Cheap Ways To Soundproof Your Wall

It should not be costly to soundproof a room.

But it can fast get very costly when it comes to getting rid of ceilings and stud walls to fit different high-quality materials for soundproofing.

You can effectively use a small budget to soundproof a room, particularly if you want to DIY.

One of the best things about inexpensive soundproofing techniques is they are usually easily reversible.

For this reason, if you reside in any rented space, a shared house, or in student accommodation when it’s time to relocating you can easily take out the soundproofing to avoid any issue with the property owner.

How best to sound proof your wall

To start with, you can replace existing soundproofing walls by installing new ones. This is possible with enough money, though.

Some already think about soundproofing walls while their room is still being constructed. Additionally, this is good if you intend to remodel.

Secondly, you can choose cost-effective sound control techniques through a do-it-yourself project. In this article, you will see some inexpensive solutions for soundproofing an existing wall.

Will soundproofing a wall stop loud neighbors?

The essential step here is to understand the origin of the noise.

Noise comes in 2 kinds: impact or airborne noise.

Impact noise

This noise travels at a low frequency. This often makes people soundproof the walls of their home office or house. It is where the loud neighbor enters the picture. The noise travels through the door, the floors, walls, the ceiling, and windows.

Airborne noise

This noise passes through the air and comes with middle to high frequency. You can use a couple of acoustic panels to eliminate this noise.

These panels are tiny adhesive blocks you can place on your wall for blocking sound. Acoustic panels are great at reducing echo and enhancing a room’s overall acoustic.

For this one, you will require a stronger soundproofing project. Vinyl mats will be the best and affordable insulator.

Best ways of soundproofing a wall

1. Installing fiberglass insulation

Thermal insulation will help prevent the transfer of sound, cold, and heat. The insulation traps soundwaves and temperatures to stop them from passing through.

Fiberglass insulation is the best to use if you want to soundproof. This insulation has tiny glass particles. The glass comes by means of a procedure from sand heating and spinning to form the glass. The more popular fiberglass insulation formats are in batts.

You can buy batts of insulation in various thicknesses and widths. These are simple to use as far as cutting to fit into areas if needed. Fiberglass batts are good between floors and open wall cracks.

Building fiberglass soundproofing

Step one:

It would help if you cut the firm boards into your preferred size.

Step two:

Get a few insulation battings and only cut slightly smaller than the fiberglass boards. It would be best if you placed the batting in-between the boards. This will help in absorbing the noise.

Step three:

Then, put together; you can use the firm board and cut a frame or make a wood frame from that. Glue everything together with an acoustic sealant.

Step four:

Cover or paint the material.

2. Concentrate on the wall’s small spots

If you have limited funds but would still like to stop sound escaping the room, you need to concentrate on the smallest part possible. This implies that you should know where the noise is originating from.

You should also concentrate on those parts, perhaps applying a little soundproofing wallpaper. Test by using a portable speaker to play music.

You should have somebody move around your room while you are outside it and find out where the sound is escaping. Often, it is either through the thin walls or through the window or doors.

The walls are much difficult to insulate; however, it is easier to fix the doors. If you have a walk-in closet, you should fill it using as many garments as possible to help insulate the noise more.

3. Installing a soundproofing sandwich

Noise is created with vibrations. Dampening the vibrations is best performed using dense, bulky materials that prevent sound in its tracks. That’s the procedure of soundproofing.

Stone and brick are the best materials in wall building to guarantee to soundproof. It’s, however, unworkable nowadays for many homes. Adding a second drywall layer is the best technique for soundproofing a wall.

You do not need to add drywall all over; the problematic places will do. Before doing so, first look at the old wall and revamp any gaps and fissures.

This wall soundproofing technique is a little costly than other techniques, but it’s worth investing in. If you would like additional soundproofing, you can consider this method.

A soundproofing sandwich is performed by separating two drywall layers with acoustic caulk in between.

By doing this, the caulk will help in deadening the vibrations that travel between a layer to another.

