IC floor insulation.

[Boar]

Got a 20 ft V and have been thinking on insulating under the floor with some foam insulation, pretty much to start with, just the main center floor space, any rcomendations? was thinking on 1-2' blue foam with a adhesive and a few wahser screw heads, anyone do this? or have suggestions. I failed to have the floor insulated. bought it off the lot didnt order it. I will next time.

[rustysetter]

I think the main concern would be trapping moisture, can you seal it so that won't happen? 

[Boar]

hmm thats a good point.. maybe if I laid a bead of caulk all the way around, thats something to think about for sure.

[Hawg]

Get it sprayed,totally not just the center, it makes a ton of difference. Worth every penny.

[SHAWSKI]

You wouldn't regret having it sprayed. I know you could do a decent job puzzle piecing some blue foam in there, and it would help. but total up your materials for the DIY route then weigh it against a spray foam option. There will no doubt be a difference, but also consider the resale benefits of a spray foam insulated floor.

[Boar]

yeah that would be the better option, anyone in our neck of the woods doo that work shawski?

[Hawg]

I've often wondered whether a person could tack in some chicken wire or something to hold it and then just go buy a dozen cans of Great Stuff. I wouldn't try a whole house but a floor might work. 1 1/2 inches would be fine but I think you would need something like the wire to hold it for 10-15 minutes so it didn't just drip off before it set up. Anybody ever try it?

[Rustywaterdogs]

I have a ridgeline fish house that I had sprayed throughout. Definitely a good idea to have under the floor sprayed. It's airtight and keeps the house much warmer. 

[Boar]

thats certainly a DIY idea and might have some merit that it would work Hawg, actually thought about it but with out the chciken wire. found some numbrs and gonna make a call today. this will be my 3rd season with it, and it has worked great, Ive been on leech lake during eelpout 2 years ago snowed in that blizzard that strand people on red lake, certainly pused the house to the limits,40 below windchil for 3 days, and it was a comfy 75 degrees in the house. but one could certainly tell the floor was cool. thanks guys 

[Hawg]

When you spray the pressure makes it stick to the floor. I know when I've used it in my basement for cracks and things like that it has a tendency to drip so I thought the chicken wire may hold it in place. It only takes about 10 minutes to get a skim on it and then it would be there forever I think. I know it's sticks like a son of a gun to whatever touches including people.

[Boar]

the more i think about it it aint a bad idea, just considering the number of cans per area, and cost vrs profesionally done with those perks

[Hawg]

Around here I've heard $150 up to $300 for a floor. It always depends on if you know someone that does it. 

[SHAWSKI]

as for the cans, I did an experiment around a year ago with foam insulating my fishing hole covers. We had the round ones with the pie cut webbing on the bottom side for strength. I filled the pie pieces with great stuff, just enough so it would rise up and slightly over fill each pie shaped opening on  the bottom side of the cover. Then I shaved the foam off flush with a big sander and painted the foam black so it didn't look 100% redneck.

 

I think I figured that a can didn't quite do 2 hole covers.

 

So, use that to calculate the truck load of great stuff cans you will buy. 

[Hawg]

The blue foam and great stuff around the edges works too but it's a chore to do also, be sure to glue it good. Of coarse you can cut small and use the foam for the weird stuff to, like around the axle tube. There are people that will dispute me but I think the floor insulation is VERY important. Better get going, it's getting colder by the day. 

Edited October 5, 2015 by Hawg

[hunterdave29]

If you can afford it, don't go cheap for comfort. Your time, materials and the extra heat loss over time, vs professional sprayed with a guarantee. Either way definitely get it insulated. 

[Boar]

yeah i figured the truckload sale of great stuff at menards wont be much of a sale, i actuallybfounda guy in thef river falls that has done quite a few IC and runs an.spray foam insul. company sonhe knows how to do it.  he qouted me right around 300 allsaid andone pluse hes 20 minuets away.  i think thatnpretty reasonable.

i definatly know  the value of an insulatedfloor. spent many years in a camper on the ice and i insulatednthe floor, and it was still cold  

[JSK76]

I'll just say I've done it before laying on my back in the garage and it turned out great but I'll never do it again! And that was only a 6x12 with a V. Did make a huge differace in keeping my feet warm and I only did 1" foil backed foam. My new IC has the spray foam from factory now. I know Smoky Hills will do a 8x16 for 400.00 

[Hawg]

$400 for the floor? $300 sounds crazy to me, old get a couple quotes. 

[Boar]

i can afford 3 bills, pluse its close to home, definatley wann coat the diamond plating next year tho. i lienthose ideas of urs and shawskis

[icehole10]

The spray foam is usually quoted by board feet, 12"x12"x1". I know when I was working on trailers and we quoted it out it was a 1.25 a bdft, and that been a few years. so I suppose it would depend on how thick you wanted it installed.If you figure 8x16x2in thick @‌ 1.25, it would cost roughly $320. So I would think 300-400 sounds about right for that size floor. Just my opinion, im sure there are guys doing it cheaper. I have to spray my floor yet, and am planning on going 2in.

[Hawg]

Shawski, I think doing the hole covers like you did is important. Before I did mine they were always very frosted up, mine are redneck raw though.

[Boar]

I agree, I'll eventually get there, with the covesr too, 

[SHAWSKI]

the covers You can handle at home with an armload of great stuff cans. I was nervous about the foam expanding too much and making it hard to pop the covers in and out but it was fine. The covers I had with no foam in them would sweat and frost. the foamed ones were dry. I'll probably be doing that trick on the covers for our new house when we get it mid Nov. 

 

We went with kind of a hybrid house, partly based on lake of the woods model and partly based on "pike palace" by northern sales & mfg. I'm calling it the "pike of the woods" edition, 21 footer with a V.

 

I can't remember all the details we worked into it but I know we're getting the "fish tank"

 

lol

 

and it will be fully spray foamed before we pick it up. 

[Boar]

oh dang i gota see the fish tank!