# Home insulation in a car



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

Is there any downside, besides being itchy. Im kinda worried about fire possibly too? 
I have not done it yet but i have like a 1 1/2 ft from my rear quarter panel to the front seats that i wanted to stuff with some cotton batting but cannot find it anywhere so i go the idea of regular insulation. 
There is already a layer of mat in the outer and inner panel as well as some spectrum but i wanted another layer.
Or is there a better alternative that is readily available?


----------



## bcramer (Mar 17, 2008)

Aside from the fact that home insulation fails once it gets wet and creates a giant mess...

Use something made for cars. 

Second skin, RAAM mat, etc.


----------



## OSN (Nov 19, 2008)

Fiercetimbo17 said:


> Is there any downside, besides being itchy. Im kinda worried about fire possibly too?
> I have not done it yet but i have like a 1 1/2 ft from my rear quarter panel to the front seats that i wanted to stuff with some cotton batting but cannot find it anywhere so i go the idea of regular insulation.
> There is already a layer of mat in the outer and inner panel as well as some spectrum but i wanted another layer.
> Or is there a better alternative that is readily available?


As bcramer said, you have to worry about moisture and what that does to the fiberglass- I've looked for sheets of butyl or neoprene but they aren't really cheaper than Damplifier, for example. I did just buy a couple rolls of 1/8" duct insulation from Home Depot, foil face with foam insulation, self-adhesive. $17 for 15 sq ft. Can't expect world-class results, but I've heard of this particular product making a nice difference for under the floor carpet and firewall. I'll use Damplifier in front doors, trunk, etc. but I have the draw the line somewhere in these 'trying economic times.'


----------



## azngotskills (Feb 24, 2006)

What do expect to accomplish by adding this insulation?


----------



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

not sure lol, i already have a layer of damplifier some spectrum and overkill here and there on the panels.
Im looking for something to fill in the space, also thought of shoving it inbetween my panels to further reduce chances of rattling


----------



## azngotskills (Feb 24, 2006)

LOL i would personally just use it between the panels to reduce rattling. If you put it in the doors, more than likely water will get to it and start to mold and smell. Really no point to put it in the doors since you have what you put already IMO


----------



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

azngotskills said:


> LOL i would personally just use it between the panels to reduce rattling. If you put it in the doors, more than likely water will get to it and start to mold and smell. Really no point to put it in the doors since you have what you put already IMO


Sorry if i didnt make it clear, not going in the doors, rear quarterpanels and forward inside the vehicle


----------



## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

Great stuff, cushion foam, polyfill.... 

I always wonder if cushion foam, the really dense stuff would help... Or I was thinking about one of those memory foam, bed topper things you can buy, cut all up..

I see this closed cell packing foam at work quite often, it's rather rigid and large "celled" used packing all sorts of things... 

If I don't do any of the above, then i'll just leave the same area hollow... I have done a good amount of "great stuffing" in areas I couldn't get to, and to seal the trunk from the cabin, over the rear wheel wells...


----------



## bassfromspace (Jun 28, 2016)

Fierce,

Walmart has blue camping pads in the outdoor section that I've used in combination with Jute pad. This was in one of my older cars. This combo seemed to work pretty well when combined with some Peel-N-Seal.


----------



## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

I'm testing my memory foam idea on the forum now... this might be interesting.. I never thought of it before, even though i've owned one of those bed topper things..


----------



## Mooble (Oct 21, 2007)

Open cell foam works fine for areas that don't see water and it will absorb some soundwaves. Cotton batting is better. Check the Bonded Logic website to find a dealer near you. They make it up to 8" think IIRC, so it's perfect for stuffing in those voids.


----------



## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

Why is cotton batting better? better than something like the memory foam?


----------



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

Mooble said:


> Open cell foam works fine for areas that don't see water and it will absorb some soundwaves. Cotton batting is better. Check the Bonded Logic website to find a dealer near you. They make it up to 8" think IIRC, so it's perfect for stuffing in those voids.


nice exactly what i originally wanted, how muhc did you pay for yours?


----------



## Mooble (Oct 21, 2007)

Fiercetimbo17 said:


> nice exactly what i originally wanted, how muhc did you pay for yours?


