Shipping Container Home Insulation | Which is BEST??

With a variety of insulation options available for your shipping container home, how can you know which is best? In this video we will be discussing three common insulation options. These include; batt foam insulation, insofast insulation and sprayfoam insulation. We will be breaking down the pros and cons of each along with the costs.
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[@ernie3nell]

I'v been in the building industry more than 20 yrs, and I have never heard the term 'batt foam" in relation to describing "Fiberglass batt insulation", just making an observation for clarity.

[@WillBedford-x4u]

We use the term Batt to describe fiberglass “batts” here in Ontario Canada. “Blanket” would refer to the rolls cut to fit. More used for basements here. Hope this helped.

[@WillBedford-x4u]

Side note. The batts come in pre cut sizes. 16” 24” for example

[@rbz12run]

Very helpful!

[@kpbarbee]

Thanks for the great overview!

[@kriskaylor6679]

Great video, thanks a million

[@user-wo7ed4iu4y]

For a 20' Shipping container, if you are doing ALL sides, including the floor, you would only need approximately 22 of the 28 ounce PL Premium 3X. This adhesive is very thick and has weight to it. Too much would cause the panels to not stay in place while curing. The adhesive has 105psi and at the 3/8' bead. InSoFast also has a 3.75" panel out with an R-15.9ci!

[@velmajoseph9163]

have you used Prodex on a shipping container or any other build to give pros and cons between Prodex and in-so-fast. thanks

[@divorcethehorse-gettingoff7702]

What brand of glue do you use for adhering your foam insulation sheets to the container walls?? And what's the average dry time of that glue??

[@privatestockbespoke3610]

Im building a shipping container in Puerto Rico what is the insulation that give the best R value for for heat .

[@Steven-gv1ke]

Do some research on the shipping containers, condensation, and closed cell spray foam. I read a article that you only have to do the ceiling and top 3 feet of the walls to prevent condensation.

[@WillBedford-x4u]

I have a project in school where I’m building a shipping container tiny home in Ontario, Canada (cold climate). Any advice on real specs of products for closed cell? Also if my container is sitting on a 4 ft deep foundation with a slab, should I still frame the floor deep enough to meet the 35 rsi. Keep in mind it’s for school so price is not an issue, anybody’s thought would be well received.

[@jimbotski]

Great vid thanks. For colder climates could batfoam and a dehumidifier be an option? Thank you

[@commishnyse]

closed cell foam doesnt mold

[@ericgrajeda2671]

Which product is good for sound proofing yet live near the railroad tracks and vibrations and sound is a issue.

[@miaballester3978]

Hi I enjoyed your video. Is spray foam flammable? Thanks. Much continued success!

[@williammaesta9404]

But installation for a 40 ft shipping container in the Philippines, which is hot and has lots of humid everyday of the year.

[@snapcrack55]

Im looking to insulate the ceilings in MN for self storage (not heated/cooled). How much spray foam for that application?

[@agnessoo5080]

Is there evidence of the off-gasing effect when using spray-foam?!

[@ManufacturedHousingExpert]

You build a very nice home.

[@alternativelivingspaces]

Thank you!

[@nickmoran1105]

What about the outside of the container

[@ncamp2126]

Great info. I live in SD where it's currently 17 degrees. Next week we will be in the negatives. If I put studs against the unit and spray foam, will condensation rot out the studs butted against the container?

[@Daeyel]

It's possible. Better off welding in metal studs, IMO. Sure you have metal to metal cold and heat conduction to worry about, but the thinness of the studs makes it a non-issue, IMO. This gives the advantage over wood, which also has heat/cold conduction issues.

[@bearbait2050]

In the interior part of Alaska they require 6 inch minimum Insulation on the sidewalls of a house.

[@Daeyel]

That's hard to do on a shipping container. You are only 8 feet wide as is. Losing fully 1 foot in just insulation is hard to live with, and then another inch on drywall. In this situation, I'd recommend 3 or 4 inside, and then 2 or 3 outside. Then cover the exterior insulation with panels of vinyl or other non-combustible material. Insulate the underside of the container - easy to do, and get a tallboy, or highboy for the full 9'6 ceiling, and put 6 to 8 inches there. Heat rises, and you don't want it all going out the top of your home!

[@frankb0330]

Can I spray foam the exterior of the shipping container, and inso fast the interior of the shipping container?

[@truman4956]

What about exterior and interior insulation?

[@jasonbroderick1197]

Question - if you are still looking. In a cold climate (I can get down to minus 20 degrees Celsius) I am assuming you would need to insulate the floor as well just to combat condensation? This would of course assume that it is above grade. (i.e. on posts / sono tubes). We might need to build at least 4 foot foundation and rest the container on foundation walls. Also would it not be prudent to spray foam without a stud wall to ensure a continuous barrier? Perhaps at least 2 inches of foarm then 2 inch stud wall and then finish spray? Have not seen this but I think this may be a better way to go. Thoughts??

[@jasonbroderick1197]

I should have listened to the whole video before I asked?

[@Gh6stGunsNmore]

What should i go with i live in texas where it gets really cold sometimes Nd very hot and humid

[@Daeyel]

spray in foam insulation. Remember, insulation works just as hard in the summer to keep heat OUT as it does in winter keeping heat IN.

[@gzifo]

Summer heat + thermometer= i believe u

[@johntherat339]

Very timely video. In TX, the spray foam cost is only around $400-500 more than the InSoFast so I'm not sure there's much advantage with all of the labor involved with installation of InSofast. Do you use the built in studs with the InSoFast or also frame it out with 2x4s?

