[vc_row equal_height=”yes”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][vc_facebook type=”button_count”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][vc_tweetmeme share_via=”YinzBuy”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1606731333432{margin-top: -5px !important;}”][vc_pinterest][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]If you live in a busy urban area or rent an apartment in a complex, then you know how difficult it is to find peace in your own home. Continuous, loud background noises from bustling streets and rowdy neighbors seem to be a daily occurrence. Soundproofing your room is an excellent way to keep out unwanted noises, and it’s not expensive to do if you use these cheap tools, tips, and options.
Read on to find a selection of home décor and other tools to soundproof your room while on a budget. Choose to block noise in an entire room, just one wall, or the ceiling. No matter your needs, there are a variety of options to fit every budget and décor.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
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What Makes a Room Noisy?
Internal sounds, external sounds, and the acoustics of a room can make a room noisy. Internal sounds like creaking are created by temperature changes in a room. External sounds may be heavy traffic or booming construction. Room acoustics refer to how sound travels in a room.
Design of the room and the contents within play a large part in the noise. For instance, if your room is large and unfurnished, there will be an echo. Fortunately, soundproofing offers many different options to help you mitigate the natural noise levels.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Can You Soundproof an Entire Room?
You can soundproof an entire room by filling it up with home décor, using acoustic panels on all of your walls, or playing sound-blocking machines. Renovating the windows and doors in the room using soundproofing materials provide additional noise reduction.
Room soundproofing at home is relatively easy and inexpensive compared to the professional soundproofing seen in music studios. While it may not block all sound in entirety, it’s a great way to improve your quality of life.
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What Home Décor Options Assist in Soundproofing a Room?
A cheaper option to assist in soundproofing a room is using home décor. Some examples include rugs, curtains, upholstered furniture, and blankets. If these items are made with the proper materials and cover a good portion of the room, they will absorb sound and prevent noisiness in your space.
Rugs
High density rugs with fluffy, open piles can help soundproof a room by creating a surface that can absorb sound before it reaches your ears. The cheapest but most effective material you can get for soundproofing rugs is polyester. The thicker the pile and larger the coverage, the more sound-absorbent it will be. Place the rug in the most open part of the room for maximum effect.
A perfect exemplification of a rug that can assist in soundproofing a room would be the Paco Home Shag Rug. This rug is made from 100% polyester and has a pile height of about 2.76 inches, making it super sound absorbent. It is 3’11” by 5’7″ in size, which is perfect for an empty room hallway to reduce the sound of foot traffic.
If you don’t want to invest in a new rug, consider adding a pad or liner. A thick felt liner not only protects floors, but offers thermal and sound insulation. As an added bonus, it helps stop wood floors from getting scratched. This is a perfect choice for anyone with an existing rug that needs a little extra soundproofing.
Soundproof Curtains
Soundproof curtains, unlike regular home décor curtains, are made specifically with noise absorption in mind. These dense, high-coverage curtains assist in soundproofing a room by creating a sound barrier that prevents noises from passing through a window. Some effective yet affordable material options are linen, polyester, and cotton.
We’ve taken an in depth look at the RYB Home blackout curtains, which are an excellent assistant in soundproofing a room. These curtains are made from 100% polyester with a blackout layer which adds extra thickness, making them an excellent sound blocker. Each panel is 52″ wide and available in lengths ranging from 63” to 108”. They provide ceiling-to-floor coverage and weigh about 10 pounds to obstruct external noises.
If you want to add a bit of whimsy to the room, take a look at these unique star cutout curtains that allow light to shine through the shapes and decorate your room.
Upholstered Furniture
The cheapest option for upholstered furniture to assist in soundproofing a room is accent chairs or armless loveseats. By placing these furniture items in the area where external sounds are the loudest, you can dampen a room’s noisiness. The most economical yet sound absorbent fabric choice for upholstered furniture is microfiber or synthetic velvet made from polyester.
An excellent choice for an accent chair that can assist in soundproofing a room would be the Modway Prospect upholstered armchair. This chair is made with synthetic velvet material and has polyester foam padding, both materials that can absorb sound nicely. It is 29.5 by 28 by 30 inches in size, so it can take up a decent portion of the room where it is most noisy.
Blankets
Dense, large blankets can assist in soundproofing a room by absorbing sound and lessening echoes. By hanging blankets like these on:
- Walls
- Windows
- Doors
- Ceilings
Where you find external noise passes through, you can block sounds from entering your room and absorbing the noise created inside it. The best material for these blankets is polyester or cotton.
One option for a blanket that could assist in soundproofing a room is the Becky Cameron Comforter. This comforter is made with polyester microfiber and has a polyester down fiber padding for extra-thick sound blocking. It is queen-sized to provide considerable coverage of your room’s walls. It weighs 4.61 pounds, so make sure to use nails to secure it properly.
