All of us like a good road trip every once in a while. However, the noise of the car engine and the sound of other traffic can often be distracting and impact the experience we have while on the road. This can be even worse driving through the city, as there’s more traffic and possibly the sound of construction in some areas.
While there are some cars that offer more sound protection than others, their acoustics can still be much worse than we would like. As a result, noise can often echo into the car and prevent us from enjoying the ride, especially if we’re listening to music.
However, that doesn’t need to be too large of a problem, as there are a few ways that you’ll be able to overcome it. One of the most popular of these is automotive sound deadeners, which have become increasingly common among many car owners.
During this time, there have been a few of the products that have been much more popular than others. The two more well-known are Dynamat and Hushmat, with both offering a variety of pros and cons.
As effective as these can be, the majority of us might struggle to choose between them. If that’s the case, then there are a few things that you should consider when picking one. By doing so, you should be able to make a wise decision about which one will be better for your car.
An Overview Of Dynamat
Dynamat
Dynamat is a sound deadener that already includes an adhesive, so you should have no problem applying it to your car. Alongside this, there are a few other features to take advantage of, including the fact that it’s heat-resistant.
Coupled with this is the fact that it’s aluminum-coated, so it should be able to put up with a significant amount of wear and tear. This should mean that it doesn’t need to be replaced too regularly, which is something that the majority of drivers will want to take advantage of.
These two features also mean that it should be quite safe to install and use in your car. There’s also a certain amount of flexibility, which should be helpful when you’re applying it around your vehicle, making it quite quick and easy to install.
One of the last main benefits here is that it doesn’t have an odor, which can often be quite a large problem with many car sound deadeners.
Pros
- Heat-resistant & soundproof.
- Relatively easy to install.
- Doesn’t have an odor.
Cons
- Can be difficult to cut through.
- You’ll need an extra kit when installing it, which impacts the price.
How Effective Is It?
Dynamat has long been one of the more popular sound deadeners for cars, with this being driven by each of the benefits that it offers. However, the main reason that this has been the case is how effective it is at soundproofing a car, with this outperforming many of its competitors.
Typically, you might expect to use several layers of a product to see the positive effects that it has. This shouldn’t be the case with Dynamat, as you should notice the difference in sound after installing the first layer. It should also have an impact even if you’ve only partially covered parts of your vehicle.
To do so, however, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve covered the right areas, which can often vary from car to car. Since it’s thick and coated in aluminum, you should also expect it to last quite a significant amount of time. As a result, it should stay effective without needing to be replaced too often.
How To Install Dynamat
Naturally, many of us will want to know how to install Dynamat, especially if we’re doing it ourselves instead of hiring a professional. While this is relatively straightforward, it can take much more time than you may have anticipated, as it can be quite challenging to cut through.
This is mainly driven by how thick the product is. While this helps to make it as effective as possible, it also means that you’ll have to spend more time than you may want to install. However, since it already includes an adhesive, you should be able to save a certain amount of time when applying it.
It’s recommended that you ask an expert for help with this, or get somebody who already has a certain amount of experience doing so. This should help cut down on the time investment that’s needed while also helping to avoid any of the mistakes that are typically made when installing car sound deadeners.
How & Where To Use It
There are a few areas that Dynamat can prove to be useful, with this extending far beyond just soundproofing. In contrast, there are a few specific uses that you should be able to take advantage of. While reducing the vibrations that are felt when you’re driving is another key benefit, there are a few places outside of your car where it could prove useful.
Some of the most notable of these are:
- Soundproofing home appliances;
- Thermal insulation, and;
- Soundproofing and thermally-protecting a PC and other devices.
Dynamat can be quite useful in soundproofing a large number of areas, with many people noting how effective it can be in a variety of areas. This could make it a well-recommended choice for home theaters and gaming rooms, among others.
Because of the price per square foot, however, you may find that these are relatively expensive options to take advantage of. As such, it could be better used in smaller areas, unless you want to pay much more than you would with alternatives.
An Overview Of Hushmat
Hushmat
- Noico Red 315 mil (8 mm) closed-cell polyethylene foam is the best alternative to rubber foam.
- Noico 315 mil (8mm) is a very versatile insulation material with excellent thermal barrier properties. It is the best way to make the car cool and quiet! It’s easy to cut and install!
