The Ultimate Guide to Van Sound Deadening
- Shane Monks O'Byrne
- May 7, 2022
- 10 min read
Updated: Feb 27
There is one small detail that can make your life on the road unbearable: noise. A rattling van that offers no protection from road or outdoor noise can quickly make an ordeal out of a pleasant road trip. According to our Roaming Home 2023 study, 82% of camper conversions have van sound deadening installed. Before insulating our van, we should first install some van sound proofing panels. This article explains the principles of sound deadening and details product choice, installation, and more.
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Shane, the founder of The Van Conversion, is a campervan professional dedicated to helping people transform ordinary vans into homes on wheels. He has authored Roaming Home, and teaches The Van Conversion Course, guiding many people through their van builds. Shane also writes The Van Conversion Newsletter, where he shares practical tips and insights. After completing two van builds and living on the road full-time since 2020, he is passionate about sharing his expertise with others.
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What Causes Rattling and Outdoor Noise in a Van?
A noisy campervan rattles with every movement. It reverberates with the unevenness of the road and lets in engine, road, and outside noise, giving you a bad travel experience. A noisy campervan is much less pleasant when driving, making it hard to listen to music, hold a conversation, and relax as the miles roll by. When parked, a poorly noise-insulated campervan lets in rain noise, wind noise, and the noise made by people and vehicles around you. This erodes the sense that you're safely insulated in a cosy private space and keeps you up at night.
A noisy or rattling campervan results from the shaking of the thin steel body of your vehicle when it's moving on the road. These thin sheets vibrate and resonate with any movement of the van on the road. Further, tyres make a lot of noise when moving on a road surface. Think of the sound of a motorway; this isn't the sound of engines, but the sound of tyres. A poorly-deadened campervan lets in this sound as you drive. This problem is more prevalent in older vehicles and on poor road surfaces.
The thin body of a panel van also offers little or no insulation to ambient noise. These vans are designed for utility, not to be lived in. Therefore, without proper sound deadening, a converted campervan will let in the ambient noise of traffic, people, and weather. The rattling of rain on your van's flat metal roof is not to be underestimated. I know a couple who finished an amazing van conversion only to find sleeping impossible if it was raining outside. They had to take their van back to the workshop, strip out their beautiful cladding, thermal insulation, and electrics, and redo the sound deadening in their roof.
Van sound deadening solves these problems, making your van a quiet, cosy sanctuary both when you're driving and parked up. It will help you travel in comfort and keep the outside noise out. Soundproofing your van will help you focus, rest in peace, travel in silence, and will improve the effectiveness of your internal sound system.
Where to Put Van Sound Proofing
Ceiling
Your campervan's roof is the recipient of all the weather that comes your way. It receives the brunt of rain, hailstones, and strong wind. These elements reverberate the roof like a steel drum, producing a loud and irritating sound that makes it hard for you to sleep and drowns out your conversations, music, and movies. You should aim for almost complete coverage in soundproofing material for your ceiling.
Walls
Campervans have thin steel walls which do almost nothing to block out outside noise. These walls also produce rattling sounds when on the road. Adding van sound proofing to your walls is essential when building a quiet campervan. At the same time, complete coverage isn't essential. A coverage of 25-50% will be enough to dampen vibrations, and your thermal insulation material will handle the rest.
Doors
Vehicle doors (driver, passenger, back, and side doors) produce a lot of road sound, especially if the hinges and latches are aging. Sound deadening materials dampen vibrations in your doors, reducing this noise. Similarly to your walls, 25-50% will be sufficient for vibration dampening, and thermal insulation will absorb the rest of the ambient noise.
Wheel Arches
Uninsulated wheel arches let in all the noise your van's tyres make on the road. Paying special attention to your wheel arches will make a big difference to how quiet your van feels. Aim for complete coverage of these as well.
Floor
The extent to which you insulate the floor depends on how bothered you are by road noise in your living space. If nobody will be spending time in the living space whilst the van is on the move and if your living space is separated from the driver's cabin by a bulkhead, road noise is less of a factor. In this case, you can treat the floor in the same way as the walls, covering 25 - 50% with insulation material.
