This was a project long in the making. Well worth it, though.
I recently received a monetary donation from a friend that allowed me to start on this project. The money went toward buying sound dampening sheets that adhere to the body of the vehicle. I’m sound sensitive so sound “proofing” the engine compartment was a must.
I originally found the sound dampening sheets I used on jbugs, which is a Volkswagen-specific site. I didn’t really know what I was looking for. Had I not stumbled upon them I would not have even known that was something I could purchase. Unfortunately, the amount I initially purchased was not enough to cover the top of the engine compartment like I’d hoped, so I had to switch plans.
Luckily for me, I found cheaper sheets on Amazon (see them HERE). This allowed me to finish the entire top and side of the engine compartment and also left me with some left over to put on the floor.
When I was looking into sound dampening products, I was avoiding the ones I purchased originally. I didn’t have that kind of money to pay for the full amount I needed. I found information about very cost effective roofing insulation and I almost bought it. Upon some further digging, I discovered the base material of these was asphalt because it was for roofing. The smell of the asphalt on a hot day as well as the possibility of melting meant no, this was not the best option. Read about it here (I found this information SO helpful!).
With that as a dead end, I went to further search car-specific sound dampening materials. I learned the original product I purchased was butyl rubber and specifically meant for cars. Previously, all I knew about what I had was that it was a black, pliable sheet so this information was great to know. I found some for pretty cheap compared to my original purchase. It does appear a little thinner, but it’ll get the job done!
For this project, you want to make sure that the surface you’re adhering it to is very clean. Then, just cut (if necessary), peel, and stick. Make sure to push it down into all of the grooves you’re working around. Its very pliable, so when you have seams you can push it together. Once I cut everything and stuck it down, I used aluminum insulation tape over the seams. This meant that I didn’t have to risk touching the rubbery, sticky edges and that it was all one, cohesive piece.
Now that I have that down, I can start putting the floor on top of it!
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