DIY Sound Deadening Materials for Cars That Works

Why do you need to soundproof your car? If you do, what is the most affordable way to do it?

When you hit the road, soundproofing your car is the next best thing you want to do if you never want to ride in a noisy car. But more importantly, road noise is an annoying element while driving.

Using sound-deadening materials for your car is the best way to mitigate the sounds you hear around you. We are not recommending a sound-free car but a vehicle that will eliminate nasty road noise while driving.

Most car owners would place carpets and foams to soundproof the trunk, but others use cost-effective materials. Why?

• DIY car sound-deadening materials are readily available.
• Car owners prefer DIY car sound deadening to save on cost.
• Car soundproof DIY saves you more time.

Where Does Sound Originate?

To know how to sound deaden your car, investigate where those noisy sounds originate.

Mechanical parts

The main component where the sound comes from is the engine. A roaring engine sound could mean that there is insufficient fuel going into it.

That’s why it creates a harsh, rocking noise. Damaged mufflers or dirty spark plugs also cause a pesty sound.

PRO TIP: Lubricating the car engine and its components helps in reducing rattling noise.

Poor road quality

Bumpy roads or roads with cracks and uneven surfaces add to the irritating noise in the car. Rough roads cause traffic. Poor traffic causes noise pollution.

Why? The sound of engines and horns from nearby cars is quite loud when your vehicle isn’t soundproof.

Tires

Because car tires rotate, they initiate sound with friction against the road surface. Air pockets trapped in between tire treads and pavement pop out due to pressure. Not fully inflated tires create a loud noise.

How Can You Get Rid of These Unwanted Noises?

The answer is simple: install car noise insulation materials.

Soundproofing your car can be done in different ways. How?

• Lay sound-deadening pads on the floor.
• Stick insulation pads on car doors, including boot doors.
• Choose the best sound-deadening materials for cars.

Sound-deadening materials for your car can be installed DIY. And this is a cheaper version to make your automobile soundproof. But before you make your hands dirty, it is better to be enlightened about how a soundproofing material works.

First, you need to know what to look for in sound-deadening material.

1. Sound isolation purpose: Sound-deadening materials can either serve as a sound blocker or sound absorber. The description of sound isolation is relatively intuitive. And obviously, you want both functions if you wish to get away with rattling sounds.

If you are more concerned about the type of sound that will resonate inside your car, meaning if you are keen on enhancing the sound of your car speakers, you would prefer a sound absorber. Of this type, music from your speakers will sound better, with a more thumping bass sound.

2. Type of material: Sound insulation materials also come in different styles or feels. The usability of these materials may overlap in terms of absorption levels of resonance, sound waves, and vibrations.
   1. Mats—These sound insulators are laid to cover car floors and panels.
   2. Foams—Can be used along with a soundproofing mat or placed underneath the carpets. They serve as sound-deadening pads because they absorb sound. However, foams are thicker and bulkier, adding weight to your car.
   3. Sprays—Sometimes, laying mats and foams is complicated for tricky areas, such as doors and farthest corners and crevices on the car floor, so sound-deadening spray insulation is another option for such situations.

Spray insulation is also excellent for sound deadening when used in dampening machines, but it isn’t as effective as foams and mats for softening irritating sounds.

Of the three types of materials, mats and foams work in many ways. Aside from isolating sound, they also serve to keep the temperature inside your vehicle.

While we aim to emphasize cheaply soundproofing your car, we will persist in recommending DIY car sound deadening.

PRO TIP: Having the right soundproofing product will do the job of making your vehicle quieter.

Best DIY Sound Deadening Material for Cars

1. Noico Car Sound Deadening Mat – For Car Engine

Noico Car Sound Deadening mat is a 2mm, 36 square feet mat made of butyl rubber and foil for automotive sound deadening and heat insulation.

Noico Solutions manufacture this product. Each box contains nine sheets with 29.5 x 19.5 inches that can cover a maximum area of 36 sq ft. The package does not include a sound-deadening roller.

You can only install the mat from the interior side of the car. Before affixing the mat:

• Make sure that the surface is clean and dry.
• Rub the surface with a cleaning agent to have better adhesion.
• Conduct a test fit before peeling off the protective film.
• Flatten the mat along the surface using your thumb and a roller to ensure no air bubbles are present.

The butyl rubber and aluminum foil mat insulate and deaden sound effectively, as its density and thickness enhance its absorbing power on sound and vibration.

This car insulation mat is cost-effective as it is 20% cheaper than its competitors; it is 1.5 times thicker for better insulation with its 80 mil feature and optimal weight to achieve maximum soundproofing.

The Noico Car Sound Deadening Mat is easy to install, self-adhesive, and comes in a metallic finish.

Best to use in trunks where the engine is and on doors, roofs, and floors where external sound would mostly come from.

2. FatMat Self-Adhesive Black Butyl MegaMat Sound Deadener

Manufactured by FatMat Sound Control Inc, the FatMat MegaMat boasts its bulk pack that comes with an installation kit-decal, knife, roller, and simple instructions to follow.

