MLV is an awesome material which can be used anywhere that you want to keep sound from traveling from our space to another. In your house, car, or business, you can use MLV to an existing barrier (or on its own!) and create a quieter, more productive space. One creative space people use mass loaded vinyl is to create MLV curtains, which we have written a whole article about. The most common areas people install MLV however is the walls.

How to install mlv on walls

Walls are the most common place to install mass loaded vinyl in a room. The MLV is typically installed directly to the wood or metal framing, although it can be installed between layers of drywall if needed. Attaching directly to the studs is preferable though because it allows the MLV a bit more flexibility, which slightly increases the amount of sound blocked. At roughly 1/8” thick, 1lb MLV has a low profile and will not affect the doors or windows.

Always fill the cavity between the studs with insulation. The MLV should be mechanically fastened to the studs with a cap stapler or cap nailer. Seal the seams, the perimeter, and around any penetrations with acoustical sealant. For any soundproof wall installation, always use 5/8” drywall or a soundproof drywall. Using Green Glue between lays of drywall is also recommended. If you're curious on if you should use Green Glue or mass loaded vinyl, then you should check out our article on the subject. A well-sealed wall with a MLV barrier on one side will have an STC rating between 47 and 50.

How to install mlv on ceilings

The second most common place to install MLV is on the ceiling. For a ceiling MLV installation, it’s important to know what MLV will do and what it won’t do. MLV will not stop impact noise (like footsteps or jumping children) from the floor above. It is excellent for stopping airborne noise (like TV noise or people talking). MLV is also heavy, so your typical DIY project may want to use other soundproofing options, like a sound isolation clip system. MLV is often used in combination with other products, like sound isolation clips or a rubber flooring underlayment if impact noise is part of the problem.

For how to install mass loaded vinyl on ceiling, it is typically installed in one of two ways. The most common method is directly to the joists with insulation above it and 5/8” drywall below it. This type of install method is very similar to the wall installation from the previous section. The second common way MLV is installed for a ceiling installation is above the joists and directly below the subfloor. If installing MLV this way, the mass loaded vinyl should hang a bit loosely between the joists instead of pulled tight. This installation method allows the MLV to maintain it’s “limpness”, which slightly increases the amount of airborne noise blocked.

How to install mlv on Floors

Mass loaded vinyl can be installed on the floor between layers of plywood or MDF to add density and block more airborne sound. Installing MLV on the floors is less common than other room soundproofing applications, but it is thin and effective way to add sound blocking power to your floor-ceiling assembly.

For most floor soundproofing applications, we recommend our UnderBlock Rubber Underlayment instead of MLV. The 10mm version is also very heavy to block airborne noise, but the recycled rubber has the added benefit of decoupling the floor from the building’s structure. By isolating the floor, UnderBlock also substantially reduces the sound of footsteps and other impact noises from the floor above.

Installing MLV on walls or ceilings is not a hard process, but you need to be methodical to do the job right. If this is your first time or it’s a DIY job, take your time. And call us if you have any questions!

Pro Tip #1: 100% coverage is absolutely required. To truly soundproof a room, you must soundproof all 6 surfaces – 4 walls, 1 ceiling, 1 floor. Even if only one wall or one section of the room seems to be transmitting sound, you should not expect the room to be soundproof with just one wall treated. You should only expect for sound to be reduced substantially, as now the sound waves travel along a new path into the room.

Let’s say your wall is the best soundproof wall on the planet, the sound is not going to travel through the wall – it’s going to go around it! We call this process flanking, which means the sound traveled over, under, or around your barrier.

Pro Tip #2: Acoustical sealant is your best friend in any soundproofing project. You must seal the seams, around the perimeter, and around any penetrations. Another common path for sound is for it to “leak” through cracks, gaps, or seams in your barrier. The best performing soundproofing barriers must be both dense AND sealed.

When installing MLV on ceilings or walls, you will need the MLV (of course!), a tape measure, utility knife, T-square, acoustic sealant caulk, and your choice of mechanical fastener (either nail gun or a staple gun). If using nails or screws, you should also be using a plastic washer due to the material’s weight. MLV should always be attached to the building’s structural framing. Drywall alone will not support the weight. Always use 5/8” drywall (or better) over the top of MLV.

MLV Install tools

1. Cap Stapler – 1” long, 5/16” wide with 1” cap (preferred)
2. Cap Nailer – 1-1/4” nail with plastic washer
3. Utility Knife
4. T-Square
5. Acoustical Sealant
6. Putty pads (recommended)
7. Tape Measure

Steps to Install Mass Loaded Vinyl

1. Measure the height of the wall. Roll the MLV out on the floor and cut it at about 1/8” less than that height. Cuts should be made using a utility knife and T-square.
2. With a helper, lift the MLV sound barrier and line it up starting at the top corner so that the MLV is straight across the ceiling. The gap between the MLV/floor and the MLV/ceiling should be about the same.
3. Staple or nail it into the studs every 8”. Start across the top and then fasten down the length of the studs. The second person should be supporting the weight of the MLV until a handful of mechanical fasteners are in place.
4. For both 16” OC and 24” OC, we recommend an additional nail and washer across the top plate every 12”.
5. As you hang the MLV, cut holes around outlets, light switches, and other penetrations. Putty pads are recommended around all electrical boxes. Use your utility knife to cut an opening around each box, with a very small gap (1/8”) around each penetration.
6. Continue this process for each sheet of mass loaded vinyl. When an MLV seam meets at the stud, butt those sheets directly against one another (do not overlap!). When a seam occurs between studs, allow the MLV to overlap by about 2”. You will need to cut away this overlap at the top and bottom plates to allow the 5/8” drywall to install flush. All seams should be sealed with acoustical sealant caulk.
7. Use acoustic caulk to seal all seams, around the perimeter, and around any penetrations in the wall.
8. Install the 5/8” drywall over the top of your MLV. Use acoustical sealant again around the perimeter and around any penetrations. Remember the pro tip from earlier – acoustical sealant is your best friend!

How to Install Mass Loaded Vinyl on a Ceiling

The steps to installing mass loaded vinyl on the ceiling are basically the same, the only thing to keep in my is that you are lifting and holding the mass loaded vinyl overhead, instead of hanging against the wall. With the extra weight overhead, make sure to have additional manpower on the job site to hold and install on the ceiling.

Luxury Liner Mass Loaded Vinyl Installed on a wall

Of course, many people don’t just use MLV in houses. Mass loaded vinyl is also used in cars to block airborne noises such as road noise, tire noise, engine noise, and exhaust noise. Our go-to recommendation is pairing Damplifier Pro sound deadening mats with Luxury Liner Pro. Damplifier Pro is installed with at least 60% coverage directly on the metal to stop vibrations and structural noise and Luxury Liner Pro is installed at 100% coverage on top of that. Luxury Liner Pro is our best automotive noise barrier, and is a fused combination of MLV and closed cell foam. The MLV acts as a barrier and the closed cell foam decoupled the mass loaded vinyl from the hard surface below it.

Luxury Liner Pro is flexible and easy to cut with a utility knife. You want as close to 100% coverage as possible to create an effective noise barrier. We recommend installing Luxury Liner Pro on the cabin side firewall, floor, and trunk – going over the wheel wells. To get around a large curved structure, you may need to make relief cuts. You’ll also need to cut out small openings to re-attach your seats. Finish off by taping up the seams and then re-install the upholstery back on top.
The results are unmatched. Using Damplifier Pro and Luxury Liner Pro will cut 10-15 decibels in a loud vehicle. We sell them together in our Vehicle Soungproofing Packages, which is one of our biggest sellers!