Cómo insonorizar una furgoneta de carga - 3 pasos asequibles y sencillos

About three years ago, my uncle asked me if I could help him insulate his cargo van from outside noise. A lot of ideas came to mind immediately, even though I was a bit worried because I’d never soundproofed a van before.

Por supuesto, investigué mucho en foros y grupos en línea, y encontré una gran cantidad de información. Luego determiné la mejor manera de completar el proyecto, y puedo decir que al final fue increíble.

I want to share what I’ve learned with you, since I believe there are a lot of people who might have a noise problem within their vehicle. One of the main reasons cargo vans are often so noisy is that they’re designed for commercial use, not domestic use. This means they don’t have the trim that helps prevent noise from bouncing off the surfaces of the van, such as the floor, the roof and the walls.

Luckily, there are ways in which you can easily soundproof your cargo van without spending a ton of money. So without further ado, let’s begin.

Cómo insonorizar una furgoneta de carga

1. Utilizar materiales que bloqueen el ruido aéreo y de impacto

The first thing you’ll need to do is use an effective soundproofing material that’s able to block both airborne and impact noise. Knowing the difference between these two types of noise is very important when it comes to choosing the right material.

Impact noise usually propagates through solids, and results from a shock being delivered to them. So in the case of cargo vans, that’s the noise coming from the engine and from driving on the road in general. A lot of people also refer to it as structure-borne noise, because when an object impacts another, it normally results in the generation and transformation of sounds.

Airborne noise, on the other hand, is a type of noise that’s transmitted by air and the atmosphere, such as the sound of a radio or people having a conversation.

Para deshacerse de ruido del motor y de la carretera, you must use impact noise blockers, as regular foam panels won’t work. The installation process can also be a bit tricky. Furthermore, vehicles don’t have completely smooth surfaces, so you’ll need a thin, flexible material to get the job done perfectly.

Los materiales que recomiendo utilizar para este proyecto son FatMat Amortiguador de sonido autoadhesivo y Boom Mat Spray On. Estos son los dos productos que utilicé para ayudar a mi tío a aislar su furgoneta de carga, y una vez que terminamos, quedé impresionado con los resultados. Estos productos pueden utilizarse para insonorizar los compartimentos del motor, la cabina, las puertas, el techo y muchas otras zonas del vehículo.

2. Insonorización de las zonas principales

If you have the materials and the time, it’s best to soundproof the entire van at once, because this will drastically reduce the presence of any unwanted noise. But if you’re on a  budget, I don’t recommend doing this, as you don’t tienen para insonorizar toda la furgoneta y obtener resultados sorprendentes.

En la mayoría de los casos, el ruido del motor y de la carretera suelen ser los principales problemas, y estos tipos de ruido son relativamente fáciles de reducir. Para realizar el trabajo de forma eficaz, debes prestar mucha atención a la eliminación del ruido de estas tres áreas críticas en primer lugar:

  • El motor
  • El suelo de la cabina
  • Los pozos de las ruedas

Puede empezar por insonorizar el compartimento del motor desde el interior, y después, debe instalar el FatMat on the floor of the cabin. I suggest that you place the FatMat underneath a carpet or a mat. The material is quite strong, but it tends to last longer if there’s a protective layer between it and your feet.

I think it’s best if you use the material to soundproof the back of the van, too, because the vibrations coming from the road will definitely create an impact while you’re driving.

3. Medir el área

Before you buy any of the materials mentioned above, it’s best if you measure the surface that you’re planning on insulating first. You don’t have to be precise with the measurements, since the FatMat can be cut into smaller pieces with scissors. If any pieces are left over, you can put them to use when you carry out other soundproofing projects in your home. That way, you don’t have to worry about overspending on materials.

The worst thing you can do is end up without enough material to finish the insulation process, so it’s always a good idea to get a little bit extra.

You can buy all of the material for a little over $100, but if you’re serious about reducing as much unwanted noise as possible, 25 square feet should be enough to get the job done.

For the spray-on foam, it’s best if you use it on smaller areas within the vehicle, and preferably, those that generally aren’t visible. Although this foam is super-effective for soundproofing purposes, it doesn’t look appealing. You can use it to soundproof the inside of the door panel and the engine compartment as well.

I don’t think you’ll need more than one can of spray-on foam. This should be enough to cover all the small nooks and crannies in your van, and you’ll probably have some leftover for other uses.

For the best results possible, I recommend using both products: FatMat for larger and visible areas in the van, and spray-on foam for harder-to-reach places and surfaces that aren’t highly visible.

Conclusión:

Listening to radio in vehicle

If you take the time to follow all the steps mentioned above, you should be able to experience peace and quiet in your cargo van. You’ll be able to play your radio without engine noise and road bumps ruining your fun. As you can see, the benefits of soundproofing your cargo van are numerous. Of course, if you feel like all of this is too much work for you, you can always call a professional.

I’m happy you took the time to read this article. If you have any questions about the information presented, feel free to let us know by leaving a comment down below. Meanwhile, here’s another article you might like: Cómo arreglar el ruido de los asientos del coche.

imagen 1: Pixabay; imagen 2: Pixabay

Deja un comentario