You’ve invested in the best furniture, installed comfy carpeting, and even renovated your bathroom to include luxurious bath amenities. You have a heater in place for those chilly months of the year, and your new air conditioner helps you beat the heat in the warmer summer months. But you stay in the city and you can’t stand the noise from the traffic. Perhaps it’s your new neighbors who are noisy like every other time and they won’t let you have a good night’s sleep.
Maybe you’re deep into music and you have a recording studio in your living room, but the family next-door keeps on complaining that it’s too loud for them. If you or someone you know is one or more of these situations, then this article is for you!
Soundproofing is one of the best ways to block outside noise while keeping any loud sounds that may come from your home or property inside. It involves sealing any cracks or spaces on your property, including gaps that may be present in the windows or doors. But soundproofing is a major project that may cost you a considerable amount of money, which, needless to say, is always a scarce resource. The good news is that it doesn’t always have to break the bank. There are ways you can soundproof your home, office, or commercial premises without having to spend a fortune on it. So how exactly can you soundproof on a budget without feeling much of a pinch? Without further ado, here are some pointers you should read for a frugal guide to soundproofing your home.
First Things First – Foam Panels
For starters, soundproofing involves insulating your walls and ceilings; and sealing any gaps that may allow sound in or out of your home. The level of effectiveness will largely vary depending on the type of material you use. For the best experience, aquietrefuge.com advises using acoustic foam panels that absorb noise or reflect it back to its source, depending on your specific needs. These foam panels are available in a wide variety of thicknesses, dimensions, patterns, and noise reduction rating, which makes it important to carefully consider these factors if at all you need to save a considerable amount of money on your soundproofing project. These factors will also determine how much noise will be blocked, both from inside and outside the room or home. However, acoustic foam panels are among the cheapest methods you can choose if you need your home soundproofed. They also are the most effective option provided on this list.
Consider Weather Stripping
While it’s often used as a solution to keep away moisture from penetrating into your interiors through gaps on exterior doors and windows, weather-stripping can also double up as an excellent soundproofing solution. Installing weatherstripping is easy, and involves installing rubber tubing, glued around the door so that no gap is left between it and the frame. It can be a cost-effective way to curb outside noise, especially if most of it is getting through the door.
Use Some Blankets
Have some blankets in your home and you’re in dire need of a soundproofing solution on a budget? Well, these unused bedding could be the answer. Simply hanging or stretching some considerably thick blankets over your walls and windows can significantly block away outside noises and sounds coming from your home inside so you don’t have to disturb your neighbors whenever you have friends over for a weekend indoor party. You can also glue them on walls, nail them up or even hang them on curtain railings; which brings us to the next important point.
Use Soundproof Curtains
In addition to being important in enhancing indoor aesthetics and improving privacy, curtains can also be a wonderful soundproofing solution. These fabric pieces of art can be effective in absorbing sounds before it hit the walls or other surfaces, thus improving your privacy by keeping noises coming from your home inside. Soundproof or sound-deadening curtains can also help in reducing the amount of sound coming from the outside, specifically when placed over windows and doors. Just like any other soundproofing material, the density and thickness of your curtains will determine just how much sound they manage to block or keep away.
Utilize Other Décor Features
Higher chances are that you’ve been in a vacant room without furniture, carpeting, upholstery or anything in it. Making a sound while in such a room and echoes will be all over. The sound will also travel further compared to where it would have reached if the room was full of stuff. On this note, getting creative with your furniture and other features of décor can be another way to reduce sound disturbances in your home.
For instance, you could rearrange your furniture, placing items such as bookshelves and wardrobes against shared walls or walls facing a noisy street. Decorating your walls with canvas paintings or installing soundproof wallpaper could also add some thickness to the walls, increasing their ability to absorb or reflect sound. On top of these, you could consider adding some cushions on your sofa or other furniture, which is a great way to enhance your home’s acoustics while improving comfort.
Carpets and Rugs
In addition to making your floor softer on your feet and warmer, carpeting can add to your home’s comfort by reducing the impact from foot traffic, which could be causing disturbance to residents of the next room or the floor beneath. Especially the ones that are considerably thick, carpets are great absorbers of sound waves having high-quality carpet flooring can be a great way to soundproof your home cheaply. Unfortunately, installing a carpet that covers your entire floor may not be practical or realistic. Needless to mention, areas such as the kitchen are not usually good with carpets. In this case, you could place smaller rugs on floor areas where you suspect most noise is coming from, say that part of the floor right above where your roommate or neighbor downstairs place their stereo or TV.
The benefits of soundproofing your home are basically endless. The best thing is that it gives you a peace of mind, knowing that you won’t have to deal with difficult neighbors, whether it’s you or them causing the noise. While professional soundproofing installation is the best way to curb the menace once and for all, the above are just a few ideas on how you can soundproof your home without spending much.