Is Spray Foam Worth It?

There is no better insulation than spray foam, but how can we make sure we get the best results when we use it? In this video I cover how to make sure your skoolie, van, or other conversion benefits the most from its spray foam job.
I could talk for hours about this part of the job and this barely scratches the surface, but this information is applicable to any skoolie, van, or other camper conversion.
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#skoolie #offgridliving #busconversion

[@theborednerds]

Hands down fastest tool for trimming overspray is with an oscillating multitool! Zips it right off nice and flush just like with a flush cut saw (like your pull saw), but with way less work.

[@edwardnigma2216]

Pro tip. Once the sprayfoam is up, put some colored tape on the ribs wherever a wire passes behind it. That way, when your walls go up, you know where your wires are and where not to run a screw into.

[@kaffeekuchen1929]

I was going to use havelock in my van until I came across your videos. Thank you for your honest info. I would have screwed myself.

[@DriftBros]

You should do a comparison vid where you take a regular school bus vs your insulated bus and see how long it takes for them to cool from say 70 down to outside temp etc. Would be really interesting.

[@wiredforstereo]

No doubt.

[@1nvisible1]

*Oh yeah, call it **_"Naked & in a Bus!"_** lol. Million hits guaranteed. Survivor then eats the loser when they thaw in spring.*

[@hankaaron77]

If you put packaging tape over your strapping you won't have to scrape them

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Yeah next time haha

[@scottward1002]

What a great concept you would’ve thought he would’ve thought of that ha ha ha ha

[@christinearmington]

I thought in another video you said that the foam should be a couple of inches thick over any wood ribs. 🫤

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Never said that

[@christinearmington]

@@ChuckCassadyYT Thanks. I’ll go back and listen again. 👍

[@RollingLiving]

But...but...but, Chuck...what about all the offgassing I hear about in FB groups? :-) I'm 100% with you on the foam insulation. Once the closed cell foam has expanded and cured, the structure is closed (hmmm...closed, closed cell makes sense) and (according to the EPA) "When spray foam has been correctly applied and cured, it is usually considered to be relatively inert." I wish more people studied this, as you clearly have. Nicely done, sir.

[@magnoliathebus]

You've convinced us about spray foam vs Havelock wool. I'm glad you did, too, because I was always worried about the efficacy of the wool anyway, but, you know, environmentally friendly and all that.

[@bgtyhnmju7]

Thanks again man, good quick show. Great to see the progress.

[@leerichards6844]

Thanks! You are making our bus conversion sooooo much better with your sage advice!

[@chuckchapiewsky7535]

What did it cost?

[@johningardia2088]

Your the most knowledgeable person when it comes to skoolies.

[@patricestanard5767]

I need you here in Mississippi lol ! I bought a 1995 bluebird and I am so overwhelmed. You may be hearing from me. So grateful for your videos.

[@katolight]

What a nice finished spray foam job. Kudos all around. This is going to be a nice bus. Thanks for the great explanation about foam.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

You're welcome!

[@kenknaell1290]

Chuck - another Margarita worthy production. I enjoy your spot on reality checks.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed

[@darangemaster1]

Brings back memories of my van conversation from the 70’s

[@MatthewRobertHenry]

Missed the live chat this week but man are you ever moving quick on this build! Spray foam looks great man. I still have a little bit to foam in our aft cabin ceiling and on the front cap, but every inch I cover makes a difference. It's crazy how good it works.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

It is definitely the best!

[@joeystitt1695]

I like that you’ve done your research on foam. As a foam guy you did a great job prepping and the clean up looks mint 👌good job

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thanks 👍

[@davidhillman3410]

I love the upper window!

[@mitchballantyne4318]

Legend. Thanks again, from Australia👌🏻

[@blackbirdskooliesandtinyho3744]

Very well explained as always.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Glad you think so!

[@cliffmorgan31]

Thanks for the information/instructions!

[@colleenbalch328]

Thanks for another great one, Charlie!

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@garygrunauer734]

Chuck, Try an angle grinder with a 4" thick wire brush, grinds right thru the foam, just wear goggles as it will product foam dust that will get in your eyes. Great video

[@Doc1855]

Thanks for the video, I appreciate it

[@treystills]

For future projects place packing tape on the wood fur-out strips.

