Let me start off by saying that this is a quick tutorial and informative guide to sound deadening. This can be used for any vehicle, not just CB7s.
Included is information about the types of products available, some do's and don'ts, as well as some good general knowledge. This is by no way the say all and end all to sound deadening, just my observations, knowledge, and insight.
I have been sound deadening and insulating vehicles for several years now and believe I have a very good grasp of what it takes to achieve a quiet ride, either for a luxury car sound and feel or to kill those irritating rattles and vibrations that come with a thumping audio system.
What you do and how you do it is all up to you. I am not responsible for any damage caused to you, your vehicle, family, friends, dog, the cute little girl next door, or anyone or anything else.
Proceed at your own risk.
___________________________________________
Q. What is sound deadening?
A. Sound deadening is a vague term that refers to a variety of materials and techniques used to make a vehicle quieter. This is typically achieved by applying "vibration mats" throughout the vehicle. Other means are liquid coatings, foams, and heavy vinyl sheets (all of which I will go into detail about).
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Q. Is sound deadening something I should do?
A. It depends. Some people do it to reduce or stop rattles associated with big booming systems. Others do it to achieve a better listening environment for their music, a quieter interior equals better sounding music. Others do it to achieve a luxury car sound and feel. Others do it to reduce engine, exhaust, and tire noise. So there are many reasons as to why people do it and if see yourself falling into one of the above categories, then you might consider doing it.
___________________________________________
Q. Ok, I think I want to tackle my car, what materials should I look for?
A. There are a lot of different companies and materials to consider when it comes to sound deadening. Let's break this down into four major categories. CLDs (constrained layer damper), liquid coatings, MLVs (mass loaded vinyls) and foam products.
CLDs consist of an adhesive/damping layer (like rubber) and a constraining layer (typically aluminum). These can range from thick to thin and from light to heavy. However just because one is thicker or heavier then another, doesn't necessarily mean it's a better product. Some companies use a bitumen or asphalt and rubber blend as their adhesive/damping layer, these are the ones you should avoid. They are cheaply made and are poor performers.
After CLDs, you'll find liquid sound deadening products or noise and vibration coatings. These products work practically in the same way as CLDs do, just that they are sprayed, brushed, or rolled on instead of peel and stuck on like CLDs. There are actually few of these liquid products on the market that don't work as advertised. If the same company produces a CLD that is top notch, their liquid product(s) will more then likely be top notch.
MLVs, these products typically come in two forms, with and without foam attached to them. MLVs work by actually blocking and reflecting the noise. MLVs should be combined with some form of vibration damping to be effective, so the use of CLDs or liquid coatings is recommended before using MLV products. As mentioned above, there are typically two types of MLVs, with and without foam attached. The foam that comes preatached to some of the vinyl products acts as a decoupler to "float" the vinyl above the surface, thus giving the vinyl a buffer zone and NOT to transfer the vibrations directly to the vinyl. The foam also acts as somewhat of a noise/sound filter, but that is not what it's intended purpose is for.
And then you have foams, most common being CCF (closed cell foam). These products range from 1/8" thick to 1/2", some are closed cell foams, others are open celled foam. Foams, just like MLVs, should be used in conjunction with some form of vibration damping to seen as useful or effective for blocking/absorbing noise. However the best and most common use for these products is to prevent and stop panel vibrations/rattles/buzzing, basically they act as a cushion between panels.
So there are your most common types of sound deadening materials.
___________________________________________
Q. About how much material should I expect to use when doing my vehicle?
A. This is probably the hardest and most common question I get asked, unfortunately there isn't a one size fits all answer.
There is a science behind how much it will take to make the vehicle quieter. As little as 25% of any panel needs to be covered with a CLD to achieve noticeable results. Most people opt for 100% coverage of all panels... that is not recommended unless you are some sort of noise Nazi or a serious SPL competitor.
So the best answer I can give is measure your own vehicle with a tape measure. It's not hard and will give you a very good estimate as to how much material you will need.
___________________________________________
Q. Ok... I understand the different products and how the work, I even have a good idea on how much to buy... now where do I purchase it?
A. There are a good handful of reputable companies that make and sell sound deadening products and unfortunately there are about the same amount of companies that aren't reputable and are just out to make a buck. Below you will find names of companies that I've dealt with personally and what I've seen from their products and companies as a whole.
Dynamic Control, aka, Dynamat. This is probably the most well known sound deadening company/product out there. Their products work as advertised, just that they are a bit costly. Customer support is lacking.
Second Skin Audio. My personal favorite. Their products work as advertised. Customer support is better then most any other company. And their products are priced lower then most of the companies.
