Insulation and Framing Costs
Have you dreamed of living in a shipping container home? Steel containers present some unique insulation challenges, but InSoFast EPS foam panels provide a cost-effective solution for transforming your steel box into a comfortable living or working area. Figuring out the cost of insulating a shipping container can be a daunting task with the 100's of variables with each container build.
Container Insulation Options
There are several types of insulation you could choose for your shipping container home, including fiberglass, spray foam, and foam panel insulation. Every material choice affects all of the other cost down the road.
Fiberglass:
Installing fiberglass insulation is notoriously tricky and complicated and is not a DIY kind of job. It also requires wood framing and the proper, "fiberglass fluff" to work that will take up quite a bit of space inside the container, a hidden cost of loss of useable space. To work effectively and achieve it's stated R-Value, it has to be in continuous surrounding and not interrupted by the stud framing. Warm moist air circulation through even the smallest gap will decrease the insulation value.
While fiberglass may be less expensive than other options, fiberglass does not stand up well to hidden condensation. It works like a sponge and is a recipe for mold, rot and poor indoor air quality, problems that will eventually damage the metal and cause expensive repairs to the shipping container.
Spray Foam:
Spray foam insulation is very flexible and can be sprayed into nooks, crannies, and gaps of any size. However, it is not generally a do-it-yourself project, is time-consuming to install, it is also a very messy affair, and although quickly installed the cost of over spray and clean up are never calculated. We also like to caution spray foam presents a known off-gassing hazard, the air you breath and that is priceless. Finally when you add in additional labor and co-ordination of the other trades like the framers and electrician it may be the most expensive type of insulation.
EPS foam panels:
EPS foam panel insulation is cost-effective, offers high R-values, is lightweight, can be affixed directly to the container sides with adhesive, and helps minimize the thickness of your walls. It does not absorb moisture and presents no off-gassing hazards. Most installations can be completed and coordinated by do-it-yourselfers with a utility knife, hand saw, glue and a caulk gun.
Why InSoFast is a good choice:
InSoFast CX Container Panels are designed to fit most shipping containers and take the hassle out coordinating the trade contractors. InSoFast is a one step insulation and framing with electrical raceways ready to go. The systems thin profile takes up only two inches of interior space.
The 44” x 24” panels fit the width between the weld seams on the long side walls of the container and are set up for an 11-inch repeating pattern of corrugation. They are installed horizontally with the studs running vertically to allow the studs to adhere to the interior facing ribs of the container.
Our 2 part approaches for end wall and ceilings have specifically shaped inserts of EPS foam that are designed to fill container’s corrugation air gaps. Once glued in place, the surfaces will be flush and ready for coverage in full InSoFast panels.
InSoFast Side Wall Inserts in conjunction with InSoFast UX 2.0 or InSoFast EX 2.5 panels to achieve maximum insulation and air-tightness in the minimum amount of space.
In terms of cost, InSoFast offers shipping container insulation packages that range from $1,981.00 to $2,538.60 for standard 20-foot containers with 8-foot ceilings to $3,197.00 to $4,756.20 for 40-foot containers with high cube 9-foot ceilings. Orders can be customized to fit your budget and needs. For a Container quote:
InSoFast, LLC, established in 2006, develops energy efficient building systems that exceed present and future energy codes, outperform the competition, and simplify the construction process.
Our innovative closed-cell, injection-molded EPS foam container insulation panels are manufactured and shipped to project sites across the country from our manufacturing facilities in Idaho, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
Visit the InSoFast website to learn more about the cost of our EPS foam shipping container insulation panels and inserts, or call us today at (888) 501-7899. We would be delighted to answer any questions you may have!
