Noise pouring into a room from an adjacent space can be pretty frustrating, especially if you’re trying to enjoy some peace.
So you might be wondering if there’s a way you can soundproof your walls, especially if you’re trying to enjoy some sleep, get some work done, or you want to stop hearing neighbors through walls.
If you want to soundproof an existing wall, the ideal situation would be to eliminate the drywall that your existing walls are made of and add some soundproofing materials to block out the unwanted noise.
However, demolition may be impossible due to the following reasons:
- An inadequate budget to allow you to demolish and reconstruct the walls.
- You might be a tenant, and therefore, unable to partake in significant construction projects.
- Third, you don’t want to deal with the mess and work with a big construction project.
- Fourth, you’re afraid of the damage that demolition might cause.
Whatever your reason might be, if you’re looking for a way of soundproofing your walls without removing the drywall, you can try several non-invasive techniques that can effectively minimize the level of unwanted noise that travels through the walls.
What You Need to Know Before Soundproofing Existing Walls
It’s best to know about sound before trying different soundproofing techniques. For example, there are two different types of sound: impact and airborne.
In addition, every kind of sound transfers differently; therefore, each requires other methods to block sound transfer. Hence, it’s best to determine the type of sound you’re dealing with to help you choose the proper soundproofing techniques.
Impact Sound
Impact noise happens when something makes an impact with a structure and is sometimes referred to as structure-borne noise.
This is because the structure acts as the medium that the sound waves are transmitted. In this case, the walls serve as the structure that sound waves are traveling through.
Common examples of impact noise include banging on the walls or knocks on a door.
Airborne Sound
Airborne sound is the sound that’s transferred through the air. When something makes a noise, it creates sound waves, which are picked up and travel through the air until they collide with a solid object, such as your walls.
The collision creates a vibration, and the sound waves are transmitted into the adjacent room. This concept explains why you can hear noise from a TV, people speaking, or music blaring from the room adjacent to yours through your walls.
How Do You Determine the Type of Sound?
If you want to determine the type of sound that’s traveling through your walls, you can place your hand on the location where you hear the noise coming from.
Check this too: How to Reduce Noise From Upstairs Floors
If you feel a vibration, the sound is structure-based or impact. If you don’t feel the vibration but still hear noise, the source is airborne sound.
How Can I Soundproof a Wall Without Removing Drywall?
There are several cost-effective and relatively easy ways that you can use to soundproof your existing walls. But, of course, the methods you choose will depend on the type of sound you’re trying to eliminate.
Here are some methods that can help you reduce both impact and airborne noise without removing drywall:
Add Blown-In Insulation
Blow insulation is loose, low-density cellulose insulation mainly made from recycled newsprint. This technique is among the cheap soundproofing options and is quite effective at helping to soundproof both exterior and interior walls.
Unlike other types of insulation, you can add blow insulation into walls after construction.
Adding blown-in insulation into your existing walls will help increase their sound absorption capabilities.
The cellulose traps little air pockets, which trap sound waves and drain their energy, nullifying the noise before it reaches the other side.
Unlike other forms of insulation, blown-in insulation can fill all the tiny holes, crannies, and nooks. Otherwise, these would be entry points for outside sound waves to find their way in.
Cellulose blown-in insulation offers several advantages. For example, it’s an affordable way to help soundproof your interior walls because it primarily comprises recycled materials.
It’s very green insulation because cellulose is made up of more recycled material than any other type of insulation that’s commercially available.
Additionally, blown cellulose insulation helps prevent heat transfer; therefore, it improves energy efficiency, helping improve the comfort of the space.
Use Acoustic Foam or Soundproof Panels
Acoustic foam or soundproofing wall panels are mainly used to reduce noise from the outside of the room and the echoes inside a room.
How Does Acoustic Foam Work?
Acoustic foam works as a sound absorber; however, it could also accentuate the sound in your room. This means that the foam could improve and enhance sound quality in your room but prevents outside sounds from coming in.