RAMaudio. I've had slight issues with their CLD mat (comes on a roll), still one of the better companies to deal with. Great price point on their products. Customer support top notch.
Elemental Designs. Not my favorite company to deal with. I've had several issues with their rolled CLD products as well as their customer service. Price, not bad, but like I said their product quality is suspect.
FatMat. You'll see this on eBay 99% of the time. It's cheap, doesn't work, and customer service is nonexistent.
There are a couple of other companies and brands, just that those are the most commonly known and used.
___________________________________________
Q. Is there a right or wrong way to apply these products?
A. Oddly enough you can use these products incorrectly, in other terms you can waste them.
For this part I will break this down into areas, starting with the trunk.
The trunk is probably the second most deadened area of a car (doors being the first). Average square footage needed is around 40 sq. ft. of mat, some more, some less. This is what you would call 100% coverage:
Every last inch covered with Damplifier. Unfortunately the results gained from covering every last inch isn't noticeable to the naked ear. For example I used 36 sq. ft. to cover what you see in the picture, however the same results can be produced by covering as little as 50% instead of 100%. This would mean you'd actually use less then 20 sq. ft. instead of 36 sq. ft., less product used, less money wasted, and you would see similar results, at least results that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between just by listening. An example of an area that I could have left uncovered is 1-3 inches around the welded area of the trunk and the wheel wells.
These areas are reenforced and don't resonate all that much (if any), so applying sound deadening to these areas is unwarranted and unnecessary. Something that doesn't resonate doesn't need to be deadened.
Now 1-3 inches around a reenforced/weld area doesn't seem like much, but while you are doing an entire car it all adds up, saving your material to use in more important areas.
While we are still in the trunk lets take a look at the package shelf, aka the rear deck. I think this area is still somewhat debatable in terms of what sound deadening will do for it. If you are applying sound deadening to help quiet your ride, there is pretty much zero reason for you to even consider addressing it. Now if you have some speakers installed in it OR have a sub in the trunk, then you might want to consider tackling it. And even then you might even want to consider using a foam product instead to see if that fixes the problem. I for one applied 6 sq. ft. to the underside of the deck.
Did it help? Well I don't/didn't have a sub in the trunk and the rear deck wasn't resonating, so applying the sound deadening to the rear deck didn't do a whole lot for me. So in my eyes this was an area that I wasted product on.
Included is information about the types of products available, some do's and don'ts, as well as some good general knowledge. This is by no way the say all and end all to sound deadening, just my observations, knowledge, and insight.
I have been sound deadening and insulating vehicles for several years now and believe I have a very good grasp of what it takes to achieve a quiet ride, either for a luxury car sound and feel or to kill those irritating rattles and vibrations that come with a thumping audio system.
What you do and how you do it is all up to you. I am not responsible for any damage caused to you, your vehicle, family, friends, dog, the cute little girl next door, or anyone or anything else.
Proceed at your own risk.
___________________________________________
Q. What is sound deadening?
A. Sound deadening is a vague term that refers to a variety of materials and techniques used to make a vehicle quieter. This is typically achieved by applying "vibration mats" throughout the vehicle. Other means are liquid coatings, foams, and heavy vinyl sheets (all of which I will go into detail about).
___________________________________________
Q. Is sound deadening something I should do?
A. It depends. Some people do it to reduce or stop rattles associated with big booming systems. Others do it to achieve a better listening environment for their music, a quieter interior equals better sounding music. Others do it to achieve a luxury car sound and feel. Others do it to reduce engine, exhaust, and tire noise. So there are many reasons as to why people do it and if see yourself falling into one of the above categories, then you might consider doing it.
___________________________________________
Q. Ok, I think I want to tackle my car, what materials should I look for?
A. There are a lot of different companies and materials to consider when it comes to sound deadening. Let's break this down into four major categories. CLDs (constrained layer damper), liquid coatings, MLVs (mass loaded vinyls) and foam products.
CLDs consist of an adhesive/damping layer (like rubber) and a constraining layer (typically aluminum). These can range from thick to thin and from light to heavy. However just because one is thicker or heavier then another, doesn't necessarily mean it's a better product. Some companies use a bitumen or asphalt and rubber blend as their adhesive/damping layer, these are the ones you should avoid. They are cheaply made and are poor performers.
After CLDs, you'll find liquid sound deadening products or noise and vibration coatings. These products work practically in the same way as CLDs do, just that they are sprayed, brushed, or rolled on instead of peel and stuck on like CLDs. There are actually few of these liquid products on the market that don't work as advertised. If the same company produces a CLD that is top notch, their liquid product(s) will more then likely be top notch.
