The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Automotive Insulation

All cars need insulation. All cars have insulation, although the amount and quality depends on the vehicle’s make and model. If you’ve found your way to this guide, we’d be willing to bet that your car has a problem. Maybe you have too much noise in the cabin, which could mean unwanted road noises or an audio system that’s not delivering the type of sound you paid for. Maybe you have too much heat, because that sports car just isn't as fun to drive when it's cooking your feet. Whether you’re dealing with noise or heat, we have the insulation options to help you put those problems in the rear view mirror (sorry, bad pun), and get back to enjoying your ride.

If you’re like us, when you do a thing you want it done right. But how do you decide if a thing is even worth doing in the first place? It's hard to rationalize paying for something you don’t understand. Because we spend so much time in our vehicles, soundproofing a car is one of those things that can pay big dividends to your quality of life. Ironically though, it's also the kind of thing that when done right you won't see it or hear it. It's like the time you finally decided to splurge on a bed because you spend 1/3 of your life in it. You didn't even know what you were missing until you upgraded.

Like with many things in life, automotive sound insulation is one area in which it pays to be strategic and work smarter, not harder. There is no cure-all to create the vehicle of your dreams, and you should be wary of anyone trying to sell you one (it’s more likely a cure-none). If you approach car insulation the right way, it’s a three step process to turn any vehicle into a luxury car. The more you know, the more cost-effective you can be and the better results you’ll get when soundproofing your car.

If you need cost comparison information, read our article how much does it cost to sound deaden a car for the full breakdown.

The noise that enters your car is not all the in same. Understanding the type of noise and method of entry will help you treat the root of your sound problem. There are two types of noise you’ll experience in a car:

Once we uncover the source of your noise problem, we can determine the best method for stopping it. There are three noise-cancelling methods, each with its role to play:

Depending on your vehicle and your goals, you may just need a little help in one of these areas or you may be thinking about a full-on interior rebuild. Wherever you find yourself on that continuum, we have the tools and the know-how to help you achieve your car soundproofing goals! To aid you in your journey, we've put together a handy graphic that we have appropriately called the "Automotive Insulation Guide."

If you’re restoring a classic car, fixing up an old work truck, or driving a vehicle that naturally creates a lot of sound, you need to deaden that metal. Over 20 years of testing, we’ve found the best materials for automotive sound deadening to be:

• Butyl rubber: an odorless, synthetic rubber which we enhance with increased elastomeric properties. Butyl rubber is tough; it’s what holds the air in your tires.
• Viscoelastic acrylic polymer: Liquid material highly effective in reducing vibrations. Viscoelastic materials are such an effective shock absorber that at one point, one was wrapped around the Liberty Bell to protect it from further cracking.

Second Skin has proprietary formulas for both our sound deadening mat and sound deadening spray products, and is the only American made manufacturer currently offering high quality options for both types of deadening.

If you feel like your car makes an incredible amount of road or tire noise, you’re likely in need of a noise barrier to keep those roaring noises outside of your vehicle. We use sound blockers to create a barrier layer that acts as a wall between you and the noise, effectively turning your car into a soundproof booth. To get the best results, you need to first apply a sound deadening product to reduce the amount of noise your car is creating, and then add the sound blocking layer to create a barrier to stop the noise. Installing car floor insulation, trunk insulation, and car door insulation are some great ways to create a bubble of protection.

The best material for sound blocking in a car is an automotive sound barrier. Any good sound blocker needs to be dense, limp, and flexible enough to contour to the curves of your car - allowing you to create as close to an unbroken barrier layer as possible. We have two high quality, American-made options for mass loaded vinyl.

The final touch to eliminate unwanted noise in your car is installing sound deadening foam or jute. With the right products installed, echoes and irritating noise interference will be a thing of the past. One of the advantages of sound absorbers is that they’re so versatile — the best also act as reliable decouplers and heat insulators. If you're unsure what foam is right for you, you may want to read up on open vs closed cell foam.

Second Skin is very selective with the foams and jutes in our sound absorbing automotive insulation products.

• Melamine foam - Used globally in pipe insulation and auditorium soundproofing. The hydrophobic melamine foam (HMF) is particularly useful in cars, as it is waterproof and has a high resistance to heat. HMF is generally accepted as the highest quality solution for sound absorption in vehicles.
• Jute - Jute is a natural fiber often spun into thick layers of matting used for sound absorption. High-quality jute sound absorbing materials are plush and great natural insulators.
• Closed-cell foam - Unlike open cell foam, high density closed cell foam is impermeable to air and water resistant, making it a good choice for adding heat insulation. Closed cell foam is most effective when used as a decoupler between hard surfaces like rattling plastic panels.