Soundproof Your Car Easily

soundproof car

Everyone dreams of living in a quiet neighborhood without any noise disturbances, but that isn’t always the case. Whether it’s the barking dogs from next door or the cars driving by at all times of the day, no one lives in a truly quiet neighborhood. One issue I experience in particular is my neighbors’s extremely loud car. I hear the engine rev up every time he comes and goes. So, as I write this blog on how to soundproof your car I’m pretty much directing it at him and all other people who drive unnecessarily loud cars.

See Tips to Soundproof you Windows from Street Noise

Car Soundproofing Methods

Now, picture this – you’re driving to work in the morning hoping to relax a little before you hit the ground running, then BOOM. No, you didn’t crash but your car is all of a sudden being consumed by someone’s loud bass speakers and another person’s revving motor.

Luckily there’s a way for you to avoid this. We have some tips to help you keep this noise out of your car, because you know the loud people don’t care how their music or motors are affecting you.

soundproof car

Dampening mats installed in a car to help with soundproofing.

Car Soundproofing Products

Dampening mats are popular up in colder climates and can actually help a lot for certain soundproofing methods.  These adhesive-backed mats are typically made of industrial strength rubber or asphaltic panes and can be easily installed into your car. Installing them will help to limit the vibration coming from loud bass and engines from making its way into your car.

You’d be surprised by how much of the noise you’re hearing is coming from your own car. The faster you go, the more noise you’re gonna hear. In this case, you can focus on the gaps in the engine space, doors and windows. You can seal these spaces by using using foam spray, but because it expands as you spray it, you have to keep in mind how much you use. Sealing gaps on the dashboard, doors and floors (if you have them) is just one way that you can make your car a bit quieter.

Note: The foam spray should not affect the appearance of your car if you’re just using it to fill gaps.

Locating You Car’s Sound Leaks

If you want to get real nitty gritty with soundproofing your car, then start by looking at your car doors. If your cars doors are hollow, except for any hardware, then it’s likely pretty easy for sound to leak in. Adding pads of insulation to your car doors can be very helpful with decreasing sound transfer and increasing silence. The more padding you add, the more it can help dampen any outside noise. Just be cautious of any wiring within the door while installing this material. 

One time I actually realized that I probably had some possible sound leaks in my car because a wasp found its way into my car. If the space was big enough for a wasp to sneak in, then it was enough space for unnecessary noise to make its way in too.

Soundproof with Vinyl Underlayment

For those of you who drive larger vehicles including trucks and vans, you can install mass loaded vinyl. Mass loaded vinyl is an STC rated material, meaning it has the ability to block sound waves. In this case, you would install strips in the metal wheel wells from within your car. A lot of noise comes in through here, especially during rainy seasons, so you could benefit from paying close attention to this area when soundproofing your car.

Similar to our soundproof curtains, vinyl underlayments add mass to the underside of the car to minimize roadway noise from coming back up into your cabin.

You’ll Love Your Soundproof Car

Whichever method or methods you choose to soundproof your car, we hope they’re helpful to you. It’s not often that people think to soundproof their cars because they may not think it’s possible when it is. No soundproofing project is impossible here at Residential Acoustics, so don’t forget to check us out for your next project.