This tool helps builders navigate the “Headroom vs. Warmth” dilemma. It visualizes the difference between stuffing insulation inside the trailer frame (saving height but freezing your toes due to thermal bridging) versus building a “False Floor” on top (losing 4-6 inches of loft clearance but creating a cozy, decoupled thermal envelope).
It includes a “Cold Foot Simulator” that visually demonstrates how cold steel conducts temperature through the floor if not properly isolated.
Floor Insulation Strategy
In-Frame vs. False Floor: Weighing warmth against headroom.
Headroom Loss
0“
Effective R-Value
R-0
The Trade-Off
In-Frame (Direct)
- Pros: Maximizes loft headroom (critical for 13’6″ height limit). Low center of gravity.
- Cons: Steel conducts cold directly to the subfloor. Requires meticulous spray foam work to prevent road spray intrusion. Floors will feel cold in winter.
False Floor
- Pros: Breaks the thermal bridge (wood sits on steel). Easy to run plumbing/ducts without drilling steel. Much warmer feet.
- Cons: You lose 4-6 inches of height. This comes directly out of your sleeping loft headroom.