Lizard Skin Vs. Dynamat: Which One is Better?
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Road noise in your car can be quite frustrating. You cannot enjoy the stereo, and the nagging sound can even distract you while driving.
Finding the right soundproofing material is essential. But, it isn't as easy as it seems, thanks to the numerous products in the market.
Lizard Skin and Dynamat are two of the most popular car soundproofing products. You may find yourself wondering whether to go for a soundproofing mat or a spray-on sound deadener.
In this article, I will delve into the details of these two products. Keep in mind that they use different technologies to dampen noise.
Therefore, the ultimate choice on which is better will depends on your preferences and needs.
By comparing Lizard Skin vs. Dynamat, I hope you will be better placed to choose a material for your car. So, keep reading for some insightful information.
LizardSkin Review
LizardSkin is a company that sells soundproofing spray. Yes, you read that correctly, there are sound deadening sprays available in the market.
As a relatively new company, they have a very reliable product. LizardSkin Sound Control is a high-tech coating that was developed for efficient car insulation to control noise vibrations.
It is applied through spraying parts of the car using an air compressor powered spray gun. This gives the vehicle an even application of the insulation. It also catches all the crooks and crevices in your car.
The material works by coating the interior of your car and deadening most of the noise produced.
LizardSkin Sound Control is a product that is marketed to be used with LizardSkin Ceramic Insulation and Top Coat.
However, the Ceramic Insulation is used for thermal insulation while Top Coat gives a glossy finish and has nothing to do with soundproofing, nor do they affect the dampening.
If you're not looking for a thermal insulator, too, you might want to ignore that recommendation.
Lizard Skin Control comes in 2-gallon buckets that can cover up to 4.2m^2 at 1mm thickness. The recommended width by Lizard Skin is between 0.4" and 0.6" for best results.
The product comes with a marker that helps you measure the correct level of coating thickness. On average most cars will need around 4 gallons of spray, but 6 gallons is the recommended number.
Advantages of LizardSkin
Disadvantages of LizardSkin
Dynamat Review
Mats as sound deadening material have been in the market for a long time. Dynamat is one of the more popular brands in the market today.
It's made of thin but super sticky material that isolates your car cabin from external noises.
Dynamat comes in two forms; different kits precut for specific parts of the cabin and in an uncut bulky way. The kits and precut for doors, trunks, floor, hood, and the headliner.
The Dynamat Xtreme Bulk Pack is available when you need to do a full cabin soundproofing. It's available in about 72 square feet, enough for full cabin coverage.
Dynamat is not only a significant sound dampener but also has a heat resistant aluminum coating that makes it suitable for warm areas such as under the hood.
The product is made of flexible material that stretches without tearing and is easy to cut through.
This makes its installation as easy as cutting and sticking it to the interior car surfaces without needing unique sticking compounds.
Different Dynamat kits come in different sizes and thicknesses to best suit whichever part of the cabin they are covering.
For example, the Dynapad is a four-layer composite barrier material with a 3/8" thickness and high density that make it suitable for floor soundproofing.
Dynaliner, on the other hand, comes in different thicknesses (1/8", 1/4", and 1/2") to provide high acoustic absorption for the headliner.
Advantages of Dynamat
Disadvantages of Dynamat
Lizard Skin Vs. Dynamat – Which One is Better?
Several factors come into play when choosing a good sound deadener. Lizard Skin and Dynamat already have a massive difference between them in terms of material.
As a spray and mat, respectively, we'll look into how the product features compare to each other and how they work.
Preparation
There are no partial applications when it comes to LizardSkin. Once you start the job, you have to spray the whole car to completion.
With Dynamat, you can stick the mat in sections over a long duration of time without any issues arising.
LizardSkin requires you to disassemble the whole car and pull out all the interiors or cover certain parts before application as the spray can ruin them.
On the other hand, with Dynamat, you don't need to pull out your interiors before use.
LizardSkin requires an air compressor powered gun as an application tool, whereas Dynamat only needs a tool to cut the mat into desired sizes.
A spray job takes quite the process before you can start compared to the easy preparation of Dynamat.
Installation
Once your car interior is prepared, it's easy to apply LizardSkin. Get your air compressor powered gun and spray the cabin.
The process is bound to get messy with a spray gun, so working without one is a disaster waiting to happen. That is why its advisable to get a professional to do the job for you.
The installation of Dynamat is easy but cumbersome. The thickness of Dynamat makes it a bit cumbersome to cut for an inexperienced person, but there are numerous tutorials online to guide you.
Once the mats are cut in the desired shapes and sizes, the rest of the process is easy. You just peel and stick to the car areas you wish to soundproof.
Both of these processes are difficult in their respect. The Dynamat installation might not need a lot of extra tools, but the cutting process is a challenge.
Although the spraying of LizardSkin is easy, it creates quite a huge mess that will have you spending hours cleaning up.
Thickness
The density and thickness of material make a big part of what goes into account when choosing a sound deadening material. Two coats of LizardSkin create a thickness of between 0.40" and 0.60".
Dynamat is only 0.067" thick. The thickness gives LizardSkin an advantage over Dynamat, but the difference in material changes those odds.
Effectiveness
Unlike Dynamat, LizardSkin covers every part of the car, including crevices and corners, if applied well. It leaves no rooms for sound leaks or car noise disturbances.
Dynamat is also quite useful in soundproofing. The only problem is that it is so structured that it can't cover every part of your car.
Costs
When comparing product costs, Dynamat is, without a doubt, more expensive than Lizard Skin.
However, when it comes to installation and application, Dynamat becomes much cheaper than Lizard Skin.
If you're doing the Lizard Spraying by yourself, you'll need to purchase an air compressor and spray gun. These two tools increase your budget significantly.
Sound Deadening Spray Vs. Mat
Sound Deadening Spray
Pros
Cons
Sound Deadening Mat
Pros
Cons
Final Words: Dynamat vs Lizard Skin
Having looked at both products, it's easy to see that each one carries its appeal. When it comes to installation, the messy nature of LizardSkin might put you off from making it a DIY project.
Regardless, if you feel like you can do it and have a spray gun on the ready, go ahead. Dynamat is more likely the project DIY enthusiasts find more appealing.
You should also consider how the costs come into play differently for each material. Having a professional do the soundproofing or doing it yourself will play a massive impact on the total costs.
At the end of the day, it's just a matter of picking out a material that is more practical to your needs and budget.
You might also like: