Vans are notoriously noisy. They are not designed for luxury, and walking around in large sheet metal panels is a recipe for acoustic and vibration amplification. Depending on your sensitivity, a noisy vehicle can wear out while you are driving and become angry at night when you hear footsteps two blocks away. The simple and inexpensive solution is to use earplugs. But if you’re doing a van conversion, the outside noise reduction options are at least worth considering. Thanks to audiophiles around the world, there is no shortage of sound deadening material and tips for reducing sound from the outside world. When planning, keep in mind that you are not trying to create a sound barrier. The more layers and complexity you have in your camper van, the more weight you add and the more you have to deal with if you need to, for example, fix a water leak. With that warning, let’s dive in!
How To Soundproof a Van Floor
The ground is the most important surface to be protected as all the vibrations generated by the road are transferred directly to it. Here you have two options. Install a Soundproofing Van Floor Mat like Dynamat, or Noico ones or Install Mass Loaded Vinyl. Right off the bat I have to say that floor mats are a better choice simply because of the adhesive backing, which means you won’t need to use any glue spray, although I’m recommending you to. The steps are exactly the same whether you go for Noico Mats or for the MLV, the only difference is that you have to use glue spray to comply with MLV. You must first remove all floor mats in your van. After doing this, clean the van floor, wheel arch etc. well otherwise it will not last as long as the adhesive. Then all you have to do is remove the glue back from the Noico floor mats and install them.
These can be cut to make installation easier and more precise. The more camper vans area you cover the better. Place the entire floor of the pickup truck in front, from front to back. Be sure to cover the wheel wells as well. If you arrange to remove the seats to apply the floor mats better, do so too!
Use the wooden roller to adhere firmly to the mat and MLV, even in wheel wells. Once the installation is complete, you can put the rugs removed at the beginning again. Installing carpet can not only block the sound, but also help absorb sound waves inside the van, causing van soundproofing.
How To Soundproof Van Doors
Soundproofing Van Doors is very easy but you will need a little time and effort to remove all the panels that cover the door because the goal here is to access the interior of the door. If there are speakers inside the door, be sure to remove them as well. Since the van door is empty, vibrations will easily create reabsorption on these thin sheets of metal. Here you need to install materials to absorb these vibrations. Use an alcohol scrub to clean all surfaces of the door to remove grease and oil. Then you need to apply the insulating material. Soundskins Pro Door Kit which will give you the best possible results.
How to apply the insulation foam to the car’s door?
The first step is to cut a few pieces into squares. Then remove the glue backing and stick it on the inside of the outer door leaf to stop road noise. The more areas you cover, the more effective it will be, but if you are on a budget, you may want to consider just a few pieces and spread them out evenly. You need to cover at least 25% of the total area. This will reduce vibration.
Now is the time to work on the interior of the door. Here I would suggest using only a large element to heat the interior. It’s much easier than cutting a lot of small pieces and sticking them to the door and it’s actually better because you don’t put places between them where you can go through the words. Place the cardboard on the inside of the door and using a pencil, looking for the entire surface where you want to apply the insulation.
Be sure to leave room for moving parts, such as locks and screw holes. Then cut out the cardboard and use it to transfer the shape to the SoundSkins. When you cut it, remove the protective support peel and stick it on the door and you’re done. Again, use the wooden roller to hold the SoundSkins firmly in place.
Van Thermal Insulation
Van Thermal Insulation is important for van life, as these vans require high quality insulation, as you want to be quiet while traveling. For better insulation you need to get some heat thinner and insert it into the foam liner.
If you’re not worried about the weather and don’t want to panic, letting you go to places like Alaska in the middle of winter will help drastically to keep you out of the noise and out of the cold van. Cold and noisy.
Van Sound Deadener
All you need for this is a sound absorbing mat, which can be easily purchased at any store with insulation equipment. According to customer reviews, the Noico Sound deadening mat is by far your best choice.
When you buy the mat, you need to install it on the metal panels of your van which are usually found on the side, roof and door. You will get the best results if you also cover the exterior panels.
How To Soundproof Van Roof
It’s pretty easy to do, just cut it to the required size and stick it. For easy installations it is best to use a few smaller pieces instead of larger ones. Then you need to use Vibro 6mm closed cell foam and glue it to the roof. Just measure the width of the roof and cut it.
Since the roof has dents and ding, cut it a little wider than the actual width of the roof so that it is not shortened. This closed cell foam comes with an adhesive backing which means installation should be very quick and easy. You can choose to cover it after installing it, but I think it looks great!
How To Soundproof Van Windows
This is something you will only want if you are using the van for business purposes and do not care too much about the window capacity. First you cut the appropriate size of the window using the same soundskins on the doors. Remove the adhesive backing and stick firmly with a wooden roller. Then cut a piece of Vibro 6mm closed cell foam by fitting it to the window panel.
What to Avoid while soundproofing a Van
During my research, I came across some erroneous information about van noise reduction on the internet. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place – did you know that I would never advise you to do something that I wouldn’t do on my own? If you read this and act on what you read, I guarantee you won’t have any problems with your soundproofing project.
Don’t buy words that promise to solve all word problems after you apply the words. Most of the time, these products are inferior because there is no way that any product can solve complex problems with van noise that can only be solved with a few layers of different insulation materials.
Do not use adhesive tape! Flashing tape is made with bitumen (the same thing is used to make concrete) and it shrinks quickly because it is extremely sensitive to temperature changes and you know these are very common in vehicles.
Do not use bubble wrap! Yes, it can be quite cheap and many people recommend it but it is basically useless in terms of both thermal insulation and sound insulation, so you should definitely avoid using it at home. This is the end
Do not use fiberglass! This material is very toxic and dangerous to work as well as very sensitive to moisture and it absorbs very quickly. This is not the safest option, especially if your van has concentration.
Conclusion – Van Noise Reduction
After reading this entire guide, you may think that soundproofing a pickup truck is a complicated process that takes a lot of time and money, but to be honest, if done correctly, it shouldn’t take more than two hours and it’s not too much investment. The important part is of course the floor. If you are on a budget and don’t want to make the whole van soundproof, start from there.
Overall, soundproofing your van is not an easy task, but if you are well-informed and know exactly what to do, you will have no problem doing it, even if you have never had experience of soundproofing by yourself. . Of course, if you think it’s a bit too much for you, you can always bring a professional.
By following the steps I have given you, you will not only be fascinated by the results, you will also have fun doing it. Also, make sure you don’t forget what to avoid when making the van soundproof. There is a lot of bogus information on the internet and I don’t want you to fall for it. Good luck!