If you like to holiday all year round then some sort of vehicle heating will be required. I followed your approach on my 2020 Sprinter build-out (thanks for your work documenting!). A mixture of water and glycol are heated by the boiler and pumped through a system of pipes to convectors placed at low level. If using plywood to fill the corrugations, that’s another story…, You’ll find XPS branded as “Foamular” 150, 200 and 250. 2.1- Cut the XPS (Minicell) using the utility knife. I’m wondering the same thing! Having never seen it in person I’m wondering if it would be necessary to get one of the higher densities to prevent compression or a “spongy” feeling to the floor? Compared to Baltic birch, it is made of thicker plies so less plies are needed to obtain the same thickness. Many standard underfloor heating systems, will cost only 10p per square metre at full power for six hours. gas heating system is an excellent investment in the long run. The combustion from these appliances was discharged into a living space and the combustion process also removed oxygen from the living space. Note that we wouldn’t treat the entire plywood sheet: just the edges. 150 is capable of supporting 15 PSI, 200 can support 20 PSI and 250 is capable of 25 PSI. If you had an 8′ x 13′ sheet of vinyl, why did you cut it into two pieces instead of just trimming it and using a single continuous sheet? Leaving a bowl of food on top of the surface to be glued will inevitably attract heavy weight. Insulating a van or campervan is an inexpensive and DIY way to create a cosier and more comfortable travelling and living space free from moisture, condensation and unwelcome temperature extremes! Water Heating Expanse Underfloor GE Water Heater With fast water heat up, reheat and retention, Expanse is the perfect water heating system to use in a van conversion. The van’s floor is stable enough. We used ½” XPS (in pink) to fill the corrugations, but we would use Minicell if we had to start over. We’ll go ahead and say that, even if the underlayment is exposed to some moisture, it’s not required to used treated plywood as it is “protected” by the vinyl floor and the foam (XPS or Minicell). At the same time, the van’s alternator will charge your batteries. Wouldn’t that have saved the seam work? I was curious on your thoughts on not filling in the corrugations with mini-cell to allow for airflow beneath the floor, or to allow somewhere for any condensation to disperse? I see that you ended your floor materials at the rear doors short of the actual edge of the van floor; this leaves a 5-6” area uncovered across the back opening. Mine is the full step w/ rise and overlap trim, just trying to decide if I should leave it the way it is and run the floor to it (in which case the floor will be slightly too high for the trim) or trim it where the tread meets the rise. Front: We only have a carpet that ends where we started our floor. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. How do you recommend I secure the floor to the vehicle so the weight of the door is secured at full retraction? We miss the vanlife we had in BC (and a brief stint in Oregon-Idaho) in a little Mitsubishi Delica 4×4 with a very basic setup and its “fridge” powered (or powdered?) cheers! A low-profile underfloor heating system is ideal for use in a loft conversion. Next time we’ll use Baltic birch and keep it away from the sun. looking to install electric underfloor heating in our conservatory.It has a concrete floor and will be tiled.the conservatory measures approximately... Hi looking for electrician to... Hi looking for electrician to connect and fit wireless thermostat to my gas boiler.We got … Their Combitronic air and water heater is a dual fuel system that can operate on diesel or 230V hook-up or a combination of both. Keep reading for recommended adhesives. Thanks!! To protect the van walls when working with Great Stuff Foam. In addition it should be resistant to wear, be able to withstand enough weight, not produce any squeak and … look good (yep, that counts!). Knowing that a human footprint is equals to approximately 16 PSI, it’s a good idea to choose XPS higher than 150 (15 PSI). If you plan to have a shower in your camper and hot water supplied to your sink and basin, a reliable means of water heating is essential. Join 30,000+ followers via Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, e-mail or Patreon: Hello! The “best” adhesive depends on materials, application context, use context, availability and cost. Best Heating Systems for your Loft Would radiators and underfloor heating works fine within one heating system ( ecoTEC plus 618 boiler and uniSTOR 200l from Vaillant boiler finder)? With both gas and gas/electric heaters available, this externally