we can dive right into the butyl vs. asphalt sound deadening comparison. Can you guess\u00a0which of the most famous automotive sound deadening materials are butyl and asphalt-based?<\/strong>\u00a0Let\u2019s find out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before I get into the matter at hand, I thought that I should give a brief intro to sound deadening materials. There are four major types of automotive sound deadening materials on the market:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sound deadening mats usually have foil on one side and a sticky black material on the other<\/strong>. Their effectiveness usually depends on their thickness and their base material. Additionally, the base material of these mats also determines how they\u2019ll behave in extreme temperatures. But before we really get into all of that, let\u2019s talk about how sound deadening mats can be installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The installation of sound deadening mats is almost always a process you\u2019ll want to set some time aside for. Depending on the thickness and the overall maneuverability of a certain product, you may have to set aside anything between a couple of hours and a whole day<\/strong>. And that\u2019s without even taking the size of the surface you\u2019re covering into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, you\u2019d start by getting to the metal you want to cover<\/strong>. If you\u2019re working on doors, that\u2019ll mean taking out the speakers and removing the inner layer. For the ceiling, you\u2019d need to take out the headliner. And, if you wanted to go all out, you could even remove the car seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you remove everything you wanted to, you can get the mats ready and get your protective gear on. After all, both butyl and asphalt are tacky<\/strong> \u2014 they are there to attach the mat to the metal. So wearing clothes and gloves you don\u2019t mind getting dirty is preferable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I\u2019ve previously mentioned, some sound deadening materials may be easier to handle than others. At this point, you\u2019d cut the mats into more manageable pieces with a utility knife or perhaps even sturdier tools. Again, you can expect varying levels of messiness here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you have separate pieces, you\u2019ll paste them onto the inside of the outermost metal layers of the doors and buff them in<\/strong>. So through the openings in the door frame \u2014 you\u2019ll know them when you see them. The roof, the hood, and the trunk will be much easier to work with, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of covering the entire interior of a vehicle with sound deadening mats is, as I\u2019ve said, pretty strenuous. What results can you expect to get after putting in that kind of effort?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, since I\u2019ve already talked about the soundproofing effects of automotive mats, I\u2019ll keep it brief. If you install sound deadening mats on at least 25% of the surfaces you\u2019re working on, you should be able to hear the difference in both the amount of outside noise that\u2019s getting through and the various noises your vehicle itself is making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideally, though, you\u2019d need to cover as much of the metal as possible for the best results. Of course, some products are going to be more effective<\/strong> than others no matter what features they have. Whether that\u2019s really because of their base material and their thickness<\/strong> or simply shoddy manufacturing, I cannot say. However, the base material has proven to be one of the crucial factors on a practical level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what are these mats actually doing to the metal that\u2019s making the inside of your car quieter? Essentially, the mats work by gripping the metal and making it thicker and sturdier<\/strong>. They also give it the tiniest bit of padding. Still, it\u2019s enough to lessen the noise you hear from the various loose parts that would otherwise keep clicking against the metal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, because of the way the mats are adhering to the sheet metal, the metal isn\u2019t able to vibrate as much as it usually does during a drive<\/strong>. When you put the mats in, the first thing you\u2019ll notice is that slight rattling noise. That was actually caused by the exterior sheet metal in your doors, if you\u2019ll believe it. In fact, if I had to tell you to put sound deadening mats in only one area, I\u2019d recommend working on the doors first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, we\u2019ve arrived at the destination of this little trip. Now that we know everything we need to know about sound deadening mats: what is it that makes some more effective than others? As I\u2019ve said before, it all comes down to the base material and the thickness of the product. However, sometimes the base material is the determining factor, as in the case of 80 mil Noico vs. 67 mil Dynamat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In my review and comparison of these two products, which are arguably the most popular mats on the market<\/strong>, I had concluded that the thicker 80 mil material was indeed inferior to the slightly slimmer Dynamat. What\u2019s more, the general user consensus seems to agree with my assessment, so there must be something there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, that particular review was a bit tricky, but it was also fairly revealing. While both Noico and Dynamat are, indeed, butyl products, <\/strong>Noico happens to have an asphalt undercoat<\/strong>. Could its performance be suffering because of it? Well, you should keep in mind that it\u2019s still one of the best sound deadening mats on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, it\u2019s completely possible that the addition of asphalt caused a decrease in efficiency as well as the slight rubbery scent of the product. There are other products that illustrate the disadvantages of using asphalt sound deadening mats, though. So let\u2019s see how efficient asphalt-based materials would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since I\u2019ve already compared a couple of butyl products to an asphalt mat, I might as well use the same example here. As one of the most popular asphalt-based sound deadening mats out there, Fatmat has pretty positive reviews across the board. However, in my opinion, most of the positive reviews are to do with its exceedingly affordable cost<\/strong>, rather than with excellent performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even customers who are happy with the price can\u2019t ignore the abysmal thickness of the product, which is only 50 mils<\/strong>. Also, similarly to other asphalt products, Fatmat emits a peculiar rubbery scent<\/strong>. In fact, that flaw has been noted in Noico mats as well, although to a much smaller degree. As I\u2019ve said, Noico products are technically butyl-based, even though they have that asphalt undercoat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One possible cause of this scent may be the relatively low melting point<\/strong> of asphalt. Even outside of automotive soundproofing purposes, asphalt doesn\u2019t handle heat well. Asphalt roads also soften up in hot temperatures and get brittle in cold weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Naturally, that kind of material isn\u2019t exactly ideal for vehicles that tend to overheat or for people who live in moderately to extremely hot climates. However, it might work if you don\u2019t need to worry about those things. If your car doesn\u2019t have issues with heat regulation and if your environment is usually cool throughout the year, you could install asphalt-based materials<\/strong>. As long as you\u2019re willing to deal with the smell, that is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other example of an asphalt-based sound deadening mat I\u2019ve found only further cements my bad opinion. The Peel & Seal mat is not only asphalt-based but also very thin, at only 45 mils. So you see, when it comes to butyl and asphalt products, there\u2019s no comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, if you\u2019re choosing between butyl and asphalt sound deadening mats, you\u2019re going to find yourself gravitating toward butyl. For one, there are more of them than there are asphalt materials \u2014 exactly because the manufacturers have started to move away from asphalt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIntro to Automotive Sound Deadening Materials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Application Process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Do Sound Deadening Mats Work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Butyl vs. Asphalt Sound Deadening Materials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Butyl-Based Materials<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Asphalt-Based Materials<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Butyl vs. Asphalt Sound Deadening: The Final Tally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n