On the other hand, if the living space will be in use whilst you're driving, or if you've no bulkhead dividing the cabin from the living space, road noise will bother you a lot more. In this case, aim for more complete coverage, similar to the wheel arches.
What is the Best Van Sound Deadening?
The van sound deadening you choose should be thin and lightweight. It shouldn't take up too much space or add significant weight to your campervan. Some sound deadening products also incorporate thermal insulation to varying extents. Conversely, many thermal insulation materials also block out sound.
Butyl Mats
Butyl matts are self-adhesive, foil-backed sound deadening vibration dampers. They reduce unwanted vibrations and structural noise. The butyl sheet is made of butyl rubber, which makes it great at absorbing vibrations and road sound when driving. Butyl mats are also thin and relatively light, ensuring they don't take up too much space or add too much weight to your van. Note that butyl mats are very good at reducing vibrations and structural noise, but only provide limited ambient noise insulation. Butyl matting should therefore be used together with a thermal insulation material that has a high noise reduction coefficient (NRC).
There are many brands to choose from - from DodoMat to Kilmat. I personally use SoundSkins. I've found it to be effective and easy to install, and my van is very quiet whilst driving.
For our readers in the UK, Dead Sound have kindly offered readers of The Van Conversion 10% off their sound deadening or insulation purchase. Simply use the code THEVC10 at checkout.
Pastes and Paints
Butyl rubber sound deadening material also comes in the form of paints and sprays that are applied directly to the interior surface. It forms a thin, lightweight viscoelastic layer that effectively deadens sound in a campervan. Paints and sprays are generally less effective at dampening sound, but are much thinner than butyl matting. This might make them better suited for use combined with additional layers of sound and thermal insulation. LizardSkin is a well-regarded manufacturer of paint-on butyl rubber insulation.
This video demonstrates the effect that a layer of butyl rubber insulation has on the inside of a vehicle:
Note again that butyl rubber paint effectively reduces structural and road noise, but not ambient noise. Use it as the first layer in your insulation system.
Mass-loaded Vinyl
Mass-loaded vinyl is a thicker material that combines vibration deadening, ambient sound dampening, and minimal thermal insulation. Mass-loaded vinyl also improves the inside acoustics of the van. The benefit of mass-loaded vinyl is that it effectively dampens vibrations and road noise whilst also blocking ambient noise.
DodoMat, whose butyl matting we mentioned earlier, also make mass-loaded vinyl insulation.
Thermal Insulation
Many types of thermal insulation are also naturally excellent sound deadeners. Thermal insulation is also given a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC). This number measures the material's ability to absorb sound on a scale from 0.0-1.0.
Mineral wool is one of the best soundproof thermal insulation materials with a NRC of 0.95-1.00
Fibreglass has an NRC of 0.90-0.95
Cellulose has an NRC of 0.80
Spray foam has an NRC of 0.70
3M Thinsulate is a particularly excellent thermal insulator that has the added benefit of being a really good sound deadener. It has an NRC of 0.72.
Sealants
Well-maintained waterproofing seals also play a big role in van soundproofing. Sealant blocks sound from coming in through the cracks between your van's body and windows, vents, air-con units, and chimneys. It also effectively absorbs vibrations, forming another element of structural noise and road noise deadening.
Read more about sealants in our long-form guide on the subject.
Step-by-Step Procedure for Soundproofing Your Campervan
Preparation:
Clean and Prep the Surfaces:
Remove any dirt, grease, or rust from the van's metal surfaces using a degreaser and a microfiber cloth. This is essential for achieving proper adhesion.
Remove any existing interior panels, trim, or carpets. Ensure the surface is dry.
Inspect the Metal Surfaces:
Check for any holes, rust spots, or damage to the van’s body. Repair these areas to ensure no sound leaks through compromised sections.
Butyl Matting or Mass-loaded Vinyl Installation:
Butyl mats and mass-loaded vinyl are most effective at deadening vibrations and reducing road noise.
