Container Home Insulation

I have found myself with an abundance of one-trip shipping containers at my disposal and have been building them into small dwellings and offices. We've used them for bunk-housing and control rooms off-shore for a number of years. I am looking for a means of thermal insulation and am considering double-walled exterior walls filled with treated saw-dust, possibly sprayed with polymers to maintain porosity and shifting. Any experiences with structural and insulative uses of sawdust would be of some value to me. Thanks

 

I've often thought about insulating them containers ,, I've wondered about using spray foam inside and out in the ribs,, and then put some type of siding on the outside. But wasn't real sure about the transfer of heat and cold radiating thru the metal.
I know if had to frame any walls on the inside you could be losing space.
I'll be interested to see what others say about this . I figure Mr Kamp may have some insight on this .

 

I remember KK doing some of this on an earlier thread.

 

Carpet underlayment is one of the better insulating systems that doesn't take up a bunch of space! The trick is using mylar on both sides, one against the steel and one on the outside surface of the underlayment, then a ply wood or other wood or dri-wall for the interior finnish! Spray foam can also work, you want the highest density you can get, then install a vaper barrier before the finnish wall! Cannot say what sort of insulation values ether of these provide, but it's pretty good for here!

 

I've looked and have used the conventional, my question about using sawdust or possibly treated wood pellets, is what I am looking into before proceeding with my idea. The obvious problems of decay, mold, moisture, parasites, etc. are being scrutinized to determine if this alternative method is viable. Thanks

 

I've seen a product called TimberHP or TimberBatt.
I'm trying to find a company in the UP that makes an expanding foam wood based product. You'd usually see it as a plastic bag in your ups shipment that is filled with foam and fills the box surrounding your product to protect against damage.

EDIT: The company got bought out by CertainTeed and now makes acoustic ceiling tiles. from their wood fiber. Can't determine who bought out the packaging line. Sorry.

 

Having been in HVAC and building envelope sciences for many years, I can not think of any convincing argument to use sawdust for insulation. Ground newspaper was once a thing but it was treated with fire retardant which also kept most insects from feeding on it. Sawdust will settle and lose effectiveness, and it will absorb moisture readily making it a very poor choice as an insulation. The most effective insulation I have seen used in a connex was 2x4 framed interior walls and a 2x6 framed ceiling filled with open cell spray foam, and this only provided a 2.0 to 4.0 R-value due to the corrugations. The ceiling got R-5 to R-6 . A glued-on foam board (2") will give an R-3 with a little plus added for the air cavity created in the corrugations.
As with any insulation, avoid a double vapor barrier. So in a connex the walls form the vapor barrier and adding an additional one between the interior wall and the insulation will form a vapor trap.
Another note, if spray foam or glued-on foam board is used, allow at least 10 days with the doors open for the chemicals to out-gas.

 

so i live in a bus, was not eniugh room so i got a couple connexs and have living space in them. well one. i just got them set oct.
on framing inside. i put 2x4 in the grooves and screwed them in tgen did firing strips to mount 1/2 foam and 1/8 panels. the criling is 1" foam panels. to keep it from dripping on the ceiling i put 10 sheets of 1\2 foam board outsise and covered it with a tarp. worked great.

 

when i did this i should have done 2x4 on the outside too. spray foam is king.i live in alaska and spray foamed my v nose trailer and van. best way to stop condensahion i have found.

 

uh no sawdust. spray foam works,, if you can afford it. putting 1/2 foam panels and a tarp stopped my ceiling from dripping.

 

man cave. tv/computer area then gun shop stuff. grow tent for,,,, 3dp and powder coat. control smell and humidity. wood stove in back. i hauled guard rail to cover them for a sod roof. still moving in.