insulation

[56coopster]

Should I insulate between the skin and the studs? And if so, how should I do it?

[Doc Weaver]

first of all, let me say that anywhere you can insulate...do so. My surprise was when I went on my first trip and found that the floor was ice cold. I had to go back and add more insulation under the carpet.

now, being that I used a commercial box, I didn't insulate between the skin and the studs. However, you made me think about that. I have built a few recording studios and looked at it from that direction. When we build sound rooms; we take sheet vinyl and wrap the inside of the wall before studding it out. This makes a sound barrier, not a sound absorber. This should work in the same fashion for temperature. Sound is basically the movement of air, so a barrier would also help stop the movement of air temperature. It makes sense in theory, right?

Doc Weaver

[geofkaye]

....ah...yes and no......insulate between the studs and between the face of the stud and the INSIDE wall......another words: air-outside skin-insulation/filling the void-then a inside board type insulation [should be 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick] that covers the stud faces-the interior wall WITH A VAPOR BARRIER-finally, inside air.... Where the manufactures mess up is the wall stud is connected to outside skin and directly to the interior wall covering which makes a path for the cold or heat to penetrate the interior conditioned space and they generally leave out the vapor barrier-which can be a coat of enamel paint on all sides of the interior covering or a layer of 3 mil plastic sheeting taped around all seams or adhered to the back of the wall covering. I prefer an interior wall panel that is painted with enamel-faces as well as edges-to completely seal the panel of wood,composite or laminate and a polyisocynate spray foam or panel for insulation. In the RV industry one will see seams that are darker because of accumulation of dirt and moisture. And there is the problem of moisture and mold in an RV.......geofkaye

[geofkaye]

.....I have also seen a few unites with ice cold floors and because of the moisture issue -some frost-on the interior floors inside of cabinets and bathroom floors.....a tub with a coating of Ice was quite a surprise in a Airstream when winter camping in Pike County a few years back......AND THEN THERE WAS THE WORLDS LONGEST TRIP FROM THE NICE WARM BED TO THE BATHROOM IN THE MORNING!.....Try and Forget about that one!....geofkaye