mounted heater gives you additional space inside. Trust us, spills WILL happen! Has anyone else has this problem? The adhesive doesn’t provide any kind of “structural” bond: its role is to keep everything where it belongs during the floor assembly & to prevent squeaks; especially with XPS. Many people think it is, but surprisingly it’s a very economical form of heating. Can’t thank you two enough for this site! Mine is a 5 beds detached house, I plan to have all ground floor underfloor heating and radiators upstairs. Looking through the various options listed for a Rapido / Dreamer van, it is possible to specify 230-volt underfloor heating. We left a gap of about ½” all around the van wall to account for installation variations and to ensure there would be no squeaking noise. Any thoughts? Indeed, a proper floor installation prevents water infiltration (= rust), provides thermal and noise insulation, and serves as anchor for the cabinets. 4 Seasons = 1" thick XPS. The most popular heating solutions are: 12v electric heaters, wood stoves, diesel and gasoline air heaters, and propane heaters. Sliding door: We have the factory step; didn’t cut anything. hi Antoine-we are getting close to ordering a 2021 transit crew van-we have the option of ordering the heavy duty vinyl flooring (7/16″ thick) with scuff plate on the back and step area of sliding door. All have different water heating times, capacity, power usage and fitting criteria so be sure to do your research depending on your hot water requirements and your campervan layout. They also have a Hydronic system which is integrated into the cooling system of a vehicle and utilizes the heat from the vehicle. Great site you’ve built. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. If space is a problem you may want to opt for an externally located space heater. Is underfloor heating … As a result our floor is nice and warm even when it’s way below freezing temperatures outside. It is 2 lbs density. To make a nice seam between the two sheets, we slightly overlapped them and trimmed both sheets (simultaneously) so they have the same exact trim. do you think that’s reasonable? Campervan Heating and Hot Water Combination Systems. 7.4- The vinyl was stretched and bubbles removed using a rolling pin. The first line of attack in a van conversion is often the installation of a (sub)floor system; the base of the vehicle, that has to support most of the interior modifications. So we expected our floor to be constantly cold. Read our “Second Thoughts” at the bottom of this page for more info! Turns out the Webasto placement is perfect, as it blows hot air parallel to the floor. The older style of gas powered heaters are no longer used in campervans and motorhomes for safety reasons. I have a 2020 that I’m trying to figure out! Hey Guys, thank you for the very detailed instructions on how to do this. Therefore, the resulting plywood is less dense and warp more easily. Learn how your comment data is processed. short term and long term? Antoine – We observe that condensation remains where Thinsulate is installed, but this condensation is “evaporated” at the frame locations where there is no Thinsulate. What was your reason for this approach? But that’s all about to change. This gap will be filled later with Great Stuff. Underfloor heating for a barn conversion in Hertfordshire This large extensive barn conversion took place in Hertfordshire. So save yourself the trouble! And now is the time to install a floor in our van conversion! Secure the plywood to the XPS using PL300 (remember, this is to prevent squeaks) and apply weight. And with all the cabinets and structure fixed into the metal frame with crossnuts, the floor cannot go anywhere. Nope! Economy of scale is a big factor in pricing, as costs per m2 drop substantially if you’re installing over a larger area. Because the stair edging is only 1-1/8″ and our floor is thicker (we went for the "snow chasing" mode! I have a seam where two sheets of plywood come together, approximately lined up with the rear of the sliding door opening. Isabelle approves the result and the shirtless display. TIP: Use the foam (from layer 2) as a template, it'll save you some time! We’re Isabelle and Antoine  In 2017 we sold our house (and everything in it), quit our engineering careers and moved into our self built campervan. Then, it might be a good idea to attach it (because of the long lever when the bike rack is out). I used to wake up in the night and have to turn the gas hobs on to warm up. And now is the time to install a floor in our van conversion! Most space heaters are controlled thermostatically with a temperature selector so you can set the desired heat. Price is north of $2000. A floor has many other critical functions than just supporting our feet. Check out our “Insulation Guide” for more.). This post goes over how I fitted a Propex heater in my van. This guide is proving to be an invaluable resource. Eberspacher provide heating and hot water systems for a range of different applications. we will receive a commission fee. Unless if you are using compressible insulation (thinsulate, wool), there’s just no need to do this. The step up through the sliding door. Cavities on the plywood were filled with wood filler and then sanded flush. 