Camper vans can be an amazing experience, offering freedom, flexibility, and adventure on the open road. However, noise can be an issue. This is mostly noticeable with road vibrations, but engine noise, rain, wind, and even nearby traffic or people can be annoyances when out in the van. Deadening sound, or soundproofing can be crucial for comfort and sanity.

My van arrived as a blank canvas. The entire rear section of the van behind the cab was open metal. In this configuration, the metal picks up every vibration and exacerbates it. The sounds then echo off the walls, floor, and ceiling creating a very disturbing harmonic. Some of this will get resolved as it gets built out and finished similar to how an empty room in a house echoes until you furnish it. There are also some other measures we can take to better sound proof our build.

Identify Noise Sources

Before getting started, lets first identify the most common sources of noise in our van.

• Engine: The vehicle's engine produces noise from the engine compartment and exhaust system. This is usually the loudest source of noise, especially when accelerating or driving uphill.

• Tires: Tires on the road create rolling noise, which increases with speed. The noise is louder on coarse pavement compared to smooth highways and can be even greater if/when we switch to more aggressive all terrain tires.

• Appliances: Appliances like refrigerators, generators, and fans generate noise when running. Fridges cycle on and off and can be irritating at night.

• People: Talking, music, movies, etc. can be amplified inside a small space like the van. These can be equally disruptive sources of noise from outside the van such as in campgrounds, etc.

• Rain: Heavy rain on the roof can make it hard to sleep or concentrate. The noise is constant and drowns out other sounds.

• Wind: Strong winds produce whistling, howling, and buffeting sounds against the van exterior. This can be especially loud with empty roof racks.

The engine is usually the loudest noise source, followed by tires and rain. Appliances and people noises are more intermittent but can be disruptive at night when trying to sleep. Consider mitigating the most intrusive or constant noises first before moving on to secondary sources.

Mitigation & Soundproofing the Van

There are several effective ways to reduce noise and really deaden vibrations to help sound proof our van. Fortunately, these upgrades are pretty simple and inexpensive to do!

Use a Sound Dampening Mat or Underlayment

The most direct sound abatement method happens to also be the simplest, and that’s to lay down or “install” a sound dampening mat. These are mats made specifically for soundproofing that add mass and vibration damping to block out noise. These high density, sound insulation mats are a “Peel and stick” installation method making them quick and easy to work with. There are many different companies to choose from. For my Adventure van project I chose to go with KILMAT 80 mil automotive butyl and foil sound deadening mat.

KILMAT Installation

Installation of the KILMAT is pretty easy. You simply peel the backing off and stick the matting to your desired locations. I focused on flat open surface areas of the van that would be covered by the final finishing. These larger flat areas allow sound vibration to travel the greatest. Make sure to place the KILMAT in these areas on the walls, floor, and ceiling. I did not place the sound proofing in the panel where I intend to cut out for my third passenger window, or the rear panels where my Flarespace will be installed as that would be a waste of product. So keep those things in mind as you apply your sound deadening mat as it can be a struggle to remove it once its on.

Floating Floor

Hard connections transmit noise vibrations directly into the van. I have a high roof van and already plan to raise my floor a little bit to make it more user friendly for the front seats when they are swiveled around, but also to allow me to insulate the floor. This also is a huge benefit for sound abatement as it decouples the floor from the underlying frame preventing noise from vibrating up through the flooring and traveling into the living space. I will cover my floor build out and installation in another write up soon!

Sound Dampening Insulation

Insulation made from dense materials can reduce sound transmission through the walls and ceiling. This adds mass and absorption and enhances the acoustic treatment. Aim for at least 1-2 inches of insulation for optimal sound dampening. I will cover insulation more when I get to that point in my build but will be using Havelock Wool in tandem with the KILMAT matting and additional finishing to achieve a multilayered sound mitigation.

Acoustic Treatments

Most of the van build finishing details will add some acoustic value such as the wall and ceiling panels. I am panning to use an aesthetically nice tweed to cover mine with which is an absorbent material. Keep absorbent materials in mind when planning other details of the build such as; thick curtains, insulated window coverings, bedding, rugs, and even mattress pads or even small upholstered furniture such as collapsible ottomans that can be used for storage, foot rest, or seating while still providing additional acoustic benefits.

Vibration Control & Other Considerations

Another passive sound abatement strategy to consider while going through the van build process is the dampening and controlling of vibrations from appliances and mechanical components that can transmit noise throughout the van pretty quickly. Here are some things to consider to control vibrations:

• Use rubber mats or vibration isolation pads under appliances like the refrigerator. The rubber absorbs vibrations before they can transfer to the floor and walls. I’m using rubber shelf liner as a barrier for my fridge which will be on a slide out drawer.

• Isolate water pumps, generators, and other mechanical equipment by mounting them on rubber grommets or suspension systems. This prevents vibrations from transferring to the van body. Consider marine-grade systems designed for boats. My water pump is going next to my wheel well. I placed KILMAT on the floor in this spot and will be suspending the water pump on a Marine Grade rubber grommet suspension system.

• Use flexible tubing and piping like PEX rather than rigid pipes for plumbing. The flexible hoses hold up much better to the rigors of the road, but also dampen vibrations from water pumps and vehicle movement. To keep pipes from rattling, I am wrapping them with foam insulation pipe noodles.

• Maintain hinges, latches, doors, and components to reduce rattling. Lubricate moving parts and tighten loose fasteners that could vibrate and rattle when driving down the road.