I used The Insulator, it's a foil backed 3/8" recycled cotton insulation. It was $20 for a 4'x6' sheet. It's not really what you want for filling voids, however. You want the traditional batting that is 8" thick to stuff in the fenders. Unfortunately most places won't break up a package. If you could just buy one sheet of it, it shouldn't cost you more than $40.


----------



## FoxPro5 (Feb 14, 2006)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> Why is cotton batting better? better than something like the memory foam?


I'm going to post in bobditt's legacy and tell you to search! 

If you want to _fill _those voids, then try some Great Stuff expandable foam with caution.

If you want to achieve sound _absorption_, then use something with an NRC that's significant down to about 50 hz.


----------



## SQCherokee (Mar 5, 2008)

My hatch back has huge body cavaties on both sides from the doors to the tail lights. I have looked inside of them and they are not geting any moisture inside of them. I have considered treating the outer sheetmetal...then stuffing the cavaties with some blow in insulation packing it in as dense as possible. Primary concern is reducing noise that makes it inside...especialy road noise.


----------



## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

FoxPro5 said:


> I'm going to post in bobditt's legacy and tell you to search!
> 
> If you want to _fill _those voids, then try some Great Stuff expandable foam with caution.
> 
> If you want to achieve sound _absorption_, then use something with an NRC that's significant down to about 50 hz.


 
I've used plenty of great stuff already.. lol.. 

Search, search... that's for NOOBS... lol... 

Ok, i'm done cluttering this thread, I have my own you can whip me in ...


----------



## OldSkool_08 (Jun 6, 2008)

Great thread! 

Always curious to see if insulation would work in voids in the vehichle. 

Roxul insulation is fire proof and used for home interior sound deading.

http://www.roxul.com/sw34066.asp


----------



## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

OldSkool_08 said:


> Great thread!
> 
> Always curious to see if insulation would work in voids in the vehichle.
> 
> ...


 
LoL and if that doesn't work, you can grow WEED in it... (parent company is Rockwool international (Gro/Dan), the largest supplier of hydroponic growing media in the world...lol...)
VVVV
http://www.rockwool.com/about+the+group/the+group+in+brief/business+areas/grodan

VVVV
http://www.hydroponics101.com/sw57958.asp


----------



## ClassicCoupe (Aug 7, 2008)

SQCherokee said:


> I have looked inside of them and they are not geting any moisture inside of them.


Unfortunately, that is not the case _all _the time. 

A steel panel between areas of significant temperature differences (cold exterior, warm interior) will see condensation. If the condensation has nowhere to go, it will accumulate and cause rust.


----------



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

Ok, so while at lowes i saw the had a special on some natural cotton batting like blow in material. Picked up 80sq feet. Ill let you guys know on the results.
Btw only $7 for a 40 sq ft brick.
And im not worried about moisture, the panel is covered in mat, spectrum and closed cell foam (overkill)


----------



## 420guy (Sep 18, 2008)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> LoL and if that doesn't work, you can grow WEED in it... (parent company is Rockwool international (Gro/Dan), the largest supplier of hydroponic growing media in the world...lol...)
> 
> I might just have to try this LOL  Put some lights up in the back seat, tint the side windows, put in a clear sunroof. Hummm might work better in a van tho.LOL


----------



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

420guy said:


> Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:
> 
> 
> > LoL and if that doesn't work, you can grow WEED in it... (parent company is Rockwool international (Gro/Dan), the largest supplier of hydroponic growing media in the world...lol...)
> ...


----------



## 420guy (Sep 18, 2008)

Fiercetimbo17 said:


> 420guy said:
> 
> 
> > lol is that legal in canada?
> ...


----------



## Fiercetimbo17 (May 17, 2007)

o sweet, i actually have been to brampton for a hockey tournament. It was pretty cool, played against sydney crosby.


----------



## AAAAAAA (Oct 5, 2007)

I use some roxul as mentioned above, since it does have some properties to absorb sound, that is a no brainer to use that instead of the plain pink bat. Roxul is cheep to.

I used it in an attempt to get rid of some rattles, and obviously I have not used enough it would seem hehe.


----------



## hein (Nov 6, 2020)

I would suggest 3M Thinsulate SM400L or SM200L acoustic/thermal insulation engineered for vehicles.

All the best,
Hein


----------



## Lou Frasier2 (Jul 17, 2012)

awesome first post


----------