[@alternativelivingspaces]

Hey! Yeah that’s amazing pricing for spray foam. I think for where you’re located that would be a great route! When we use insofast we do use the built-in studs as well. They’ve always worked out pretty good for us as long as you can make sure the studs are in the right locations for you to attach your interior wall too.

[@johntherat339]

@@alternativelivingspaces Thanks for the info. Would you be able to provide any information on installing the electrical with Insofast? It looks to be a huge pain in the videos they have.

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

@@johntherat339 Spray foam all the way!

[@michaelripperger5674]

I’ve done insofast… it’s a lot of work. For the $ I’d day gone the spray foam.

[@MinifigsBricksMoreDenton]

@dfwdrummer I’m in north Texas do you have info for who you used for the Spray Foam? I’m getting ready to build soon

[@energize]

In your experience with shipping container floors that have laminate directly on top of xps/polyiso foamboard. Have there been issues with not having a thin ply underlayment to distribute the load on the foam? I'm thinking of skipping the plywood underlayment on mine. Also did you put the floating laminate on the foam? (Foam also floating) or did you glue down the foam sheets first? Thanks!

[@alternativelivingspaces]

Good question! We haven’t used the thin ply on top up till now. In new 20’ containers I don’t think it’s needed. In used containers with uneven floors I think it’s a must. Recently had issues with a used container. I’d also recommend it for 40’s since there is a metal plate in the back to that raises the floors a bit. We didn’t glue down the foam down. I think that is also a good idea. ( :

[@zdenekholy2634]

Would you say that InSoFast prevents condensation? For some reason, I'm not convinced that there isn't any air trapped between the Styrofoam and steel wall. Even 1mm or less...but still a place for condensation. What's your opinion on this please ?

[@Daeyel]

In my opinion, insofast is not workable. Those air gaps are really bad news. Supposedly you seal all the gaps in your wall with tape, but things get done improperly. And improper installation is a bitch to fix, as all the panels glue to the wall, and glue and tape to the adjacent panels..... Not easy to redo just one panel without damaging the neighbors. Not to mention scraping it and the glue off the wall. When you factor in your labor (or someone else's) that goes into installing insofast, why not just go whole hog and do spray in foam insulation which has the highest R-value, best coverage, and least potential for failure. Just do your homework and get someone who knows what they are doing! Spray Jones series is good for this.

[@zdenekholy2634]

@@Daeyel That's exactly what I thought / did on my container. Closed cell foam cca 12cm.

[@JoVeda_xo]

I want to build a ch I just need help with a lot square of land to build on...or else ill have to suffer and just get a house already bodied

[@Daeyel]

Are you ok with living rural? I bought 2 acres in Nevada 10 minutes from Elko for less than $5000

[@danielrundle8096]

uncovered spray foam on the underside of a storage container is a huge risk for termites and rodents.

[@PharaohsBloom]

I see you put spray foam on the bottom of the container that was in California- can you put spray foam on the outside of the whole container? And cover with something else like brick?

[@alternativelivingspaces]

Great question! I have seen some people sprayfoam the outside. Typically if they do so they also do their framing in the exterior as well.

[@Daeyel]

Yeah, you can spray the outside. Just cover it with something durable. (Wood is not durable)

[@Rprakaash]

can the spray foam insulation homes stay in hotter climates too?

[@alternativelivingspaces]

Yeah it’s great for hotter climates as well!

[@Rprakaash]

@@alternativelivingspaces thank-you. It was a very good explanatory video. I have seen some of your builds. It is exceptional.

[@Daeyel]

Insulation is just as important for keeping heat OUT in summer as it is for keeping heat IN in winter.

[@ChipmunkRapidsMadMan1869]

God, that auto tuned music is as romantic as a dental drill in your jaw

[@EddiTaru]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@michaelripperger5674]

🦷🩸🪓⛏

[@Silhouette_one]

Thanks very much for the info! I'm in a sub-tropical humid climate with lows around 40 Fahrenheit and highs around 95 Fahrenheit. A quick online search has recommended for my area to have walls minimum R2 and celling minimum R4. If I can customize the height of my prefabricated container frame, what would be a good container frame height to allow for the floor and celling insulations and still have a spacious feeling?

[@Daeyel]

Get the highboy that is 9'6 tall. Remember, the more insulation you put in, the lower your heating and cooling costs are long term, as your house will retain the heat in winter longer, and keep the heat out better in summer.

[@Silhouette_one]

@@Daeyel Thanks! I have options to go 10', 11' and 12' tall as well. Is it a no brainer to go the highest option?

[@Daeyel]

@@Silhouette_one eh, if you live in a cold climate, all your winter heat is going to be where you can't make good use of it. In a super hot summer climate and mild winter (think Vegas, Florida and Phoenix) it can be good for keeping that heat up high where it won't bother you. If you do that, install your ac (Mitsubishi Mr Slim) on the floor along the baseboards.

[@Silhouette_one]

@@Daeyel Thank you, I'm in a sub-tropical humid climate with lows approx 40 Fahrenheit and highs approx 95 Fahrenheit. Wet and moderately humid summers and dry winters.

[@benperry490]

you say"bat foam?" do you mean fiberglass bats?

[@Daeyel]

Yes, batt insulation is the pink shit you REALLY do not want to wipe your ass with. Ask my little brother about that one.

[@PlatinumThese]

All mobile homes like build by Clayton and others alike suffer from condensation but no body says anything 💀😂 bc they pay the government this is why your mobile home rottens

[@Daeyel]

You get what you pay for. Spray in insulation costs, but it solves this problem.