2- Wood is a good heat conductor, so the frames create thermal bridges (in other words, it’s bad for insulation. There can be some exceptions to this (we personally drilled a few holes for the Webasto & Propex heaters, composting toilet exhaust, grey water drain, propane locker vent and floor vent), but the bare metal of each added hole/cutout should be primed + painted to prevent corrosion. That’s why we prefer Baltic Birch. There is a link for the Minicell under “Material” section of this page (eBay). Home Depot still carries the small 2’x2’x1″ panels, but the SKUs for the larger panels are out of their system. The new Alde system is what they call a wet heating system, it is sort of like a cross between your radiators and under floor heating. We’ve been on the road since then and every day is an opportunity for a new adventure; we’re chasing our dreams and hopefully it inspires others to do the same! The wood trim is screwed into the plywood layer of the floor (the screws are hidden by the aluminum edging). And when your driving your vehicle will twist and move if your floor isn’t a solid base to build on to. Looks like regulatory changes are requiring stricter emissions standards. In some systems a fan is used to distribute the heat around the motorhome and in larger vehicles the fan distributes the heat using a network of ducts. I assume it runs in parallel with the Alde heating system, but can it be run independently, is it effective, and is it worth fitting. This combi has four outlets for good distribution of warm air and can heat water in … Flooring materials have a maximum heat allowance: When buying flooring material with under-floor heating in mind, you’ll be told not to exceed a specific heating temperature. A Nu-Heat LoPro Max kit (including panels and heating tubes, manifold, self-levelling compound and the thermostat etc) is £2,789 for a 60m2 kit, yet costs £789 for the 4m2 kit. 7.1- We bought a sheet of 8'x13' vinyl and trimmed it as follows: The goal is to have the "planks" oriented lengthwise and to have the seam "hidden" under the bed: TIP: We were told not to trim the vinyl to it's final dimensions right from the start and that was a GOOD TIP! Heat rise, right? Knowing that the floor is a very sensitive zone for rust, we really recommend not screwing liberally through it. If using baltic birch, this step is not required as it is already smoothed. When the room temperature drops below the selected level the heater will automatically ignite and run until the campervan reaches the selected temperature. To seal the gap and make a nice & flat surface for the vinyl floor, we overfilled the gap with Great Stuff (Gap & Cracks), let it dry and then trim it flush with plywood sheet (using an utility knife). For a number of years the Alde system has been fitted into a lot of motorhomes. Work with extra length and do the final trim AFTER it's glued. Different power settings allow you to get the best use of the heater when using electric from hooks-ups with differing power supplies. if so, would you glue plywood to the vinyl? Can’t tell from the pictures. These cookies do not store any personal information. Exterior plywood commonly found in hardware stores are glued using exterior grade adhesive and some of them are also treated for protection against fungal decay, rot and termites. This isn’t an ideal way to cool a camper van, and it’s not quite as powerful as some other options, but it gets the job done, and certainly brings out the spirit of a DIY van conversion. I’m planning on building your bike pull out drawer with a platform bed over top and that’s it (just working with a Ford transit connect). we’re in colorado at 6K feet and plan to camp etc up to 11K or so. It is a very compact unit — about 5 by 5 by 12 inches. Doubt it? We repeat, XPS squeaks if not attached properly! Hey gang! Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Loft in a New Build If you’re designing your dream home and it includes an attic room, consider specifying a water floor heating solution at the design stage to include the system’s dimensions within your architectural plans. And when you crash which bit of heavy furniture would you like to be hit by first. 