Ulysses the Uhaul - Strategic Surf Assault Vehicle project build
- Thread starter mexicanfooddude
- Start date
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
Yeah, HD carries Owens Corning "FOAMULAR" XPS. Pink Stuff. It is SCORED, SQUARE EDGE
If they do not have it on hand, they can certainly order it for you.
here is a link showing the sizes that are available. You probably just have to find a salesperson that isnt a moron. (GOOD LUCK in HD :snorkel
The #!50 is available in 1", 1½", 2", 2½", 3"
http://www.foamular.com/foam/products/foamular-150.aspx
The #250 is available in ¾", 1", 1½", 2", 2½", 3"
http://www.foamular.com/foam/products/foamular-250.aspx
If they do not have it on hand, they can certainly order it for you.
here is a link showing the sizes that are available. You probably just have to find a salesperson that isnt a moron. (GOOD LUCK in HD :snorkel
The #!50 is available in 1", 1½", 2", 2½", 3"
http://www.foamular.com/foam/products/foamular-150.aspx
The #250 is available in ¾", 1", 1½", 2", 2½", 3"
http://www.foamular.com/foam/products/foamular-250.aspx
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Yea, since the floor is out of the sun, even on warm days it stays fairly cool to the touch. Great when it's warm out, helps regulate interior temp... however, at night it sucks the heat out of the space real quick. I've had mine raw for over a year, did that three month trip in it, and have decided to insulate it.
I probably wouldn't mind so much if it was just me, but I've got the wife and baby and they want to be warm at night without have to load up on down jackets
Subscribed to your build, looking great!
I am probably going to lay wood flooring over the aluminum. I figure since it's so small I can go with something exotic and it won't break the bank. I'm going to park my motorcycle in there so it has to be somewhat water proof. The roof on the other hand gets so hot on even a cloudy day that you can't touch it. I was thinking of a shade covering the roof outside and insulation inside. Thanks for sharing your build. The wealth of knowledge on this site is awesome.
Acheateaux
Adventurer
I love watching surf rigs come together. Would love to hook up and check it out when I'm back there in the fall. You can check out our kid hacks, the best being a cordura and EMT tubing hammock bed for the kid.
mexicanfooddude
New member
A bit of a small town we live in (93405)... none of the other home improvement stores around here that I've talked to carry XPS. The local HD didn't carry it in stock, and pluggin my zip code into their website says they are unable to order it for any of the HD stores within 150 miles of me. I'll call them and talk to someone in person though, perhaps they can pull some strings. Thanks
mexicanfooddude
New member
Definitely know how that roof goes. I ended up putting panels of 3/4" polyiso in between the roof aluminum cross-members, and then just screwing 1/8" luan panels over everything. Just doing that significantly improved the heat transfer through the roof. However, there was still a lot coming through those cross-members/luan, and condensation build-up on the cross-members at night would soak into the luan. So I'm adding 3/4" furring strips down the length of the vehicle, screwed onto the cross-members, putting another round of 3/4" insulation between those (most-likely XPS, per conversation with idasho above), and then putting new panels on top of that. With the two roof vent fans I've installed, that should make it tolerable even on the warmest days.
Picture of the additional roof insulation progress below. Additional 3/4" insulation to go in between furring strips, down the length of the box. 1/8" panels to screw into furring strips.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Definitely know how that roof goes. I ended up putting panels of 3/4" polyiso in between the roof aluminum cross-members, and then just screwing 1/8" luan panels over everything. Just doing that significantly improved the heat transfer through the roof. However, there was still a lot coming through those cross-members/luan, and condensation build-up on the cross-members at night would soak into the luan. So I'm adding 3/4" furring strips down the length of the vehicle, screwed onto the cross-members, putting another round of 3/4" insulation between those (most-likely XPS, per conversation with idasho above), and then putting new panels on top of that. With the two roof vent fans I've installed, that should make it tolerable even on the warmest days.
Picture of the additional roof insulation progress below. Additional 3/4" insulation to go in between furring strips, down the length of the box. 1/8" panels to screw into furring strips.
