Undercoating is an extra layer of aftermarket protection and insulation you can apply to the undercarriage of your vehicle, which includes parts of the chassis, exhaust, suspension, and wheel wells. Manufacturers may apply undercoating at the factory, but in certain environments it can make sense to re-apply or to upgrade.

Deaden Road Noise

Road noise is caused by a combination of your car's structural construction, the tires you're driving on, and the condition of the road. Applying a sound deadening undercoating will reduce the vibrations as you drive, making a big dent in your car's structural noise. When your vehicle is in motion, the structural noise it creates is a result of its moving parts. Vibrations, rattles, metal-on-metal sounds — they’re all structural noise. The way to combat that noise on the underside of your vehicle is with a liquid deadener undercoating. 

It would seem obvious for car manufacturers to install high-quality undercoating to vehicles off the line, but that’s usually not the case. Instead, it’s left on the consumer to apply deadening and protection to their vehicle’s undercarriage.

If you drive on dirt or gravel roads, have performance tires, or drive a hot rod or truck, a sound deadening undercoating will reduce noise in your car. Even If you’re not in one of these situations, if you’re experiencing road noise, an undercoat of sound deadener may be a good solution for you. A sound deadening undercoating will:

• Reduce overall structural noise from your vehicle
• Shield critical parts of your car from rust and debris
• Add automotive heat insulation to reduce heat transfer (like for RV underbelly insulation)

At Second Skin Audio, we've formulated an undercoating we call Spectrum™, a liquid deadener that can be applied with a brush, roller, or spray gun. For applying to a vehicle’s undercarriage, a spray gun is the best method to make quick work of the project.

Spectrum is a high heat, water based viscoelastic polymer that when sprayed, results in a thick coating that is soft enough to deaden noise but hard enough to stand up to wear and tear, making it the best undercoating for cars. Check out this table comparing Spectrum to typical rubberized undercoating:

Steps to sound deadening car undercoating

Applying sound deadening undercoating to your car doesn't have to be difficult. If you can lift your vehicle, you can do this:

1. 1.  Prepare the Undercarriage
   2.  Apply Spectrum™ Liquid Sound Deadener to Undercarriage
   3.  Install Heat Protection (recommended) 

Step 1: Prepare the Application Surface

One of the goals with undercoating is to protect your car from dirt and rust, and the best way to start your project is by by cleaning the undercarriage. Wash away as much dirt and grime as possible (we recommend cleaning with denatured alcohol) and remember to wipe the entire surface dry. Moisture is the enemy, you don’t want to apply your undercoating with moisture trapped between it and the car.

If you see rust, you’ll need to scrub it away with a wire brush. If you want to use a primer to the areas affected by rust, we recommend POR-15. Let the primer cure for about a day.

Step 2: APPLY Spectrum™ Undercoating

Saabkyle04 Undercoating his Chevy S10 with Spectrum™

Step 3: Install Extra Heat Protection (Optional)

Spectrum™ is a good thermal insulator in its own right, so it will be a big help with (or even solve) your heat issues too. If you are dealing with a lot of heat, you may want to consider FireWall, our ceramic thermal coating. Apply either on top of Spectrum for extra thermal protection or if heat is your only concern, apply it directly to the metal. Anything sending heat into the cabin (muffler, exhaust, catalytic converter, etc) will no longer be an issue after this heat resistant treatment.

Now that you’ve got the basics of what to look for in an undercoating, where to install it, and how to install it, you’re ready to go. As we mentioned before, if your primary goal is noise reduction, undercoating is just one piece of the car soundproofing puzzle.

Give us a call if you want to learn more about how to turn your car into a soundproof bubble of comfort!