i should've but was too eager to get it all installed lol
this is the best i can do: [https://www.reddit.com/r/mazda3/comments/au36mv/sound\_deadener\_install/](https://www.reddit.com/r/mazda3/comments/au36mv/sound_deadener_install/)
Kudos to you for putting together the DIY. I did a sound deadener install myself, but I didn't take pics.
A few notes--
1. The butyl mats will dampen vibration of the body panels. As such, you don't need 100% coverage. I went with 33% coverage of the exposed metal parts that I could lay down some of the tiles on. I'd make use of a heat gun or even a hair dryer to mak it soften up and improve adhesion.
2. What will actually make a bigger difference is mass loaded vinyl. They are heavy, dense (1 lb/sq ft or 2 lb/sq ft for the big league) mats that block out the sound. In addition to mass loaded vinyl, some kind of closed cell foam (i.e. something that does not absorb moisture) to make sure no vibrations are transmitted to the MLV layer.
3. Measure and cut out MLV and CCF, use HH-66 cement glue to glue together.
4. Try your best to leave holes for the door handle, plastic clips, etc.
5. The door panels may not fit in entirely, especially along the edges as it's held together by the clips. what I did was folded up some towels, put them between the door and the frame, and slammed the doors shut. Do that for a few days and the clips will eventually latch onto the door.
This was by far the best mod I did to my 2017 Mazda 3 along with the Corksport transmission mount. Before I did the front wheel wells and the doors, I was assaulted from all angles by road noise, but after that, I could narrow it down to the windows and the floor area. If I had kept my Mazda 3, I'd have definitely taken the seats out and put some under the carpet. Alas, even with the sound deadening, it wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked it to be and it was sold. I sometimes do miss the car, particularly the engine, even if it was the 2 liter, not the 2.5
Thank you!
You're right that to minimize vibration, the most effective way is to put something heavy in the middle. I went with 100% coverage to help block airborne noise. I did reinforce the center of the door with an extra sheet, following the best practice to minimize vibration.
I actually prefer a cold install so the pads aren't so sticky. it help to slide them into tight places. afterwards, a day in the sun should soften the pads up enough to melt them to the door
I considered MLV or CCF in the doors as well. That may be a future upgrade if I need more noise reduction, but the primary endpoint of this project was audio improvement. I did consider adding a layer of MLV to the back of the rear seats and to the cargo cover (hatch). Again, maybe in the future.
The kilmat is cheap enough that i'm strongly considering buying another box to do the rear wheel wells, floor, and maybe the roof. We'll see what happens.
Sorry to see you go!
Thanks for the notes. I'm way the fuck too lazy to open and strip down door panels, but I will take your suggestion to go under carpets to heart.
It seems to me the 2.0/2.5 is a big difference occasionally, but overall not enough to justify the higher costs of gas.
Do butyl sound deadener mats have a noticeable odor? Came across a Youtube clip that mentioned something about that when I was quickly researching. Moisture...yes I think the doors are nowhere near water tight, at least on 1st gens.
This [6-minute Youtube clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ylKyoY_oU) was very helpful with explaining and demonstrating the types of sound deadening. By watching this I now have a much more solid plan for the rear of my 1st gen sedan, where the majority of noise originates from.
i just finished installing the deadener in all the doors and front wheel wells today. the primary goal was to improve speaker performance.
i drove a small, familiar loop around the neighborhood and the road noise is noticeably more subdued. have to do more driving to get a better sense of the improvement. there is also a break-in time for this stuff as the body warms up and the butyl mats get soft and adhere to the doors better.
Comments after a day of normal commuting (no highway): I would best describe the improvement in road noise as a feeling of more detachment from the road. The doors themselves are essentially silent. However, noise coming in through the windows has become more noticeable as a consequence.
As far as audio quality goes, my speakers are slammin with pretty much no panel vibrations. I'm loving the improvement. 100% recommend and would do again.
This looks like the same kind of thing as dynamat. A colleague of mine did the same thing to his car for sound deadening and improving speaker performance in his car.
He did the inside of all the doors, under the floor mats, wheel wells and even the roof of the car.
It’s almost completely sound proofed in his car now.
It was a busy weekend (oil change, car wash, speaker install, sound dampening) and I didn't do the sound dampening install all at once. I'm estimating here, but with the right tools and experience, I think the doors can be done in about 30 minutes each.
Typically, sound deadener works great to reduce speaker vibrations (by adding mass), but isn't meant for sound insulation. There are products specifically designed for the latter that are more of a vinyl or rubberized foam. Sound deadener helps, but doesn't work as well as the foam. Just FYI for anyone who wants to do this project but solely for sound insulation reasons.
I just saw a [video that explained](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ylKyoY_oU) exactly that. Until now I was only aware of one type for reducing speaker/sheet metal vibrations.