In addition to absorbing the sound waves from the outside, the acoustic foam also dissipates them to heat, making the foam panels have an insulating effect.
How to Use Soundproof or Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels come in different shapes, forms, and sizes, making them easy for you to choose from. You can also use these panels on your doors, ceiling, and floor. The best thing is that you can choose a perfect color to match your interiors, which is very convenient.
You can install acoustic panels on your walls by following these easy steps:
Establish the Type of Sounds You’re Trying to Block
If you’re only after mid-frequencies, then it might be unnecessary to get really thick acoustic panels. However, this step is necessary because it helps determine how thick and firm the panel should be.
Take the Necessary Measurements
The panels come in different sizes; therefore, it’s crucial to measure the area of your walls first before purchasing them. Measuring makes it easier for you to figure out the size of what you will get.
Tailor Fit the Panels to Your Walls
Once you get the panels, you can put them up temporarily so that you can have an overview of how the outcome will be. You can do this by getting the double-sided tape.
Ensure that you get the ones that are not too strong and only have a small portion of them to prevent the panels from tearing if you want to uninstall and reinstall them.
Have the Panels Applied
Once you’ve figured out how you want the panels placed on your walls, you can have them applied. There are several ways to do this; however, it’s best to avoid using regular glue because it contains acidic compounds that could melt the foam away.
It’s best to get foam tack to have the panels installed. Foam tack is made explicitly for foams; therefore, it won’t damage your panels in any way.
Seal the Cracks and Outlets
Sound waves will find any available entry points on a surface that they can squeeze through. Therefore, cracks or holes in your walls, the caulking around windows, or even just the dead air space around outlets are all noise leaks that could potentially ruin the quiet of your serene room.
Closing up cracks and other outlets could significantly reduce the amount of outside noise that finds its way in.
It would help if you considered sealing all the corners of your walls and windows as a start. This process will include all four edges of each wall.
Hence, it’s best to be thorough. Also, you can use acoustic caulk instead of the standard latex caulking that you can find at your local hardware store.
You can seal up your electrical outlets and light switches after caulking all the edges. The easiest way to do this is to use wall plate insulation gaskets.
Install More Drywall
You can add more drywall to improve sound absorption through the walls. Adding an additional layer of drywall on the existing drywall helps increase the mass of the walls.
Mass is crucial for soundproofing because noise is transmitted through vibrations.
Once a sound wave collides with a surface, in this case, your wall, the collision should result in movement in the wall in order for the sound to transfer through it. Therefore, it’s harder for sound to transmit through thicker walls.
If you opt for this method, it’s best to choose a sound muffling drywall. Before applying the new drywall over the existing one, apply a layer of a noise-proofing compound on top of the wall.
After this, position the new drywall over the existing wall and use screws to attach it to the studs and secure it in place.
Use acoustic caulk to seal up any gaps along the edges of the panel as soon as the new drywall is up.
Ensure the Second Layer of Drywall Is Decoupled With Resilient Clips and Channels
Adding more drywall to your existing wall will increase the wall’s mass; hence, helping to reduce sound transmission. However, this solution is not enough to soundproof your interior walls.
You can decouple your new drywall layer from the original wall using resilient clips and channels to eliminate most impact noises, and they might even reduce most of the airborne sounds as well.
If you opt for this method, you can mount the resilient channels horizontally and fasten them to the clips. The second layer of drywall will then screw directly into the channels.
However, resilient clips and channels tend to lose a lot of their effectiveness when installed on existing drywall.
Nevertheless, you can remedy this situation by adding R-6 insulation as soon as you install the channels before adding the drywall. The channels will hold the insulation in place for easy drywall installation.
