I am in the procces of building my own food truck but I NEED HELP!!!!!!!

hello everyone!!
My name is Juan and I hav been reading this forums for a while. I feel I am ready tro build my own food truck
but I am stuck and I dont know what kind of insulation to use for behind my hot equipment. I also cannot make up my mind-shuold I use osb or plywood?  My truck is a '98 P30 all aluminum body that used to be a CINTAS truck.  The interior of the truck has been cleaned and stripped to bare bones.  The studs on the wall are 48" apart and it has a fibeglass ceiling.
I am new to this and I can use a lot of help! it seems like everyone here has done it before or can give great advice on what to do.
any help will be great
 

Not sure if OSB or plywood really matters. I think plywood is stronger in regards to screwing things to it. I have plywood behind my FRP and metal walls.

Thanks, I am thinking to use 9/16 osb on the walls and maybe 3/4 plywood behind my hot equipment. Not sure if anyone here has use Osb on any of their builds

OSB is structurally as sound as plywood and usually much less expensive.

And what happens to OSB when it gets wet? It swells and falls apart. With the sweating, moisture in the air, and even the possibility of a leak, and OSB turns to junk. I'd never use OSB in a build. 
Jack

But do you really think OSB will get wet even with the FRP?

I don't know LOL but neither do you. That's the problem. I know I have had a lot of steam in my trailer during different times of the year, and I had a water pump hose break and shoot water all over the place once. Then there was the time I left a case of coke on the sink and it froze and shot coke all over and I mean all over what a mess that was to clean up. LOL God live and learn.
 
Think about doing this just use the FRP with plywood. FRP has been used in restaurants forever. And I don't think they are putting OSB behind it. I know when you build your first unit you want to do everything right. I understand the tendency to also want it strong and to last. That's only natural. And both are good things, but I see guys on here doing way more than necessary in a good faith effort to do both.
 
You can save both material, and labor by using just the FRP and plywood and making sure it has good support. In other words glue a 2 x 2 in between the aluminum studs so you don't have a big span on the FRP. If you get the span down from 3 feet to 24 inches or better yet 18 inches your walls are going to be strong and last forever.And don't forget about insulation in between your wall supports.
 
I'm a big fan of the new coated aluminum sheets. They run around $100.00 to $125.00 for a 4 x 10 foot sheet. I don't remember how long your truck is but if they are hung from front to back instead of up and down it's a very good investment and will last for 20 years and always look great. I have it on the ceiling of my SV. But before I did put it up I took a piece and ran it thru a bunch of test to make sure it would last and was easy to clean. And it is, but you would need something behind it for support. And it may be to expensive for this build and I certainly understand that.
 
I have never worked with FRP as I said but OSB is not good in what from time to time can be at best a damp environment. The use of OSB is a gamble in my mind.
 
good luck
jack

I used 1/4 inch underlayment plywood ($11 a sheet) to support the FRP panel. My wall studs are 12 inch on center. I also have 2 inch foam insulations, which also acts as support. I screwed the underlayment to the walls and used High impact rivets (for FRP) to secure the FRP to the walls. U would never now how thick my walls are if you pressed on them. They are very stiff. As for working with FRP the best tool i found to cut the stuff is a electric sheet metal shears. They are a lung/hand saver!!!

glz.juanc,
Your from Ohio so Illinois isn't like driving across country, but there is a guy here in Springfield Illinois that builds many different products for the government, big chain restaurants, and industrial use. You'll his his web address and phone number. I passed it on to another builder here on RF a year or so ago. Before you buy FRP Check this out:
 
Prime Panels is the name of the company and the owner is Tom Nudo (New-doe) 217-789-7898
Custom Laminated Panels. ... Corporate Address - 2651 Colt Road, Springfield, IL 62707 Phone - (217) 789-7898 Toll Free - (800) 990-3468 Fax - (217)789-7897.

The fluted Poly Laminated Panels are what I was talking about. I wish he had better pictures posted on his internet site. But he will send you samples. : http://www.primepanels.com/
 

Prime Panels: custom laminated panels

Our Prime Panels are created by bonding specified surface materials to chosen substrates (listed below). The combination of surface material and substrate will depend on your needs. Smooth or textured, single or double sided—our panels can be stain-, odor-, scratch-, and water-resistant.
Because our panels are durable and easy to clean, they are ideal in both interior and exterior settings. Walls, ceilings, partitions, signs—the applications are nearly endless!
 

Food Service/Restaurants

• Freezers
• Kitchens
• Restrooms
• Cold Storage
• Meat Packing/Prep Areas
• Bakeries
• Canneries
• Cafeterias

Tom goes 100 mph so it may be difficult to get him on the phone we are in the CST time zone I'd suggest an early morning call if you want to catch him and speak with him personally, in fact I'd bet he is in the shop right at 7:00 am our time.  Good luck........... if you need anything else let me know.

I get it. I been doing some test with the osb and plywood and like Jack said before, once it gets wet it falls apart.
So what I think I am going to do is add some more support to the truck by adding a 2'x1' aluminum studs every 24'. Use 1/2' plywood all around the truck, use 1/4' on the ceiling and cover the plywood with Frp. Except for behind the hot equipment. Now Jack, you mention coated aluminum witch it seems not to be as expensive as 18g ss. Did you use it behind hot equipment? Is it easy to clean? Does it fade after time?
I really appreciate all of you guys input
Thank you!