When the majority of us first start using sound deadeners in our cars, it can be quite easy to become overwhelmed. This is especially true when it comes to installation, as you’ll often need to buy a separate kit for when you’re doing so. However, this isn’t true with Hushmat, as it includes everything you need to install it.
Alongside this is the fact that it’s slightly thinner than Dynamat, so you shouldn’t have to spend much time cutting it. However, you may need to add several layers of it to make sure that it reduces engine and traffic noises as much as you might want.
Hushmat is also quite durable, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it putting up with wear and tear. It also means that you shouldn’t have to think about replacing it too quickly. Despite this, there are a few notable drawbacks, including the fact that it can come off much faster than you might have anticipated.
While this could be avoided by getting a higher-quality adhesive, this is an extra expense that many people may want to avoid.
Pros
- Easy to install and remove.
- Large amount of sound dampening.
- Can withstand a significant amount of wear and tear.
Cons
- Can come off much faster than Dynamat.
- Isn’t very versatile in use.
How Effective Is It?
Naturally, you’ll want to know how effective Hushmat is at reducing noise and vibration levels. Since this is somewhat thinner than Dynamat, it might not be as effective at reducing these, although it’s still quite useful, especially given its price.
To fully take advantage of this, however, you might need to place an extra layer in your cabin. While Hushmat is quite affordable, this could negate a large amount of the cost savings that you might have expected.
Despite this, it’s one of the more reliable sound deadeners on the market, which is why it’s become so popular. You’ll also be able to choose from a variety of kits, with these being designed specifically for doors, floors, and the overall bulk of the car.
As a result, these can be much more effective in certain areas than you might see elsewhere. This should make it a more cost-effective solution to soundproofing your car and reducing the overall vibrations that you feel when driving.
How To Install Hushmat
The installation process is something that many of us will look at when considering which car sound deadener we choose. While there is quite a large number of options to choose from, the majority of them can be difficult to install, although this isn’t the case with Hushmat.
The main reason for this is that it’s thinner than many of its competitors, which should make it quite easy to cut through and customize. Coupled with this is the variety of products that are included in the kit, where there being more here than you might expect elsewhere. This not only makes it cost-effective but ensures that you save time when adding it to your vehicle.
Alongside this is the fact that it can be removed much faster than Dynamat. While this might not be a large factor for many of us, it’s something that could prove to be a large benefit. When you’re applying it, however, it’s recommended that you get a stronger adhesive.
This is primarily because Hushmat has a habit of coming off quite easily when you’re driving. You should be able to minimize this as much as possible by using a high-quality glue.
Where To Use It
One of the primary benefits of many car sound deadeners is that they can be used in a variety of areas, with many of these being unrelated to your vehicle.
However, the Hushmat doesn’t offer as many of these uses as you may have thought, as it can be much more limited than Dynamat.
However, there are still a few areas that you’ll be able to use it for, including a variety of trucks. Alongside this is the fact that there are several kits made specifically for boats, RVs, and more. While these might be slightly more expensive to buy than a typical kit, they can be more effective, depending on which vehicle you’re using it for.
Similarities Between Dynamat & Hushmat
While there are a variety of differences between Dynamat and Hushmat, there are also a few similarities. Given that they’re both designed for the same purpose, this shouldn’t be surprising to many people. However, many of us will still want to know what these are, as it could help in making a decision.
The most notable similarities between the two stemming from the materials that they’re made from, with both being based on butyl. This gives them a large amount of heat-resistance while also making sure that they don’t release much of an odor, if any.
Naturally, you’ll also be able to expect to feel fewer vibrations and hear less engine noises when you’re using them, although how much will differ between the two. Outside of this, there are more differences between Dynamat and Hushmat than you may have thought.
Dynamat Vs Hushmat: Which Is Better?
It also stands out in where it can be used, as it’s much more versatile in what it can do. However, if you’re looking for a cost-effective solution that doesn’t take much time or effort to install, then Hushmat can be the better-recommended option. Given the similarities between the two, this could be one of the primary ways that you’ll have to differentiate between them.
However, they’re both effective options for the majority of cars, so you shouldn’t go wrong with either choice.