How to Insulate a Car Roof - Second Skin Audio

My first car was good at getting me from point A to point B with decent gas mileage. What it wasn't good at was keeping cool in the summer and warm in the winter without a LOT of extra help. What it did good for gas mileage was often undone by how hard it had to work to regulate temperature because of bad insulation.

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If I knew then what I know now, I would've saved myself the money and hassle by upgrading the car roof insulation. In the end, I could've saved the money by improving my car's fuel efficiency, and drive with a level of comfort rivaled only by a suite at the Ritz-Carlton!

Read on to learn about roof insulation options that can keep the interior temperature just the way you like it.

My first car was good at getting me from point A to point B with decent gas mileage. What it wasn't good at was keeping cool in the summer and warm in the winter without a LOT of extra help. What it did good for gas mileage was often undone by how hard it had to work to regulate temperature because of bad insulation.

If I knew then what I know now, I would've saved myself the money and hassle by upgrading the car roof insulation. In the end, I could've saved the money by improving my car's fuel efficiency, and drive with a level of comfort rivaled only by a suite at the Ritz-Carlton!

Read on to learn about roof insulation options that can keep the interior temperature just the way you like it.

Sound deadening material is part one of our Second Skin System. While the primary function is to deaden vibrations, with the recommended 100% coverage, our sound deadening material is going to act as a second thermal layer for when it's really hot or cold.

Damplifier Pro™ should be applied first as your vibration reduction layer. Damplifier Pro™ comes in sheets that you can cut to size with a sharp utility knife for easy application. Installation is fairly simple – just cut to size, peel to reveal the built-in adhesive, and stick. Most people get a wooden hand roller to roll it onto the metal sheet and ensure a firm bond.

If you choose to apply Spectrum™ liquid deadener, you can spray it on with a spray gun or simply paint it on with a brush. Spectrum should be applied in 1mm layers to ensure proper adhesion. For most situations, we recommend doing at least 2mm total but no more than 5mm. This is an important step to solving noisy vehicles like Ford Bronco noise.

The car roof thermal insulation – Heat Wave Pro™ or Mega Zorbe™ – will go on next as the heat barrier layer. Heat Wave Pro™ should be attached to the headliner using spray adhesive or double-sided tape. Cover 100% of the roof, as this application will fight gravity, heat, and movement on a daily basis. Tape the seams and edges to protect them from daily wear and tear.

If you decide to use Mega Zorbe™, make sure you have at least a 1/2" of clearance, as it’s an open-cell foam and needs to be fluffed out in order to be effective. You can easily peel & stick with the PSA backing, or use a spray adhesive to adhere it to the Damplifier Pro™.

After the vibration and heat barrier layers have been applied, reapply the factory foam material IF you have extra clearance. With insulation, more is almost always better.

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Okay, okay! We have two options that will take you from dud to stud! Whichever you choose, complete coverage is a must, so always measure to find out exactly square footage you need.

If you have limited clearance or are on a tighter budget Heat Wave Pro™ jute insulation is highly effective with an R-value of 3.91 per inch. It's only 3/8" thick and can be compressed a good bit too. Install it on the headliner to gain the added benefit of the reflected radiant heat in the summer.

If you're looking to improve the acoustics inside as well, Mega Zorbe™ hydrophobic melamine foam does just that with an R-value of 4.16 per inch! Melamine foam sheets are an open cell foam so you won't want to compress it (that's why we don't suggest it for insulating a car floor.), so you'll want to be certain you have at least 1/2" of clearance.

PROFESSIONAL TIPS

Attach your insulation with with spray adhesive or strong double-sided tape (if you don't get the adhsive backing). Be sure to also tape the seams.

Don't throw out the factory car heat insulation (unless it's gross or completely worn out)! Save it in case you still have room above the headliner when you complete your install. Extra layers will increase the total r-value and further reduce heat transfer!

