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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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. 👍

[@allthethingswedo]

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.

[@johningardia2088]

Your the most knowledgeable person when it comes to skoolies.

[@leerichards6844]

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

[@chuckchapiewsky7535]

What did it cost?

[@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.

[@HandyKindaGuyUK]

A year on... How did it go?

[@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.

[@treystills]

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

[@PKSiAMiAM]

Looks good. My concern would be if you need to rewire anything. I would be routing everything through conduit or pvc pipe so you can pull cable in future if/when needed.

[@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.

[@kenknaell1290]

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

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed

[@retiredandroaming]

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)?

[@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!

[@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

[@darangemaster1]

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

[@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

[@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!

[@bgtyhnmju7]

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

[@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 👍

[@pamzanon6599]

i just found these videos. i have a van that was rhino lined. can foam be applied over this?

[@Youtubehandle.]

You are correct on pipes inside the insulation.

[@experimentaenlavan8081]

Completamente de acuerdo. Es el sistema más eficiente y barato

[@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!

[@billydagenham]

Thanks!

[@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 🤔

[@davidhillman3410]

I love the upper window!

[@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

[@justgivemethetruth]

Interesting video packed full of information. The one thing that sticks in my mind is the heat. In the US temperatures are getting so high in places, like Florida, Texas, the desert, etc. This insulation can help with that, but what about an outer metal skin of these vehicles that heats up to very high termperature? Can it cause off-gassing of chemicals from this foam?

[@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

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@blackbirdskooliesandtinyho3744]

Very well explained as always.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Glad you think so!

[@cliffmorgan31]

Thanks for the information/instructions!

[@doglabdogtraining-gus.8873]

great video Chuck

[@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?

[@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.

[@SirCumferencelel]

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.

[@Doc1855]

Thanks for the video, I appreciate it

[@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?

[@1klr650eek]

What are your thoughts on spray foaming the inside of the hat channels? Like some DIY spray foam cans of great stuff or something?

[@mitchballantyne4318]

Legend. Thanks again, from Australia👌🏻

[@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.

[@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?

[@kittywampusdrums]

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.

[@kittywampusdrums]

@@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.

[@quartamile]

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

[@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

[@simonejulee1111]

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

[@alanwyllie7814]

How much do you save running your wiring all crazy like that going every angle all over instead of a central run that branches off?

[@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.

[@aureliamoonlove]

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

[@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!!

[@tylerjohnson-grant108]

how did you prep the back door? what did you do to the outside of back (stern) windows? It looks like the door will still be able to open, correct?

[@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

[@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.

[@scottward1002]

What was the total cost to spray the boss

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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?

[@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

[@myladcook4779]

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

[@freakyflow]

About one of the only videos i seen worthy of my comment/tips to this done right schoolie #1 For this foam to be useful You want Min 2" to max of 4" Too thin And you could of used foamboard for the same price to warmth. To much And your paid more for lesser insulation value #2 Try to route your wiring into a main tube (Mini Pvc piping) with access points about every 3 to 4 feet This way If you need to add a wire Or remove a wire in the future You do not need to dig it out of foam #3 I use about a 1/2" of rubberized spray everywhere This means at points you can not use sprayfoam You have a dense layer of rubber which hampers the transfer of thermo conductive metal heat/cold (like rear doors / frames / nooks and crannies) This also sits even denser than foam That 1/2 inch acts like 1 inch of foam changing how the metal radiates heat/cold (Think of it as a coated frying pan that takes longer to heat up than a plain steel one) #4 Most spray foam installers that do homes And bigger buildings will have a foam cutting tool that will level out the foam to match the height of the furring strips on the wall So you can run your paneling to sit flush afterwards The tool is normally air Or electric powered And has rotor blades that look like a old hand powered lawn mower ...Ask them to level it for you Otherwise you will be sitting there with a long blade or saw never getting it just right And digging instead of cutting ..Save yourself the time And tool throwing..

[@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 "?

[@tuckermiddlebrook4505]

Do you ever have an issue with boards bowing after the spray foam expands?

[@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

[@bgzwlz5119]

Ok, I don’t get it. In your other video you seem to indicate that all the metal and the wood framing needed to be covered with the foam. However after the foam was sprayed on you could clearly see some of the wood? The metal ribs stuck out like 1.5” and then the wood was attached to the metal ribs and stuck out an additional maybe 1.5” then the entire 3” cavity was filled up to the outward face of the wood framing but not covering it? This seems to be contrary to what you said in the other video, and would it not support the desire to have moisture not reaching the wood framing, or is preventing the warm air from reaching the metal/wood contact point is the important thing. Also, wouldn’t covering the boards not prevent thermal bridging but still make it easier to attach cabinets as you can still see the framing?

[@colleenbalch328]

Thanks for another great one, Charlie!

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Glad you enjoyed 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?

[@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.

[@davidb3140]

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

[@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.....

[@davidosmanson4879]

Not sure why people dont use a big plastic lined board and press it agsinst the spray to keep it flat as it expands. That way you dont have any scraping at the end. I added a video below as an example.

[@davidosmanson4879]

kzbin.infoUUalCAU4W8g?si=krUWPvZmT8Z1N928

[@EnjoyTheShoah]

Chuck, how is this floor insulated?

[@joec8332]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@jiminalaska]

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

[@jameswest5748]

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

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I don’t want wires on top of my walls

[@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

[@DankoStojanovic]

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

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I explain it in my wiring video

[@leolightwork]

Nice work!

[@moustachemike7128]

thaks for sharing chuck

[@henrycarlson7514]

Interesting , Thank You .

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@seanmanness1351]

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

[@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.

[@wesm3915]

You're using romex? No braided copper?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Watch my video on wiring. It’s not romex

[@QueenofPutrescence]

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

[@RobertKulas]

Awesome channel

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thanks for the visit

[@SuperClare]

Very helpful! 🏆🏆🏆

[@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.