That's what I figured in my head. I was thinking that small standoffs to leave an air gap between the furring and the aluminum x-members would help isolate them from the heat and allow air flow. Are you doing some type of a headliner? I thought about cloth but did not know if it would absorb cooking odors. Spray foam would be nice but I have found out there are cheap kits but for quality, it's not inexpensive.
mexicanfooddude
New member
@pappawheely, good thought on leaving a bit of a gap between the furring strips and aluminum. No headliner, just finishing the luan panels and screwing them onto the furring strips. In regards to the spray foam, you're talking about using that for roof insulation instead of rigid foam insulation? Probably would be nice, the rigid foam panels were easy enough and not too tough on the wallet though.
Motiracer38
New member
I was surprised when I couldn't find the Foamular local too, you might try White Cap as it looks like they carry the DOW equivalent, same as Lowes.
http://www.whitecap.com/shop/wc/58657
There's one in Santa Maria. I've used the one down here in 91355 and it is like a contractor's Home Depot but gladly sells small items to the average Joe.
http://www.whitecap.com/shop/wc/58657
There's one in Santa Maria. I've used the one down here in 91355 and it is like a contractor's Home Depot but gladly sells small items to the average Joe.
mexicanfooddude
New member
Nice! Great find, thank you.
An additional question to throw out to everyone - I've seen a lot of conversions where carpet is glued to the plywood wall and ceiling panels. Obviously some carpet would lend to a little additional sound-proofing...I'm not that concerned about that though. I assume that it would make it feel a bit warmer in there on some cooler days...perhaps not a feeling I'd want on some blazing hot baja days. What other benefits are there to covering wall and ceiling plywood panels with carpet, as opposed to just finishing some nice-looking plywood and leaving it bare? As far as both function, and appearance/feel in the space. Thanks!
I'd go with something like they use inside the Tiny House photos over carpet.
http://tinyhousetalk.com/elm-18-overlook-130-sq-ft-tumbleweed-tiny-home-wheels/
http://tinyhousetalk.com/elm-18-overlook-130-sq-ft-tumbleweed-tiny-home-wheels/
mexicanfooddude
New member
@dlh62c ... i dig that, a lot. Gained a lot of inspiration from the tiny houses on this conversion. I'm trying to find the right balance of weight and style though, and putting that interior up might be a little more weight than I'm willing to give! Thanks
TheGuyJones
Observer
Very cool build. I was thinking about your roll-up door dilemma and an idea popped in my head to suggest that would still keep the ordinary look on the outside. Basically, take the rollup door components and attach them to a solid on-piece subframe with a pivot connection at the top (think sort of like the old style single panel garage doors, not the roll up panel style). This would help with the issue of where the rollup door currently travels into the interior space and create a nice canopy when parked. Anyway, just stirring up the imagination a bit. Keep up the cool build.
Got a roll up door that lets a lot of air in and I own a step van so the noise is annoying as well, lots of movement in roll up door pieces.
For most anything I do I am thinking I would like a shade over the back, mine has a liftgate on it and is more of a tool shed right now than anything else. But the door needs work and since I don't like it I am going to do away with it.
I have not fully figured out what all I will keep of it but it is going to turn into a shade that lifts up. Still look like a roll up door, especially since the lift gate folds up and covers the bottom 2 foot of the door.
I am wanting something sturdy enough to lift out and up and then put down a couple support poles to help keep the furthest edges in place, probably angle these back to the truck instead of being on the ground.
For what I do the space should not be hard to deal with but the door might wind up hinged perhaps, need to empty van and pull it apart and see what I wind up with.
For most anything I do I am thinking I would like a shade over the back, mine has a liftgate on it and is more of a tool shed right now than anything else. But the door needs work and since I don't like it I am going to do away with it.
I have not fully figured out what all I will keep of it but it is going to turn into a shade that lifts up. Still look like a roll up door, especially since the lift gate folds up and covers the bottom 2 foot of the door.
I am wanting something sturdy enough to lift out and up and then put down a couple support poles to help keep the furthest edges in place, probably angle these back to the truck instead of being on the ground.
For what I do the space should not be hard to deal with but the door might wind up hinged perhaps, need to empty van and pull it apart and see what I wind up with.