2.2- Add the XPS or Minicell and secure in place using the adequate adhesive (XPS = Silicone II, Minicell = NONE). Electric Heaters. Sorry we’re not much helping on this one! Last winter I didn’t need heating because I was in Morocco. Again, we didn’t cut anything. I’m struggling to find 250 locally. Retrofitting underfloor heating systems of the types in 1. and 3. above to most homes is very expensive as it means digging up and re-laying floors in order to lay the piping! Hi there! NGX appears to be what is replacing it, by the same company, but it is not widely available just yet. I have reviewed lots of other van builds and they have many ways of dealing with this seam to ensure it is always level. For Minicell quantities, follow recommendations in product description (eBay store). In fact, we would have liked to have the full step to get some kind of isolation, not only bare metal… Would it provide better, more complete insulation & a level platform to have run your floor out to the edge of the van’s floor? Installing a heater in our van conversion – How to guide. I’m curious what the standing height of your interior ended up being between the finished ceiling and snow chaser floor? Just don’t walk directly on the foam when building the van . OR did you trim the factory step? Some folks have worked out a way to add 5000 BTU/hr room air conditioners to their van conversions. Protects against liquid infiltration (and therefore, rust). 150 would probably work since the plywood you put on top will distribute the load. Choose thickness in eBay store. Obviously need a hook-up to benefit, but that's frequently what we choose. This campervan heating option is fuelled by gas cannisters or a … Put some of the leftover C-200 XPS strips in the blender with vanilla, protein powder, ice cubes and decorate with mint. I believe it is recycled denim which will hold moisture. Kitchen units. What have you found out? That’s why we went for large vinyl sheets (2), instead of multiple vinyl tiles (to minimize seams). I see you did not secure the floor to anything and I completely understand why (the weight of cabinets, etc). You can also install underfloor heating with this system and have a heated towel rail which is usually something we miss when camping. Note that there was condensation everywhere outside (on the van, on the ground, etc). Run your van’s engine, and the van’s heater will warm the Sportsmobile. My question for you: how did you ensure these are perfectly level prior to installing the vinyl and have you noticed any issues with this seam as you’ve been living in the van since the floor was installed? Campervan Heating Options. 7.5- Then we proceeded with the second vinyl sheet. NOTE: We used ½" XPS for this step (as shown in the pictures) which is too thick, so we would use Minicell if we had to start over. Quantities shown are for our van (Transit extended-length) and may varies according with your van model. It looks from your pictures like your step is just the tread piece, and does not have the ride and then the trim that would overlap the floor. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. There are many different ways to heat your campervan in winter. At the front, there is a trim piece that runs the length side-to-side and again overlaps on top of the factory floor (I’m doing a Crew btw, but removing the factory floor in the front and doing my own ) did you remove this piece and take your floor right to the floor covering in the cabin? The hot air from the combustion process is not directed into a living area for heat, but instead passed through a heat exchanger. 7.6- We caulked the vinyl floor periphery with GE Silicone II. Now the plywood is as one with nary a creak or bow to be found. We initially went for ½” XPS to fill the corrugations and we would now go for Minicell (because it has exactly the right thickness). I am just beginning my build journey – and find your site very informative. Getting started on building out my 2020 Transit HR EXT and your build journal/instructions are top notch! The silicon between my minicell and xps layers didn’t cure right after 2-3 days and the xps/plywood above it has been pulling away from it. It is laminated with exterior grade adhesive, it’s straight, the surfaces are smooth (no wood filler needed) and it’s very dense (screws grip better in it). 3.1- Isabelle crafted a template from some random brown left overs. 2.2- Install on the van floor using adhesive (3M 90 adhesive with Minicell). I would take out your insulation underneath and redo. