Insulating a Cargo Trailer with Spray Foam | Cargo Trailer Conversion

Insulating a cargo trailer is a big job. Corey and I knew we wanted to use our trailer year-round in all four seasons so we decided to insulate! In this video, we tackle the spray foam insulation we have professionally installed in our DIY cargo trailer camper conversion.
As part of our journey to turn a 7x14 foot cargo trailer into a fully customized DIY camper / tiny home, we were excited to finally get insulation installed. Want to learn more about insulation? Check out this incredible article on our site! www.diycargotrailer.com/post/...
We hope you enjoy this video and learn something along the way. For full details, helpful how-to’s, and in-depth build guides, check out our website and start your own DIY camper too!
💻 Our website: diycargotrailer.com
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🥼🩺 ABOUT US
Corey's a doctor. Cait's a therapist. In our free time, we have a thousand hobbies. Follow along and learn something new as we navigate the insane life that is balancing work and play. Subscribe for more videos on DIY, cargo trailer conversion, build videos, camping, and learning new hobbies and skills.
💡 TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO 💡
00:00 - Intro
0:30 - Types of Insulation
2:10 - Pros and cons of spray foam insulation in a cargo trailer
3:40 - Should you have spray foam professionally installed?
5:41 - Insulation day!
8:08 - Will spray foam cause deforming of a trailer?
14:13 - A look at commercial spray
16:15 - All done!
17:06 - Final tour of the insulated cargo trailer
🔎 HASHTAGS 🔎
#cargotrailer
#cargotrailerconversion
#cargocamperconversion
#tinyhome
#camper
#diycamper

[@terrybrown5883]

It’s been 2 years How is the spray foam holding up Q Did you figure out how much weight it added

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Very nice - i did my own garage, i regretted not getting the pro in, worked out to be about the same cost, 1800 diy, 2200 for pro - that extra 400 would have bee worth it. Trailer will be done with pro.👍 Cheers

[@dcyphrz8532]

Your trailer skin .030?

[@ChuckisOutside]

I enjoyed the video. That company did a great job. I might have to consider this on my next build. Thank you. New subscriber.

[@davids9577]

Great video. I've been wondering why more people don't have it done this way. I am curious to see how you can frame it after its been foamed. I was thinking if a strip of semi-hard word glued to the ribs before spraying. I also thought the installers would shave off the excess, but I guess you will be doing that. I look forward to seeing how your framing goes in the next video. Subscribed!

[@W4ABN]

If I build anything, I think I'd want to do spray foam too. That looks great.

[@vantasticlife710]

Awesome videos, new subscriber here. I build vans and thinking of a cargo trailer so thinking your videos will help along this next adventure

[@johntatman9168]

"Gonna go fast" remember that, it will be good for a laugh down the road. Good choice on having the insulation done, I did my first one myself and will NEVER do that again, what a mess! It's amazing how rigid it makes the walls.

[@diycargotrailer]

Agreed! We couldn't believe how much it changed the wall structure!

[@tc1081]

Can you put a rubber coating on top of spray insulation under the trailer? I feel like it would help protect it, if it would adhere.

[@harler1263]

Geat vid thanks! One question do you know how many cubic feet of foam you used? I’m trying to figure out how much weight it would add.

[@tmo7984]

I’m going to spray foam by trailer but I have one concern. When spray foaming a shipping container, I hear you can have any wood studs, or wood of any kind touching the metal. Apparently the when the steel sweats, it gets the wood wet but since the insulation is such a good barrier, it doesn’t breath and the wood eventually rots from the inside. Have you heard of this? Is there something I’m missing? Much like you, I would be spray foaming over the wood backing as well and the thin wood used in the roof construction.

[@alanandroseyadventures9959]

Really nice

[@diycargotrailer]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@johntatman9168]

One other thing I wanted to mention. The spray foam tends to deteriorate when exposed to the weather so under the floor I added foil backed rigid foam boards to protect the spray foam. This also helped since we have installed in floor electric heat to make it more comfortable to walk on in the winter when your barefoot.

