How To Soundproof A Room

Are you annoyed having to listen to your quarrelling neighbors each day?  Is the TV in the next room bothering you too much? Are you unable to sleep peacefully at night because of the crying baby in the house opposite yours? Whatever may be the reason, you need to soundproof your room in order to have some peace and quiet. Sometimes, you may also want to prevent the noise from going out of your room as well. Let’s say you play the drums and you don’t want to disturb your neighbors. How can you stop the noise from going out? Well, you can if you soundproof your room. To make your room soundproof you need to understand the basic science of sound and how it propagates. Professional soundproofing is the best way to soundproof a room; however, it is an expensive and an exhaustive procedure. It includes addition of insulating material and adding extra drywall. Sometimes you may also need to replace the existing wall materials with new and more expensive materials. Nevertheless, there are many cheap ways of soundproofing a room as well. To know more about how to soundproof a room, read through the sections that follow.

Soundproofing A Room

Reducing Airflow
One of the easiest ways to soundproof a room is by reducing the airflow into the room. Sound travels through air and by cutting down the airflow in the room, you can make your room soundproof. Look for gaps under doors, between outlet boxes, and the drywall. You need to also check for gaps in your window panes as well. Blocking these gaps by using insulating materials can soundproof your room to a considerable degree.

Soundproofing Walls And The Roof
You can laminate the walls and the roof to soundproof your room. This can be done by adding extra layers of insulators to the existing surface. If you are doing this project yourself, you may use green glue to fasten the new layers to the existing surface. This glue has the property to absorb sound energy and convert it to heat energy. You may also use sheetrock to insulate your room. The thicker the sheetrock, the better the sound absorption . The best way to insulate your room is to use sheetrock along with green glue in conjunction. However, you may have to wait for a month or so to get optimal result as green glue needs time to dry and be effective. You can use special ceiling tiles to laminate your room ceiling as well.

Using Fiberglass Insulation
Fiberglass insulation insulates walls very well. Use closely packed fiberglass batts for your wall insulation. The denser the material, the better its ability to prevent sound from entering and leaving the room.

Soundproofing Doors And Windows
Your first approach to soundproofing your room should be to make your doors and windows soundproof. You may use vinyl sliding doors or double framed windows to reduce the sound coming into your room. Using soundproof doors and windows can be a little expensive. Instead, you may use drapes which are cheap but effective ways to absorb sound and prevent it from entering your room. 

Insulating Using Heavy Mass Objects
Heavy mass objects help in absorbing sound. You can keep heavy book shelves, racks, and wardrobes leaning against the wall to absorb the noise. The heavier the mass, the better its ability to absorb sound. Similarly, you can soundproof your floor using heavy carpets. Laminated flooring is also a great option to make your room soundproof.