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How to Soundproof Your Room

First published: 16 January 2021 @ 3:57 pm

Having a soundproof room will be very helpful, especially if you live closely with your neighbors. This article will help you find the best ways to soundproof your room.

How to Have a Soundproof Room?
Photo by Mahrous Houses on Unsplash

How to Soundproof a Room?

Isolating the Area

The first step towards soundproofing is isolating the area from airborne noise. The easiest way to stop this kind of noise is by adding layers of insulation on the walls and windows.

You can start with fiberglass or foam sheets but they tend not to be very effective against low frequency sounds so consider using rubberized material instead such as Mass Loaded Vinyl or polyurethane foam boards.

They have NRC ratings over 0 and can effectively absorb mid frequencies so if your main concern is with low frequency noises, consider adding an additional layer of lighter density material like fiberglass or mineral wool behind them.

This will increase NRC rating even further which means better results at absorbing low frequency sounds like noise from neighbors’ yard parties or traffic outside your window at night.

When looking for soundproofing materials do check out their Noise Reduction Coefficient ratings too since they will help you make informed decisions when choosing which ones are right for you!

Improving the Room

The next step would be to improve upon what’s already there, such as adding furring strips above ceilings. Often people add them only after drywall installation.

Also adding wood framing around doors and windows will help dampen some vibration sounds that travel through them especially if your walls are thin enough for simple carpet installation.

Insulate every wall stud space with Mass Loaded Vinyl or similar material with high NRC rating – remember to leave no gaps whatsoever! The best soundproofing material for the job is Mass Loaded Vinyl over 1/2″ thick. It has very high NRC rating and is easy to work with.

Layer New Surface

Lastly, you will need to treat your existing walls with additional layers of drywall or fabric-backed noise dampening materials such as Green Glue if there’s a stud space through which noise can travel.

You can decide whether you want to do this by yourself or hire a professional – it all depends on your budget and experience level. Since the last step requires cutting and installing drywall, you will need to call in professionals if you don’t have those skills yourself.

A medium quality product may cost around $5/square foot while an average one would be about $10/square foot. Professional assistance will cost from $35-$85 per hour depending on where you live and will probably take about 10 hours for the entire process (depending on how many walls needed).

If you want to save money, consider adding another layer of insulation behind your acoustic panels before installation for better results at blocking low-frequency noises like traffic or neighbor parties that disturb your sleep at night!

How Much Does It Cost?

How Much Does Installing a Soundproof Room Cost?
Photo by Ibrahim Boran on Unsplash

If you want your room soundproofed, the costs vary. It depends on the size of the room and the work necessary. Typically, a professional will charge around $3 per square foot to soundproof a room.

The quality of material used in the soundproof project is also important. Some materials are expensive and you may need more than one layer of them to achieve desired results.

If you want to save money, consider using insulation instead of all other materials in your project. While it might not be as effective, it is much cheaper and it can reduce noise by up to 10 decibels.

Soundproofing a bedroom can cost between $500 and $2000 (one-time expense). In case you need help during your DIY project, there are professionals that offer their services for about $50 per hour (you might need 2-3 hours for the job) or for about $1500-$3500 (if they do everything from tearing down walls to putting in new drywall).

For more tips on how to design your house, you can check out our blog here.

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