Use Soundproof Fabrics
You can also soundproof your existing walls without removing drywall by suspending soundproof fabric over them. You can use the following:
- Soundproof curtains
- Soundproof blankets
Soundproof curtains can eliminate some obtrusive noise because they’re made of dense fabrics and can absorb sound waves; therefore, preventing the passage of noise.
In addition, they are available in various colors, sizes, and patterns; hence, they are a pretty good option from an aesthetic point of view. However, they might not provide as much soundproofing as soundproof blankets.
Soundproof blankets are made of glass fibers bonded with thermoset resin. These blankets have excellent tensile strength and serve as a great source of sound and thermal insulation.
They are the better option if you’re trying to eliminate airborne and impact noises; however, they are not aesthetically appealing because they have a coarse appearance and are generally bland in color.
You could also consider covering your walls with sound-absorbing fabrics if soundproof curtains and blankets don’t seem to interest you.
You can mount the materials on a tracking system, which runs the span of your wall. The tack systems are often manufactured from PVC or metal.
You can get sound-absorbing fabrics in lengths of up to 100 yards without a seam. Therefore, you can have a solid, seamless wall covered in acoustic fabric.
The best thing is that you can choose any print, pattern, or color that matches your personality.
Hang Acoustic Fabric Panels
Acoustic fabric panels are an excellent way of reducing the external noise coming into your room and are aesthetically pleasing.
The best thing is that they are available in a variety of colors; therefore, you can choose one that matches the color scheme of your décor.
Additionally, the panels also improve the acoustics inside your room because they absorb echoes and reverberations.
This feature makes music, movies, and conversations sound much better. This method is one of the simplest ones for soundproofing your existing walls and will not leave lasting damage in case you have to move out again.
Add Mass Loaded Vinyl
Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) is a soundproofing material that comes in thin, rolled sheets. It’s often infused with metal particles to achieve a high density, which gives it soundproofing capabilities.
When you install MLV between two layers of drywall, it can stop the vibrations between them, dampening the entire wall, ultimately helping to absorb and dissipate external sound sources.
You can nail MLV directly to your existing drywall, overlap the seams of each piece by two inches, and cover with vinyl tape.
Proceed to cut tightly around any switches and outlets. The MLV will block the open-air spaces where sound can penetrate, ultimately eliminating the need for outlet insulation gaskets.
You can add your additional drywall layer as soon as you install MLV to your existing drywall. Then, all you have to do is to screw the new drywall layer into the studs through the original layer.
Be Creative With Furnishings
Sound waves will jump around quickly if they have more space to move around. The more they jump around, the more energy they will expend. Therefore, the noises coming through your walls appear louder than they actually are.
If you want to limit the amount of space sound waves have to move, you can be more creative with your furnishings. For example, you can hang tapestries and paintings on the walls, position tall bookcases and dressers along the walls, and place any other decorative elements on the walls.
These steps will help block sound waves and prevent them from bouncing throughout the room.
Paint the Walls With Soundproofing Paint
Using soundproofing paint could be one of the popular and affordable options available. If you’re thinking of using soundproof paint, it’s best to consider the type of noise that you’re blocking.
It’s best to understand that soundproof paint can only work well with certain levels of noise, especially mid-frequencies. It works by dampening the noise you’re trying to block.
Soundproofing paint could only reduce about 30% of the noise you’re trying to block.
How Does Soundproof Paint Work?
Soundproof paint is often thicker and has more texture than regular paint. It’s rubbery in texture and made with latex and ceramic microspheres that help soundproof.
The paint is available in different shades; therefore, you could easily match it with your interiors.
How to Use Soundproof Paint
Using soundproof paint is pretty easy, and you can use it the same way you use regular paint. Here is how you can use it:
- Prime the wall that you will paint to help your base coat stick better.
- Apply the base coat after ensuring that the prime layer is already dry. You can add another layer of base coat for about forty minutes after the first layer dries off if you want to achieve better results.
