How To Soundproof A Room In An Apartment – 6 Easy Steps
If you are searching to look for the answer to “how to soundproof a room in an apartment” then, you are not alone. If you are someone who shares a wall with a neighbor and is tired of their noise, then trust me you are not alone. Maybe the walls are too thin and you can listen to whatever your neighbors are doing in their home. From listening to their conversations to having to bear the sound of their intimate time, it can get really frustrating. Or, maybe you just want to soundproof your room so they don’t hear what you are doing. Be it singing loudly or playing an instrument, today I will cover how to soundproof your room in an apartment.
How to soundproof a room in an apartment:
- Block or reduce echo in your room.
- Block or reduce sound from coming or going out through your window.
- Soundproof your ceiling.
- Soundproof your walls.
- Floor Sound Insulation.
- The Last Resort.
1.Block or reduce echo in your room:
If you are dealing with echo inside your room and want to reduce it then the best course of action would be to increase the number of furniture inside that room. Big empty rooms can create echo if there is no object in between for the sound to bounce off of. Increasing the number of furniture, wall canvas, drapes, curtains, walls etc will reduce the echo in your room.
2.Block or reduce sound from coming or going out through your window:
If you live in a busy area then chances are you are a tad bit annoyed with the noises of cars and trucks passing by. Maybe you just want to have a quiet conversation with someone or study for your upcoming test, regardless, sound from a busy road can be annoying and distracting. There are three things you could do to reduce this sound.
Number one would be a bit permanent and will definitely block your window and the view. You can install Acoustic Panels Studio Foam Wedges on your windows and block the sound both from leaving and entering your room. However, this will block your window entirely and block your view as well. Check out these Acoustic Panels Studio Foam Wedges on Amazon.
Secondly, another thing you could do is use soundproof curtains. Curtains can be more of a makeshift solution. As you can draw the curtains if you want to reduce the noise. You can use ceiling brackets to hang the curtains which as a result will reduce more sound as it will cover all the surrounding area of your window. Check these NICETOWN Blackout Curtains Panels for Bedroom on Amazon as they have very good reviews.
Thirdly, special panes of glass can be installed inside existing windows to block out road noise. These can match the style and method of opening of your existing windows, so the two work together and look great. So if your windows are double hung and open top to bottom, or if they crank out to one side, there are soundproof windows that can work with them without taking away from the overall appearance and function. This surely is a great way to Soundproof A Room In An Apartment.
3. Soundproof your ceiling:
Soundproofing your ceiling can get a bit tricky, if the layer between each floor is inherently thin, then chances are that no matter how expensive type of soundproofing you might do, it won’t help. One thing you do is contacting your landlord, if you are renting, and try and get the apartment above you to get some flooring done. It can be quite expensive, another thing you can do is get your top floor neighbor to get some thick carpeting on their floor, this will likely reduce the noise coming from their floor.
If they decline there is another way you can reduce the sound. You can get professional help and install insulation on your ceiling, which to be honest can get expensive and be a hassle, especially if you are renting. You can install Acoustic Soundproofing Studio Foam on your ceiling and this is a cheap and effective way to reduce noise from the ceiling. Make sure to choose lighter color foam for the ceiling. You can apply adhesive to stick the foam on to the upper wall/ceiling. If you opt to do this make sure you get help from a friend to help you install these. Check out Acoustic Soundproofing Studio Amazon for the best price.
4. Soundproof your walls:
There are a few ways you can soundproof your walls. If you want to stop the sound from coming from the other side of the wall, the easiest course of action would be to install/place a piece of furniture on that wall. You can place your bookshelf on the wall as this will reduce the sound from the other side of the wall and also reduce the sound from going out to the other room. Another cheap way to soundproof your room is to install foams on to your wall as they will absorb the sound inside the room making it soundproof. This might answer the question of how to soundproof your room in an apartment but it definitely won’t be a pretty one.
Often people want to filter out unwanted noise so that the sounds they do want are more clear and precise without “white” or background noise. Acoustical engineering is the science that focuses on that very process. In rooms such as recording studios or home theatres, acoustical foam can be installed to absorb unwanted sounds from the outside and provide complete soundproofing. This will not only eliminate sound from leaving and entering, but it will also look good and professional on your wall. You can opt for different colors to match your preference. You can easily apply these with some adhesive. Check out Charcoal Acoustic Panels Studio Foam Wedges on Amazon for the best price.
5.Floor Sound Insulation:
To trap noise between floors of a home or building, there are appropriate materials to use in between the floor joists and any other spaces between floors. Floor sound insulation comes in a variety of synthetic materials that are safe and effective. They are designed to be fireproof and resist the development of spores or molds that could create problems down the road. This soundproofing material is also designed to repel rodents or any other critters that like to makes homes out of spaces in your home. One common type of floor insulation is mineral wool that provides a greater amount of soundproofing than regular fiberglass insulation. Even though this might be costly and your landlord might not want to do this if you are renting. But this is a full proof way to soundproof your whole apartment.
6.The Last Resort:
If all else fails, maybe your landlord doesn’t want to let you install carpeting on your upper floor or they don’t fancy the idea of installing foam on the wallpaper. There is a couple of things you could do as a last resort. You can get a Honeywell HT350B Quiet Set Table Fan in replacement of your air conditioning unit. This fan is supposed to be very quiet and worth a shot, and finally, there is another thing you could do. If the noises are really disturbing you and making your daily life really bad you can look to rent another apartment. It is quite easy to find another apartment nowadays. So if need be, plan to move out of your apartment.
So these were all the tips. I hope I solved your quest of how to soundproof an apartment. If you found these tips useful make sure to share them with your family and friends who are suffering from a similar situation. Also, you could forward this to your neighbor/roommate maybe they will stop being so loud. All these will allow you to be loud at your home. As these will dampen the sound going outside of your house. So you can blast your sound system without worrying too much!
