Make a room soundproof with these tips and tricks 

There are several reasons behind a soundproof room. Perhaps you want your own space or are in the mood to record some songs or want to have your very own area of music and don’t want to disturb the neighbors. Whatever the reason, here are some tips from our experts on how you can create a soundproof room.

Easy Methods

Sound curtains 

Noise can be absorbed by installing sound curtains around the room or by even placing thick blankets on the walls. They might cost a bit more, but they are worth it. In case your walls are thick, then this will be even more effective.

Bookcases

Bookcases help make walls even thicker and stop sound from traveling outside. Cover your walls with bookshelves and books, and make it a makeshift library too. 

Put your shaky items in place

When a lot of sounds reverberate across the room, the thing that shakes the most is those small, unsteady items. So, to stop this from happening you should mount these items as you would do to speakers. With vibration insulation pads, you can keep these items in place, and they won’t shake or vibrate, helping you keep the peace around you.

Door sweep

A door sweep is a rubber loop that is put in place by your door’s base so that the gap is blocked. In case the gap is far too large to cover with a simple door sweep, then a strip of lumber should do the trick. This stops sound from traveling outside the small door gap.

Acoustic wedge panels

These are very useful, but they do require a bit of work. For the best results, get a 12 X 12-inch panel with a two-inch curve relief depth. This panel is effective in absorbing a range of frequencies and will most likely come with an adhesive peel. In case it doesn’t have a peel, use a 3M spray which can help it adhere to the wall. Cover all the parts or just some parts, depending on the amount of sound you want to drown. They cut the sound out, and make the space great for rehearsals.

Panels that are fiberglass with a subtle touch of mylar perforated facing can give you wonderful sound absorption results, however, they are far more expensive.

Construction

Thick material 

The thicker the material you use to construct your soundproof abode, the more sound it will take in. Maybe go for a 1.6 cm thick drywall in the place of something thinner, or even brick or concrete. If you’re doing this on a wall that already exists, you can build a wall frame and then connect it to the wall surface, keeping it rooted in place with the existing studs. Make sure that you cover the layer with sheetrock or drywall.

Separate wall layers

When sound travels, it’s either absorbed into a substance or reflected. You can take advantage of this fact by building two-sheet drywall or sheetrock and putting as much distance as possible between them. The process is known as decoupling. 

Decoupling, however, isn’t too useful for lower frequencies because of the wall’s resonance. If you only have a 2.5 cm gap, then use a damping compound to make it more sound-proof.

Place your studs properly

Walls usually have studs that touch both of their layers. These studs enhance sound travel, making it problematic despite all your soundproofing work. When you’re building a new wall, use an appropriate stud placement. 

One choice is double the row of studs, each along either side of the interior. The method helps in soundproofing but does require a sizeable amount of space for gaps between the rows. The other option is placing the studs alternatively along with the interior and exterior sides.

Channels or sound clips

Place these between drywall and studs to create a proper sound barrier. Sound clips are very effective as they absorb sound well due to their thick rubber component. Screw these into studs and place a channel hat, then screw the drywall within the channel.

The other method is a strong channel or a springy metal item that is made specifically for soundproofing. For this to work, screw it onto the studs and drywall with the help of offset screws. it helps keep away sounds of high frequency.

Damping compound

Another option is filling your walls with a damping compound, a wonderful option that makes sound convert to heat. Use it between layers, but make sure you don’t go to that room much during the summer otherwise you’ll boil. It is a great option if you’re going to have a lot of sound from home theatres or instrumental bass. The same material is also used as noise-proofing glue, and the compounds can take a couple of weeks to cure.

Insulation material 

Apart from damping compounds, there are other materials you can use for insulation, and known sound proofers such as fiberglass, which is both inexpensive and cheap, or spray foam or insulation in your wall cavities can keep sound at bay.

Acoustical caulk

In case there are any cracks between the materials, then your soundproofing won’t be as perfect as you want it to be. You can fill these in with a sound-resistance, elastic material known as acoustical caulk or acoustical sealant. Fill the cracks and also use this to fill in the seams that border your walls and windows.

Caulks that are water-based are easier to clean. In case you use calks that are solvent-based, you should check your label to ensure that they don’t damage your current materials. Try to find one that matches your wall color, and if it doesn’t, it should be a version that you can paint over. Small cracks only need normal caulks.

Soundproofing ceilings and floors 

You can make your ceilings and floors soundproof with similar systems you use for walls. Add more layers of drywall with a touch of dampening glue between two layers. The floor can be covered with soundproofing mats. In case you don’t have a room below you, then you don’t have to soundproof the floor. If your ceilings are made of concrete, you don’t have to add a big layer of drywall or damping compound. You could instead add later drywall that has an air gap or place fiberglass insulation between the gap.

Soundproofing panels 

In case you’ve tried and the soundproofing isn’t what you wanted, you can use acoustic panels. These are more on the expensive side but it’s worth the investment if you’re going to use the room pretty often. Attach the panels to your wall studs or any other structure which is durable and can offer support.

Make a room soundproof with this guide!

We hope these tips will help you make your room soundproof in no time! If you aren’t able to do it on your own, don’t hesitate to call in a professional.