Materials:
Butyl sound-deadening mats or mass-loaded vinyl matting
Roller tool (for smoothing and securing the mats)
Utility knife or scissors
Process:
Measure and Cut Mats:
Measure the areas you plan to apply the mats to (doors, walls, roof, wheel arches, and floor). Cut the mats accordingly. Sound insulation mats are generally heavy and dense, so precise cuts will make installation easier.
Apply to Steel Surfaces:
Apply the mats directly to the steel surfaces of the van. Peel off the adhesive backing and press the mat onto the metal, starting at one end and smoothing it out to avoid air bubbles.
Use a roller tool to firmly press the mat into place, ensuring good contact with the metal for maximum sound dampening.
Cover 25–50% of the Surface:
You don’t need to cover every inch of the surface. Covering 25–50% of large panels (like walls and doors) is usually sufficient for vibration damping. However, for high-noise areas like wheel arches and the roof, aim for nearly full coverage.
Sound-Deadening Paint Application:
If you prefer a lighter, easier-to-apply method, sound-deadening paint can be used.
Materials:
Sound-deadening paint
Paint sprayer or brush/roller
Painter’s tape and drop cloths (to protect other areas)
Process:
Apply to Clean Steel Surfaces:
Use a sprayer for even coverage or a brush/roller for smaller areas. Apply a thick coat (about 1mm to 2mm) directly to the steel walls, roof, floor, and wheel arches.
Multiple Coats:
Apply 2–3 coats, letting each coat dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Paint is not as effective as butyl mats, but it helps with minor sound reduction and is easier to work with in hard-to-reach areas.
Considerations for Specific Parts of the Campervan:
Doors:
Focus on the larger flat areas of the doors. Follow up with foam or closed-cell insulation inside the doors after the soundproofing material is in place.
Wheel Arches:
Cover these areas generously with sound insulation material, as they are exposed to a lot of road noise. Consider a double layer for maximum effect.
Walls and Roof:
Again, focus on the larger flat areas. For the roof, make sure the mats are well-adhered and firmly pressed due to overhead positioning.
Floor:
As mentioned earlier, the extent to which you insulate your floor for sound depends on how concerned you are with road noise in your living space whilst driving.
Follow up your sound insulation with a layer of thermal insulation foil, then install a subfloor over this for a finished floor surface.
In all cases, sound deadening material is the first layer you apply to the interior of your campervan. Thermal insulation is always installed on top, after which come your floorboards and wall and ceiling cladding.
To find out more about thermal insulation and how it works with sound deadening material in your campervan insulation stack, check out our long-form guide.
How Much Sound Deadening Do I Need in my Van?
You'll need to measure up the interior of your van, deciding which areas you'll cover with sound insulation material. Note that your roof and wheel arches will need almost complete coverage, whilst your walls and doors will only need between 25 and 50%. The floor can be treated like the walls or like the wheel arches, depending on how concerned you are about road noise in your living space while driving.
Measure up the areas you'll cover with insulation material, possibly using a marker pen to draw them out. Add up the lengths of all these areas, and add up the widths. This is the total area of insulation material you'll need to buy.
Conclusion
I hope you found this guide to installing a sound deadening in your van conversion useful. You now know the best way to soundproof your campervan. A well-soundproofed campervan doesn't need to block out all external sound, as it's important to have some awareness of what's going on outside. Also remember that your thermal insulation material provides a significant amount of ambient sound insulation. Sound deadening materials and thermal insulation materials work together as part of a layered system in the walls of your camper.
Don't forget to subscribe to The Van Conversion Newsletter for everything you need to get started with your own van conversion (we'll send you a free wiring diagram when you join).
If you're looking for some guidance with your van conversion, you might be interested in our book Roaming Home, or in our online course The Van Conversion Mastery Course. You'll learn directly from our founder Shane how to convert a van into your dream home - no prior experience needed. Shane also offers one-to-one consultations, where he'll help you with any aspect of your build in a face-to-face video call. All consultations come with a free copy of Roaming Home and our Diagram Pack.
Finally, our Van Conversion Ultimate Guide lays out the whole van conversion process in easy-to-follow sections with tools, materials, and step-by-step instructions. It's the perfect companion for your van build.
Until next time.