• The 25 square feet x 70 mil pack comes in a set of five 18 x 40-inch sheets. And the unique take is the kit comes with the tools you need for installation.
• This foam is easy to install with its peel-off film that effectively fuses sheet metal and other hard surfaces. As with different types of mats, you can lay the FatMat on the floor while ensuring the floor is clean, dry, and free of grease so it will adhere well.
• The FatMat has an elegant black finish and butyl rubber with a protective aluminum face. It is best for getting rid of vibrations with its anti-vibration membrane, giving you less distorted sound but more quality sound.

The engine and wheels produce a raucous sound, so we recommended applying the mat in the trunk and hood. However, for long drives and you want to get rid of road sounds, laying a mat on the floor will do just fine.

If you are a sound enthusiast and want your car to have the best acoustic quality, the FatMat is your best choice. It is also perfect for robust vehicles like trucks, RVs, and marine vessels.

3. Dynamat Thick Self-Adhesive Sound Deadener

If you are looking for a dynamic sound deadener mat that appeals to your car’s speaker system, the Dynamat 10455 is for you.

Each pack, exclusive of rollers and other implements, contains nine mats with a total dimension of 21 L x 12 W x 3 H in inches.

• Measure the surface area you want to cover before cutting to avoid having to put away unused remnants.
• Do a sound level reading before installing if you like to see the difference after laying the mat.
• As always, prep the surface clean and dry, and install the mat straightforwardly as it does not require any adhesives.

Dynamat has an excellent sound-deadening material against metal. Though it doesn’t completely do away with the sound, it is something that you need for your car when you want to block low-frequency noise.

Examples of these sounds are rumbling thunder, avalanches, or waves, and their frequency sends annoyance and trembling fear to your ears.

Best to use on car floors and roof if you wish to get rid of intense sound from the road beneath or the rain above.

4. Noico RED 150 mil 18 sq ft Car Sound Insulation

Noico RED 150 mil is the most cost-effective sound-deadening material available. Its RED is due to the color at the back of the gray foam when you remove the protective sheet.

This self-adhesive closed-cell foam has a unique property that serves as a sound and heat insulator.

Other features include:

• Excellent in blocking sound and extreme insulating temperature.
• It reduces noise, prevents water absorption, and doesn’t emit a foul odor. With highly-performing insulation, you can use your car comfortably, even in hot areas.
• Specially designed to eliminate general noise, such as the rattling of a moving car and vibrations. Thus,  it is best for deadening sound in automotive.  Its unmatched soundproofing capabilities in any automotive are what customers look for.
• The multipurpose foam sound deadener is lightweight, waterproof, oil and petrol-proof, excellent in noise reduction and thermal properties, and easy to install.

Noico RED 150 mil fits almost any type of vehicle, like trucks, RVs, buses, SUVs, and cars.

You can place the foam on doors, trunks, roofs, floors, and wheel wells. When used over butyl rubber material, the combination of rubber and foamy surface adds comfort to the interior floor.

5. HushMat 10200 Ultra Black Foil Door Kit with Damping Pad

HushMat effectively eliminates noise resonating from metal vibrations, which is the material of your vehicle. While cars are made of tin, a highly conductive material, sound deadener HushMat is engineered to remove that irritating sound and reduce heat by up to 40%.

Installing HushMat on car doors hushes the slamming sound the metal produces and makes door slamming less annoying.

Product features include:

• Comes with a damping pad.
• The installation comes easy. Just cut the mats according to the size you need, stick them on but still move them with ease when you think you pasted the mats awkwardly.
• It amazingly improves the sound of your speaker system and effectively bars extreme temperatures.

What’s more interesting about HushMat is that there’s no prep or cleaning needed. Yet, what a difference it would make if you had the surface clean and sticker ready.

6. B-Quiet Ultimate The Best Viscoelastic Sound Deadener

Its viscoelastic property allows the mat to stretch and follow the contour of your car space, no matter how tricky the angles are. It also protects your vehicle from mechanical shocks as it reduces the impact of sound and other vibrations coming from the suspension, engine, gears, and roads.

That being said, this product is the best choice for a more peaceful and noiseless ride.

Other features include:

• It has a 65 mil butyl membrane which comes at a 50 square feet roll instead of packs. This provides more flexibility in cutting according to the shapes you need for car panels.
• The product is easy to install with its highly flexible quality and self-adhesive backing that can fit all types of contours in your car’s interior floor.
• It does not melt in high temperatures up to 293 Fahrenheit.
• B-Quiet Ultimate performs at its best on car floors, trunks, hoods, doors, and roofs.

Conclusion

Excessive noise comes from different sources, whether these are airborne noise, car parts noise, or road structure complications that affect your cognitive function, even in driving.

While you have control over our automobiles, you can reduce the impact of unwanted sounds by opting for soundproofing materials that won’t hurt your budget.

By now, you have compared the best deals in sound-deadening materials for your vehicle and know how to DIY car sound deadening.

However, as most of the products come with a kit, it is more likely to avail a sound-deadening roller easily. Nevertheless, it should never be a problem since most of these materials have quick and straightforward installation manuals to follow.

The next best thing to learn is to carefully remove interior parts such as seats, speakers, and other components to access the entire car floor. Then, when you’re all set, start reducing road noise for good.