Van insulation is a surprisingly controversial topic. From eco-friendly (but costly) sheep wool to popular (but ineffective) Reflectix, we’re setting the record straight on van insulation.

There is an overwhelming variety of products available to vanlifers when it comes to insulation. It’s important to consider cost, toxicity, effectiveness, and ease of installation before you buy. Of course, the right product will depend entirely on your specific build, your lifestyle, driving habits, destination, budget, and more.

Ready for a quick yet thorough guide to van insulation? Buckle your seat belt and latch those drawers.

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Why is van insulation important?

Van insulation is the way you control heat transfer. When you’re living in a metal box (aka your van), the temperature has a huge impact on your quality of life!

A smart van insulation strategy can keep you comfortable in any weather—cool in summer and warm in winter.

To achieve a successful van insulation strategy, you need to understand and design around the three main types of heat transfer:

Heat radiation: heat that moves through air to heat a surface (like sunlight through windows to your skin)

Heat conduction: heat that moves through solid surfaces (like sunlight heating the metal body of your van)

Heat convection: heat that moves through space (like warm air rising inside your van)

Sleeping in a van in sub-zero temperatures or on hot summer days without proper insulation is very uncomfortable. But with proper insulation, you’ll barely notice the extreme temperatures.

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What to consider to insulate a van

You can insulate with a variety of materials but each has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, you should consider ease of installation and sound deadening along with cost and climate.

Toxicity

Since you will be sleeping in a small, sealed space, it’s important to select insulation that will be gentle on your lungs. For instance, sheep’s wool is non-toxic, whereas fiberglass is more toxic.

R-value

R-value measures how well a material resists heat flow, aka insulates. It is measured per inch and takes into account radiation, conduction, and convection.

Spray foam has an R-value of 6.5 per inch, so a one-inch thickness of spray foam will provide a 6.5 R-value. For comparison, 3M’s Thinsulate has an R-value of 3.3 per inch. You might use each material in different places in your van to achieve your insulation goals.

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Moisture resistance

It seems the consensus among vanlifers is no vapor barrier—so long as the installation is done correctly with enough room for insulation layers to breathe. Condensation can breed mold which can lead to respiratory problems.

Cost

You can spend a little or a lot to insulate your van. The cheapest insulation is rigid foam board, which costs about $0.41 per square foot. Sheep wool is more expensive, costing anywhere from $1.50 to $3 per square foot.

Ease of installation

For amateur builders, there’s always a risk of messing things up. Some materials are more forgiving of mistakes than others. Rigid foam board, for instance, can be difficult to fit to curved or uneven surfaces, whereas sheep wool batts are pretty easy to stuff into a crack.

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What types of insulation can you use in a campervan?

Polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam board van insulation

With a super high R-value (6) and an even nicer price, foam board is a non-toxic and useful insulating material. It’s not the most environmentally friendly option but perfect for a budget build.

Conclusion: Low cost and effective, but a little trickier to install

Reflectix and other reflective insulation

You’ve probably seen a lot of vanlifers installing Reflectix—but this material is widely misunderstood. It’s a radiant barrier with an R-value of 1. It only works to reflect radiant heat and it will stop working as soon as you put something on top of it. The best use of reflective material is window coverings on hot days.

Conclusion: Best for window coverings, ineffective in your walls, minimal R-value

Polystyrene van insulation

First, what is the difference between extruded (XPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS)?

XPS comes in large pink or blue foam sheets. It has an R-value of 5 and it can handle compression, making it a good choice for floors—but it is not eco-friendly at all.

EPS (R-value of 3.9) is really cheap and degrades fast, but it’s more eco-friendly than XPS.

Conclusion: EPS is cheap but won’t hold up to use, whereas XPS has a higher R-value but is not eco-friendly

Closed cell spray foam insulation

This material has the highest R-value of all and it’s pretty inexpensive—unless you plan to insulate your entire van with it. Spray foam also works to dampen sound. Installation can be messy but, done right, spray foam acts as an adhesive as well as insulation.

Conclusion: Great for insulating gaps and cracks, tricky to install, slightly more expensive than rigid foam board

Fiberglass van insulation

Commonly used as cheap insulation in houses, fiberglass has a relatively low R-value. Plus, it’s toxic to breathe and super annoying to handle. Even worse, it can degrade over time and soak up moisture. However, two well-sealed layers can quickly and cheaply insulate a door panel.

