Installing Sound Deadener Material or “STICK” To It

This is an older picture but before Rattle Trap was
 installed I added seam sealer to all the floor seams
 and installed all the floor plugs.

 It is so nice that parts are going on the car and not coming off.  My latest project was to install sound deadener on the floor and roof of the 1964 Barracuda.  DynaMat is the most well known brand.  I am guessing they were first to the market and probably have the biggest market share.  However, the most popular sometimes equals the most expensive but not necessarily best performing product.  So as usual, I had to over analysis my options before purchasing product.


Note the aluminum outer
layer then the  black
rubber layer covered
with a removable backing.
I found at least three other companies that make a similar product.  I read several reviews on each one.  All four products had similar characteristics and all seemed to perform very well.  Next was to look at cost.  This is where it got tricky.  The sound deadeners were sold in different size packages and came in different thicknesses.  I converted all the prices to $/square foot.  On this basis, DynaMat was the most expensive and GTMat was the cheapest.  However, the GTMat was only 50 mils thick compared to the 67 mil thickness of DynaMat.  So next I looked at the $/cubic foot.  Dynamat was still the most expensive but now the 80 mil thick Rattle Trap by FatMat was the cheapest. Based on the price (my cheapness), thickness (better performance, maybe?) and 4-1/2 star rating on Amazon, I decided to use Rattle Trap by FatMat.



Area behind read seat before starting this project.
The order was placed and in a few days the package was on my doorstep.  Before tackling the big project of covering the floor, I used some of the material as firewall insulation.  You can read that post at Firewall Insulation Replacement.

If you watch any car shows on TV you have probably seen this material installed on a variety of car projects.  The host usually holds up the roll of sound deadener explaining the virtues of the product. Next, you might see him lay down a piece on the car floor.  Then by the magic of TV, the entire floor is covered in less than 30 seconds.  Finally, he tells the audience how easy it was to install.  I keep forgetting that these shows are essentially just advertisements for all the automotive aftermarket products out there.

Well it took me a little longer than 30 seconds to install.  How about 30 hours!!!  Here’s how the process goes . . .

The stuff comes in a roll that is 18” wide.  First I set up a cutting area on the garage floor where I had space to roll out the mat.  Then, I make a couple of measurements for the piece I want to install.  Next, I cut the piece to length.  The Rattle Trap has a peel away backing so you can do all your testing fitting and trimming before removing the backing.  Here is where the first problem begins.  No place on a car floor is truly flat.  The floor has humps, dips, curves, hardware sticking up and hard to reach places.  Every single piece of matting has to be trimmed or slit to lay down over all the floor contours.  This is really time-consuming. 

Originally a cardboard-like mat was installed here but it
crumbled away when I removed it so I used Rattle Trap here too.

This is a metal piece that installs over the rear wheel hump
to give the car a flat area behind the rear seat.  It was
the easiest area to do on the entire car.

Another problem I encountered, which was a “me” problem not a product problem, was keeping track of the tools.  Essentially, all you need for the installation is a razor knife (supplied with the product), a roller for smoothing the mat (also supplied), scissors, a tape measure, a marker and a straightedge.  I measure in the car then transfer the measurement to the mat at the cutting station.  I make my cut.  Then using scissors and the razor knife, I customize the fit in the car.  I install the piece.  I’m ready for the next measurement but can’t find the tape measure.  Darn, it’s at the cutting station so I get out of the car, retrieve and measure.  I go to the cutting station but the marker and razor knife are now in the car so I retrieve them and make my cut.  I finally get the next piece to the car.  I need the scissors for some trimming.  I get out of the car; go to the cutting station and search but no scissors so back to the car for a second look.  Ahh, there they are.  And so it goes.  I finally get the bright idea to get out a duplicate set of tools one for in the car and one at the cutting station but after a few cuts I have two tape measures in the car and two razor knives at the cutting station and both pairs of scissors are lost. Ugh, my back hurts!


Another “feature” of Rattle Trap is that it is sticky; very sticky.  The black rubber reminds me of tar on the hottest day of the summer or maybe fly paper.  The rubber seems to only be a semi-solid.  Every cut I make a little bit oozes out.  Then once the backing is removed, the first thing it touches it sticks to.  Optimally, this is the car floor but more often is clothing, hair, tools and every part of the car except where you want it to go.  If you don’t lay out the piece exactly right the first time pulling it up is quite a chore. 

After a few cuts, the backing covers the razor knife and scissors with a black sticky mess.  Every little piece of scrap material then sticks to the tool.  Heck, nuts and bolts and small children become stuck to the tools.  I tried Purple Power cleaner, paint thinner and acetone to clean the tools but nothing touched it.  I then accidently got some WD-40 on the scissor and noticed it dissolve the black goo.  Sure enough, I discovered yet another use for WD-40.  A few squirts and a paper towel cleaned the tool right up.

I finally had all the “large” pieces in place.  If you can image assembling a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle with 100 pieces missing that is what the floor looked like.  Next, imagine having to cut the missing pieces out of paper to complete the puzzle.  That was my next step.  I found the easiest method was to make a template out of paper than trace the template on the Rattle Trap.  This worked well but did add another step.
Rattle Trap mat installed.  If you enlarge the picture
you can see the many seams that need to be covered.
After all the pieces were cut an installed, I was left with a solid expanse of aluminum with a ton of seams.  I had already read that if you don’t cover the seams it will be almost impossible to install the carpet because the carpet will immediately stick to the mat and you won’t be able to slide it around.  Of course, FatMat does make a special, very expensive tape to put down over the seams.  I couple of people commented on Amazon that the special tape was nothing more than aluminum tape available at Lowe’s for a few buck.  I picked up a 100 yard roll of 3M 3350 Metalized Flexible Duct Tape and proceeded to cover all the seams.

At this point, most of the seams are covered.
Since some to do where the back seat platform
meets the rear floor pan.


Done.
At least for now, I’ve decided not to do the doors or kick panels.
 
This odd little contour in the back seat area was the
most difficult to cover.  Under the tape and dozens of little pieces.
Once all the seams were covered and the entire floor was rolled, it looked just like the cars from TV.  Next I tackled installing the Rattle Trap on the car roof (yes, inside the car and on top).  Other then working at an awkward position, this install was fairing easy.  The roof is flat which really makes a difference.

Compared to the floor, the roof was a breeze.

So, is installing a sound deadener worth it?  I will have to wait until the car is running to see the effects but I figure the stuff will at least hold the car together if any of my floor repairs fail.