Insulate a Shipping Container Home
Insulating any house is a necessary component to any living environment, however, when applying to a steel, cargo-container home, things may get a little tricky.
Steps
- Consider the different possibilities for insulating your shipping container home. Some of the possibilities include:
- Spray-on insulation
- Roll-on insulation
- Some type of ecological insulation, such as egg cartons, etc.
- Don't use traditional methods unless they're corrosion-proof or won't promote condensation. Most homes, in the traditional fashion, are insulated on the interior with fiberglass or wool. If you apply this concept to container homes, the end result may be corrosion or too much condensation on the inside of the walls due to too much water or vapors.
- Prefer spray-on type insulation. Polyurethane foam works best in combination with ceramic insulation paint. The paint is obvious for the exterior of the shipping container, while the foam is for the interior.
- The paint contains a special gas that contains inside bubbles, which gives it a high thermal efficiency. The spray-on foam is available in both “open-cell” and “closed-cell”. The difference is in the price tag, density, strength, R-factor and in waterproofing.
Tips
- To install the insulation and wallboard with a two person team per {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} shipping container requires two full days.
Warnings
- Make sure to have plenty of ventilation for breathing.
- Protect breathing with mask and be sure to cover eyes with goggles.
- Stay hydrated with plenty of water: It can get hot inside the container.
- Prepare to get dirty.