Conclusion: Budget-friendly, difficult to install, toxic, useful in limited applications

Rock wool/Mineral wool van insulation

Aka mineral wool, this material has a higher R-value than fiberglass and it’s more rigid. Rock wool is expensive and Installation is hazardous. Think twice about rock wool as health concerns have recently surfaced.

Conclusion: Better moisture repellent than fiberglass but can’t compete with foam board

Denim van insulation

Recycled denim is super eco-friendly—but it’s also super prone to mold. It has a similar R-value to fiberglass but it costs more.

Conclusion: Too moisture prone for most van builds but could work in large areas like door panels

Sheep wool insulation

With an R-Value per inch of 3.7, sheep wool is an eco-friendly and moisture-resistant insulation material. It’s relatively easy to install though you’ll need more layers than you would with foam. The major drawback is that you have to

order online

and pay shipping costs.

Conclusion: Slightly more expensive but great for insulation, air quality, and minimizing your carbon footprint.

Thinsulate insulation

Manufactured by 3M,

Thinsulate

has become a hugely popular insulation material in recent years. It dampens sound and is very resistant to moisture. Installation is easy—but R-value is pretty low and it costs more than polystyrene and sheep’s wool.

Conclusion: Good for small areas prone to dampness, but overall too expensive for widespread use

Here’s a table breaking down all these options side by side:

Type of insulation	R-value	Cost	Toxicity	Recommended use
Closed cell spray foam	7	$$$	2	Gaps, fill-in
Fiberglass	3.8	$	5	Not recommended
Rock wool	4.3	$	4	Door panels
Denim	3.7	$$	2	Door panels
Sheep wool	3.7	$$	1	Walls, ceiling, doors
Thinsulate	3.7	$$$$	1	Small spaces, nooks

MORE: 10 tips for driving across the country

How not to insulate your campervan

Do not forget a source of ventilation—you’ll need this, even in winter! A

ceiling vent fan

helps you control moisture and temperature. At the very least, make sure you have a way to safely crack a window and circulate fresh air inside.

Seal up all insulation to reduce the risk of harmful materials disintegrating into the air. Plus, proper seals can reduce the risk of fire if you are using flammable insulation like rock wool or fiberglass.

How much insulation do you need?

It all depends on which material you plan to use and your make/model.

One 12-oz. bottle of

Great Stuff spray foam

costs $8, and you might need four bottles to fill all the nooks and crannies. For sheep wool, you may need between two to four bags of batts.

You can use large cardboard sheets to roughly measure your van and estimate insulation requirements.

Step-by-step campervan insulation installation guide

Step 1 - Make templates from cardboard for floors, ceilings, walls, and other surfaces that need insulation. Account for the vent fan in your measurements.

Step 2 - Install your flooring with ½” XPS foam board beneath.

Step 3 - Cut your insulation to size and insulate the walls and ceiling. Try Havelock wool or XPS foam board, glued into place with spray foam.

Step 4 - Finish with fiberglass or denim for the door panels and Reflectix for the window coverings.

Pro Tip Wear protective gear including masks, gloves, and safety goggles when installing insulation.

Insurance for campervans

Living in your van means you need to be vigilant about safety—and this includes insurance.

First, you need to know that a standard car insurance policy covers just the vehicle. In other words, it doesn’t offer any protection for things inside the van, like electronics or furniture.

If you need insurance that covers personal possessions inside a campervan, you need RV/ motorhome insurance or

renters insurance

at a permanent residence. You may need to re-title your van as an RV to access this type of coverage.

Second, be aware that some companies will not insure DIY van conversions. The best way to get coverage is to document your van build carefully and prove to the insurance company that your van is safe.

You may need to shop around to find the right policy. Luckily, the

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What about insulation for floors and ceilings?

XPS, or Extruded Polystyrene, is a great choice for floor insulation because it can handle compression. You can also use XPS on the ceilings, or opt for eco-friendly Havelock sheep wool.

How much does it cost to insulate your van?

The cost to insulate our van is anywhere between $200 and $2,000, depending on the materials and the size of the van. Spray foam throughout the entire van will cost closer to $2,000, sheep’s wool will cost about $500, and foam board will cost about $200.

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