- Apply your chosen soundproof paint, and remember to stir as thoroughly as possible because the paint is really thick and has quite a texture. If you want to achieve the best results, you could apply two to four layers of the paint. It’s best to ensure that you apply each layer every forty to sixty minutes to ensure that each layer has dried off completely.
- Apply your finish coat or layer at least once to complete the process.
How Do You Soundproof a Shared Wall?
Shared walls or party walls separate individual residences, and for privacy reasons, the more soundproof the wall is, the better.
If you reside in older homes, noise-reduction options might be limited; however, you can achieve a high degree of privacy with preconstruction planning.
Here is how you can soundproof a shared wall and stop hearing neighbors through walls:
Double Wall Construction
Double-wall construction might be the best option for soundproofing shared walls. Sound travels pretty fast through wood; therefore, one apartment can hear noise in the neighboring one if they share a common party wall.
However, with double-wall construction, the separation of the apartment walls begins at the floor joists and runs all the way to a roof parapet. Additionally, two separate walls are built, side by side, with a few inches of airspace between them.
The best part is that exterior cladding and roofing cover the separation; hence, a casual observer will never know that it’s there.
Offset Stud Construction
If you’re looking for a less expensive option than double-wall construction, you could opt for offset stud construction because it also offers some noise-reduction benefits.
Builders achieve the offset by using a more oversized dimension floor and ceiling plates than wall studs.
For instance, if you used two-by-six plates and two-by-four studs, you could opt to frame the wall by aligning alternating studs on opposite sides of the plates.
But, unfortunately, no stud will touch both sides of the wall, and airspace snakes its way from one end of the wall to the other, creating a sound-muffling effect.
This solution might be the best insulation for existing walls. However, although insulation improves the sound dampening, it will not be utterly soundproof because the floor and ceiling plates connect the two parties.
Sound Dampening and Fire-Rated Materials
Building codes for shared walls focus on reducing the spread of fire between tenants; therefore, that has to be the emphasis.
Therefore, drywall, noncombustible (fire-rated) insulation, tape, and taping compound are necessary for party wall construction, in addition to installing more than a single layer of drywall in a specific configuration.
Any outlets in a party wall should be fire-rated and the edges sealed with fire-rated caulking. All of these safety measures will dampen sound transfer.
If you want to reduce noise transfer further, getting an additional layer of laminated, sound-reduction drywall might be best.
Soundproofing a Shared Wall Without Construction
Suppose you’re looking for possible soundproofing solutions between party walls without construction. In that case, you could opt to add a layer of sound-reduction drywall or install blown-in-insulation in the stud cavities.
However, it’s worth noting that none of these options will completely stop sound transfer; however, they might reduce it to tolerable levels.
You could also consider furnishing your apartment with sound-absorbent overstuffed furniture or hanging paintings and tapestries on the walls.
How to Soundproof an Existing Room Cheap
If you’re looking to soundproof a wall cheaply, several methods can get you started. Here are some of them:
Use Thick Blankets and Quilts
Thick blankets and quilts are among the cheapest ways of soundproofing a room. If you want to block outside noise, you could put blankets over the walls, doors, or blankets depending on where the sound is coming from.
If you’re going to keep the sound in, you could hang the blankets on both sides of the doors or inside walls.
You can also opt to use bookcases, cabinets, and other large pieces of furniture to soundproof a wall. You can place them against the wall to dampen sounds.
Lay Down Some Carpets or Rugs
If you’re trying to soundproof an existing room, leaving it bare is the worst solution for your acoustic experience. Instead, covering a large surface should help eliminate the impact noise caused by your footfall.
You can even consider installing wall-to-wall carpeting for more comprehensive coverage.
However, if having a wall-to-wall carpet is not your style, you could simply focus on the areas of the floor that get the most foot traffic, and that could be the first thing you could do to soundproof your floor.
If you opt for a carpet or rug, it’s best to ensure that it’s on the thicker side to make the solution more effective. You could consider stacking several rugs on top of each other, or you can always pair a thin one with a thicker underlay.
