{"id":2895,"date":"2018-12-07T17:45:34","date_gmt":"2018-12-07T17:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/?p=2895"},"modified":"2022-03-11T06:12:12","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T12:12:12","slug":"school-bus-conversion-subfloor-insulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/school-bus-conversion-subfloor-insulation\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install Skoolie Subfloor &#038; Insulation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are different options for sub-floor insulation in skoolies.&nbsp; In our research, we saw school bus conversions using foam board insulation, fiberglass insulation, spray foam, you name it.&nbsp; We chose rigid foam board insulation for a few reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We couldn&#8217;t afford doing the whole bus with spray foam.<\/li><li>Using fiberglass would mean building a grid of furring strips along the floor.&nbsp; This would sacrifice more headroom than just a 1\/2 inch foam board + 1\/2 inch plywood.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a few things we wish we&#8217;d done differently.&nbsp; Not because we think we did something wrong, we think we just went a little overboard.&nbsp; First we&#8217;ll lead you through what we did, then tell what we think we could have done differently!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"video-container\"><figure><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/to2lH1mmWFo\" width=\"760\" height=\"415\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Required Tools &amp; Materials for Insulation<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Foam board insulation (we chose 1\/2 inch GAF with an R-Value of 3.6)<\/li><li>Utility knife<\/li><li>Yardstick<\/li><li><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B075G3NJPQ\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B075G3NJPQ&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=artwethereyet-20&amp;linkId=0876614d4265a4b68fd44626c25d6949\" target=\"_blank\">Loctite PL Premium Fast Grab<\/a><\/li><li>Prep All<\/li><li>Aluminum tape<\/li><li>Something to weigh the board down &#8211; sandbags work great<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Full disclosure guys, some of these are affiliate links, so we get a commission if you buy something from the list.\u00a0 As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.\u00a0 Not much, but something.\u00a0\u00a0<strong>This is really important<\/strong>: we\u00a0<em><strong>only<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0link to tools and materials we actually used and\u00a0highly\u00a0recommend. We do these guides completely for free, so these links are the only way we get a little something back (except for the satisfaction of knowing we helped\u00a0<em>you<\/em>\u00a0build your dream skoolie, of course!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t have Amazon Prime yet?\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/tryprimefree?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1427739975520&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=pf4&amp;tag=artwethereyet-20&amp;linkId=74f461080ddf921de48118000bf197db\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here\u2019s a link for 30 days free.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1 &#8211; Cut The Panels to Size<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is like happy jigsaw time!&nbsp; Schools buses come in different sizes, some with wheel wells and some not.&nbsp; You&#8217;ll have to cut your foam board to match the dimensions of your floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2 &#8211; Prep the Floor and Foam Panels<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before using Loctite, it&#8217;s best to make sure your surface is completely free from dust and grease.&nbsp; We used&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B008QDSVPE\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B008QDSVPE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=artwethereyet-20&amp;linkId=8efadb7f7b9308207d5d9c2c2cdc3773\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Prep All<\/a>.&nbsp; Apply the Prep All in a very thin layer, then wipe off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3 &#8211; Apply Loctite (about 1 tube per 2 sheets of foam board)<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Apply the loctite (we did it in blobs, but we suppose squiggly lines would work as well)<\/li><li>Also apply a line of Loctite along the edge where the floor meets the wall (we wish we had used 100% silicone here instead)<\/li><li>Use extra pieces of foam board or wooden boards to walk over the foam board to &#8216;squish out&#8217; the loctite<\/li><li>Weigh down the foam board with sandbags or something else really heavy (we used weightlifting weights, and this wasn&#8217;t heavy enough)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4 &#8211; Tape the Seams<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the aluminum tape to seal off the seams between the foam board pieces.&nbsp; We used&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B01FROBUXE\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01FROBUXE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=artwethereyet-20&amp;linkId=426548eb3867c9bb679e11dab0caa3c7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Required Tools &amp; Equipment for Subfloor<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Plywood (we used pressure treated, 1\/2 plywood) &#8211;<em> do not store this sitting on its side for too long or it will warp<\/em><\/li><li>1.5 inch stainless steel, self tapping screws (about 8 per sheet of plywood)<\/li><li>Table saw<\/li><li>Router<\/li><li>Loctite PL Premium Fastgrab<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1 &#8211; Cut the Plywood<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cut the plywood with the table saw to the width of the bus.&nbsp; Cut it so that both short edges are flush with the lower wall panel.&nbsp; Why? See Step 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2 &#8211; Create &#8216;Shelf&#8217; on Short Edges<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we put down the 1\/2&#8243; foam board, we noticed that there is a slight lip on the edge of the floor where the lower panel juts out like so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"404\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Insulation-and-Flooring-Skoolie-School-Bus-Conversion-01-01.png\" alt=\"School Bus Conversion Skoolie Insulation Floor\" class=\"wp-image-2909\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we used a router to create a &#8216;shelf&#8217; at each short edge of the plywood so that the plywood can sit flush with the lower panel.