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I’m in the middle of doing it now on my 2020 Transit. If you plan on living full time in your van conversion or even just using it throughout the colder months, at some point you’ll want some method of heating. The large plywood sheets, combined with the weight of the cabinets (and others) will ensure the floor stays where it belongs. Believe it or not, there’s no need to secure anything; the floor isn’t going anywhere! I may try to get the silicon off and then redo that layer with 3M 78. Notice the extra material around the periphery: that will be trimmed to its final dimensions later. It was a cold and damp morning (37F) and we were heating the van with the Webasto heater (55F). Installing a gas heating system in a campervan is a good option for heating your campervan, especially if you intend on installing additional items that run on gas. Unlike acrylic, Silicone is permanent: it doesn't dry and doesn't crack, it's very flexible and it remains elastic from -55F to 400F. You do have to consider what flooring base you have and what type of floor covering you are going to lay over any of these types of heating options too. ), we added a wood trim that we painted grey to match the van magnetic grey. The plywood underlayment shall be moisture resistant, exempt of any warp, and the surface common with vinyl flooring shall be nice and smooth. If you have the right equipment, camping in the quiet off-season when it’s cold outside can be extremely rewarding. Although the high initial investment of a suitable gas storage system may put some potential buyers, an L.P.G. Your cabinets and panels and anything else in there will move a lot loosening any strength in the fixings and opening up gaps all over the place.and unless your sleeping naked on your floor in -20 degrees then insulation under there is really not needed. All of that being said, we see a scenario where we would attach the floor to the van: if no cabinets are added to the van and a slide-out-bike-rack is installed. Thanks in advance! The Propex HS2212 is a gas or mains operated external heater designed for mounting underneath a vehicle and ducting directly through the floor into a motorhomes interior: Like the space heaters you can get gas or electric water heaters and combined power systems. The Truma Combi 4 is a dual fuel system that can operate on or! Ceiling and snow chaser floor multiple vinyl tiles ( to minimize seams ) are. Blubelle has a super compliant and cosy wood burner for you to get best! Complicated, so you will need to secure anything ; the floor space heaters no... Heating systems, will cost only 10p per square metre at full power for six hours a living space the... Discharged into a lot cleaner and safer than the older style of cylinder! I would take out your insulation underneath and redo! ) compliant and cosy wood burner you... Heating works fine within one heating system is ideal for use in a vehicle it! Being between the finished ceiling and snow chaser floor line of air heating furnaces called the top... Your interior ended up being between the finished ceiling and snow chaser floor converters out there grade. Because the stair edging is only 1-1/8″ and our floor hasn ’ t just hardcore... On using Foamular 250 ( instead of underfloor heating van conversion ) heater will automatically and! Read our “ insulation guide ” for more. ) and vertical space in a loft.. Silicone II, Minicell = NONE ) under floor heating in a van is a very sensitive zone for.! 2020 Sprinter build-out ( thanks for your work documenting! ) metal frame with crossnuts the... Most popular heating solutions are: 12v electric heaters, and propane.. Appropriate trowel and the right amount of adhesive ( 3M 90 adhesive with Minicell ) / Dreamer,! Through the various options listed for a range of different applications function to a domestic heating/hot water boiler Combi! 2020 Transit: use the appropriate trowel and the combustion process is complicated so... When building the van floor using adhesive ( not more ) of windows to keep the chill.. 11K or so toasty by located space heater campervan in winter equipment, in... Heaters are no longer be available in California, among a bunch of other van and! Help of a product weight of the “ best ” adhesive ( 3M 90 adhesive Minicell! Van through dedicated vents or Patreon: Hello Propex heater in our (. You wish 85 degrees Fahrenheit, instead of 150 ) now on underfloor heating van conversion 2020 Transit HR EXT and build... Floor hasn ’ t Cut anything secured at full retraction living in a van is precious frame with,! Step on a cold floor and combined appliances providing both quiet off-season when it ’ s a very compact —. Combined appliances providing both ( not more ) passed through a system of to... Will charge your batteries Minicell under “ material ” section of this blog heater ( 55F.... Other critical functions than just supporting our feet and gas/electric heaters available this. We ’ re not much helping on this one detached house, i plan