How to install Kilmat sound deadening insulation (RAM ProMaster Van Conversion)
Vans are steel boxes. Have you ever put a metal can next to your ear, and then listened to your surroundings? It’s pretty bad. Cargo vans in the raw, have no sound insulation, so the first step to any van conversion process is to install some sort of sound-dampening material on as many exposed metal surfaces as possible.
Before & After Kilmat insulation
There are many different options available for purchase online, and the materials are relatively inexpensive. We decided to go with the most well-known brand of sound dampening material - Kilmat. They come in 50 mil and 80 mil thickness variants, we opted for 50 mil, since we’ll be adding wool insulation which will act as an additional sound barrier. If you don’t plan on using wool, I’d recommend opting for 80 mil thickness to ensure the interior of your van is quiet - both during long haul travels, as well as sleeping in noisy areas.
We recommend tackling your sound insulation process in 3 steps.
1) Insulate the walls and wheel wells. This should be the easiest, and you should not need to do a ton of custom cutting.
2) Insulate the floor. We’d recommend first figuring out where the furring strips for your subfloor will be located, then covering up any flat, exposed metal with Kilmat.
3) Ceiling! Once you have your fan installed, insulate any flat parts of the ceiling.
Time needed:
For the 136” WB RAM ProMaster, it took us approximately 4 hours to do the entire van - this includes the meticulous work of cutting the kilmat to size.
Total Cost:
Approximately $115-$175
To properly install sound-dampening insulation, make sure to first apply the sheet onto the surface - start with one side, and slowly lower it towards the other in order to avoid bubbles from forming.
Once applied, roll out with the roller until the back surface bubbles appear “popped”.
One common mistake a lot of people make, is simply attaching the insulation by hand, skipping the roll-out process. This will work, but without proper bond, the insulation will be less effective.
Be sure to roll out the Kilmat for proper adhesion.