Install Floor Underlayment
Floor underlayment is a layer of cork, foam, felt, or rubber that goes between your flooring and the subfloor. The materials can soften and stabilize the floor and increase its density; therefore, preventing noise from passing through it.
The process of installing floor underlayment entails lifting your flooring and putting it back again after unrolling your underlayment underneath. You can also use this process as an opportunity to change your flooring as well.
You might have different selections of floor underlayments to choose from depending on the top layer of the floor. The most standard type of floor underlayment is one with a foam base.
These kinds of products usually have built-in plastic barriers that make them water-resistant.
If waterproof properties aren’t crucial to you, you could opt for cork or felt underlayments. Both the materials are great for soundproofing; however, they might be more prone to the growth of mold and mildew.
If you want to prevent this, you might have to top them off with a separate vapor barrier.
Use Weatherstripping Tape
Windows are pretty tricky to soundproof, and if the weatherstripping seal between your window and the window frame has worn off, you might hear noise coming in from the outside even if the windows are shut.
However, you can resolve this issue by scraping the existing weatherstripping and applying the new tape.
It’s best to understand that weatherstripping products are prone to decay; therefore, you might have to swap them out at some point.
If you’re unsure whether yours should be changed, close the windows and try to feel the air passing through. You could even think of getting a lighter and moving it around the window’s perimeter while looking for the cracks. Unfortunately, the flame is most likely to flicker when you come across a weak spot.
If you find a weak spot, you might have to remove the existing rubber and clean the area thoroughly before applying the new tape.
Install a Door Sweep
All your soundproofing efforts might be useless if you don’t address the gap underneath the door. One of the ways of dealing with the gap might be to install a door sweep by gluing or nailing one onto the bottom of your door.
Many door sweeps are made of a combination of rubber and metal or plastic. However, if you find one that’s entirely made of rubber, it will most likely be self-adhesive.
The ones that aren’t self-adhesive will mostly come with a bag of nails or screws that you can use to attach them to your door. It’s best to remember to put the flat metal or plastic part up against the door and the flexible rubber bit on the floor before driving the first nail in.
If you want to soundproof the room completely, the rubber should drag on the floor a bit when you move the door. However, it will definitely make the door much harder to move.
You could also try automatic door sweeps that lift as you move the door and lower when the door is closed.
Add Background Noise
Adding background noise is an inexpensive and incredibly easy way of soundproofing a room. You can add some white noise or play relaxing instrumental music to mute or dilute unwanted sounds.
If you’re listening to something else, it becomes easier to drown out other annoying sounds even if they are still happening.
You can use the following to offer background noise:
- Sound machines-Most sound machines can offer a variety of background noises, including nature sounds, rain, white noise, and more. While the devices won’t remove the noise entirely, they are a pretty easy way to mask annoying sounds and are helpful temporary solutions.
- Air purifiers- Adding an air purifier is also an excellent way of masking unwanted sounds while also cleaning the air. Before you opt for this method, it’s best to understand although they help remove unwanted air particulate, they can also be pretty loud at high speeds. This loudness will help cancel out other sounds in the room.
- Fans: If you don’t want to purify your air, you could also think of getting a box fan, ceiling fan, or another modular fan to add white noise and airflow to your room. You don’t have to opt for a fancy or expensive fan; you’re just looking for the little extra white noise to help you drown out the annoying sounds.
How to Soundproof an Existing Brick or Concrete Wall
Brick is naturally thick and dense in terms of its composition, hence making it more challenging for sound waves to pass through it.
Although these characteristics are most likely to decrease the chances of sound passing through from the other side of the brick wall, soundproofing the walls can make your home more comfortable and free from the hustle and bustle of external disturbances.
Here is how you can soundproof a brick or concrete wall:
Use Soundproofing Sealant or Caulk
If you notice that your brick wall has holes or cracks that sound can leak through, you could seal them before trying more elaborate methods.
