How to Soundproof a Room?

If you need a quiet space separate from the outside world, recording studio or music room, you’ll probably want to soundproof the space. Read on for some professional soundproofing methods that don’t cost a fortune.

Table of Contents

Easy method to do

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Install soundproof or thick curtains. You can block out some of the sound by hanging thick curtains on the wall. ^{[1] X Research Source} If you are willing to invest less money, you should buy a better soundproof curtain. ^{[2] X Research Source}

In case your house has been built with thick soundproof walls, the curtain will have an additional effect.

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Use bookshelves. You can make the walls thicker and more soundproof with bookshelves. Cover the wall with bookshelves and bookshelves to create an effective sound barrier. In addition, your room will become a very beautiful library room.

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Hang items that vibrate. Every time your neighbor plays loud music, do you hear the sound vibrate? Well, that’s why you should hang items like speakers. Use vibrating soundproof panels when hanging such objects so that they do not disturb people around. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Install the door stopper. Nail this rubber stopper to the base of the door to fill the gap. If the gap is so large that the stopper cannot be installed, add a piece of wood at the bottom of the door before installing. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Use soundproof stickers. Buy 30x30cm stickers with 5cm sound-reducing thickness. They absorb sounds from low to high frequencies well. Some soundproof panels are manufactured with an adhesive layer. Use 3M spray adhesive to stick soundproof panels to walls and ceilings if they don’t have an adhesive layer. You can cover all or part of the surface, depending on how much soundproof you want. This will reduce the ‘noise’ coming from the room and produce better sound, especially when you’re using the room as a vocal practice.

Use soundproof panels with the main component of fiberglass, with a thin layer of Mylar surface with holes. This type of soundproofing material has the highest sound absorption level of most, but is also the most special and expensive. This product is worth your investment more than any other product on the market.

Use soundproof structure

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Use thick materials. The denser and denser the material, the better the sound absorption. Consider using 1.6cm thick drywall instead of the thinner one.

If you want to renovate an existing wall then build the basic wall structure and attach it to the surface, connecting it to the existing studs. Cover the exterior with drywall or new plasterboard.

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Separate the two wall layers. When sound enters a layer of material, some of the energy is absorbed and part of it is reflected. Increase this effect by building walls from two layers of drywall or plasterboard, the greater the distance between them the better. This is called the removable wall method.

In fact, the ability of the removable wall to block low-frequency sound is not good, because the sound is reflected. If the clearance is only 2.5cm or less, it is recommended to use a sound-damping material to counteract this effect. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Locate rivets. Most walls have a row of studs to connect the two layers together. Sound easily travels through these studs, ruining most of your soundproofing efforts. When building a new wall, you should choose one of the following riveting methods: ^{[6] X Research Source}

Fasten two rows of studs, one on each inside. This is the best soundproofing method but needs enough space to leave space between two rows of nails.
Fasten rivets in a zigzag pattern, that is, alternate rivets on the two inner faces.

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Consider using soundproof clamps or chutes. They are placed between the studs and the drywall, adding a layer of sound insulation to the wall. There are two main options:

Soundproof clamps are the most effective method, absorbing sound with heavy rubber parts. Fasten them to the wall with rivets, insert the chuck, and then secure the drywall to the chuck. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Resilient gutters are resilient metal troughs designed for soundproofing. Fasten the trough to the wall with studs, then fasten the drywall to the trough with corner screws. ^{[8] X Research Source} This method increases high-frequency sound insulation, but reduces low-frequency soundproofing. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Note that the chuck does not effectively block sound.

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Insert the sound-reducing compound into the gap between the walls. This material can convert negative energy into heat. You can use a sound-damping compound between layers of walls, floors, or ceilings. Unlike other methods, this will absorb low frequency sounds. The sound-damping compound is therefore well-suited to suppressing bass-heavy music, and soundproofing indoor cinema rooms. ^{[10] X Research Source}

On the market this product is also known as noise-proof elastic glue or adhesive.
Some models require days or weeks of “maintenance” to reach full performance. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Soundproof with other materials. Sound-reducing compound is one of those soundproofing materials suitable for all purposes, but there are many other soundproofing materials available.

Fiberglass is inexpensive and quite effective. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Soundproof foam is a poor soundproofing material. This product is mainly used for insulation.

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Fill gaps with soundproof sealant. Even small gaps or gaps can sabotage your soundproofing efforts. Soundproof sealants can fill gaps with soundproof elastomers. You should seal cracks and crevices around walls and windows. Remember the following: ^{[13] X Research Sources}

Water-based sealants can be removed more easily. If you use a solvent-based sealant, check the product label to make sure it won’t damage your material.
If the sealant doesn’t match the color of the wall, choose one that says you can paint on it.
Consider using a conventional sealant for small joints, as acoustic sealants are more difficult to work with.

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Soundproof floors and ceilings. Floors and ceilings can be soundproofed using a variety of wall methods. The most common is to install one or two more layers of drywall and apply sound-reducing glue between these walls. ^{[14] X Research Source} Simple one step addition by covering the floor with a soundproof mattress, then carpeting on top.

You don’t need to soundproof the floor if there’s no room underneath.
Adding gypsum board and sound-reducing compounds to a concrete ceiling does not bring much benefit. Instead, you should install more plasterboard and leave the gap with the concrete ceiling, or fill it with fiberglass.

Advice

Replace ceiling panels made of hard cellulose, as they reverberate sound.
Seal the gap around the openings for mounting lights etc. as well as the perimeter of the step-up ceiling.

Warning

Construction or major repairs to walls, floors and ceilings should be carried out under the supervision of an experienced person.
The STC standard soundproofing rating system is not always useful. It does not take into account sound frequencies below 125 Hz, including the sounds of music, vehicles, airplanes and construction. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Steps

Easy method to do

Use soundproof structure

Advice

Warning

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