The headliner is the series of layers covering the ceiling of your vehicle’s interior. A knit fabric layer covers a foam-like layer of polyurethane that adheres to the fiberglass roof. This entire unit is the headliner, responsible for insulating over-head. We use R-value to determine a material’s capacity to resist heat flow.

However, outside of luxury vehicles, this standard layer of polyurethane in most cars is usually minimal, leaving significant room for improvement. And per the Department of Energy, your air conditioning is the #1 cause of reduced fuel economy in hot weather. Blasting the AC can reduce fuel economy by more than 25%.

Upgrading your roof insulation with one of our preferred thermal insulation materials will create a noticeably more comfortable cabin by helping maintain temperatures inside the vehicle, and with less cool air escaping in the summer, it'll take less energy to keep the vehicle cool. Better gas mileage and more comfort? Yes please!

The additional insulation will also absorb echoes for improved audio clarity and reduced noise from rain and other weather. Some customers even find themselves turning the volume down since airborne noise is less of an issue! And if you have a sub in the trunk, we don't need to tell you twice about the benefits of reducing roof flex.

The Second Skin Car Roof Insulation Kit follows the Second Skin System to get the Second Skin difference. Combine our high-quality sound deadeners and one of our preferred thermal insulation materials to get the best thermal protection and the best soundproofing a roof can get. By using a layer of our high-quality sound deadener and a layer of insulation, you cut down on how much heat transfer there is AND how insulated the roof is.

The Second Skin Car Roof Insulation Kit takes the sound and thermal benefits of Damplifier Pro™ and marries it with either Heat Wave Pro™ or Mega Zorbe™ for the ultimate car roof insulation solution (with a 10% discount included!). Aside from the soundproofing and thermal insulation materials, each kit also includes any needed adhesives and tools to make the job easier.

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• Damplifier Pro will stop your car's roof vibrations whether you're trying to max out your SPL or just drive in peace and quiet.
• For your insulating layer, choose between Mega Zorbe and Heat Wave Pro. Both materials will absorb sound and resist heat transfer.
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Hello friends,

I'm getting my saggy headliner replaced, and was just at the shop discussing my options.

They do not have a vinyl fabric that is OEM-style, so my choices are either a foam/clothy fabric, or Alcantara.

MEGA-SIZED PHOTO:
http://i.imgur.com/B12bAZP.jpg

My wasn't able to capture the colours too well, but it seems like silbergrau hell is the closest match to it, and in person, it looked closer to my eyes. In person, the colour is not as "warm" as the photo. Also, the darker grey below it is quite a bit darker.

Does anyone have any experience with doing an Alcantara headline, and if so, do you recall which colour you used that had the best match?

Also, if I wanted to use an OEM vinyl-like headliner material, would anyone happen to know where I can source some? My local shop only has the cheap fuzzy cloth ones, as well as Alcantara.

Either way, just trying to figure out my best options here, hope to hear your thoughts!

Cheers! A Range Rover I'm working on had a alcantara headliner put in. It's a black leather interior, white exterior, with a few white interior accents. Headliner is black.

I gotta say it's mighty claustrophobic in that big SUV. I'd like to do an alcantara headliner on my 400e, but I've pretty much decided it's going to be a grey color. (Black leather interior) Blacks too closed in feeling.

A friend of mine did his XJ8 in it, except it's a brownish interior. Looks super plush color matched. I found these guys a few weeks back:

http://www.headlinerexpress.com/imp...20-e420-260ete-300detdte-400e-500e-p-917.html

I was also planning on going with a simulated suede headliner seeing as how it previously did not seem possible to obtain the orignal vinyl, it would appear that there's now at least a choice.

I would not mind an simulated suede headliner, I don't think it would be terribly out of place and I know for a fact that Ultrasuede offers a grey shade that matches perfectly (can't recall the color name or number unfortunately). Should you go with the Alcantara definitely compare colors with an actual fabric sample first. Also, make sure your upholstery guy uses the equivalent of 3mm thick foam, most applications call for foam twice as thick and that just won't look right in a W124.

