Insulating an enclosed trailer

[Nwcid]

As many know I have a multipurpose enclosed trailer that I bought this spring, http://www.northwestfirearms.com/off-topic/97184-truck-trailer-solar-pic-finally.html

For a winter project I was considering insulating it. It does not get used much in the cold months and when it does the forced air heat does a good job at keeping it warm. In the summer time when I use it most it becomes an oven.

Right now the celling has no insulation but the main part of the walls has the foil sided foam boards loosely put in it. I have read a bit about insulating stuff and there seems to be a lot of opinions. With the way the trailer is built I would be able to easily insulate the roof and walls but none of the doors or the floor. I figure the floor would not be much of an issue since I am trying to keep heat out vs cold coming in. I will be able to put good seals so air does not come in around the doors. Will the lack of insulation on those areas make it pointless to insulate the rest?

Along with the insulation in the celling I plan on putting on a white sealer on the roof to help.

I know when I had my suburban putting foam sleeping pads in the windows and having a fan going for air circulation made a noticeable difference in temperature. I do have 2 of the Fantastic Fans mounted in the celling so I can get some good airflow moving in the trailer.

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[mjbskwim]

You can use the rigid foam for the ceiling.Make it as thick as what you want to give up in height.Those roles of foil backed insulation are pretty darn effective and easy to install.
As far as the floor,just put a cheapo rug remnant down.The floor gives up a lot of heat.Heck it gets dirty and it makes a great door mat. Keeps the inside cleaner,too.
A blanket over the doorway helps a ton in the winter.Nothing permanent here.
A REMNANT as a used rug can start to smell funny fast in a little space like that.

 

[mjbskwim]

I just went to the other thread. Looks like you have a lined ceiling of some sort. Just plywood?
That wood be a bubblegum to take apart and insulate

 

[Snopczynski]

When I did mine, I took the luan off the walls and put that styrofoam type sheet insulation under the walls, sealed it up with duct tape, and then put the luan back on. The other nice thing about having the walls off is sealing up the shell. I blacked out the roof vents and sealed off almost all the light coming in through the shell to get rid of drafts (cause it was pitch black inside). You can also take standard home insulation and peel it in half and use that.

 

[Stomper]

Hope you factor in ventilation in your equation. If you seal the trailer too tightly it'll get pretty stuffy and moist in there real quick w/o some sort of provision for fresh air changeover. Carbon Dioxide can build up and make it quite unpleasant... Just sayin'

 

[Snopczynski]

typically those trailers dump straight out to the ground in the back by the tail lights. It is usually a huge void back there, so you just dont fill that section in.

 

[Nwcid]

Yes it does have walls and a celling. The celling has no insulation of any kinda and the walls have very loose fitting styrofoam.

I am not worried abut heat loss, I am worried about keeping heat out. In the summer the inside hits 110* inside making it very unpleasant.

Considering the Fantastic fans (2) each move over 900 CFM and the trailer is only 300 CFM that should be enough ventilation, maybe I am wrong.

I am just worried that it will be a waste of my time/money if it does not make much of a difference. There are 3 doors that I can not insulate and the retractor area for the back door will be very hard to seal up.

 

[mjbskwim]

I have a 5th wheel toy hauler. Insulated fairly good,at least better than your cargo trailer. The only things that keep the heat down are shade and AC
Even the Beavers and them fancy dancy RVs start cookin' if left in the sun without AC.

My other idea,that never came to fruition because of hokeyness,was some sort of canopy over the top.
PVC pipe bowed over the top and a canvas or tarp would do,without wind.But just designing it so it doesn't look stupid was the problem.
Or a couple of those back yard picnic canopies? Have to set them on stilts,so again hokey.
But since you want to run off the grid,or have to,AC is out,so shade of some sort will be the other answer.
Portable garage!?
Image Detail for - Portable Garage Shelter Product Features:

 

[Nwcid]

If I could even cut the heat by 10* it would be helpful. At night once the temps start going down the fans really help but still takes a while.

Only problem with a cover is my panels would get covered. I mostly use it this way during fire season and we end up camped in big fields.