View Full Version : Spray insulation for aluminum trailers
How does one go about having insulation installed inside an aluminum trailer?
Are there specific spray-on materials that are commonly applied that auto repair/painting shops would know how to work with? Are there some specific materials one should avoid? Seems like the material needs to be fairly abrasion resistant. Is the outgassing of some materials potentially damaging to a glider?
All the glued on carpet in my trailer is falling off for the second time and I do not look forward to redoing it all when a spray insulation may do double duty as padding for the glider bits and pieces.
Spray foam may add considerable weight to the top and over-burden the lifting mechanisms. Proceed with caution.
That's it! That is all this forum has to offer on the subject of applying spray insulation to an aluminum top trailer. After all the discussion of Aluminum vs fiberglass?
I guess that implies that not a single person on this forum has any real world knowledge about insulating an aluminum top trailer?
Thank you.
This is the first concrete suggestion/example of a method and materials to insulate the aluminum top.
POPS
July 23rd 18, 08:51 PM
How does one go about having insulation installed inside an aluminum trailer?
Are there specific spray-on materials that are commonly applied that auto repair/painting shops would know how to work with? Are there some specific materials one should avoid? Seems like the material needs to be fairly abrasion resistant. Is the outgassing of some materials potentially damaging to a glider?
All the glued on carpet in my trailer is falling off for the second time and I do not look forward to redoing it all when a spray insulation may do double duty as padding for the glider bits and pieces.
Well.... I didn't use spray foam because of the permanence of it and once you pull the trigger you are not going to be able to clean up the potential of a horrific mess.
I did however line the entire interior with 3/4" cut and fit, foil lined foam boards.
Foil was positioned in the 'up' position, pushing back at, and stopping the UV from entering the trailer and touching anything in the interior. The surface temps are way way down now. Interior temp meets the ambient air temps of course, but not much more. The little mouse I found kick'n it recently would probably agree too. Very inexpensive, it was a day job, and if the next guy can't deal with the WTF fit and finish of it all .... remove it all in a few hours.
Started out as an experiment, turned into another permanent work-around/jury-rig. Did I mention cheeeeeeap ...
Nick Kennedy
July 23rd 18, 11:37 PM
You may want to contact a local home insulating company that handles spray foam.
Its difficult to get it smooth thou in my experience. Google different types of spray foam and see what you find, good luck!
George Haeh
July 24th 18, 01:37 AM
Rigid foam panels are available at any home improvement store. The trick will be finding a double sided tape tolerant of temperature extremes - or use a construction adhesive.
Be very careful of clearances, especially by the trailing edges of the wings.
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
July 25th 18, 10:06 PM
POPS wrote on 7/23/2018 12:51 PM:
> Well.... I didn't use spray foam because of the permanence of it and
> once you pull the trigger you are not going to be able to clean up the
> potential of a horrific mess.
> I did however line the entire interior with 3/4" cut and fit, foil lined
> foam boards.
> Foil was positioned in the 'up' position, pushing back at, and stopping
> the UV from entering the trailer and touching anything in the interior.
> The surface temps are way way down now. Interior temp meets the ambient
> air temps of course, but not much more. The little mouse I found kick'n
> it recently would probably agree too. Very inexpensive, it was a day
> job, and if the next guy can't deal with the WTF fit and finish of it
> all .... remove it all in a few hours.
> Started out as an experiment, turned into another permanent
> work-around/jury-rig. Did I mention cheeeeeeap ...
How did you attach the foam panels to the aluminum top?
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorgliders/publications/download-the-guide-1
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Dec 2014a" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://soaringsafety.org/prevention/Guide-to-transponders-in-sailplanes-2014A.pdf
POPS
July 26th 18, 06:58 AM
;973915']POPS wrote on 7/23/2018 12:51 PM:
Well.... I didn't use spray foam because of the permanence of it and
once you pull the trigger you are not going to be able to clean up the
potential of a horrific mess.
I did however line the entire interior with 3/4" cut and fit, foil lined
foam boards.
Foil was positioned in the 'up' position, pushing back at, and stopping
the UV from entering the trailer and touching anything in the interior.
The surface temps are way way down now. Interior temp meets the ambient
air temps of course, but not much more. The little mouse I found kick'n
it recently would probably agree too. Very inexpensive, it was a day
job, and if the next guy can't deal with the WTF fit and finish of it
all .... remove it all in a few hours.
Started out as an experiment, turned into another permanent
work-around/jury-rig. Did I mention cheeeeeeap ...
How did you attach the foam panels to the aluminum top?
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorgliders/publications/download-the-guide-1
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Dec 2014a" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://soaringsafety.org/prevention/Guide-to-transponders-in-sailplanes-2014A.pdf
This style: Attached with hot glue. Why hot glue? So the next guy can peel it off and roll off the glue with pressure from a rubber door stopper, if he's a Felix type and can't handle the look of things.
Just trim the hangers pins for the flush fit/finish with the capture push on caps.
https://www.soundproofcow.com/product/hanger-pins/?attribute_size=2+1%2F4in&attribute_case=6&gdffi=d462e8110af047aba70108dac6bd4aa2&gdfms=AA77E6328DCC4B2B92DF5797E1C16B37&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv-DaBRCcARIsAI9sba-ROltQy4K5vyK8YVogFCzQheLTIYkm7LhHH7rDi5QJP9939bzZe JIaAonTEALw_wcB
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
August 6th 18, 09:24 PM
POPS wrote on 7/25/2018 10:58 PM:
>>
>> How did you attach the foam panels to the aluminum top?
>>
>> --
>> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
>> email me)
>> - "A Guide
> This style: Attached with hot glue. Why hot glue? So the next guy can
> peel it off and roll off the glue with pressure from a rubber door
> stopper, if he's a Felix type and can't handle the look of things.
> Just trim the hangers pins for the flush fit/finish with the capture
> push on caps.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/y78sg8gx
Good idea! I didn't know there was such a thing.
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorgliders/publications/download-the-guide-1
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Dec 2014a" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://soaringsafety.org/prevention/Guide-to-transponders-in-sailplanes-2014A.pdf
Bret Hess
August 7th 18, 09:30 PM
If you can handle a little more weight you might want to use foam faced with thin vinyl, as sold as a garage door insulation kit...keeps the foam from denting much and tearing when it gets hit.
example https://www.homedepot.com/p/Garage-Door-Insulation-Kit-8-Pieces-Garage-Door-Insulation-Kit-8-pcs/203630159
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