Insulating rear doors?

[OLDSCHOOLFOOL]

After 4 years I'm finally starting to do something with the inside of 2016 cargo van. This thing is not really friendly to being insulated. Would like some opinions on insulating the rear and sliding doors. My first inclination is to shove some fiberglass insulation into the cavities behind the factory door panels panels but I got an uneasy feeling about collecting moisture back there. Any ideas?

[jrm223]

I insulated my solid (windowless) rear barn doors with Roxul rockwool on the bottom half of the doors, and the little wiring cavity that's about halfway up the wall behind the plastic panels, too. One of these days, I might get around to insulating more of my van using Rmax foam panels for the larger areas. 

[OLDSCHOOLFOOL]

17 hours ago, jrm223 said:

I insulated my solid (windowless) rear barn doors with Roxul rockwool on the bottom half of the doors, and the little wiring cavity that's about halfway up the wall behind the plastic panels, too.

Not familiar with rockwool so I did a little reading and this looks like a very good solution. A bit more cost but it's not like I'm doing a huge area. Appreciate the suggestion.?

 

Next up is how to remove (intact) the plastic film behind the panels. My thought is to try and take a single edge razor blade and slowly separate the film from the metal door. I keep reading about it being somewhat hard to get off without tearing it all to pieces. Not even sure if it's worth my effort but I assume it is there for vapor barrier.

[jrm223]

The plastic came off relatively easily for me, I just took my time and separated the adhesive a little at a time. Cutting the glue would work, too. I never did put the plastic back on and also replaced the panels with .024 black aluminum diamondplate (black van, not white). 

[OLDSCHOOLFOOL]

6 hours ago, jrm223 said:

The plastic came off relatively easily for me, I just took my time and separated the adhesive a little at a time. Cutting the glue would work, too. I never did put the plastic back on and also replaced the panels with .024 black aluminum diamondplate (black van, not white). 

I intend to reuse the panels, both for cost savings and I'm trying to keep heat in. One of the goals is to cover as much of the metal back there but not go too much overboard. I want it to look neat but utilitarian, not really that fancy if you will.

[Jenni Driver]

Hi, i see you are looking to do some insulating on the rear door too. I had a brain idea thinking maybe i could hinge a shelf there, for cooking. what do you think? i have a 2013 xlt

 

[OLDSCHOOLFOOL]

Been meaning to post this for a while. I used the rockwool in the doors and also added some in the quarter panels and pillars where I could. On the passenger side there wasn't access (without cutting metal) so I added a layer of foam board over the wheel well under the black plastic cover. Even though I STILL have not completely finished ALL of the rest of the insulation, I was able to "survive" a 13F night. Below 20F it is still a little chilly especially around the sliding doors and floor. Still very doable. With a small heat source it was quite comfy down to about 25F outside.

HUGE difference in the road noise coming from the cargo area also.

[OLDSCHOOLFOOL]

On 12/30/2021 at 5:00 PM, Jenni Driver said:

Hi, i see you are looking to do some insulating on the rear door too. I had a brain idea thinking maybe i could hinge a shelf there, for cooking. what do you think? i have a 2013 xlt

 

I think it is a great idea. Not sure what the contour of the 2013 rear doors are. Mine are a kind of weird, rounded shape with projections that doesn't exactly help hinging a shelf there but with a little creativity just about anything is possible.

[JackGrimshaw]