Why we start our van builds with sound deadener and don't skip straight to insulating

Vans are typically made for trade or courier work, they aren't made the same as a standard car. If you’ve ever driven an empty or near-empty van, you can attest to this. It is a very loud and somewhat uncomfortable experience, no matter how much you turn up the volume on the radio!

Although strong, the external metal work of vans is a very light and ‘tinny’ material that promotes echoing. When you sound deaden, you dampen the road noise that occurs while driving - whether it be from loose rocks or stones, your tyres or other vehicles. It comes in from all angles - the walls, the floors, the roof, the windows.

The sound deadener we use consists of a rubber noise absorption layer combined with an aluminium layer which acts to absorb noise vibrations, as well as some heat.

There are so many upsides to sound deadening. From the obvious benefits listed above to the simple luxury sound your van door will make when it closes, to actually being able to hear and enjoy your carefully curated road trip playlist and even more importantly, it’ll make your campsite feel much more private and it will help keep your noise from escaping the van (a great feature for those cheeky stealth camps!)

We choose to use Car Builders Sound Deadener and Van Liner as the first two layers of our three layered approach. Car Builders Sound Deadener is waterproof, has no odour and because it is made of rubber (rather than the old school bitumen style), it won’t crack over time. We want our clients heading out in absolute comfort which is why our first day on a new van build always starts with sound deadener!

We stock Car Builders products at our shop too, so if you’re interested in checking it out or having a chat, come and see us

If you’ve found this interesting, keep an eye out for our upcoming blog about insulation! If you've ever tried sleeping in an un-insulated van in winter or summer, you’ll know what we’re talking about.