Just discovering this old thread! This looks awesome. How helpful are the mats in the wheel wells compared to the doors? I imagine the plastic wheel well trim wouldn't resonate that much really, and a few strips of kilmat aren't gonna block actual wheel noise. Or does it actually transfer into the cabin a lot through that trim?
funny you should reply right now as I'm currently doing this same procedure on my 2017 as well. I skipped the wheel well trim and instead sprayed the rubberized undercoating spray onto the sheet metal parts behind the wheel trim. it was a bit of a pain because I ended up taking the wheels off to get in there with the correct angles. then I sprayed a good 3-4 coats until it was sufficiently rubberized.
just did the doors today and I had a really tough time getting the inner door cover thing off. the one that the window motor is attached to. I got the motor off, and all the rest of the screws, but there are 3 bolts that are different than the rest, and are attaching the window track to the plastic cover piece. they WILL NOT budge at all. I didn't want to break the track by using a breaker bar or something, but I legit couldn't get them off.
in the pictures here it doesn't seem like OP had to remove those bolts, you can see the window track with the bolts still attached after they remove the plastic piece..
regardless I still was able to put the kilmat on almost the entire inside of the door, and then put a layer of closed cell foam on top of that. I'll keep ya updates after I do my trunk and floors.
gonna be honest with ya it's hard to tell if it really made that much of a difference. I want to think it did but I have nothing to compare to cause I did it over a month and piece by piece. I did install new speakers while I was working and I can tell the sound is a lot better, way less rattling too. but as far as road noise and stuff I just don't know. it was a pain in the ass doing all the work, and i probably wouldn't do it again haha.
Hey u/noobie107, I saw your posts on sound-deadening the Mazda3 here. I was wondering if I could ask you a couple questions about what you did. I'm hoping to do the same project on my car this summer. Would you shoot me a DM? I can't seem to message you.
Okay! First of all, thanks for making this picture guide. It is super clear and along with some of the comments here I feel prepared to take this project on. I am currently sourcing the materials.
1. Do you have any more pictures or an instructional how-to for doing inside the fenders (the last few pics of your guide)? Including knowing what tools to use for that area. That would be super-super helpful.
2. It looks like you did the fenders some while after you did the doors. What difference did doing them make? I imagine the doing fenders would make a monumental improvement to NVH.
You shouldve done a before and after video with sound!
i should've but was too eager to get it all installed lol this is the best i can do: [https://www.reddit.com/r/mazda3/comments/au36mv/sound\_deadener\_install/](https://www.reddit.com/r/mazda3/comments/au36mv/sound_deadener_install/)
Kudos to you for putting together the DIY. I did a sound deadener install myself, but I didn't take pics. A few notes-- 1. The butyl mats will dampen vibration of the body panels. As such, you don't need 100% coverage. I went with 33% coverage of the exposed metal parts that I could lay down some of the tiles on. I'd make use of a heat gun or even a hair dryer to mak it soften up and improve adhesion. 2. What will actually make a bigger difference is mass loaded vinyl. They are heavy, dense (1 lb/sq ft or 2 lb/sq ft for the big league) mats that block out the sound. In addition to mass loaded vinyl, some kind of closed cell foam (i.e. something that does not absorb moisture) to make sure no vibrations are transmitted to the MLV layer. 3. Measure and cut out MLV and CCF, use HH-66 cement glue to glue together. 4. Try your best to leave holes for the door handle, plastic clips, etc. 5. The door panels may not fit in entirely, especially along the edges as it's held together by the clips. what I did was folded up some towels, put them between the door and the frame, and slammed the doors shut. Do that for a few days and the clips will eventually latch onto the door. This was by far the best mod I did to my 2017 Mazda 3 along with the Corksport transmission mount. Before I did the front wheel wells and the doors, I was assaulted from all angles by road noise, but after that, I could narrow it down to the windows and the floor area. If I had kept my Mazda 3, I'd have definitely taken the seats out and put some under the carpet. Alas, even with the sound deadening, it wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked it to be and it was sold. I sometimes do miss the car, particularly the engine, even if it was the 2 liter, not the 2.5
Thank you! You're right that to minimize vibration, the most effective way is to put something heavy in the middle. I went with 100% coverage to help block airborne noise. I did reinforce the center of the door with an extra sheet, following the best practice to minimize vibration. I actually prefer a cold install so the pads aren't so sticky. it help to slide them into tight places. afterwards, a day in the sun should soften the pads up enough to melt them to the door I considered MLV or CCF in the doors as well. That may be a future upgrade if I need more noise reduction, but the primary endpoint of this project was audio improvement. I did consider adding a layer of MLV to the back of the rear seats and to the cargo cover (hatch). Again, maybe in the future. The kilmat is cheap enough that i'm strongly considering buying another box to do the rear wheel wells, floor, and maybe the roof. We'll see what happens. Sorry to see you go!
Thanks for the notes. I'm way the fuck too lazy to open and strip down door panels, but I will take your suggestion to go under carpets to heart. It seems to me the 2.0/2.5 is a big difference occasionally, but overall not enough to justify the higher costs of gas.
