No Experience Van Build: Sound Deadening
*DISCLAIMER* We are not professionals, this is just our van build including all the highs and lows, at times we might do things wrong. THIS IS NOT ADVICE OR GUIDANCE, this is just us sharing the reality of our build and how we did things.
How to Soundproof your Campervan Conversion
If you are planning to live in your van full-time or even just spend a lot of time on the road, it’s important to consider sound deadening your van. By sound deadening your camper, it will make your time spent driving much more enjoyable. Installing sound deadening panels can make a massive difference, especially in large cargo vans like the Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit.
Sound deadening materials need to be installed before anything else as the panels need to be applied directly onto the metal walls, so if you are reading this and have already installed insulation and cladding up then..….sorry.
The most popular sound deadening products offer a peel-and-stick method of application which is easy to install. We used Dodo Mat DEADN Hex Sound Deadening in our van conversion. We originally brought 50 sheets of sound deadening but we didn’t have enough to cover all the areas we wanted to in the van so we bought an additional roll of the Dodo Mat DEADN Hex.
How much material do I need?
You don’t need 100% coverage for sound deadening products to work. With proper deadeners, you can use as little as 25% to reduce the vibrations as long as the materials are cut up in sections and spread out evenly to cover the majority of the walls.
Covering the entirety of the van won’t actually improve its effectiveness, but it will cost you 300% more to do so and it’ll reduce the available cargo capacity of your van.
If you are converting a smaller van you might choose only to apply sound deadening panels in the cab area to help minimise sound whilst you’re driving, whereas if you are converting a larger van we recommend applying deadening panels to;
Walls
Wheel wells
Above the driving cab
Ceiling
Rear and side doors
The floor (We didn’t do this but it is recommended)
Tools needed to install sound deadening
Roller
Protective gloves
Cutting knife
Degreaser (white spirit) and dry cloth
Measuring tape (we didn’t use one but it would be useful)
How to apply
Sound deadener is relatively easy to install. It should be one of the first steps of your build as the sound deadening materials will be attached directly to the metal of your vehicle. It goes underneath any insulation or moisture barriers that may be applied afterwards.
Step 1 | Clean the surface
The first step is to clean the surface that you intend to apply the sound deadening panels to, removing any body panels, dirt or grease. The surface needs to be clean in order for the material to adhere. If you are working with an old van, then any rust will need to be treated before fitting the sound deadener.
Make sure to completely dry off the area before installation as moisture can inhibit the sticky material from bonding. The last thing you want is for your sound deadener to start falling off because then it won’t work.
Step 2 | Measurements
Before we start we strongly recommend wearing a good pair of work gloves, the sound deadening mat can be sharp when you are fitting the sheets onto panels in the van (trust us we know, we made the mistake of not wearing gloves and were covered in small painful cuts).
Start by using a tape measure to get an idea of how much of the product you need and then cut the sound deadening to fit. If you are using sound deadening sheets you might not need to do much cutting. A pretty universal rule is that 30% of the area of the panel should be covered with the material but this of course, depends on two main factors the first being your budget and how much product you have and the second being patience, but we recommend covering as much as possible as it is a job you will only have to do once!
We started with the larger interior panels. These larger areas are going to resonate the most and also let the most heat escape so focus on these first. If you have enough for the remaining areas then cut them to size later on.
Step 3 | Peel & Stick
Applying the sound deadening panels is as simple as peeling off the adhesive backing and sticking it to the metal surface, but before you remove the backing of the adhesive, test the piece you have cut in the area you will be placing it to make sure it is the correct size. Then as you peel the backing off try not to touch the sticky side with your hands in order to get the best results.
The wheel wells are one of the most important areas to cover. While partial coverage is effective on the walls and ceiling, you may consider fully covering the wheel wells as a huge amount of tire, road, and exhaust noise will come in through this spot.
Step 4 | Roll the Panels Flat
The final step is to use a roller to press all parts of the material against the van metal. The sound deadening panels need to be firmly applied in order to work effectively. Additionally, we recommend using a roller as the foil edges of the material are razor sharp and if you are using your hands to press the material in you are likely to end up with lots of painful small cuts.
Conclusion
We hope you found this guide to installing a sound deadening in your campervan conversion useful! A well-soundproofed campervan shouldn't block out all external sound, it should still allow you to hear important sounds like that of cars approaching, braking, and so on but it will help you enjoy your travels in peace.
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