, then peel and press as you go. A second pair of hands helps.
5. Press the liner up into the roof bows so no air pocket is left behind it.
6. Tape every join and the edges around the vent openings.

Floor

The floor carries tyre, road and exhaust noise, so it gets full coverage.

1. Cover 100 per cent of the floor with deadener. Butt the sheets together and roll each one down hard.
2. Lay your floor insulation or underlay over the deadener.
3. Fit the subfloor, usually ply, then your floor covering.

If the exhaust runs close under the floor, fix that heat at the source. Stick a 5mm heavy duty adhesive heat shield to the underside of the floor pan above the pipe. Kool Wrap recommends this heavier 0.25mm foil version for under-car jobs where the exhaust heats the floor. Stick it to the floor pan only, never onto the exhaust itself.

Wheel arches and doors

Wheel arches sit right above the tyres and pass a lot of road noise into the van. Cover the arch tops fully with deadener, line over them with Van Liner and tape the edges.

• Remove the door card and any plastic moisture sheet.
• Stick deadener to the inside of the outer skin through the access holes.
• Keep clear of window regulators, lock rods, cables and the drain holes along the bottom of the door.
• Line the inner frame with Van Liner, then refit the door card.

Van insulation for hot weather

An Australian summer works on the van from above. The roof sits in direct sun all day and radiates that heat down into the living space, so the roof is where the effort goes.

• Give the roof full Van Liner coverage. Keep the foil face continuous, because a gap in the face is a gap in the barrier.
• Tape every join on the roof, not just the obvious ones.
• Keep air moving. A roof vent pushes hot air out of the top of the van, which is where it collects.
• Park nose-in to the sun where you can, so the long sun-facing wall is in its own shadow.

For an extra reflective layer behind your lining panels, foil bubble insulation is waterproof and blocks up to 95 per cent of radiant heat. Tape its joins as well.

Stopping condensation

Condensation forms when warm, moist air from breathing, cooking and wet gear meets cold steel. Two things stop it.

• A continuous barrier. Van Liner is closed-cell foam with a foil face, and taped joins keep moist air off the metal. The barrier only works where it is unbroken, which is why van roof insulation to stop condensation is mostly a taping job.
• Ventilation. Run a roof vent or crack a window, especially when you cook or sleep.

Which kit suits your van

Every Kool Wrap van kit includes sound deadener, 10mm Van Liner and a free roller. You cut the material to fit, and the kits suit most vans, including the Toyota HiAce, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter and Renault Trafic.

Building a camper rather than lining a work van? Our campervan conversion insulation plan sets out the build order from stripping the van to fitting cabinets.

Common mistakes

• Sticking onto dusty or oily metal. The adhesive lets go in the first hot spell.
• Covering whole wall panels in deadener. You add weight for little return. The centre of each panel does the work.
• Leaving joins untaped. Each gap lets moist air reach the steel.
• Blocking drain holes, factory vents or door mechanisms.
• Covering rust instead of treating it.
• Skipping ventilation.

Van insulation questions

How long does it take to insulate a van?

Plan on at least a full weekend for a small or medium van, and longer for a long-wheelbase high roof. Stripping the trim, treating rust and cleaning the panels usually take longer than sticking the material on.

How do you insulate a van for winter?

The same two layers do the winter job as the summer one, but the detail work matters more. Line the rear and sliding doors as well as the walls, cover exposed ribs where you can and tape every join, because heat leaves through gaps. Windows lose heat fastest, so plan for insulated window covers as well.

What is the best insulation for a van conversion?

A self-adhesive system, because a van is all curves, ribs and awkward corners. Kool Wrap uses sound deadener on the bare metal and 10mm foil-faced Van Liner over it. Both peel and stick, the liner contours to curved surfaces, and you cut both with scissors.

Do you need sound deadening as well as insulation?

In a van, yes. They do different jobs. The deadener is high-mass sheet that stops thin steel panels ringing. The Van Liner is foam with a foil face that handles heat, cold and condensation. Fitting the liner without the deadener leaves you with a quiet-looking van that still drums on a corrugated road.

Can you insulate a van without stripping the lining?

You can add material to what is exposed, but you cannot do the job properly. Sound deadener has to go on bare metal, and a foil barrier only works if it is continuous, which means reaching the panels behind the lining. If the van is already lined, budget the time to take it out.

Does van insulation need an air gap behind it?

The Van Liner goes straight onto the panel, or onto the deadener where you have fitted it. It is 10mm closed-cell foam with a foil face and a pressure sensitive adhesive back, and it is designed to stick to the surface it is protecting. The ribs and the lining battens leave a cavity in front of it anyway, so there is nothing to build. What matters more is that the joins are taped, because a gap in the foil face is a gap in the barrier.

Need help choosing?

Measure your walls and ceiling, note your wheelbase and roof height, then pick your kit from the Kool Wrap van insulation range. If your van sits between two sizes, call 1300 44 33 34 and we will help you work out what you need.