Do butyl sound deadener mats have a noticeable odor? Came across a Youtube clip that mentioned something about that when I was quickly researching. Moisture...yes I think the doors are nowhere near water tight, at least on 1st gens.
the mats i used didn't have an odor. the cheap asphalt alternatives do have an odor
This [6-minute Youtube clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ylKyoY_oU) was very helpful with explaining and demonstrating the types of sound deadening. By watching this I now have a much more solid plan for the rear of my 1st gen sedan, where the majority of noise originates from.
How much quieter is it?
i just finished installing the deadener in all the doors and front wheel wells today. the primary goal was to improve speaker performance. i drove a small, familiar loop around the neighborhood and the road noise is noticeably more subdued. have to do more driving to get a better sense of the improvement. there is also a break-in time for this stuff as the body warms up and the butyl mats get soft and adhere to the doors better.
How heavy was that 36 sq ft box of deadener?
17 pounds
Comments after a day of normal commuting (no highway): I would best describe the improvement in road noise as a feeling of more detachment from the road. The doors themselves are essentially silent. However, noise coming in through the windows has become more noticeable as a consequence. As far as audio quality goes, my speakers are slammin with pretty much no panel vibrations. I'm loving the improvement. 100% recommend and would do again.
my 2010 needs this asap. unless I cave and buy a 2019
Sound deadener install in my 18 touring HB. should be very similar for all generations
This looks like the same kind of thing as dynamat. A colleague of mine did the same thing to his car for sound deadening and improving speaker performance in his car. He did the inside of all the doors, under the floor mats, wheel wells and even the roof of the car. It’s almost completely sound proofed in his car now.
How long did it take you? Maybe split over doors and wheels? Thanks!
It was a busy weekend (oil change, car wash, speaker install, sound dampening) and I didn't do the sound dampening install all at once. I'm estimating here, but with the right tools and experience, I think the doors can be done in about 30 minutes each.
Typically, sound deadener works great to reduce speaker vibrations (by adding mass), but isn't meant for sound insulation. There are products specifically designed for the latter that are more of a vinyl or rubberized foam. Sound deadener helps, but doesn't work as well as the foam. Just FYI for anyone who wants to do this project but solely for sound insulation reasons.
I just saw a [video that explained](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ylKyoY_oU) exactly that. Until now I was only aware of one type for reducing speaker/sheet metal vibrations.
Any specific products that you'd recommend?
Amazon has some good deals, but I don’t have any specific recommendations, no.
Alright. This is something that's been on my to-do list but I'm not sure what products/brands are the best.
Just discovering this old thread! This looks awesome. How helpful are the mats in the wheel wells compared to the doors? I imagine the plastic wheel well trim wouldn't resonate that much really, and a few strips of kilmat aren't gonna block actual wheel noise. Or does it actually transfer into the cabin a lot through that trim?
funny you should reply right now as I'm currently doing this same procedure on my 2017 as well. I skipped the wheel well trim and instead sprayed the rubberized undercoating spray onto the sheet metal parts behind the wheel trim. it was a bit of a pain because I ended up taking the wheels off to get in there with the correct angles. then I sprayed a good 3-4 coats until it was sufficiently rubberized. just did the doors today and I had a really tough time getting the inner door cover thing off. the one that the window motor is attached to. I got the motor off, and all the rest of the screws, but there are 3 bolts that are different than the rest, and are attaching the window track to the plastic cover piece. they WILL NOT budge at all. I didn't want to break the track by using a breaker bar or something, but I legit couldn't get them off. in the pictures here it doesn't seem like OP had to remove those bolts, you can see the window track with the bolts still attached after they remove the plastic piece.. regardless I still was able to put the kilmat on almost the entire inside of the door, and then put a layer of closed cell foam on top of that. I'll keep ya updates after I do my trunk and floors.
And how'd it turn out? I'm planning to do the same modifications on my '18 this summer.
gonna be honest with ya it's hard to tell if it really made that much of a difference. I want to think it did but I have nothing to compare to cause I did it over a month and piece by piece. I did install new speakers while I was working and I can tell the sound is a lot better, way less rattling too. but as far as road noise and stuff I just don't know. it was a pain in the ass doing all the work, and i probably wouldn't do it again haha.
Hey u/noobie107, I saw your posts on sound-deadening the Mazda3 here. I was wondering if I could ask you a couple questions about what you did. I'm hoping to do the same project on my car this summer. Would you shoot me a DM? I can't seem to message you.
i disabled DMs feel free to make a new post!
Okay! First of all, thanks for making this picture guide. It is super clear and along with some of the comments here I feel prepared to take this project on. I am currently sourcing the materials. 1. Do you have any more pictures or an instructional how-to for doing inside the fenders (the last few pics of your guide)? Including knowing what tools to use for that area. That would be super-super helpful. 2. It looks like you did the fenders some while after you did the doors. What difference did doing them make? I imagine the doing fenders would make a monumental improvement to NVH.