The other question is. What works better, pink boards or foam? It seems like a lot of ppl use foam for their insulation. Where do you buy it? And how do you apply it? And last but not least what do you use behind the hot equipment?

 
I used a product from Prime Panels. Tom had only been open a few months back then but I had known the family in their other business for years. What I used was a brand new product it's a corrugated plastic with stainless steel glued to it. 
 
Think of it like this if you look at some cardboard boxes that have a box shape between to layers of cardboard. It's a stiff plastic panel 4 x 8 with stainless steel glued to one side.
It looks like this:

The plastic is light but the corrugated plastic makes it pretty strong. And because it's corrugated and strong you can use a thinner stainless. It works very well or at least has for 8 years. 
 
The coated aluminum could be used anywhere, but behind your cooking equipment you need a dead air space between your surface and the truck wall not sure I'm explaining that very well. 
 
You just don't want the heat to transfer through the wall to insulation. There isn't much chance of it starting a fire but it could happen. I'd check with your local fire department on that issue.
 
good luck
 
jack

What was the price?

glz.juanc
What was the price?

 
geez that has been 8 years ago.........I'm thinking he charged me around 80 to 90 dollars a sheet.
Maybe less I just don't remember for sure but hell call him he is most likely in the office already and
tell him you'll pay with cash (not a check) when you pick it up. Tell him the Dr of BBQ told you about
the company and product it may not help but it won't hurt.
Jack

Thanks!

Dr of BBQ


And what happens to OSB when it gets wet? It swells and falls apart. With the sweating, moisture in the air, and even the possibility of a leak, and OSB turns to junk. I'd never use OSB in a build. 
Jack

 
OSB is not the same as particle board made from saw dust.    I have a piece of OSB that has been setting outside in the rain for more than 3 years. It has not fell a part and still strong and usable. The edge has swelled a little, but so does wood.     ... I have a neighbor that build  a 20x20 utility building using OSB for siding with one coat of red paint.   The building is 12 years old and there is no problem with the OSB.

What did other builders use for insulation behind hot equipment?

Per codes there is not supposed to be any flammable materials within the wall.   Metal studs and mineral wool insulation would be good choice or other non-flammable insulation with a metal panel.   The heat shield & 1 inch air gap Dr. BBQ mentioned above is to stop radiant heat and allow air current to move the heat out and away from the wall.
 
Many builders have install plywood with SS over the the wood.    Your choice!

juan, a great cheap fire barrier is sheet rock. it wont burn and is durable but get the green sheetrock used in baths and kitchens. ive installed probably 20 vent hoods in 20 yrs and codes in brick and mortar buildings call for 2 hr firewall which is 2 sheets of 1/2" rock. you wont need that much just one sheet. you can also use tile board too much considerably more expensive. be sure to use a silicone at every seam and at the floor and ceilings to keep water and moisture out. i leave a 1/4" off the floor so it wont suck up water and fill that gap with cleap silicone caulking. you can get that and all insulation at home depot or lowes. use a constuction adhesive and screws to install it like liquid nails and a caulking gun. dont use aluminum behind cooking equip as it wont stand up to harsh degreasers, stainless only. the white sided alum is cheap and will be great on ceilings or walls. ive got a company who sells it as cheap as frp so pm me a phone number and ill forward info. good luck and keep posting updates.

also osb on the walls is fine. plywood on ceilings and at floor level around most of water during cleanout.

Thanks! The web page don't let me do pm's yet because I haven't reach my 15 days yet. But here is my number 216. 902-1831

Thanks! I went to lowes today and I bought all of my wood for the walls 19/36 plywood is what I am using on the walls 1/4" plywood on the ceiling and 1/2" on the floor. I am using blue board from home depot R6.5. And I still don't know what to do behind hot equipment. I like the idea of sheet rock. Does it go like this? sheet rock and stainless or sheet rock, plywood and stainless?

Sheet rock is very heavy and can not be allowed to get wet it will mold!
I think one of the above post was referring to was what we call cement board. But that's not necessary ether. Let me ask this; How much space between your outer wall and the plywood your putting up on the interior? If you have 3 inches give or take you'll be fine with just dead air (no insulation) and a slightly heaver sheet of stainless steel.
 
Stop for a moment and think how hot is a back wall or side wall going to get? Not that hot with an exhaust fan pulling the heat off your cooking area all day. And especially not the back wall with your gas line coming in which keeps, the grill or broiler 4 or 5 inches from the back wall. And a deep fryer sits even farther out. So don't stress yourself about all that. You'll be ok.
 
 
 

Thanks DRof BBQ!
I have 1 inch from the outer wall to the inside wall. The equipment will sit about 6 inches away from the wall.
Will c what I end up doing. I will post some pics as soon as I complete my 30 posts and my 15 days. :)

My trailer is all metal studs, rigid insulation, frp & stainless behind the hot line. There is no need for Sheetrock, cement board, etc.
Final word is with whoever regulates the construction of food trucks in your area.
Washington is pretty strict , they are regulated by labor & industries (another tax) and is much like the building dept. they enforce many of the same codes.
My back wall has 8' of equipment, it's warm to the touch but not hot.