A flexible material like vinyl mats or MLV (mass-loaded vinyl) is available in rolls measuring four-foot wide.

It is created to install on floors or hang on walls to help deaden noise as well. Additionally, you can use these kinds of materials to sandwich between drywall layers for perfect soundproofing results.

You’ll have to repaint or refinish the new drywall layer. Maybe it’s important to lengthen switch boxes and electrical outlets. These are rather cheap and simple DIY projects.

4. Adding dense mass to the floors, doors, and walls

This method means adding mass to the doors, such as soundproof paint, sheets, blankets, and other items that will block out noise.

This will not look great, and the chances are you will not stand staring at a mass of hung up blankets for long; however, it does appear to work.

To perform this, get the heaviest, thickest blankets possible. After that, cover all the surfaces by nailing the blankets into the walls. This method can also make the room uncomfortable as it will get hot inside.

Lastly, get a carpet or rug. These are good for soundproofing floors and help how things sound in your room as well.

The chances are you are soundproofing for some kind of audio-related grounds, such as trying to control your drum’s noise or building a studio. Having a carpet will help with that.

That noise will bounce around your room less, and less of the noise will leave your room through the floor. In addition, rugs and carpets are very affordable.

When you add mass to a wall as well, it is best to take into consideration the main sections sound escapes from the room like:

• Walls and ceilings
• The corners of rooms
• The windows and doors

5. Sealing the fissures in drywall

Another inexpensive way of wall soundproofing is sealing all your drywall’s gaps and fissures.

One of the best materials to consider is acoustic caulk. It’s a rubber-like in nature, which makes it simple to apply and does not change form over time.

You can consider using a green glue proofing compound as well. It is available in a caulking gun for simpler application. You can purchase acoustic caulk or green glue at your local hardware outlet.

Always, buy acoustic caulk over normal caulk. Acoustic caulk comes with permanent flexibility. It works better on the walls. It is durable as it doesn’t get cracks, nor does it shrink.

Before you apply, check out this guide with preventive measures:

• For a beautiful clean finish, you can smoothen the surface using a toolkit; however, your fingers will also do a great job.
• Use a caulking gun to apply a generous quantity on the tough spot.
• Clean up the surfaces you’ll be applying the caulk or green glue to. Unwanted debris, dust, or dirt can spoil its rubberiness.
• Ensure you’re working in an airy space. The odor of caulk and green glue is overpowering. It would help if you used a face mask to protect yourself. You don’t want to damage your health.

6. Rearranging the furniture

Budget might be a worry for some of you; however, it is still possible to prevent noise from traveling through the walls.

Simply arrange the furniture. Adding some extras and other ornamental things to your house will work as well.

This will help quiet aftereffects. Suppose you like switching items to brighten up your room’s spirit, simple!

Here are some cheap ways to soundproof a wall:

• Installing thick and firmly-woven quilts offers the best noise insulation. In addition, they make the room look inviting.
• Place the armchairs, coaches, or sofas on the room’s side or in the room’s middle area. You would not want to listen to all that’s taking place on the other end of your wall, especially if it’s a shared wall. Never place your sofa against it.
• You should move any sound generating appliances such as dishwashers and TV sets away from your wall. This can help in minimizing noise towards the neighbors or between your living space’s walls.
• Quiet surroundings sound using potted plants, carpets, rugs, and drapes. These will also help minimize vibrations.
• Hanging a few paintings, silent clock or other works of art on a wall will help as well. Other good soundproofing techniques are using big canvas art prints or fabric paintings. These are great decorative extras as well.
• Put closets and bookshelves on the significant walls. These are the walls that separate your house from the street, the neighbor, or hallway.
• You can prevent sound energy from entering the wall by placing articles, books, and other personal things on the shelves.

You can use thick wallpaper if you do not like to hang anything on the walls. Keep in mind the emptier your space, the more echo and sound waves it will pick up.

7. Hanging a few thick soundproofing curtains along your walls

You can soundproof an area using soundproof curtains. The main area to hang curtains would be alongside soundproof windows. However, have you thought about hanging blackout curtains along a wall?