You guys know Alcantara is a name brand.

Michael

Hence the capitalizaton when making reference to the products. I'm fairly certain that Alcantara is not being mistaken for the hide of some mystical beast here. Both Alcantara and Ultrasuede are 100% synthetic microfiber products I believe.

When tracking down a specific color one of course does want to mention the appropriate manufacturer, color names and numbers will vary between vendors.

The only misgiving I may have over a non-stock headliner material would have to do with upkeep, the OEM vinyl is impossible to beat in this aspect. I can picture a light colored simulated suede headliner getting dingy over time and not being able to do much about it short of replacement, I could be wrong though. I have a black interior and did black micro suede headliner about 1 month ago and I love it. (didn't see value in paying up for alcantara branded as its about 3x material cost).....there are claims on the Internet of cheap micro suedes in black turning charcoal over time so be careful on supplier. my shop had done many less insulated hot rods with the brand of black I used and has never had issue in many years of using same supplier for black ultrasuede (my car is usually in a garage and doesn't get blistered by heat all day everyday so I was less worried)

I'll snap a pic later this morning of my black so you can see it, yes it feels a little cocoonish with all black but I personally love that feeling for this particular car (I almost bought another 500e that was probably a better car than mine but It had tan interior and I felt I had to have black).....if your preference is for your 036 experience to feel "light and airy" rather than like a form fitted tailored suit, then black HL probably won't be your thing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I had West Side Upholstery do the headliners in both my SEC and E500 (sequentially) about 4 years ago. They are the best interior shop in Houston, though I paid for the privilege of their services

Had the opportunity to get suede/alcantara at the time for my E500, but after comparing fabrics and colors, I just didn't feel that using suede was in keeping with the car's character, so opted for a factory color, foam-backed knit fabric that MB has used for most of its cars in recent years. With the SEC I went with a near-factory headliner material in creme beige.

I know more than a few folks have gone with the suede/alcantara and have been very happy with it. I really like it -- just not on MY E500 is all. I went to Classic 9 Leather Shop in Dearborn Heights, MI to find an ultrasuede in grey that matched or complimented the OEM vinyl headliner. I believe it was a light grey, but I apologize, I don't have the manufacturer. I then had MotorWerks, in Commerce Twp., install it on the headliner and the A-, B- and C-pillars.

I feel they did a great job! Here are some photos of the install: http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=&page=3&p=&viewfull=1#post Thanks for all the information.

I have a very important question and I'm pondering on what to choose.

For going with an Alcantara headliner, would it be okay to have it applied on the car without any foam backing?

Alcantara headliner textiles don't come with a foam backing, and the shop guy doesn't think it needs foam, but I just wanted to confirm and find out what other people have done, since there aren't too many people locally that have these cars and have redone the headliner. I'm pretty sure my guy just wrapped the material on the board (will check later today).....my place had done a bunch can of alcantara headliners before so never really came up in convo, if your guy hasn't done alcantara I would probably try to find someone familiar with working with the material if you can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Ignore what I said earlier, checked my headliner on drive home and I definitely have foam under the alcantara (separate and distinct from the hushmat I had applied to the back of the headliner board) I know the fabric doesn't have a backing so my guy must have made a foam backing to go between the fabric and headliner board, I presume for better adhesion to the board


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk One thing to remember, if you are replacing the headliner, while you shop has the sunroof panel all pulled apart, tell him to resign grease the tracks and moving pieces of the sunroof.....I happened to buy the over priced mb specific "anti-noise kit" of lubricants which included a metal to metal general lubricant but you can use more generic gleitpaste that should probably work fine


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Any idea on where or what kind of "foam backing" that I could possibly order three yards of?

Honestly I think I've found the most experience local shop around here, but the guy doesn't seem to know too much? They have nothing but good reviews and all the local dealerships have been working with them for the longest time. I just want to know the best way to communicate with them, and figure out what we can glue the Alcantara to. I assume the Alcantara does not come with a foamed backing, but will have to ask to confirm.