Whether you want to quiet the sound of your car or block out unwanted noise from entering your home, you will need to invest in sound deadening material to do so. Sound deadening material is what you will use to keep outside noise from entering a certain area, so it is important to know which material to use for the job.
This is why I have listed the top 5 most effective sound deadening material.
1. Vinyl
Sound deadening vinyl is one of the most useful, versatile, and effective materials for sound deadening. A lesser thickness of vinyl is as effective as the thickest of foam paneling because of its density. For example, the vinyl listed below weighs one pound per each square foot because of its dense composition. This makes vinyl a top sound deadening material to use for almost any application.
TMS Mass Loaded Vinyl 4’ x 25’ Soundproofing Barrier
This sound deadening vinyl can be used on cars as well as walls and ceilings within homes, studios, office buildings, and classrooms. The vinyl is 1/8-inch thick and has a sound transmission class of 27. This vinyl will not stick to tape, so you will need to use a nail gun or liquid nail to apply to the surface.
2. Foam Panels
Another versatile and effective sound deadening material is foam. For sound deadening applications, foam is cut into perfectly proportioned panels with a mixture of thickness and sculpture to deliver the most useful result.
Flat vs. Sculpted
Foam panels come in either flat or sculpted textures. This means the surface of the panel may be flat or designed with sculpted features, such as ridges, pyramids, or egg crates. I will list two of the best products from each design below.
Acoustic Foam Panel 48” x 24” x 1”
This flat panel is 1-inch thick and measures 48 inches by 24 inches. With an editor’s rating of 5 stars, this foam panel is a great option to deaden sound in any room.
Foamily Acoustic Foam Pyramid Foam Panel 48” x 24” x 2” (2 Pack)
This foam panel is sculpted with raised pyramids at 2 inches thick. There are two panels in the pack, and the noise reduction coefficient is extremely high.
3. Thermacels
Thermacels are found in soundproofing paint, and they are extremely effective in sound deadening.
Thermacels are cells specifically designed to reduce sound by absorbing the sound within the cells. Thermacels are found in soundproof paint, but they can also be used as a soundproofing paint additive to add sound deadening capabilities to any paint you have on hand.
You can find thermacels in the products below.
Acousti-Coat Sound Deadening Paint is a water-based, bright white, flat finish soundproof paint that can be applied to all surfaces. You can apply this paint with a brush, roller, or spray gun. This paint comes in a one-gallon can or a five-gallon bucket.
Thermacels Insulating Paint Additive is a soundproofing additive you can add to any paint or coating. It has the ability to turn ordinary paint into soundproof paint. It’s kind of like a superhero.
4. Rubber
If you need to deaden the sound of your floor, then rubber is the material for the job. Rubber is a highly productive sound deadening material when applied to floor mats or rug pads.
These floor mats and rug pads are anywhere from 1/8-inch thick to ½-inch thick and are usually made of rubber and another fabric on top.
A couple of examples of rubber sound deadening products are the following:
Mohawk Home Dual Surface Rug Pad
The rubber backing of this rug pad keeps the rug in place and allows the mat to fully absorb sounds. The fiber side is rough and will grip the rug or covering that is placed on top of the mat.
Gorilla Grip Felt and Rubber Rug Pad
This mat is made of thick and durable rubber. The pad is ¼-inch thick, which makes it perfect for sound absorption. The mat is rubber on one side, and thick felt on the other.
5. Fiberglass Insulation
If you can add fiberglass insulation to your home, you should. Most homes come with fiberglass insulation already installed between the framework and the sheets of hung drywall, but if your home or office does not have fiberglass insulation, you should add it for a multitude of reasons.
For soundproofing alone, fiberglass insulation is thick and dense and will help absorb sounds that come in contact with it. Not to mention the fiberglass insulation also helps with climate control and temperature regulation within the home. This is a win-win.
The best fiberglass insulation on the market is Owens Corning fiberglass insulation. There is a variety of Owens Corning fiberglass insulation to choose from for effective temperature regulation and acoustical control within your home.
One of the most popular is the Owens Corning R-19 Fiberglass Roll. This roll is 23 inches wide and 39.2 feet long. The sound deadening feature comes from the dense 6.25-inch thickness of the fiberglass insulation.
The Right Material for the Job
Depending on the soundproofing project you are undertaking can determine which sound deadening material you should use.
Automotive jobs can benefit from vinyl and foam sound-deadening materials, while home projects will benefit from thermacels, rubber, and fiberglass insulation.
You may also need a small amount of sound deadening material for the project you need. For example, if you need to soundproof a bedroom in your home that is subjected to more noise than the remainder of the house, you may only need to paint the room with soundproof paint, rather than demolish the walls and add fiberglass insulation with additional soundproofing layers of vinyl lining. Before you decide which soundproofing material you want to use for the job, you need to determine the job you are doing and what material is best for that job.