Have you considered soundproofing your apartment to block out the loud noise from your neighbours?
Are you finding it difficult to focus on work or enjoy some quiet time at home because of the earsplitting noise coming from next door?
Have you found yourself placing pillows over your head and struggling to get some shut-eye just because the dogs in the next apartment won’t stop barking?
Or are there unbearable construction noises coming from the house across the street?
If you find yourself in any of these situations, we will explore some reliable home soundproofing ideas that would keep all that disturbing noise out.
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How noise travels
Noise travels through sound waves that flow through the continuous motion of air or water.
As long as the source of the loud noise is present and the free flow of air, water or other noise conducting materials is not obstructed, you’d constantly have to worry about noise disturbances.
6 Soundproofing ideas for your home
The soundproofing ideas highlighted below focus on blocking the free flow of noise into your home.
1. Installing thick curtains or blinds around noise penetration areas
If you pay close attention to the source of the disturbing noise in your home and identify how the noise keeps getting in, thick curtains or blinds can keep your home noise-free.
Blinds and curtains are seen as home décor materials, but they can do far more.
Your home probably remains noisy because the windows and walls of your home are a bit porous, and nothing is absorbing the sounds coming from outside.
This means that if a dog barks in another apartment close to yours, it will feel like the dog is barking right in your living room. Padded curtains and blinds can make your home feel soundproofed.
The best way to get the best out of this soundproofing option is to ensure the curtains or the blinds cover the entire area where the noise comes in.
This works because the curtains or blinds deflect and absorb the noise coming into your home. The thicker the blinds or curtains, the better the noise absorption.
You can make the best out of this option by installing blinds on all your windows and having thick curtains cover all the exposed wall areas.
2. Get bookshelves
Placing a bookshelf against the wall or window with the most noise penetration can absorb all the noise entering your home.
The best part about this is that it aesthetically complements your home, practically serving two purposes.
For the shelf position, if your window is the only part of the house where all that disturbing noise is coming through, you might need to consider combining this option with blinds or curtains to avoid blocking your light and ventilation source.
Books have many pages that can soundproof your home to a reasonable extent where most of the noise would be blocked out.
While you consider this option, you could also try moving your padded furniture around; that is, your couches, dressers, tables, etc.
The goal is to have your padded furniture placed against the area where the noise comes in.
3. Lay some rugs and include some padded interior décor materials
If your home’s concrete or wooden floors are bare, you might find noise passing through hollow spaces and gaining unrestricted access into your home.
To immediately turn this around, lay some rugs around exposed areas to block out unwanted noise.
The rugs can be double layered to give that extra padded feel. For padded interior décor materials to place around the noise penetration areas, think of lovely wall paintings and wall hangings that would seamlessly complement the theme of your home.
Combining these recommendations would surely give help you soundproof your home and keep all that uncomfortable noise out.
4. Install Pinboards
Pinboards are stylish, so you don’t have to worry about any distortion in your overall home decor. It is very easy to install and does the job effectively.
Pinboards help you solidify your home’s porous areas and ensure that all vacant wall areas that noise could travel through are padded.
Another benefit of the pinboard is its decorative feature. Having this against the walls around your house will give your home a futuristic look whilst keeping it quiet.
5. Install ceiling panels
One way to permanently keep all that disturbing noise out is by having ceiling panels installed.
Before you do this, consider the installation of window blinds and wall paddings first to attain a significant level of home soundproofing. The panel installation would act as the icing on the cake.
If you’ve had an expert take a close look at your home and discovered that all that noise from the neighbours comes into your home through the ceiling, installing ceiling panels would be the way to go.
They come in different designs, colours and materials, so you have the liberty to pick from a variety of options.
To get the best out of this home soundproofing option, it is recommended that you have an expert install them for you. It would be neater and more effective for noise prevention.
6. Padded walls
Apart from keeping your home warm, cozy and comfortable during winter, padded walls will undoubtedly keep all that distracting noise out.
There are different materials used for wall padding. Still, the most adopted ones are a combination of wood for backing and covering, foam for noise absorption, and vinyl fabric for wrapping.
This combination does the job of keeping your home soundproof and noise-free.
The thickness of the wood backing and foam depends on the level of noise experienced in your home, so there isn’t a predetermined size.
Like our guide on soundproofing?
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