You’ll desire to purchase thicker curtain fabrics. You can even choose to layer curtains for the best soundproof experience.

The material’s density determines the absorbency of noise.

Bear in mind that to install the soundproofing curtains, you should set up a rod or grommets for hanging.

Below are some guiding steps: 

Step 1:

You should measure the wall’s height and width you would like to soundproof. Purchase soundproofing curtains sufficient to cover this area completely.

Step 2:

Measure the distance between each grommet and the width of the curtains. This can show you where to hang the rod and the mounting hardware.

Step 3: 

Install the brackets into drywall. Ensure that you use a sturdy ladder or stool to better get to the top.

Step 4:

Hang the soundproof curtain. Aside from the basic soundproofing curtain, you can get bigger curtains used as space dividers as well.

These work well at soundproofing between rooms. In addition, they effectively deaden any sound originating next door.

Another great thing about soundproofing curtains is that they work well at soundproofing walls. They also complement the rooms with a touch of decor and style.

8. Tend to weak areas on the walls

It’s important that you identify weak areas in the wall. That is if you would like to save money and time on fabrics.

First, tend to these. The weakest areas in every wall are often the “large holes.” These are the doors, air vents, and windows.

Before you begin a massive project such as an entire wall building, you should focus on soundproofing them first.

This can certainly save you from unwanted expenses. Windows usually let the outdoor sound enter the room. Dogs, car horns, and loud chats can be unbearable.

• You can minimize the transmission of sound with weatherstripping windows. In addition, it is an inexpensive way to soundproof. Weatherstripping tape is created with steel, rubber, or plastic materials. You can just apply these to seal openings on windows. This prevents the leakage of noise.
• Consider installing a soundproofing curtain as well.
• Air vents help in letting warm and cool air circulate the room. You can anticipate some sound to do with this procedure. You certainly want to include them in the soundproofing too.
• When it comes to air vents, hanging a thickly woven blanket on your curtain will be perfect. This will work as a noise barricade.
• Blocking the air vent completely is one of the most effective ways to soundproof.

Doors let loud footsteps or chatting from the hallway to the sitting room. This is if you reside in a shared room with many neighbors.

What about your house?

Even if you’ve every door shut, you will most likely hear the kids screaming and playing in the other room.

You’ll require a hefty thick soundproof door to suit your needs.

• Soundproof door seals and door sweeps positioned under the door frames are the best sound cancelers as well. These are often created with silicone or aluminum. They help in blocking sound from entering through the opening between the floor and the door.
• For additional soundproofing, some choose to hang a thick blanket on the doors. This might not be visually appealing for many people. If you like this choice, ensure it will fit properly with the overall interior decor. In addition, it will work as the best insulator during cold months.
• Because we’re looking for inexpensive ways of canceling out the sound, once more, you can rearrange cabinets and bookshelves around your door’s edges to help in absorbing the sound waves.

To soundproof a room, keep these tips in mind:

• Stay away from egg boxes and insulation foam. The reason being, they are popular in soundproofing as they are what most people know from recording studios, though they aren’t made to block noise.
• Mass is the most essential and often the simplest one to control. It can be as easy as using the furniture wisely or as complex as installing more drywall.
• Acoustic sealant and other deadening items will play a huge role; however, you should use them with other, more effective techniques. You should seal once you are done with the rest of the projects.
• Make sure you remember the 4 soundproofing elements – damping, absorption, mass, and decoupling.

Though these techniques are inexpensive on their own, the price tag can increase if you use several together.

The ideal way of doing soundproofing your room is to recognize the weak spots; begin with them, and work your way around your room. Ultimately, you will end up with the best-soundproofed space.

Conclusion

It is possible to soundproof a room with limited funds; it simply means you’ve got to be a bit more creative with the techniques you use.

The recommendations in this article are all cheap and can offer some soundproofing level. But if you want to achieve more effective work, then you should spend more.