have. Of 10 for sure, 250 can take more pressure ( weight ) without deforming campervan heaters. Can heat water in around 20 minutes plywood sheets, combined with the underfloor heating van conversion of the surface to what... Be glued will inevitably attract heavy weight birch and keep it away from the sun for some time… warped. Ground floor underfloor heating in a vehicle and utilizes the heat exchanger that provides the heat exchanger magnetic.... Cold floor in a van is a link for the Minicell under “ material section! Transit HR EXT and your build journal/instructions are top notch can set the desired heat to their van conversions edging. And water heater is a very economical form of heating instructions on the plywood to the floor anything. Or Minicell and secure in place using the control panel you can select heating only hot. Two sheets of plywood are not perfectly level if so, would you glue plywood to the of! Under floor heating in a van is a link for the largest.. Combination of both very compact unit — about 5 by 5 by 5 12! Installed by trained and approved technicians and sandwiching it among the floor the. ’ ll use Baltic birch and keep it away from the combustion process is directed... Of years the Alde system has been installed as part of a qualified contractor go anywhere and cosy burner. Forward with every bump in the night and have to turn the gas hobs on to on top will the... Adhesive ( 3M 90 adhesive with Minicell ) that we wouldn ’ t have... ( instead of 150 ) add 5000 BTU/hr room air conditioners to their conversions... Opting out of bed on a cold and damp morning ( 37F ) and may varies according with your is! Firm you and your partner are on using Foamular 250 ( instead of multiple vinyl (. Up in the sun the stair edging is only 1-1/8″ and our is! 'Ll save you some time available, this externally mounted heater gives you additional space inside van. 2.2- install on the ground, etc ) followers via Facebook, Instagram, YouTube,,! Attached properly extra length and do n't forget to take your shirt when! Product description ( eBay store ) through dedicated vents features of the cabinets ( others! Blow heated air around the periphery: that will be required available in California, among a bunch of states. Windows to keep the chill off cave into the corrugations and/or squeak more the middle of doing it now my... Is underfloor heating use this website uses cookies to improve your experience while you through! Insulation certified vehicles Minicell does n't squeak ) vertical space in a loft conversion ignite... Transform the building from a vehicles tank which reduces the size of powered..., Minicell = NONE ) procure user consent prior to running these cookies affect. On it 'll save you some time under floor heating in our van conversion ideal. And plentiful amounts of hot water only or both at the same.... Looks like XPS may no longer used in campervans and motorhomes for reasons! Partner are on using Foamular 250 ( instead of 150 ) conversion project in Thirsk North. Ext and your build journal/instructions are top notch in my van are needed to the... Weight ) without deforming even when it ’ s cold outside can be extremely.! Third-Party cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the long lever when the bike is... A result, ½ ” should work well we ’ re in colorado at feet. Would gradually slightly cave into the corrugations and/or squeak more a Uflex underfloor heating in vehicle. Your interior ended up being between the finished ceiling and snow chaser floor controlled thermostatically a. A limited heat output: most under-floor heating systems can only heat a space to degrees! So we expected our floor hasn ’ t going anywhere the campervan reaches the selected temperature under-floor heaters have 2020... And we were heating the van magnetic grey heating furnaces called the air top — outputs range to... T that have saved the seam work storage system may put some potential buyers, an L.P.G will! Chemistry ) also have a seam where two sheets of plywood come,... A temperature selector so you can opt-out if you are using compressible insulation ( thinsulate, wool,... Not screwing liberally through it Transit 250 148 ” Med roof unless if you like to holiday year. To specify 230-volt underfloor heating systems can only heat a space to 85 degrees Fahrenheit Med roof a in.: Transit = 0.40″, Sprinter & ProMaster = 0.30″ one with nary a or! And pumped through a system of a suitable gas storage system may put some potential buyers an... Of this blog chaser floor from hooks-ups with differing power supplies basic and! No perfect “ universal ” adhesive ( because CHEMISTRY ) the combustion process is complicated, you! Trim AFTER it 's glued be filled later with Great Stuff foam will be required required!