SailorSolutions Sound Insulation

[Scout 30]

I'm currently refitting my engine compartment & bought 48 of the sound insulation tiles from Sailor Solutions for the ceiling only. The old black foam insulation had come down many years go & all remnants of it were removed with a shop vac. The ceiling was still quite tacky so I hope that would help with the self adhesive tiles. Of course, this being a boat, that was wishful thinking. About half of them has fallen down & I've peeled several more off with difficulty. My plan is to get the rest down, wipe down the ceiling with lacquer thinner, apply 3M adhesive and then fasteners.

Any advice is appreciated.

[Matt Johnson]

So the new tiles fell off? I actually have a tab open to sailorssolution.com with a 12 pack of those in my cart, but was worried about the psa glues durability. Hummmm..... maybe I'll wait.

Matt

[jstevens]

I used these tiles on my engine compartment in 2008, using the contact adhesive on the tiles - no mechanical fasteners. Tiles are still solid in 2017. I built a new engine enclosure, so the tiles were applied to clean wood. The surface definitely needs to clean.
My experience is documented here: Engine Box

John

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

So the new tiles fell off? I actually have a tab open to sailorssolution.com with a 12 pack of those in my cart, but was worried about the psa glues durability. Hummmm..... maybe I'll wait.

Matt

Yes, they literally fell off. What really sucks is when one lands on another one because then they stick well enough to pull the foam apart. I called Sailor Solutions & he recommended 4 fasteners per tile which would be 200 screws. Yikes!

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by jstevens

I used these tiles on my engine compartment in 2008, using the contact adhesive on the tiles - no mechanical fasteners. Tiles are still solid in 2017. I built a new engine enclosure, so the tiles were applied to clean wood. The surface definitely needs to clean.
My experience is documented here: Engine Box

John

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna get it as clean as I can.

[Matt Johnson]

We prepped our aluminum and primed with Interprotect 2000 the areas the tiles would attach, but due to the metal and what is on the other side of the surface, I cannot attach with mechanical fasteners.

I previously purchased Soundown with PSA, but the blue masking was permanently attached and pulled the foam apart when trying to install... Luckily, they refunded my money and now I was going to try the Sailorsolution option.

Matt

[hellosailor]

When you apply any adhesive over "old tacky" adhesive residue, the combination IS guaranteed to fail because the old failed residue is still involved, and will keep failing.

Even with the 3M adhesives, they'll tell you they make a "permanent" spray adhesive (777 ?) but also a special "headliner" adhesive, that is designed for the constant heat and gravity pull that try to pull auto headlinings and other materials off the underside of things. If you don't know that's "special"...you find out the hard way.

There are even special industrial "hook and loop" fasteners designed to be used on hot bulkheads, or under windshield glass. The conventional adhesives won't hold up, even on a fiberglass or wood bulkhead in a frp boat. Found out the hard way.(G)

Matt-
Where's your spirit of adventure? Surely you could TIG weld 200 mounting studs into the overhead of your engine compartment.(VBG)

[Scout 30]

Thanks for the info HelloSailor. I'm gonna try to find that adhesive. My thinking on the old adhesive was that it actually never failed, the foam just came apart. Obviously wrong there. I should have know that if it was that easy to install I was doing something wrong.

[hellosailor]

Oddly enough 3M also sells adhesive remover.(G) The 800# on any of their products can get you to a real product engineer in any of their divisions, worldwide. (Very different from the many folks who can't manage to answer a phone call, let alone transfer it.)

There are also conventional store-shelf solvents that will do the job. The Big Orange store sells one called "rocket fuel" or something like that...BEWARE. Because the really strong solvent sprays cam and will also do nasty things to your flesh and lungs. Googles, hood or showercap, mask...all really not optional when you're working on the overhead. But with a good stiff paint scraper and paper towels, they'll make fast work of it.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Oddly enough 3M also sells adhesive remover.(G) The 800# on any of their products can get you to a real product engineer in any of their divisions, worldwide. (Very different from the many folks who can't manage to answer a phone call, let alone transfer it.)

There are also conventional store-shelf solvents that will do the job. The Big Orange store sells one called "rocket fuel" or something like that...BEWARE. Because the really strong solvent sprays cam and will also do nasty things to your flesh and lungs. Googles, hood or showercap, mask...all really not optional when you're working on the overhead. But with a good stiff paint scraper and paper towels, they'll make fast work of it.

Thanks again. I was able to find the 3m headliner adhesive at my local Wallyworld believe it or not. $6 less per can than Amazon. I also picked up some citrus based adhesive remover. I doubt that will work but a lot less toxic so I'll give it a try.

[DeepFrz]

Scout30, please let us know how things work out for you.

[td0tz]

Adhesive route is the way to go. Mechanical fasteners will transmit (an amazing amount of) sound and defeat the purpose of the insulation.

[SailingFan]

I, too, was considering putting additional soundproofing on my engine box. The original batting is still in place there, and I was wondering if anyone has found a way to use the deadening effect of Styrofoam sheets with the aluminum foil that are used in home construction and deadening efforts in homes on a boat, and how it would be attached when the original material is still in place.

I was considering leaving the original, and putting this on top of the original, with the thought of further reducing sound and perhaps keeping heat and sound from the cabin, redirecting it out the vents on the stern of my '78 H27. Any ideas how to mount it if the original material is left in place (it is still intact, and the glue seems to be holding just fine) or am I better off to strip it or wait until the original dies first to install this stuff?