I will be doing carpet in the near future and wonder if I really need the carpet "pad" that is available if I already have the car lined with a Dynamat type product? The $200 pre-cut pad kits seem ridiculously expensive for what they are. My concern is that not using them will affect the fit of the carpet and possibly the sound control aspect.

Looking for some guidance!

Greg

 

More is usually better when it comes to insulation, but Dynamat is pretty effective on its own, and if the underlayment gets too thick carpet fitment can become difficult in places. If you are happy with the current acoustics of your interior I wouldn't mess with success... but if you wish for better sound reduction, or temperature reduction a jute pad under carpet is probably not the most effective answer. A product like Lizard Skin or similar applied to the underbody might be a better answer?

 

Thanks Markids77, I agree that more probably is better because the 'Dynamat' is pretty thin anyway. Although a drop in the bucket in the overall cost of this project, some expenses are harder to swallow than others, this is one of the hard ones for me. Maybe I just need to get over it.

Anyone ever just put good quality standard household carpet pad in?

Greg

 

I started pulling up the edges of my carpet last night and it seems that there is no padding under my carpet. So my plan is to remove all carpet and put down dynamat, then just put the carpet back down.

 

Greg, I own a carpet/flooring store and we sell the , what we call fiber pad that looks like the pad under auto carpet, We sell it for $4.00 to $5.00 a square yard, they come 6ft. and 12ft. wide, a local shop may carry it near you. In the old days it was called horse hair pad. usually 3/8" to 1/2' thick.

Rick

 

I wouldn't state more is better but 'heavier' is better. I.found that dynamat + new carpet with the padding on strategic places + new firewall insulation (bitumen heavy mass with padding) and new padding on the transmission tunnel was a big improvement compared to the noise level with original worn out carpet and degraded firewall insulation. Too much will indeed give you installation issues imho. Lizardskin coating + dynamat (or equal) perhaps?
Nick

 

Most carpet sets come with the padding glued to the carpet. Additional padding should not be required.

 

Gbarmore,

As Easy Mike said, most of the carpet will come with the pad already attached. I did my complete interior last winter and can't say enough good things about Dynamt. A couple notes here: First, don't use Hushmat (thinner and less adhesive) and you get what you pay for in this case (and with carpet -- I used Wilcox and they were awesome --good product - great price).

I used dyanmat nearly everywhere and ran just short for the tunnel. So I thought I'd save a buck or two on get a small pack of hushmat. It'll do, but the difference in adhesive and sound reduction is noticable. The acoustics are now awesome and road noise is barely noticeable. By the way, with either of these foils be careful of the edges... They will cut like a razor.

Secondly, use a heat shield also. If not Lizard skin, then Reflectix (which is cheap at Lowe's or Home Depot) will reduce the cockpit heat dramatically as well. And when you get your ACC carpet or whatever you get, if it does have the pad, trim the pad off the area under the pedals (if you use Reflectix and Dynamat there, as you should). If not it can get tight as far as pedal travel in that area.

Lastly, as Alan 71 advised me last winter, when trimming your carpet, take off a little at a time... It's better to have to cut many times than to have an overcut. And be patient around the kick plates, fit will be tight there.

Good luck. You'll be pleased with what a major appearance difference you'll see. It changes the whole car.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. I just went and looked at my carpet set (ACC) and low and behold, there is padding on it already!! I had only looked at the rear compartment piece and that did not have any padding and I made the assumption that none of it did. That's why the saying about assumptions... I think I'll just lay down the Dynamat (actually I bought the Eastwood Acoustic stuff), and see how things turn out.

Much appreciated fellas, have a great weekend!

 

Hi gb,
I'm not sure how long it continued but mid-January built 71 cars had padding under the rear compartment carpet.
?
Regards,
Alan

 

I used Dynamat and 1/8" Dynaliner under my carpet. Dynamat is for sound, Dynaliner is for heat. Then I also used additional heat insulation around the tunnel because of all the heat that would come up through there.

This is just the dynamat, I put Dynaliner on top of it:

 

I used both Dynamat and pad under my carpet and recommend using both. The carpet pad, in my opinion, is essential for a proper fit and feel. I did not use heat shield in the tunnel area and now regret not doing so. I think Robrace10 did it right

 

So to be clear, the best installation would be....
Dynamat, then the thinner stuff from Lowe`s, then the carpet with the pad already on the back of it?

 

I re-did my 85 z-28 a couple of years back, it has a 3" flowmaster 80 exhaust on it .... I couldn't have enough insulation under that carpet! I used dynomat on the easy areas, lizard skin in the tough hard to reach spots and followed that with limo liner (same stuff as Lowes sells) then the carpet cw jute backing. Just remember to keep it thin in the areas where the seat tracks mount.

Dave

 

Huh.... I will have to look into that. Thanks Alan. (You really do have pictures of everything, don't you?!)

RobRace10, you weren't kidding around, that is "full coverage"! Nicely done and thanks for sharing the pics / info.

I guess I'll evaluate the fit and feel when I get there but I think you're right 79calshark, it will probably be best to use both or supplement with pad where there is none as 'standard'.

Thanks guys!

 

Are we talking about jute padding in addition to what comes glued to the back of the carpet? And if so, will not the dynamat, lizard skin, jute pad, AND the pad on the carpet add up to be too thick to allow the carpet to fit properly?

 

Oldgto, I'm going to use the Eastwood sound control (basically Dynamat) everywhere, wheel wells, floor, firewall, etc. I'm planning to supplement the pre-glued padding on my new carpet with additional padding where it's not already attached and will provide additional benefit for sound control. Basically it will look like RobRace10's work from above. I'm sure there will be areas that aren't suitable for additional pad because if fitment issues, but I'll figure that out as I go I guess.

 

Hi GB,
The original padding which was jute with a HEAVY layer of black rubber on one side was VERY intricately cut.
I think this was done so the carpet could be installed more easily but also to get it to lay smoothly.
Take a look at the cuts on the pad in the front foot well and on the dreaded rear wheel well.
I really don't know if someone can lay padding EVERYWHERE and get a really nice smooth carpet fit?
Regards,
Alan

 

being one of the cheapest sobs on the planet i have backed 3/8 carpet padding (the polyester felt kind) with heavy duty reynolds wrap and used a propane torch to mold it into the corners etc.

 

"This is just the dynamat, I put Dynaliner on top of it."

That must have been quite a job. looks like a space capsule.