[@AndrewHemstreet]

Not sure where else you talked about the Thomas top mount wipers but I thought I'd put it here...at least one advantage is in snowy conditions because they won't build up snow beneath them, I don't plan to drive in snow so I do wish they were mounted at the bottom. Hope you make steady progress to finish, and happy and satisfied with each step

[@daniellebissonnette3304]

Excellent video. I got my husband to watch it with me, he has more knowledge of construction and insulation than I do. I certainly learned a lot from your opinion and my husband was able to explain the parts that were a bit triciy for me. We have a small fiberglass trailer, which we would like to insulate for both heat and cold. I am extremely sensitive to chemicals, so offgassing is a concern to me, however I think that you made a very good point about driving a diesel vehicle in the middle of traffic as a way of living. In my personal experience, exposure to airborne chemicals have a compounding effect, which is why we chose a towed as opposed to motorized RV and cannot use propane or butane, so we bought a used rig that we can customize. Beside offgassing, my husband has concerns about the flammability and toxicity of the fumes in case of a fire. I think it is a genuine concern because there is a higher risk of fire in an RV compared to a home and I am interested to know what your thoughts are on this subject. This being said, good job on your video, I am new to this channel and will check out your other videos and subscribe.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

The sprayfoam we use has a class 1 fire rating so I'm not concerned about it, but not all.spray foam does! Thanks for watching and enjoy your new rig!

[@leolightwork]

Nice work!

[@missingegg]

Do you prefer a particular spray foam formulation that retains some flex? I'm wondering how the flex of the bus interacts with the foam. In my experience, spray foam dries very rigid, and I could imagine the flex of the bus over time might break the foam and/or delaminate it from the walls, and allow moist air to touch cold metal.

[@wictimovgovonca320]

That looks great, I was afraid that there would be far more trimming needed. How long was the installer there, and how long did it take you to trim afterwards? I am thinking about a small van build, and am wondering if spray foam makes sense or do you need a larger vehicle to justify it? Then of course comes the issue of finding a good local installer.

[@henrycarlson7514]

Interesting , Thank You .

[@simonejulee1111]

Met you through watching Regretlyss, love your passion and your hot! 🔥

[@SuperClare]

Very helpful! 🏆🏆🏆

[@mmsmits2868]

Sprayfoamed bus almost looks like traditional German farmhouse with the exposed beams and light render in between... It'll all get covered up but you know the foundation's good!

[@johnmeeks8060]

looks perfect and going to do my bus the same way but what type of wood do you use after for the walls and ceiling?

[@BradyRay_333]

That looks incredible! I have a van coming in December and dream of having a similar insulation and framing. I think I will prefer to have my electrical out and exposed so it is easier for me to install and maintain.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

all i will say is that once your wall panels go up there is no way to maintain your wires anyway. plus wires dont need maintenance. you do you!

[@cynthiadunn9121]

Is it crazy to think about using small PVC pipe to encase all electrical in? That way of there is an issue, you have an accessible chase to pull wires through 🤔

[@billydagenham]

Thanks!

[@seanmanness1351]

Every KZbinr eventually begins to mimic Derek Bieri. It's hilarious. Clearly it works.

[@yanbaihuzxzxzx]

I sell Sprayfoam and a customer had a project where he bought a school bus. 2" of closed cell on the walls, 3" for the ceiling. Job came out beautifully. Acetone is the only thing that removes foam sadly it also removes paint as well. So use it very carefully

[@a.p.2247]

I was planning on steering clear of spray foam for my fiberglass shuttle build out but now you have me reconsidering primarily due to the claim that it will add to rigidity of structure which is a serious issue for shuttle buses...however still concerned with it expanding and warping my exterior since it's not metal...I am using mostly marine grade products for my land yacht

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I've never had issues with expansion like that, especially if applied by a pro

[@user-ng8nz2rp8j]

Awesome channel

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thanks for the visit

[@tableshaper4076]

Can you please show your build layout. I know you are shutting down your shop but are you going to keep filming and posting your bus build? Thanks so much for all the valuable and much appreciated info.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Yes this build will be very well documented

[@barrytimm5497]

Looks great. My only (admittedly ignorant) concern, is encasing those wires in the foam and also not being able to make changes/additions to the wiring if needs change later on. Would it be reasonable to install pvc pipes inside the walls to act as wiring ductwork for future enchancements? (recognizing the need to try to minimize the interruption on insulation, as much as possible)?