Soundproofing sealant is pretty affordable, and you can use it to seal any other areas that allow for ‘flanking.’ This method could be an excellent start for other soundproofing methods.
Add Drywall
Adding drywall is a popular and effective method of soundproofing a brick or concrete wall. Drywall adds mass and thickness to the wall, most likely decreasing the sound vibrations’ travel.
This solution is a relatively simple one and long-term, which doesn’t involve taking the original brick wall down.
Increasing the wall’s overall mass will help create an environment that’s more difficult for sound vibrations to bounce around or pass through. This means that only very low frequencies might pass through the wall.
Insulation
Adding some insulation to the wall’s interior space might be a good idea, depending on how the wall was constructed. However, this soundproofing method will need to be done by a professional.
Nevertheless, do not fret if you opt for it because it doesn’t take too much time to complete the process, and it’s relatively affordable.
Some of the popular insulation methods include using fiberglass because it dries quickly and cellulose since it’s more eco-friendly.
Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV)
MLV’s mass relative properties effectively cope with excess noise and reduce sound transmission. You can apply MLV to floors, isolated walls, and ceilings.
You can place MLV over existing walls or surface areas, and it’s also pretty effective when placed loosely or taut against the area that’s being soundproofed. It can also be placed between layers of drywall or attached to framings.
The best thing about MLV is that you can install it in whatever way that’s most convenient for you to help with the space or wall in question.
Decoupling
The primary purpose of decoupling is to receive sound waves and break the wavelength to stop the traveling of sound waves and relative vibrations.
In addition, this method helps to trap sound waves within the air chambers, making them less likely to permeate the other parts of the wall.
Decoupling might be effective for soundproofing between rooms since it involves the construction of two walls with a relative gap between them.
Loosely fitted insulation between studs is seen as essential for effective decoupling because the purpose of decoupling will be lost if an air chamber is missing.
Decoupling can be done in various ways, including the following:
Double Stud Wall
This method entails attaching sets of studs to the same base plate, and drywall is fitted to the outer sides.
A Room Within a Room
A room within a room method entails erecting two walls that are completely detached from each other, and the gap between the walls’ surfaces will act as their air cavity.
While this method is pretty effective, it might only be necessary when soundproofing the entire room. It’s not really cost-effective or practical.
The Staggered Stud Wall
The staggered stud wall is a more economical and efficient method for decoupling. While using this method, a 2*4 set of studs is arranged on either side of the base plate at around six inches wide.
This technique helps create a large air cavity that achieves decoupling’s soundproofing goal.
Sound Isolation Clips
You can place sound isolation clips on studs to dampen sound. This decoupling method also entails placing hat channels in the sound isolation clips and the drywall attached to the channel with screws to avoid contact with studs.
Resilient Channels
This technique is excellent for decoupling single walls. It involves screwing metal channels to the studs, and the drywall is installed to only connect to the resilient channels without necessarily making any contact with the studs.
Apply Acoustic Panels on the Brick Wall
If you’re looking for a quick fix, you can buy sound-absorbing panels for your room. The panels basically act as a sponge for the sound vibrations that soak them in before the sound reaches your ears.
The best thing is that the panels can also help improve the sound quality of your room. More so, they come in various thicknesses, sizes, and several colors and styles are available for you to choose from.
If the panels are for home use, you can purchase custom-printed fabrics, which you can also use for home décor to enhance the aesthetics of your rooms.
How to Soundproof an Existing Stud Wall
Stud walls consist of vertical wooden planks (studs) with a drywall sheet on each side. Most stud walls usually have an empty cavity between the two sheets of drywall, while some might only have fiberglass insulation.
Building a stud wall comes with numerous challenges; however, soundproofing is one of the biggest ones. This is due to sound waves from both impact and airborne sources that easily enter the wall cavity through the drywall.
