Today, driving is not just a way to get around. It should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience, which is to be facilitated, among other things, by modern infotainment and car audio systems. In order to fully enjoy excellent sound quality, a good soundproofing of the car doors is essential. How to soundproof a car door and what materials will be best?
Why soundproof a car door?
Good car door soundproofing contributes to a better quality of audible sound. Insulating materials create a sealed chamber for the speaker, just like in a loudspeaker column. As a result, sound waves generated from the rear side of the diaphragm do not reach the car's interior, which automatically increases its efficiency. Thus, passengers no longer need to raise the volume, which not only further degrades the sound quality, but may also cause the driver to become distracted. The soundproofing of car doors will be appreciated not only by those who like to listen to the radio or music while traveling by car. Above all, the overall comfort of driving is increased, as the cabin is well insulated from any outside noises, so you can, for example, freely carry on a phone conversation through a hand-free set. Another benefit of good door soundproofing in a car, which will be noticed primarily by true car fans, is the distinctive sound heard in limousines and other premium cars when closing the doors.
Read more: Soundproofing the interior of a car – what materials will effectively soundproof a car?
How to soundproof a car door?
The sheets of metal from which the car's components are made have a maximum thickness of about two millimeters. In addition, there are structural holes in the doors of the car, which further deteriorate their sound insulation. The way to soundproof them is to use additional gaskets and door soundproofing mats made of various insulating materials. Among the most commonly used are bitumen mats for the car, roofing mats and felt mats, with which the inner parts of the doors and the surfaces on the driver's side of the cabin are taped. In recent years, combustion reduction regulations have forced manufacturers to limit the use of these rather heavy and relatively expensive materials. That's why thin felt door soundproofing mats, which do not provide sufficient acoustic protection, are usually standard on new cars.
Read also: Car floor soundproofing and car chassis soundproofing techniques
How much does it cost to soundproof a door yourself and is it effective?
Many people wonder how to soundproof their car doors in an inexpensive way with door soundproofing mats, but in some situations this can be costly and result in the loss of the manufacturer's warranty. The installation and removal of the various parts requires knowledge and skill, and any shortcoming can translate into a lack of expected results and even a deterioration in driving comfort. Entrusting the soundproofing of a car door to a professional company is an additional expense. Prices for door soundproofing services can range from tens to hundreds of euros, and for the whole car – about a thousand, which is why customers increasingly pay attention to factory soundproofing of the car when purchasing one.
Is it worth it to take care of the factory soundproofing of the car doors?
Today, customers are paying less and less attention to specific brands and more to the practical benefits of buying a particular car. They look for offers that provide the best possible standard of equipment at a given price. A high-quality car audio system and good soundproofing of the car doors or the entire car can become an important differentiator that has a decisive influence on the final purchase decision. After all, more and more people are not treating the car as an ordinary means of transportation any more, but rather as another way to increase the comfort of life. Our range of solutions for the automotive industry includes innovative plastics, which allow car manufacturers to achieve the best results in soundproofing car doors, while not significantly increasing production costs and vehicle weight.
Knauf Industries brand materials and components for soundproofing car doors
As a plastics processing company, we have extensive know-how and state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies that allow us to produce innovative EPP foamed polypropylene car parts that combine minimal weight with excellent acoustic and thermal insulation as well as mechanical strength. Our EPP door panels can be individually shaped to fit perfectly into the spaces to be filled, thus providing optimal soundproofing for car doors. In addition to the shape of the door soundproofing foam element, it is also possible to customize its parameters for a specific application – depending on the chosen density, it can have better insulating or mechanical properties. It is a versatile material of the future that is successfully replacing traditional materials in many automotive applications, now also in the area of specialized car door soundproofing mats.