[@karilang9377]

Great 👍

[@LeBellaWilde13]

hello Chuck, that Looks realy cool. here in Germany spray foam is not so popular to use in DIY-RVs. But I think it is a very good solution. How much does it cost to make the spray foam in the shool bus?

[@luajones8909]

What do you think about applying a "vaseline" like release agent to areas you know will need removal? Also wondering if trimming of the foam comprises the vapor resistance? Your thoughts?

[@kevinwittenauer6892]

Chuck, could you wrap the inside of the insulation with visqueen as a vapor barrier, similar to homebuilding, if you cant get the full 2" of foam or if you were to use a different type of insulation.

[@christopherg.115]

Great video as usual. Thank you Chuck. Question: Why XPS and not Spray foam for the sub-floor? If this professional spray foam hardens that much, why not use for the floor then? Thanks!

[@jrmaatta]

Since he doesn't frame the floor, I suspect the flatness of factory-made panel products is the key reason. Trying to get a spray foam floor as smooth and flat as panel products would add tons of labor hours to the build.

[@DobleWhiteAndStabley]

I was wondering how you did this. My first thought was how expensive this was because I thought you bought like, boxes of spray cans lol.

[@createlovehappy]

Could you just run the wires for the bus functions behind the foam and leave the "house" wires until after so they are more flexible and inside the foam? We have a family of 4, and our bus is only 31.5 feet bumper to bumper so dialing in a layout before hand has been a challenge and precise locations of lights, outlets, panels, etc. might need to changed later. We need a roof raise for sure to have bunk beds for the kids.

[@lemaitrethemonk]

Great job, Chuck! In your research. Have you found any evidence of abnormal off gassing with spray foam? I have an ambulance camper build that I want to spray foam. Thanks for all the kick ass content that you produce! Much love, health and happiness...

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thanks! I've never had any issues with offgassing. Once the reaction is compete it is inert

[@lemaitrethemonk]

@@ChuckCassadyYT Thanks, homie. I appreciate it.

[@bolusmedspa21075]

I have lil mat on my walls of my sprinter. Would you suggest to have it come off if spray foaming or spray over top?

[@moustachemike7128]

thaks for sharing chuck

[@1003dean]

Just wondering what you do behind the chair rail before the spray foam guys come in. Are they able to get the spray foam behind the rail? Or do you put something else behind there

[@Andy-gm6sw]

Great Video! how much extra weight would you estimate you added doing this. I'm pretty sure closed cell is fairly dense and kind heavy for foam

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

This adds about 200lbs

[@joec8332]

what do you spray on the walls to prep them for the spray foam?

[@Joe-yn7pk]

Hi that came out beautiful,. I have a question I have a 32-foot Holiday rambler motorhome I'm getting ready to redo the whole thing they say that from spray foam world distort metal the motorhome is aluminum walls in aluminum frame I was going to frame everything up I could floors walls ceilings and then spray foam but I'm worried about the walls of the motorhome very thin aluminum I could use strapping as a barrier between the aluminum frame in the walls what do you think this thing is in 1976 and they don't make them everyday butt spray foam the way I wanted to do it your boss is made out of steel and they're rugged this thing isn't rugged

[@Monyornothin]

I have seen a van that someone spray foamed that rippled the skin when it cured. How would I avoid that? I have a Chevy conversion van with fiberglass roof (channel photo) and I am trying to decide what to do.....

[@aureliamoon5714]

What’s the avg. $ per sf for professional spray foam?

[@oldskooldriver9379]

Did you consider using [lightweight plastic] conduit for the wiring so you don't have to dig it out later if there is an issue? It would also provide a path for any warm spots to spread the heat.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I cover this in a video all about wiring

[@scottward1002]

What was the total cost to spray the boss

[@angusgraham3028]

Mint 👌

[@quartamile]

Can anyone expand on the exact differences between DIY and commercial foam? Thanks!

[@jiminalaska]

How much per square foot did it cost, will be doing one in a few weeks.

[@corey3231]

Great video! I have 2 questions! For the gap behind the chair rail, how did you clean rust off if any was present, and did you add chassis saver? As for spray foam, did they just spray it down into the gap? Thanks for your input!

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

my bus was rust free down there, so i just vacuumed it and washed it and let the spray foam fill it in

[@corey3231]

@@ChuckCassadyYT thank you! I’m hoping ours is rust free as well!!

[@EnjoyTheShoah]

Chuck, how is this floor insulated?