Once inside the sealed cavity, the sound waves usually echo and become louder, a situation known as the drum effect.
Soundproofing an existing stud wall involves ripping down half the border; therefore, be prepared to get messy.
Here is how you can soundproof an existing stud wall to ensure privacy:
Add Insulation
You can start the insulation process by ripping off one side of the drywall. It doesn’t matter which side; however, it’s advisable to begin working inside the room you want to soundproof because you’ll most probably add more drywall later.
Next, fill the cavity with insulation. Although standard thermal insulation such as recycled cotton or fiberglass might work, it will be much more effective to use acoustic insulation.
Add More Mass
Replace the original drywall with a new piece or some acoustic plasterboard if you can afford it. Proceed to add more mass to the walls to help block sound waves.
The cheapest option of adding more mass is to add more drywall. Although this step will make some difference, drywall isn’t very dense.
Therefore, if you want your room to be as soundproof as possible, you might as well try something else.
One of the most recommended options for soundproofing an existing stud wall is to try a double layer of mass-loaded vinyl or vehicle sound deadening mats.
Both of these products are made from very dense materials that aren’t too thick; therefore, you can get much more out of them without taking up too much space.
The trick with this method is to add as much mass as possible. If you can’t decouple your stud wall, adding mass might be your best option for soundproofing.
Building a New Soundproof Stud Wall
It might be pretty expensive to build a new stud wall; however, it’s the most effective option for soundproofing. In addition, building the wall from scratch will allow you to isolate each side of the wall; therefore, massively reducing vibrations into the wall cavity.
Here is what you need to know about soundproofing if you’re building a new soundproof stud wall:
Isolate Your Studs
Decoupling means having separate studs for each side of the wall. This process effectively creates a void between the two sides; hence, stopping sound waves from passing through.
However, this process will involve a significant structural change to your property; therefore, it’s best to ensure that it’s safe to do so.
If you want to decouple a wall correctly, you can either construct two stud walls or a staggered stud wall. If you opt to build two stud walls, you’ll have a set of studs for each side, and both are separately sealed and insulated.
This process will create a tiny cavity between two distinct walls and is the most effective option for soundproofing a stud wall.
Constructing a staggered stud wall is simpler, needs fewer resources, and you’ll still have two sets of studs. However, the studs are staggered, meaning that you’ll only have a single stud wall.
Although this option is much simpler to build, it means that you will only have one cavity; therefore, sound waves will still pass through the wall.
Check this too: How to Make a Toilet Flush Quietly
You can also opt for resilient clips and a hat channel instead of separate studs. These two products create a flexible channel under one side of drywall that allows it to flex and prevent sound waves from passing through.
Isolation Strips
The purpose of isolation strips is to sit on top of wooden joists and under-wall partitions. The strips are made from rubber and prevent vibrations from passing through the structure.
As a result, they make a tremendous difference in the amount of noise passing through a stud wall.
If you’re building your stud wall using a frame instead of assembling from scratch, it would be best to choose wood over metal. Wood absorbs sound much better than metal and is easier to work with.
Insulation
Once the studs are in place, you can move to insulation. The key to effective soundproofing is to add as much mass as possible inside the wall cavity so that it’s more difficult for sound waves to reverberate.
You can also include other sound dampening products, such as acoustic sealant inside the wall.
You can fill every possible gap with acoustic sealant, including between joists and studs, as this will make the structure more soundproof.
Add Mass
If you’re building a structure from scratch, then it’s best to make the addition of mass more permanent. Using mass-loaded vinyl on top of a piece of drywall and covering it with another sheet of drywall might be the best way of adding mass.
This process means that your wall will be pretty thick; however, it will also be quite soundproof.
Soundproofing your space will give you more privacy and peace of mind. Whether you’re soundproofing between rooms or you want to soundproof bedroom walls, the tips above will come in handy to ensure that you live in a comfortable space.