&nbsp; Like so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"404\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Insulation-and-Subfloor-Skoolie-School-Bus-Conversion-01-01.png\" alt=\"School Bus Conversion Skoolie Insulation SubFloor\" class=\"wp-image-2910\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3 &#8211; Apply Loctite<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We applied about 1 tube per 1.5 plywood sheets, this time in a squiggly pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4 &#8211; Screw Everything Down!<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, we secured both plywood and insulation board by sending stainless steel screws through to the metal bottom of the bus.&nbsp; About 8 per plywood section.&nbsp; First drill a hole with a drill bit, then send down a self-tapper with the impact driver.&nbsp; There were a few spots where neither the drill or self-tapper would go through (we were hitting the chassis), so we plugged those holes with more Loctite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So that is what we did!  Now here&#8217;s what we may have done differently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Using all of that Loctite may have been us going overboard a bit (and that stuff is expensive. so&#8230;).&nbsp; As the plywood dries, it warps here and there, and it pulled up in some areas even with the Loctite.&nbsp; So we are thinking, it might have been just as well to use the stainless steel screws and that&#8217;s it.&nbsp; Maybe the Loctite would have worked better if we have weighed everything down with lots of sandbags to get enough weight to really force that clean adhesion.<\/li><li>When putting down the insulation, we applied a long line of Loctite where the floor meets the wall.&nbsp; We wish we had used 100% silicone here, as that was what originally was sealing that seam and silicone just seems more durable to us over the long-term.<\/li><li>FYI some skoolie conversions&nbsp;<em>only<\/em> use an adhesive to bond their insulation to the floor and then the plywood to the insulation.&nbsp; We have NO idea how this works for them, as our plywood has warped here and there over time.&nbsp; It especially likes to expand and contract depending on the weather.&nbsp; We know if we had only used Loctite and no screws, we&#8217;d have all sorts of issues with the subfloor just popping right up.&nbsp; We highly recommend sending screws through, and then you can always re-seal those holes from below (going under the bus and putting some silicone around the screw ends, or spraying a waterproof sealant).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next up &#8211; <a aria-label=\"removing and resealing those windows (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/05\/sealing-school-bus-windows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">removing and resealing those windows<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&lt;&lt; Back to the <a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/skoolie-bus-conversion-ultimate-guide\/\">Skoolie Conversion Ultimate Guide Homepage<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2896\" height=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel.png\" alt=\"art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel\" class=\"wp-image-5344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel.png 2896w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel-1536x164.png 1536w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel-2048x219.png 2048w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel-1170x125.png 1170w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel-1920x206.png 1920w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/art-we-there-yet-skoolie-bus-travel-585x63.png 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2896px) 100vw, 2896px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-you-re-building-a-skoolie-huh\">So you\u2019re building a skoolie, huh?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We feel your pain, my friend! We also know how good it feels to finally make a dream reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/skoolie-bus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Our skoolie<\/a>&nbsp;took 9 months and $28,000 to complete. We documented the entire build and are slowly building<a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/skoolie-bus-conversion-ultimate-guide\/\">&nbsp;a series of guides<\/a>&nbsp;on every step of the bus conversion process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We spent a&nbsp;<em>crap ton<\/em>&nbsp;of time figuring out how to do this and that. We also could have saved a few bucks along the way.  We hope our tutorials help save you some time and money!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"our-top-5-bus-conversion-tools-materials\">Our TOP 5 Bus Conversion Tools &amp; Materials:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3v7iFjJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5-in-1 Painters Tool<\/a> (you will use this a MILLION times)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3LSJ2Qj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Impact Driver &amp; Drill Combo Kit<\/a> (there won\u2019t be a day you won\u2019t use this)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3IeX1gX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">100% Silicone<\/a> (buy in bulk to save a LOT of money!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/36y3vtA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Angle Grinder<\/a> (get used to using this ALL the time!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3513I7Z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Table Saw <\/a>(it will be nearly impossible to complete your conversion without this. It\u2019s WORTH the investment!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This\u00a0page contains product affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are different options for sub-floor insulation in skoolies.&nbsp; In our research, we saw school bus conversions using foam board insulation, fiberglass insulation, spray foam, you name it.&nbsp; We chose rigid foam&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-school-bus-conversion-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2895","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2895"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2895\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5521,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2895\/revisions\/5521"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}