Spray foam for sound insulation?

[foz]

Hi!
I wanted to use some spray foam for sound dampening. Has anybody here tried it? The stuff I want to use says it can be sanded and painted after it dries. Any tips?

 

[djcoolmasterx]

Probably not the best idea unless the foam is heat resistant. Also it may ruin your case and get everywhere.

 

[Rabidpeanut]

It might work but do it at your own risk, spray foam gets brittle and flaky so if you like cleaning fans then go for it, and as for it being heat resistant i dont think so... spray some on something and see if it is flammable, if you have a digital thermometer check at what temp it burns. Innovative idea but i would personally not risk it.

 

[scifiguy]

HEy, You can pick up Aluminum foil backed sound insulation from Home Depot or Lowes in 4 X 8 ft sheets for a little over 15.00 dollars. Easily glues, on cut to fit, and easily removable. Will provide about a 40 db attenuation of the sound. Use this at work in a vibratory mill that uses steel bars up to 3/4" in diameter to break up diatoematous earth into sub-micron particles. It puts out about 130db of noise from 5 ft distance. After installing the insulation to a box to surrond the mill , sound is down to 88 db at 5 ft. Almost tolerable. IT will also resist temps up to 140F so heat shouldn't be a concern. :idea:

 

[jitpublisher]

*CAUTION*
Spray Foam is VERY EXTREMELY flammable until it drys. If you use it, do it outside with plenty of ventilation, and nothing plugged in. Spray foam is great for sound deadening, and insulation. However, it is meant for use in construction behind walls, under floors, etc. where most usually it will be covered up. Some companys use it for packing material where the part is wrapped in plastic, placed into the center of a box, and then the box is filled with spray foam effectively sealing the part in for extreme protection. For use inside a PC case, I don't think this is a good idea. As stated in a previous post, after drying it is dusty, easily flakes off, and just generally pretty messy stuff to use both when applying and after drying.

 

[enforcerfx]

I've been told that the dampening material they use in plumbing works really well to stop noise and vibration. I'm very sure you can find it in the color you like at your local hardware store.


It's also possible that you could paint it too. Just ask one of the employees.

 

[turpit]

What Scifiguy said.

Sound is a mechanical vibration. the more rigid the material, the greater its conductance of vibration. The spray insulation foams generally harden and become much more rigid than foams specifically designed for sound attenuation, or even packing.

 

[foz]

I guess I wont be using the spray foam. Is this the stuff you are talking about:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100028603&N=10000003+90401+503272&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125
What do you guys think about using those foam mattress topper things. They look the same as the regular sound dampening foam. Is their a difference?

 

[gwolfman]

HEy, You can pick up Aluminum foil backed sound insulation from Home Depot or Lowes in 4 X 8 ft sheets for a little over 15.00 dollars. Easily glues, on cut to fit, and easily removable. Will provide about a 40 db attenuation of the sound. Use this at work in a vibratory mill that uses steel bars up to 3/4" in diameter to break up diatoematous earth into sub-micron particles. It puts out about 130db of noise from 5 ft distance. After installing the insulation to a box to surrond the mill , sound is down to 88 db at 5 ft. Almost tolerable. IT will also resist temps up to 140F so heat shouldn't be a concern. :idea:

What stuff is this? Do you have a brand name? The name of the item? Abouts what area/section in Home Depot can I find this stuff?

 

[scifiguy]

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pr oductDetail&productId=15358-10477-15 358&lpage=none

Lokks like Home Depot dowsn't carry it. Above is the link for the stuff that I used. is kinds rigid, can be cut using a razor knife, and then glued into place.

 

[sojrner]

get a rubber-based (not tar-based) roofing material from the hardware store. It is used for flat roofing and is in a can. Spread it on and let it dry. Stays flexible and handles all heat levels you would find in a case.


lol... j/k... go with the material scifiguy is pointing to. Best bet IMO.

 

[scifiguy]

Sojrner,
Just don't forget the Asbestos shingles. They provide a significant degree of insulation, will weigh the case down to the point that only a category 9.5 earthquake would be able vibrate it. (HUGE SMILE)

 

[PCGEEK91]

i know we are talking computers here, but i have an 84 camaro with a huge stereo system in it...i just used the foam padding from underneath floor carpeting...kinda that ugly multicolored stuff....im pretty sure you could paint it if you'd like...it works really good...beats going out and buying expensive material classified as sound-deadening stuff....should work for what you need....yeah and again im a "no" on the foam...it gets rock hard when it dries and then flakes....

 

[gwolfman]

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pr oductDetail&productId=15358-10477-15 358&lpage=none

Lokks like Home Depot dowsn't carry it. Above is the link for the stuff that I used. is kinds rigid, can be cut using a razor knife, and then glued into place.

You had space in your link, try this one:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=15358-10477-15358&pad=true

 

[pchoi04]

I used some dynamat in my computer. Works pretty well.

 

[Slappy_Slime]

"CORK" comes in rolls, got in school supply section at wal-mart. cut to size and use tack adhesive spray "type of glue" to fasten it to case panels/top/bottom. Works well! The roll I got is 24" x 48" and picked it up for $2 a roll. Note: could be found in the arts & craft section also.

 

[onestar]

Builders, enthusiasts, and modders, lend me your ears....I come not to bury sound but to deaden it. All that sound deadening material (no matter what you use, is also an insulate. That means it traps heat. Most cases are made of metal and this gives the case the advantage of being a huge heatsink, so to speak. Sealing this heat transference with sound insulation, places a lot more focus on the small fans which exhaust it.

There are many things a builder can do to minimize the decibels being generated in the first place. Using rubber feet to anchor the motherboard is an excellent way to reduce the vibrations which are transferred to the metal case. Using cooling fans that produce low noise are good, but remember that many fan specifications state decibel levels not being attached to the heat sink or anything else. When they are attched the sound level increases, so have a care when studying the specs on those guys. I have heard computers that sound like a freight train, and after examining them, some components are loose, the screws are not tightened sufficiently, or they just do not fit well together. These things can, of course be rectified, merely by making sure things dovetail together properly. Power supplies are a huge source of sound so study the sound qualities of your PS before you buy and use rubber or silicon strips to insulate it's vibration from your metal case which acts like an amplifier. Lastly, many case fans can be significantly deadened by using rubber inserts instead of metal screws. I am certain there are many other techniques which result in lower decibel levels.