Reader Beau asks:
I'm moving into a studio loft next weekend n a building that is notorious for its thin walls. I don't have much by way of furniture but will eventually be furnishing the apartment, yet I don't want to do so until I've got a solution to the sound issues.
Since I'm renting, what are some relatively inexpensive, non-permanent but aesthetically pleasing solutions to soundproofing that I can DIY install?
Thanks,
Beau
Whether it's keeping the noise in or out of your home, soundproofing is important when it comes keeping the neighbors happy. Especially if you're a proud parent of a child that enjoys playing the drums or an owner of a 1000 watt, window-rattling subwoofer.
We liked the "green" DIY soundproofing method suggested by Wired.com a while back, using nothing but a pack of Green Glue and a piece of custom-cut sheet rock:
"Home theater aficionados and soundproofing geeks are all atwitter over the latest in soundproofing technology: a gooey compound called Green Glue that converts sound energy into heat.Green Glue compares favorably with conventional methods of soundproofing walls and ceilings, like factory-damped drywall. But it's much cheaper: A case of 12 tubes costs only $175, and is enough to cover a decent sized wall."
Other suggestions for ceilings include lining it with Green Glue, a few wood panels, and then nailing a piece of sheet rock (but also making sure the ceiling can support the weight). We wouldn't want anyone to get crushed by their own sheet rock now.
As for soundproof flooring, you can look into high-density vinyl flooring to keep the noise echoing and penetration to a minimum.
Anyone out there have any other ideas? Please let us know in the comments!
[via Wired]
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I've got a wall of these in my listening room, make the room sound much better. Not sure how great they are for keeping sound out of your place, that wasn't an issue for me. Might be worth a shot though.
http://www.mioculture.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=2&idproduct=9
view brett's profile
You could hang some heavy fabric type panels on the offending wall.
book shelves filled with books may help as well.
view art's profile
Cork flooring panels. Use them on the floor or on a wall or two.
view haggie1's profile
http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/acoust_ceilings/ss_ceiling.htm
This stuff is pretty good, comes in 1" and 2" thicknesses and you can use it as a tack board. Compared to some of the "real" acoustical solutions, it's also pretty cheap.
Rather or not it's aesthetically pleasing, well that's up to you. I've seen the stuff in person and think the charcoal color is actually pretty nice, has a nice texture, and could be a cool backdrop to some nice art.
view charmac's profile
having as many soft surfaces as you can will help, even if it's not directly blocking the noise from coming in. the noise will get absorbed instead of bouncing around the room.
view cyn in sf's profile
Sometimes those cheap mattress foam pads from Walmart can cover a lot of real estate for low dollars. They're not bad for sound deadening. Thrift stores have heavy blankets for cheap sometimes, too.
view maximumHOTbottom's profile
I dig the cork wall idea.
view ekoshyun's profile
I should print this out and slip it under the door of the woman who lives above me and walks in High Heels at 2 AM on hardwood floors.... which happen to be right over my bed.
view cptnruthless's profile
it's not clear if you are trying to keep sound out or in. some of the suggestions above may help with keeping your sound in, but not with your neighbors' sound out. it seems like acoustical engineers agree that sound travels through joists and empty cavities and not just through the wall, so before investing any money to caulk or add sheet rock to an existing wall, you should do some research or get an estimate from a contractor. good luck.
view Johnp's profile
Thirding the cork idea- it's a huge sound absorber. You want a material that will absorb sound waves instead of reflect or transmit them. Some DIY home recording studios use pegboard from home improvement stores for a similar effect. Fabric drapings also help.
view Sekai's profile
Watched an episode of Holmes on Homes. He installed some drywall (QuietRock QR-525) that was equal to 8 layers of standard drywall. Here's a clip that I found online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAZsYp2M-U
view wightman's profile
People make great sound-absorbers. We're basically just bags of water, and suck up all the energy from the vibrations.
So always have friends over for drinks.
Or go to wally's.
view johan's profile
So far, not a single response directly addresses the original concern.
The solution should be
1) able to keep neighbor sounds out
2) temporary, since it is a rental
3) essentially DIY
(and considering 2 & 3...)
4) cheap
I would love to hear easy, temporary solutions as obviously installing new drywall or windows in my rental apartment is not an option...
view machete's profile