[@alanday5255]

Hi, have you heard the argument that says that spray foam is bad for RVs/Buses because it can deform the outside skin? Please share your thoughts.

[@myladcook4779]

What if you get a leak or electrical shortage, it's not easy to get to.

[@michaellange7819]

I get all the benefits of foarm, but is it worth it living inside toxic waste afterwards? :)

[@user-qx7tm5df8j]

if i was a customer i would prefer more neutral/natural materials/paints just to have a good feeling :D

[@davidb3140]

I’m still curious about how much that would cost? $$$ of course there are always variables.

[@theborednerds]

I think a major concern many folks have with spray foam is that it can warp the outside of the vehicle. You should show the outside of the bus and talk about how your guy avoids warping the sheet metal. Unless it did warp it, but still, showing and talking about that would be great.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

That's overblown with a competent installer. Spraying thin layers and using no less than 18ga steel for the skins. We've sprayed dozens and never has that issue

[@FBall-im8ui]

Hey Chuck, sorry I am confused, I did just watch your video on insulation 101 and I thought you mentioned that even if wood touched metal and its not insulated then it becomes a thermal bridge, I see all your wood framing and no insulation over it so am I missing something?? sorry for not understanding, I want to follow your instructions and needed clarification if you could please, Thank you, your excitement is motivating

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

The places the wood touches the metal is covered with insulation

[@rodfreess6019]

@@ChuckCassadyYT The amount of wood strapping that's bridging is just the part over the metal rib, because the wood is a good enough insulator that it won't conduct along the length much, not like a whole stud that's touching the exterior, or worse a metal rib that's touching the exterior metal skin. If you used aluminum strapping over aluminum ribs, then the whole length of the strapping would be a thermal bridge. The wood is nearly the best solution.

[@kittywampusdrums4963]

What do you think about putting the plumbing in the floor channeled into the last layer of foam board under the plywood?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Not a bad idea but that is a cold place for it

[@rossallen738]

I know you were asking Chuck but the floor is the coldest part of the bus. If pipes are going to freeze anywhere, it would be there.

[@kittywampusdrums4963]

@@rossallen738 Lol probably right, I was thinking why not sandwich it in between the insulation and plywood but meh. If you are in a warm climate all the time it wouldn't matter but in my area it gets below zero in the winter and over 100 in the summer lol. oof.

[@drgranger2]

Holy shit, thumbnail is beautious!

[@ammogan]

IS there a good enough product to touch up a crappy spray foam job?

[@dockledoo]

Since you did not spray foam the cockpit, how do you insulate the drivers floor board area?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

the floor is insulated, and the back of the firewall has sound insulation but there just isnt room for anything else

[@dubious6718]

Water pipes should never be in the outer walls, so its a smart choice to have them inside. Water pipes have a tendency to leak, how do you fix that when its hidden inside sprayfoam?

[@raymonddegennaro3097]

Can you install your wall panels first, and then have the foam sprayed to fill the space? It would be more like a "This Old House" remodel, but it should lock everything together (a stiffer wall) and seal (slightly) better.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Not with this spray foam, I personally don't like retrofoam as you have no verification of its success and install is not as straightforward. It's a last resort, not a first choice for me

[@raymonddegennaro3097]

@@ChuckCassadyYT THX!

[@chrisdaniel1339]

Is there a reason for only having 3" of spray foam yet the floor is 4" of foam? As warm air rises I figured you would want to do 4" of spray foam, unless you are trying to save a couple inches of space in the width of the bus for the interior. Spray foam is the way to go

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

R20 is my goal all around and thr board in the floor is only r5 per inch, while spray is r7

[@cntryby]

What do you do if anything to prevent the screw heads holding the fur strips from condensation?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

The first layer of wood is covered by the second and sealed with foam so it's very very unlikely to have condensation build up

[@cntryby]

@@ChuckCassadyYT Oops' after pausing the vid I see it's double layered, nice! can you get away with less than 1.5 "?

[@jamestreanor182]

I’ve heard about spray foam deforming panels on sprinters (AdvancedRV said this). Is that a thing?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

not on bus, then again, my bus is considerably thicker steel than a sprinter. However, we have sprayed sprinters without issue, it has to be applied in thin coats

[@realfamilyman]

I saw another video, a guy talking about expanding builders foam, saying it's carcinogenic. Then he said he didn't feel comfortable using this foam either, because while it's considered ok today, who knows if it's just a case of not enough time has passed yet to discover it's negative effects. Q1. What are your thoughts? Is it safe, toxic? Q2. Since you don't use electrical conduit, what happens if you later want to remove, replace, or add more cables (by leaving some nylon rope maybe, stainless steel cable, etc inside the tubing to make pulling old/new cable out/in easy)? Is it easy to refill the foam that tears out when ripping out/trenching in cables?