Sound absorption blankets, such as this Audimute sheet help to reduce echoes within a room. While they don’t block external noise, they help to improve your room acoustics and absorb noise created within the room.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Can You Soundproof a Wall?
You can soundproof a specific wall by adding an insulated barrier, which includes a secondary wall or full-coverage materials. Building an insulated wall forms an airtight space that blocks noise so you can prevent external sounds from obstructing your peace and quiet.
A simple option is to add a soundproofing barrier into the wall to block out sounds. You can even seal any holes or cracks with some acoustic caulk for further noise prevention.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Can You Soundproof a Ceiling?
Some of our cheap options for soundproofing a ceiling aren’t compatible because gravity prevents furniture and rugs from staying there. Blankets might obstruct lights or air conditioning vents. The best way you can soundproof a ceiling is by installing sound-absorbing panels. Sound-absorbing panels come in all shapes and sizes to fit your ceiling like a glove.
Some options, like these Jamver panels even emulate a ceiling tile look. It’s important to note though that sound absorbing tiles help with acoustics within the room. You’ll still hear noise from a neighbor walking on the ceiling, but the reverberations will be significantly reduced.
To eliminate the sound coming through from above, you’d need to line the floors. A soundproof underlayment will absorb sound and vibration before it reaches the room below.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
What Options Can You Purchase to Further Soundproof a Room?
If using home décor to soundproof a room doesn’t completely solve your problems, then trying out these options might be better for you. Some other options you can purchase to further soundproof a room include constructive products like door weatherstripping or window treatments, or additives like acoustic panels, soundproof curtains, or sound machines.
Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels make soundproofing walls easy work. While they don’t block exterior noise, these panels can further soundproof a room by creating a sound-absorbent space. It’s a budget friendly way to limit echoing in large, open rooms. All you have to do is plan out where you want the panels and hang them up using impaling clips. For smaller acoustic panels, you can also use double-sided tape for less wall damage.
The Zhermao Hexagon Acoustic Panels are ideal acoustic panels for at-home soundproofing because they are small and come in a pack of 12, so you can get the perfect placement or even make a cool design. They are made from 100% polyester fiber, so they fight against external sounds, internal sounds, and echoing.
Larger rectangular panels (like this Acoustimac set) are designed for larger walls. This pack of 8 will allow you to do one large wall or a couple corners in a room.
Door Weatherstripping
Door weatherstripping can help further soundproof a room by sealing the gaps that let external sounds travel into a room. All you have to do is use it on the door jamb and underneath the door, and you’ll have less of a chance of being woken up by your neighbor mowing at seven in the morning. This is an excellent soundproofing alternative for renters as it is completely removable.
The CloudBuyer Door Weatherstripping is an excellent candidate for soundproofing your door because it is self-adhering while being waterproof and windproof, so it’s sure to block noise from entering through your door for a long time.
If that’s too much installation, try a draft stopper instead. They slide on both interior and exterior doors to provide sound blocking to gaps.
Window Treatments
Using acoustic caulk to soundproof-treat your windows is an effortless and low-cost way to prevent external sounds from disrupting your day. All you have to do is carefully remove any existing caulking around the window with a putty knife and then apply the new, soundproof caulk onto the window’s cracks. A caulking tool can help to make easy work of this project.
The Trademark Soundproofing Acoustical Caulk is a fantastic representative for a soundproofing window treatment. It is made with high-quality latex to seal any gaps to reduce noise in your room. The packaging for this caulking has an easy-applicator pointed tip so you can get into the hard-to-reach cracks of the window.
Sound Machines
If you live in an apartment, or rent a space where you aren’t allowed to damage any rooms or change their structure, then a sound machine is the perfect choice to soundproof your room. Sound machines can play sound frequencies that block out other sounds so you can stay focused on your work or have a good night’s rest.
The Magicteam Sound Machine is a fantastic option for light sleepers who have rowdy neighbors to soundproof their room. It plays 20 different sounds, including white noise, pink noise, blue noise, and brown noise, which are all great for noise-blocking. It also has 32 levels of volume so that you can find an effective yet comfortable level.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Summary
Soundproofing your room doesn’t have to require a huge investment or hiring a professional to do the job. You can easily soundproof your room as an inexpensive do-it-yourself project. Whether you are living in a space you rent or own, there are multiple ways for you to block and absorb noise from bothering you using items you already own or cheap items to purchase.
As noted on our Affiliate Disclaimer page, links to products inside this blog could lead to sales commissions (at no additional cost to you) which allow this site to continue operations.
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