MLVs, these products typically come in two forms, with and without foam attached to them. MLVs work by actually blocking and reflecting the noise. MLVs should be combined with some form of vibration damping to be effective, so the use of CLDs or liquid coatings is recommended before using MLV products. As mentioned above, there are typically two types of MLVs, with and without foam attached. The foam that comes preatached to some of the vinyl products acts as a decoupler to "float" the vinyl above the surface, thus giving the vinyl a buffer zone and NOT to transfer the vibrations directly to the vinyl. The foam also acts as somewhat of a noise/sound filter, but that is not what it's intended purpose is for.
And then you have foams, most common being CCF (closed cell foam). These products range from 1/8" thick to 1/2", some are closed cell foams, others are open celled foam. Foams, just like MLVs, should be used in conjunction with some form of vibration damping to seen as useful or effective for blocking/absorbing noise. However the best and most common use for these products is to prevent and stop panel vibrations/rattles/buzzing, basically they act as a cushion between panels.
So there are your most common types of sound deadening materials.
___________________________________________
Q. About how much material should I expect to use when doing my vehicle?
A. This is probably the hardest and most common question I get asked, unfortunately there isn't a one size fits all answer.
There is a science behind how much it will take to make the vehicle quieter. As little as 25% of any panel needs to be covered with a CLD to achieve noticeable results. Most people opt for 100% coverage of all panels... that is not recommended unless you are some sort of noise Nazi or a serious SPL competitor.
So the best answer I can give is measure your own vehicle with a tape measure. It's not hard and will give you a very good estimate as to how much material you will need.
___________________________________________
Q. Ok... I understand the different products and how the work, I even have a good idea on how much to buy... now where do I purchase it?
A. There are a good handful of reputable companies that make and sell sound deadening products and unfortunately there are about the same amount of companies that aren't reputable and are just out to make a buck. Below you will find names of companies that I've dealt with personally and what I've seen from their products and companies as a whole.
Dynamic Control, aka, Dynamat. This is probably the most well known sound deadening company/product out there. Their products work as advertised, just that they are a bit costly. Customer support is lacking.
Second Skin Audio. My personal favorite. Their products work as advertised. Customer support is better then most any other company. And their products are priced lower then most of the companies.
RAMaudio. I've had slight issues with their CLD mat (comes on a roll), still one of the better companies to deal with. Great price point on their products. Customer support top notch.
Elemental Designs. Not my favorite company to deal with. I've had several issues with their rolled CLD products as well as their customer service. Price, not bad, but like I said their product quality is suspect.
FatMat. You'll see this on eBay 99% of the time. It's cheap, doesn't work, and customer service is nonexistent.
There are a couple of other companies and brands, just that those are the most commonly known and used.
___________________________________________
Q. Is there a right or wrong way to apply these products?
A. Oddly enough you can use these products incorrectly, in other terms you can waste them.
For this part I will break this down into areas, starting with the trunk.
The trunk is probably the second most deadened area of a car (doors being the first). Average square footage needed is around 40 sq. ft. of mat, some more, some less. This is what you would call 100% coverage:
Every last inch covered with Damplifier. Unfortunately the results gained from covering every last inch isn't noticeable to the naked ear. For example I used 36 sq. ft. to cover what you see in the picture, however the same results can be produced by covering as little as 50% instead of 100%. This would mean you'd actually use less then 20 sq. ft. instead of 36 sq. ft., less product used, less money wasted, and you would see similar results, at least results that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between just by listening. An example of an area that I could have left uncovered is 1-3 inches around the welded area of the trunk and the wheel wells.
These areas are reenforced and don't resonate all that much (if any), so applying sound deadening to these areas is unwarranted and unnecessary. Something that doesn't resonate doesn't need to be deadened.
Now 1-3 inches around a reenforced/weld area doesn't seem like much, but while you are doing an entire car it all adds up, saving your material to use in more important areas.
While we are still in the trunk lets take a look at the package shelf, aka the rear deck. I think this area is still somewhat debatable in terms of what sound deadening will do for it. If you are applying sound deadening to help quiet your ride, there is pretty much zero reason for you to even consider addressing it. Now if you have some speakers installed in it OR have a sub in the trunk, then you might want to consider tackling it. And even then you might even want to consider using a foam product instead to see if that fixes the problem. I for one applied 6 sq. ft. to the underside of the deck.
Did it help? Well I don't/didn't have a sub in the trunk and the rear deck wasn't resonating, so applying the sound deadening to the rear deck didn't do a whole lot for me. So in my eyes this was an area that I wasted product on.
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