[@buyzen]

Yea spray foam is very toxic especially if not mixed properly and applied it will continue to off-gas VOC's indefinitely . I would just go with havelock wool insulation.

[@custardcatcher5195]

does spray foam on a hot day hold that heat and release it all night long when u try to sleep?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

the foam holds no energy. its the hot steel of the bus body that does. if you can get an awning up on your sunset side, you'll have it made

[@mairinixon1]

I feel like I need to understand this shirt lol. Emitting your inner catwalk Chuck?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

It's my friend's band haha but yes always

[@jacobralston4898]

I see you left the door on the back as is. Will there going to be any issues with condensation without being insulated or any type of lose in your R value because of that?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

great question! That will be in my garage space, so im not too worried about it:)

[@jacobralston4898]

@@ChuckCassadyYT thanks. So then in my case I have a pusher with door on the side. What would you recommend in order to keep my r value

[@DankoStojanovic]

Is it normal to run your power lines at all angles like this?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I explain it in my wiring video

[@dawsmik]

Could you paint the foam and leave it that way?

[@rodfreess6019]

They do it in farm sheds all the time. If I was doing it in a camper, I'd use a sharp knife, or a sander to smooth the excess so you get a paintable surface. Not for everybody I suppose.

[@johnbaughman7281]

Is there any concern about hitting wires with screws? I didn't see any strike plates?

[@ryanmoore2961]

He covers this in the video

[@johnbaughman7281]

@@ryanmoore2961 can you give me the time of the video where he discusses hitting the wires with screws? I couldn't find it.

[@wesm3915]

You're using romex? No braided copper?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Watch my video on wiring. It’s not romex

[@drgranger2]

Very nice!

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jameswest5748]

Why not do the same w/ the electrical and run it inside?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I don’t want wires on top of my walls

[@wiredforstereo]

Chuck, I have a question. Firstly, loving your videos, I have now watched all or almost all of them except for all the live ones. So, I want to insulate my bus the way you did, here is my question. Is the mini-split AC enough to keep occupants comfortable driving through the south in the summer, or do you think there should be some engine driven AC included? 40' bus, probably a dual split system, say 24kbtu total. Thanks.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Man, while driving, the cooling load increases dramatically. I’ve seen factory ac units in buses that are 120kbtu. Hard to say what will work for you but I do think you’d need near 40-60k to keep below 80 when it’s over 100

[@wiredforstereo]

@@ChuckCassadyYT My bus' stock AC is 120kbtu. But I don't need that much.

[@jimmydickson8854]

Can’t you puts the cables in conduit

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I made a whole video about how and why I wire my bus the way i do and why I don't use conduit. Check it out

[@kennethgardner5717]

Buy a refridgerated van then windows to suit save loads on WORK COST PLUS PLUS ECT COLD IN COLD OUT..FIBRE GLASS COATED INSIDE..HEATING IS DOWN TO HOW HOT YOU WANT IT..😂 AND THEY OFTEN AS CLEAN as clean can be. Thumbs up if you like my comment

[@karilang9377]

🤪

[@TristouMTL]

I can't believe you made spray foam sexy.

[@DIYDr.]

Bro.

[@neginsarrami7909]

what if you stapled cardboard onto the wood studs and then sprayed into it? that way the foam could fill that cavity and you wouldn't have to shave any of it back. Then maybe you could remove the cardboard or even just let it be and build over it. solely the imagination of a complete noob speculating; not a pro giving advice nor dissing your method (which is clearly working great). do you think it could work?

[@thewildokierose]

Ok, this may sound crazy...🤡 But I got 20 cases of Locktite Tite gap & crack foam for free...I've looked up the safety data sheets, its closed cell polyurethane, it doesn't say it cant be used to insulate everything....what do you think? Yes I know using 300 + cans of spray foam sounds crazy....but it was free 😂 and im seriously considering using it to insulate my

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

It’s a lower r value than two component foam, with a very slow rise and cure time. I wouldn’t do it, if you want my honest opinion

[@greatdaneacdc]

I don’t like Spray foam it’s always gassing off !