Insulating a container

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by AndyUK, Feb 21, 2007.

  1. AndyUK

    AndyUK New Member

    Hello chaps,

    I got a little question, I have a steel shipping container that im planning to insulate and use it to turn into an indoor garden so I can grow my orchids, you should see them when they flower, stunning!!

    I have looked into polyurethane spray on insulation, to cover the steel, then use a 25mm foil backed insulation so the radiant heat produced by the lights bounces back into the room and layer it again to create a sealed room. I need it sealed so i can create the perfect environment for them to thrive in.

    I dont want any heat escaping and heating the walls of the steel, I need the heat to be consealed within the room as i will be using an air-conditioner to control temps.

    If anyone has any help they can give me I would greatly appreciate it. I want to start asap to get the garden going. Thanks
    Andy
     
  2. AndyUK

    AndyUK New Member

    I have also come across a product from the US called SUPERTHERM which will create a barrier which will stop all forms of heat from escaping. It is a cermaic insulation, which only needs to be applied at 16mm thick to create the same U value insulation as 4-6 inches of rockwool bat insulation. It is pricey tho, set you back $500 of a 5gallon pail, couldnt believe it when i heard it, but the 5 gallon will cover a huge majority of the 500sq.ft i need to cover.

    Any advice on the product
    Andy
     
  3. building control

    building control New Member

    So is "orchids", the new word for cannabis?
     
  4. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Hi Andy.

    I won't ask where the shipping container came from ;)

    I'd have thought the best material to use would be a Celotex/Kingspan type product as they have excellent thermal qualities but are also pretty rigid so will be easy to install in your situation - simply glue into place.

    They are foil-backed (both sides) so that will also give you the reflective quality you are after.

    There might be some advantage in having a small gap between it and the steel walls to introduce a further air gap, or even line the walls first with sheets of 'ordinary' expanded polystyrene such as Jablite. Again, simply glue into place, and cut the sheets to fit snugly against floor and ceiling.

    There are some other products which claim to have amazing thermal qualitites - I'm thinking Tri-Iso Super 9 (or something)as an example - which is a multi-layer foil/quilt sheet which expands to only around 25mm thick, but this is (a) expensive and (b) not rigid, so I'd personally go for the other stuff.
     
  5. bigjules

    bigjules New Member

    What about sunlight or are you really a closet rhubarb forcer??
    Orchids my @rse!!
     
  6. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Tsk, tsk! You lot are so-o-o cynical
     
  7. joinerjohn

    joinerjohn New Member

    Tsk, tsk! You lot are so-o-o cynical

    I bet the power supply is coming from the streetlamp. So look out for advice on the sparks forum " Connecting to a streetlamp!!!
     
  8. AndyUK

    AndyUK New Member

    wow, so im growing cannabis am I, new one to me!!

    I have been growing orchids since i was 24 years old, im 50 now, jesus give me a break, i ask a question about insulation and now im a drug dealer. F* righ off,never touched the stuff in my life. you slander me without knowing me and what I do. Unbelievable.

    I asked a question about insulation, if anyone hasnt got anything decent to say please keep your opinions to yourself. I do this 365 days a year, i had a room in my house im using but my wife has fallen ill so I converted into an hospital room. I thought the container would be a good idea as i can place it at the bottom of the garden. I cant believe ive got to justify myself. Well form your own opinions thats your choice just dont assume everything is true because i am not and will not be breaking the law.
     
  9. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Hey, Andy!

    Chill out, man!

    Have a spliff.



    (I think it might be called 'banter' :()
     
  10. building control

    building control New Member

    That was my intention.

    dont waste your money on Tri iso.

    buy some damaged sheets of kingspan, from the merchants,stick them on the walls and fill the gaps with squirty foam.

    enjoy.
     
  11. joinerjohn

    joinerjohn New Member

    Sorry Andy, just joining in the crack. Must admit it does seem a bit suspicious, especially in today's society. I apologise for any offence caused.
     
  12. AndyUK

    AndyUK New Member

    No worries fellas, I can actually see why you would say that but I assure you i wouldnt waste the time growing a worthless plant. Im sure my orchids would fetch far more than those plants.

    The container has ridges every 6inches or so, they are roughly an inch to 2inch. I was thinking I should get a contractor in to spray polyurethane to create a flat area so I can just place the kingspan/celotex over it without having to go through individually cutting them to fit into the ridges. I was wondering how tight the insulation has to be.
    Do you think it would be cheaper and more effective to cut and fit then fill in with a spray insulation. The spray insulation is very expensive but they claim it is better than standard batt.
     
  13. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    I think an air gap is good. I would put solid insulation straight over the top.


    Mr. HandyAndy - really
     
  14. Fabulous Freda

    Fabulous Freda New Member

    No worries fellas, I can actually see why you would
    say that but I assure you i wouldnt waste the time
    growing a worthless plant. Im sure my orchids would
    fetch far more than those plants.

    The irony is that you are planning to make a reefer. (insulated shipping container) :)
     
  15. big all

    big all Screwfix Select

    dont know much about containers ;);)
    but i am assuming they are single skinned so you won't want to cause problems with leaks by screwing through the skin

    so may i suggest before you do any work you perhaps affix some 2by2 sawn on the ridges with no nails every 18 or24" to give you somthing to fix to

    you could also fix to the sides at the same time and wedge the sides in to support the top whilst the no nails goes off with a further temporary centre leg mid span

    big all
     
  16. big all

    big all Screwfix Select

    that should be 16 or24" centres for sheet material [or 400 or600mm if its metric ;)
     
  17. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Andy, make life easy for yourself; just glue whole sheets (cut to height, obviously) of Kingspan/Celotex onto the walls - the thicker the better (although going for, say 60mm thick, is not twice as good as 30mm).

    Seal the joins, and seal along top etc. I presume you'll be sticking sheets to the ceiling too - fix them first (adhesive will do) and then fit the sides tight against them.

    Ditto on floor, and then cover with sheets of ply to protect.
     
  18. STGO

    STGO New Member

    then paint white to aid reflection, i used to grow indoors mate ;)
    i controlled the temp with a thermostat and extractor fan, used 1000w bulbs,(special ones mind) vermiculite or rockwool as a growing medium, and the flood and drain method of watering.
    Hope it all goes well for you, just whack it up on the walls floor and ceiling, and make sure you have proper extraction.
     
  19. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Tsk, you orchid-grower, you.
     
  20. Measure2cut1

    Measure2cut1 New Member

    If it is not too late, buy a refrigerated container. They come already insulated and will save you a lot of effort.

    If you are sticking Kingspan or equivalent to the walls, there will be hollows in the corrugated sides of the container with steel on the outside and insulation on the inside. These will be liable to condensation and thence rust. I suggest that you drill the Kingspan at 500mm centres in the corrugations and squirt foam insulation in to fill the hollows. Dampen inside a bit first as this makes the foam expand better.

    Don't to it this way!

    http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/humour.html#foam

    M2C1
     

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