The core principle of vibration damping is to apply a layer of soundproofing material to metal surfaces that are vibrating, or resonating sound. This extra layer acts as a shock absorber to resist the energy of the vibrations, thus “deadening” a lot of the noise. On the types of sound deadening material – mats versus a car soundproofing spray – the products at Second Skin Audio have a lot of similarities, and many people choose to use them in tandem. What you choose often comes down to your preference, so let’s get down to the details.

Application Strategies

Both mats and spray on sound deadener are applied directly to metal. For interior use of either material, best practice is to strip your vehicle down to fully expose the metal surface. Sound deadening mats come in sheets and you can cut them to size with a sharp utility knife. You should make sure the mats you choose come with a strong adhesive on one side to to ensure they stay in place once installed.

To apply liquid deadener, we recommend using a spray gun to get an even coat across the board, although some folks prefer to simply paint it on with a brush. There are liquid sound deadener options that come in an aerosol can, but we can't recommend those for the same reason we don't recommend asphalt mat products. They stink; they don't work as well; and just overall they don't meet our quality standards.

Now for the differences. CLD sound deadening mats and liquid deadeners do vary in terms of cost, application ease/difficulty, and time required to get the job done. As with just about everything in life, both have pros and cons.

Because mats come in large pieces, they’re easy to apply to the large flat parts of your car. On the other hand, liquid deadeners are great for hard-to-reach areas, as the spray offers agility that mats don’t. Many people opt to use a combination of both, using sprays to fill the gaps left between mats or for sound deadening wheel wells and the underbody of the car (a great option for road noise reduction). The luxury of having two premium options is that it really comes down to your preferred application method, so we recommend to go with the option that makes you comfortable.

Take our quiz to find out exactly what product you need.

We offer industry leading solutions for both sound deadening mats and spray on sound deadeners. All Second Skin products are made of superior materials and tested for performance, with our deadening materials offering unparalleled vibration damping, heat ratings, and value per square foot.

Damplifier Pro^TM Sound Deadening Mat

Damplifier Pro™ is our most popular product. Our sound dampening material has a base of dense elastomeric butyl rubber with a 6.5-mil annealed foil constraint layer, able to conform to and form a strong bond with sheet metal, aluminum and other solid materials, including fiberglass. Installation is fairly simple – just cut to size, peel to reveal the built-in adhesive, and stick. Damplifier Pro™ is the most effective sound deadening material for trucks and cars for low temperatures and has the highest heat resistance of any competing products. These mats are built to last and will perform for the life of any vehicle.

Sound Deadening Paint for cars - Spectrum^TM Liquid Deadener Spray

Essentially a sound deadening paint, our Spectrum™ spray on sound deadener has been a leading car insulation solution for over a decade. We tested dozens of formulations before deciding on the best combination of properties to reduce sheet metal resonance and structure-borne noise. Spectrum™ is a water-based, viscoelastic polymer that’s easy to apply, easy to clean and engineered to perform. This sound deadening paint, it will adhere to most anything besides plastic and is perfect for those tough-to-reach parts of your vehicle.

To Spray or To Brush? That is the question.

It's a good question, and only you can answer it. Brushing is the most popular choice for applying Spectrum because it’s so easy to use a paint brush or roller. Simply dip a paintbrush into the bucket and paint Spectrum™ on any metal surface. Spraying, however, is the most efficient method for coating large surface areas. If you have a spray gun and a compressor, it’s the fastest and easiest way to apply your sound deadening spray.

It's good to have options. Especially when both are awesome. Both Damplifier Pro™ and Spectrum™ are best-of-their-kind solutions to stopping metal vibrations. Chances are... at some point during this article (or from prior experience), you started leaning towards one particular application method. That's the one you should go with.

Or... you can do BOTH! There are several scenarios where it may make sense to use both Spectrum and Damplifier Pro.

• You want to treat the interior metal (doors, floor, trunk, hood, roof, firewall) with Damplifier Pro and the exterior metal (wheel wells, undercoating) with Spectrum.
• You want to use Damplifier Pro as the primary deadener, but prefer the seamless finish of Spectrum as that top coat.
• You're competing in SPL competitions or have some other cause of SERIOUS sound pressure.

Whether you prefer to spray or brush on Spectrum™ Liquid Deadener or peel and stick the self-adhesive Damplifier Pro™, you’re in for a whole new driving experience with your much quieter ride. Both products perform really well, much better than a lot of cheap peal and seal sound deadening alternatives on the market.

You want us to choose for you? That's like asking us to pick our favorite child. We couldn't possibly! However, we would love to discuss your project with you and help you come to a decision that's just right for you. Drop us a message or give us a call!

Call us at 1.800.679.8511