# Sound Deadening- Expanding foam-what type?



## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

Hi all, 

I was looking for lightweight sound deadeners, and I noticed some people mention using expanding foam for sound deadening to fill in the large gaps between interior and exterior panels. 

I nkow there's that "Great Stuff" canned foam at Home Depot, but there's gotta be some better products designed specifically for dampening. Do any of you guys know of some stuff?

Thanks!


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## AzGrower (May 30, 2005)

Stay away from the stuff in the can! if you do anything, use a two part foam that you mix in a bucket!


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## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

I think 3M has some two part stuff, I saw a link somewhere.......do you know of any specific products? I have searched and really haven't found anything specifically for this type of application....Thanks!


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## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

Rick (raamaudio) just referred me toi this stuff:

http://www.todol.com/Purnf/product.htm

Looks to actually be advertised as having sound deadening properties, plus Rick highly recommends it!

don't know where to find it though.......


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## geoffire (Oct 21, 2005)

I think I read somewhere that the "great stuff" designed for windows works good. the other one can warp your body pannels and such...


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## AzGrower (May 30, 2005)

xencloud said:


> Rick (raamaudio) just referred me toi this stuff:
> 
> http://www.todol.com/Purnf/product.htm
> 
> ...


Well Rick knows his ****, so if he recommends it...get it...ask him if he can sell you some, or knows where to buy some of it...


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Expanding foam does just as it says, after it gets an outer skin it still expands, this can warp panels, cause buldges, etc. Any DIY carpenter who has installed a new front door and shoved that stuff in there knows that the door won't open in an hour. Well at least I do  And it ain't fun to take back out a-la saws all  Be careful with that stuff, it does stop resonation... Via ADHESION.

Chad


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## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

Well, I plan on being very careful and only doing a little at a time as not to overfill and blow my panels off!


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

use the one that say ,"minimal expanding" & do alittle at a time


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## cam2Xrunner (Apr 30, 2005)

Definitely worth a read

http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/vbb/thread57729.html


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## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

good read, just one question.....what's a boot lid?


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

xencloud said:


> good read, just one question.....what's a boot lid?


What a 'trunk lid' is to the Americans,the Euros call em 'boot lids' .The link provided is a UK forum,alrighty m8  !


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## raamaudio (May 4, 2005)

Great writeup and on the money is most all regaurds, dang stuff is as messy proposition but when done well, a great way to go for may areas. 

The product we use we do not sell, just order it in for our projects or as recently ordered a bunch for two race car projects for a local tuner, one a time attack, hill climb, full race prepped, 550WHP WRX that is already fully caged. The second one is a 240SX being built for the same purpose. 

For them we brought in two cases of the gun style version and a gun and gun cleaner. It is fairly costly for a shop to do this kind of work as very time consumming but they are doing as much as possible to be the fastest cars here in their classes. Once they saw how still our TC is, just foamed, not caged(yet) they just had to have some

If there was enough interest in the spray can non gun version, the one I listed above on the link, we could bring some in for you guys, not sure what it would have to sell for, probably around $18-20 per can. Not cheap but it is far superior to the Home Depot type foams. 

We still used our mat in areas needing it but this was great for completely sealing the area above the rear wheel well where it was open to the rear sides(2 door coupe) and we covered the whole wheel wells in an experiment(then shaved the surface off to open it up for less reflection and have the trim panels fit over the top, super deadened wells now with very little weight added. 

For most areas of the car it would not be the best or easier (to say the least) product to use but where you can use it, dang fine indeed

Major issues:
-Prep must be exceptionally well done to protect the car
-Alot of time to allow for complete expansion, it will grow little and sometimes rather big, stalagtites and stalagmites over night.
-Should be done in warm weather or a nice and warm garage so it can complete expanding. 
-If doing things like frame rails, pillars, etc, you need to do sections at a time to allow complete expansion, then come back the next day to fill in the blanks.


Our car is incredibly solid now, it was a stiff car to begin with, now it feels like fully caged it is so stiff, for our needs of racing and audio comps this worked out incredibly well. We were able to remove all factory deadening, use just enough mat in places it really needed it, none over allthe frame rails etc but because of being foam filled, etc, etc. We ended up with a net weight gain of only 10 lbs for an incredibly deadened car.

BUT, we spend nearly 200 hours of labor, at least $100 on masking materials, $300 on foam(at out cost and we used alot!), one roll of our BXT, 8+ yards of ensolite, etc.....

And the car was a total mess for days on end but it was worth it all

Rick


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## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

One general question aobut sound deadening.......is it easier to do the stereo install first(wiring, speakers,etc.), and then go back and sound deaden everything? Or is it easier to do the sound deadening first, and then install the equipment?


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## cam2Xrunner (Apr 30, 2005)

Deaden first, then soundproof(foam), Then wire, then baffles, then speakers


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## xencloud (Aug 26, 2005)

thanks! always wondered about that as I've never really done a car where I deadened along with the install. In my first car, I did the stereo and then went back and deadened doors and trunk.......made a big difference, even with the old asphalt based dynamat stuff......


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

woops nevermind read the whole thread 

Nice writeup and 

Hey Rick 

when do we get to see the beast man, im excited to see that thing

your son is one lucky dude assuming the ride if for him right?


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## raamaudio (May 4, 2005)

Thanks

This is acutally a joint project and belongs to us both, really belongs to the business for tax reasons of course

We picked it out together and make all major decisions together, it is coming along slowly but very well put together. 

Not going to be all that photogenic, we are after true performance in as a car and audio sytem and very very little flash. How it sounds and how fast it is in all aspects of performance is our design goal and it is getting there

Cam is right, follow his lead, it is the way we do things as well.

Rick


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## cam2Xrunner (Apr 30, 2005)

raamaudio said:


> Cam is right, follow his lead, it is the way we do things as well.
> 
> Rick


 

Good time to whore out some of my install pics


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