Best Bang-for-the Buck Floor Insulation?

[hurmit4life]

Hey, All-

I will quickly be in the spot where I need to start putting together the interior and carpet in my 66 Charger. I am looking for some input on the floor insulation. There are a lot of brands out there...Dynamat, Fatmat, etc.

Price per square foot varies a LOT! I am looking for something that will do the basic job of insulating the floor. My car is gonna be noisy, so sound deadening is secondary. I've done some research and have found the following comparison on items from various spots. I am not endorsing anyone of these products nor vendors...just wanting your opionions on what really works and what is bunk for the money.


Thermo-Tec (O'Reilly Auto) 48" x 72" 2 sided foil, $87.25 (on sale) 24 sq ft = $3.64 per sq ft.

EZ Cool Insulation 4' x 50' roll is $130. Shipping is $30. This is 200 sq ft, and with shipping = $0.80 per sq ft. eBay user ID: lobucrod or www.lobucrod.com

Eastwood Thermo-Coustic $149.99 per 36 sq ft, equals $4.17 per sq ft. www.eastwood.com

fatmat 50 sq ft $79.99 = $1.60 per sq ft. www.fatmat.com

dynamat 18x32 (9 pieces) $152 for 36 sq ft = $4.22 per sq ft. Found at amazon.com

RAAMmat RXT $119 for 62.5 sq ft = $1.90 per sq ft. www.raamaudio.com

fatmat xtreme $130 for 100 sq ft = $1.30 per sq ft eBay user ID: noise-killers

fatmat (no logo) $124.98 for 100 sq ft = $1.25 per sq ft eBay user ID: sounddeadenerdiscounts


These were prices I found a couple of months ago, so they may have changed slightly. But the relative price comparison should still be about the same. Anyone use any of the "more reasonable" items? Worth the money?

 

[HitIt]

I'd definitely recommend FatMat. It's way less expensive than dynamat and seems to be as good if not better quality.

I used a 100sq ft roll and did my entire floor, cowl, kick panels, package tray and inner doors and quarters under the side windows (not in trunk). That pretty much used it all up. The FatMat sticks like crazy which from what I heard is really the sign of a quality material.

 

[q-ship]

Believe me when I say I know more about this than anyone in the old car hobby.

I spent a decade plus, determined to win the Iasca nationals with either my 69 300 vert, or my 68 Charger. I never did win, but I did make it to the nationals with the Charger.

I know that doesn't sound like much, but considering that I was competing against the aftermarket manufacturers, that choose cars based on there acoustic properties (and can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each on multiple cars), making it to the nationals as an individual has rarely been done, and certainly not with a Mopar muscle car.

With that said, I recommend that you forget about the mats as they can never give you the heat barrier that you want, and can not completely seal the sheet metal against moisture. Mats are designed for "mass loading" of the sheet metal, not primarily for thermal protection. Mats certainly have their place (good mats, not any of the ones you listed), but not on the floor (unless as a top layer over other material). I can assure you they will trap moisture.

What you need is a liquid (paintable) ceramic to not only eliminate heat transfer (while gaining a fairly decent amount of sound deadening), but seal the metal.

Second Skin Audio http://www.secondskinaudio.com/thermal-acoustic-insulation/firewall.php "firewall" is by far the cheapest, and as far as I have ever been able to tell, the best thermal barrier available.

You can paint it on with a brush, or shoot it with a gun. It completely seals the metal, and two gallons will give you the thermal barrier equivalent of many/many layers of any mat, at a fraction of the weight.

Since the floor and firewall are the most moisture prone, doing anything less is only asking for rust troubles at some point, and will not be as efficient.

I would recommend that after it drys a couple of days, you coat it with a gallon of there "spectrum" coating as it's rubber base will further ensure that no moisture ever reaches the metal. At that point, if you want to use a mat, you can do so safely, though It would be of highly diminishing returns.

From that point, you can determine whatever other treatments you want to apply to other areas, but I would still use there products from a coast/performance standpoint.

I hope this helps.

 

[Joe Mopar]

Believe me when I say I know more about this than anyone in the old car hobby.

I spent a decade plus, determined to win the Iasca nationals with either my 69 300 vert, or my 68 Charger. I never did win, but I did make it to the nationals with the Charger.

I know that doesn't sound like much, but considering that I was competing against the aftermarket manufacturers, that choose cars based on there acoustic properties (and can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each on multiple cars), making it to the nationals as an individual has rarely been done, and certainly not with a Mopar muscle car.

With that said, I recommend that you forget about the mats as they can never give you the heat barrier that you want, and can not completely seal the sheet metal against moisture. Mats are designed for "mass loading" of the sheet metal, not primarily for thermal protection. Mats certainly have their place (good mats, not any of the ones you listed), but not on the floor (unless as a top layer over other material). I can assure you they will trap moisture.

What you need is a liquid (paintable) ceramic to not only eliminate heat transfer (while gaining a fairly decent amount of sound deadening), but seal the metal.

Second Skin Audio http://www.secondskinaudio.com/thermal-acoustic-insulation/firewall.php "firewall" is by far the cheapest, and as far as I have ever been able to tell, the best thermal barrier available.

You can paint it on with a brush, or shoot it with a gun. It completely seals the metal, and two gallons will give you the thermal barrier equivalent of many/many layers of any mat, at a fraction of the weight.

Since the floor and firewall are the most moisture prone, doing anything less is only asking for rust troubles at some point, and will not be as efficient.

I would recommend that after it drys a couple of days, you coat it with a gallon of there "spectrum" coating as it's rubber base will further ensure that no moisture ever reaches the metal. At that point, if you want to use a mat, you can do so safely, though It would be of highly diminishing returns.

From that point, you can determine whatever other treatments you want to apply to other areas, but I would still use there products from a coast/performance standpoint.

I hope this helps.

Very interesting products.

Waiting to see what other members have used. I see myself doing something within a couple of months.

 

[ramairthree]

I am going the budget route...

clean floor,
hit surface rust with eastwood rust converter (about 18$ a can, I had about a quarter can worth to use)
cure for a day or two
hit with eastwood rust encapsulator (about 20$ a can)

buy ceramic bead powder (about 15$ delivered)
mix with rustoleum professional enamel (need 15$ worth)
two or more coats

apply refelectix insulation (37$ for a 4x25 foot roll, more than you need)

aluminum tape, carpet adhesive, brush/roller

for about 125$ you get
rust treatment/prevention,
lizard skin equivalent paint
insulation enought to do doors , floor, roof, etc.

not what to do for a big budget restomod or competitive restoration,
but I am going the budget driver route

I am even going to end up doing the roller method paint job.

my goal is a low, low budget driver.

I got a 74 RR, have it insured, registered, got a battery, windshield installed, some trim, some supplies, and am at a little over 4100$.

That is less than some spend on a paint job.

 

[Revhendo]

I used Peel N Seal from Lowe's. Spent 45 bucks. Did the entire floor of my RR.
Just sayin....

 

[airgrabber70]

Insulation

Is the peel and seal stuff at menards, lowes, etc. flame resistant?

 

[Revhendo]

Is the peel and seal stuff at menards, lowes, etc. flame resistant?

Not sure on that one. I would think so, being that it is used for roofing and whatnot. I'll take a lighter to some tomorrow to see.

 

[drgnrydr]

Lizard skin !