[@diycargotrailer]

Good to know. I may have to consider that once we have the water tanks and any undermount work complete.

[@wilty5]

They did an excellent job on the spray foam, what’s the difference between Havelock wool and spray foam as insulation material?

[@r33llifeoutdoors]

Can you tell us the cost total to have the trailer spray foamed ? Thx 🙏🏻

[@chrisgrantham2341]

if i was to guess you were SUPER STOKED

[@diycargotrailer]

How could you tell :)

[@richardvalitalo3670]

That looks incredible. How much cost?

[@andrewihlenfeldt8061]

How much weight did this add?

[@josephgeorgeejr7039]

Guessing you looked at the potential toxicity of spray foam, iam no expert, but definitely something id consider maybe once its sprayed on to leave it sit open without anything over it for least month, those guys definitely did it right though, not often you get a company that actually does professional detailed work for a set amount of money and also go the extra mile, great price to!

[@scatterbrain9490]

I noticed the doors were not done, what is the reason for that? Thanks

[@homealone5087]

Any plans to make a video on spray insulation vs the sheet kind? I can see spray being better for vans stuff with curved surfaces and nooks and crannies to get into, but the sheet type sort of makes sense in my head for a nicely square cargo trailer. What made you choose the spray?

[@diycargotrailer]

I think I covered all of these questions in the video!

[@MyAdvice-cf8rn]

Spray foam sponges water did u put some type of lining on the bottom of trailer to seal it

[@ricmelyair]

What spray foam on top of the playwood!!! Or in the aluminum panel!!

[@robertcampbell5355]

What is the best insulation to use on a cargo trailer

[@davidschlarp1606]

I could only see it deforming if you like Sprayed behind a wall and the pressure didn't have anywhere to go when it expands. I wouldn't think there would be enough to deform metal. Not sure about poly-core

[@wilty5]

How harmful are the chemicals used in this spray foam? Is it toxic or non toxic?

[@noneovyerbusiness4909]

Does anyone know how much noise reduction is achieved by using spray foam?

[@BillSias-op7xw]

How are you going to get a flat wall surface????

[@diycargotrailer]

Lots of shaving! Check out the next video and you'll see!

[@zanthar1981]

I’m about to go spray foam the underside of my trailer. I was wondering how the insulation has held up for you. Are you experiencing any issues with the foam on the underside of the trailer?

[@vietmanesemechanic6331]

Did u do that? Please let me know

[@vietmanesemechanic6331]

I always bought insulated trailers

[@c50ge]

I would think the closed cell would be much more durable and also better R factor. Open cell would not last. (I am not an expert)

[@zanthar1981]

I spray foamed the inside of the trailer and it went terrible. So I did not do the underside. My plan is to use 2” foam board insulation underneath. I think that will be good enough.

[@willmanning2391]

Why didn’t you add the strips to the walls before the spray?

[@diycargotrailer]

Because I wanted insulation between the wood and the trailer. I regret this and wish I had done exactly what you suggest.

[@homealone5087]

@@diycargotrailer what were the furring strips for? A joint to screw into when you put up the wall?

[@akauto2900]

@@homealone5087 yes

[@joshgandy5468]

Where did you get the foam sprayed at.

[@diycargotrailer]

It's called Mullins Insulation in Kingsport, TN!

[@marcushennings9513]

I would spray then replace the boards in smaller sections to ensure the boards and strips relined up properly.

[@ctclimberguy34]

I'm gonna price out having mine spray foamed. HD has R5 1" for about $.83ft². R10 2" is $1.30ft². If spray foam is close in price to the 2" , I'll just have them do it.. I won't have to do xps foam labor & it will be rigid...

[@diycargotrailer]

Agreed

[@cjsparky9579]

Not the doors?

[@diycargotrailer]

The spray is too think for the doors. We put panel insulation in the doors. Check out the doors video on the channel!

[@jamesputney8316]

should have insulated the rear door.

[@vietmanesemechanic6331]

Spray foam most likely deformed his metal badly... They said it can deformed a 3500 sprinter

[@vietmanesemechanic6331]

Follow up your posts and answer people's questions lol...