Well, in this post, I’ll walk you through the 6 highly innovative, yet cost-effective ways to sound dampen interior doors.

Trust me, Soundproof interior door projects aren’t as tough as they sound to be.

In my last article, I’ve explained in detail the various ways of soundproofing doorways.

You may be wondering why I’m again talking about soundproofing doors, right?

For that, you’ll need to understand the difference between the exterior and interior doors.

Without understanding the difference between the two, it will be difficult for you to make an informed decision.

Solid doors/ solid core doors are mostly used as exterior doors. 

On the contrary, you’ll find most of the interior doors to be hollow ones.

Isn’t it easy to predict which of the two; solid door/hollow door is lighter?

Solid core doors are heavy and dense and thus are better at combating unwanted noise as compared to hollow ones.

Needless to say, hollow doors are lighter and need additional mass to combat unwanted noise.

Though I’ve been working as a soundproof consultant for over a decade now still the interior doors of my apartment are hollow.

At times, it becomes very problematic for my kids.

They aren’t able to concentrate on their studies.

Rarely but I work from home, and it was REALLY difficult for me to concentrate on my work until I soundproofed interior doors as well as my home office.

The problem with the hollow doors is that you can hear anyone on the other side as if there weren’t any doors.

There is an old adage, “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”.

I found 6 innovative and cost-effective ways to soundproof interior doors.

And, moving further, I’ll be sharing the step-by-step method that I used to achieve a mind-boggling result.

Don’t worry, you’ll NOT have to spend a big chunk of money.

I wasn’t interested in replacing the hollow interior doors with solid core doors, so I was left with only one option, and I hope you guessed it RIGHT- soundproofing interior doors.

FOLK!

Replacing the existing doors with the new ones is quite expensive, isn’t it?

So. without any further ado, let’s get to the point.

Best Ways to Soundproof Interior Doors Cost-Effectively

If you have read my article on the soundproofing door, then you may find some of the steps to be repetitive.

Nonetheless, the interior door functions differently as compared to the exterior doors because the formers are mostly sliding or folding ones.

Since the structure is different so is the soundproofing process.

Try Soundproofing Blankets

Are you wondering, what am I blabbering?

The idea of putting blankets on the door makes you feel weird.

But, let me tell you, soundproof blankets are one of the cheapest solutions when it comes to soundproofing doorways.

Whether it’s solid core doors or hollow ones, the installation process is almost the same.

Are you aware of the fact that by using soundproof blankets you can soundproof the entire room?

That is the power of these moving blankets.

Don’t take them lightly. :):)

As a soundproof enthusiast, you must be well aware of the fact that these soundproof blankets aka acoustical blankets are made of sound-absorbing materials.

These highly thick blankets are capable of combating unwanted noise.

Hanging these acoustical blankets on your sliding doors will definitely solve your noise problem.

I’ll NOT commit that these blankets will dampen the noise 100 percent, but I can assure you that the experience will be tangible, and you’ll NEVER regret installing these blankets.

It is always good to add an additional layer of defense to your sliding door, isn’t it?

The best way to install these sound-deadening blankets is by doing hit & trial.

Trust me, I’m NOT kidding, I do the same even after having a decade of experience in the soundproofing domain.

First, hang one blanket on your hollow interior door, and if you’re satisfied with the sound dampening, then you don’t need to add an additional acoustic blanket.

Nevertheless, if the performance of the noise-canceling blanket is NOT up to the mark, then add one more blanket.

You can go up to 123…..n numbers until you get the things right.

Why do I vouch for an acoustic blanket?

Well, the reason is quite simple, it is affordable and anyone can afford it in spite of being on a shoestring budget..

Again, it is not a complete noise-dampening solution in itself.

 Note: You can’t achieve the epitome of silence using blankets alone. 

In case, you’re looking for a high-precision solution, then you’ll need to use these heavy blankets with other soundproofing materials.

These blankets will also enhance the thermal properties of your room.

In simple terms, it will keep your room warm in the cold condition and vice-versa.

On the downside, these blankets aren’t visually appealing, and you may not like the color and design.

I personally don’t.

But, at the end of the day, these soundproof blankets are the cheapest way to dampen unwanted noise.

Anyway, the choice is all yours:)

Install Acoustic Panels

When it comes to soundproofing interior doors (hollow doors), our main motive should be to add some mass to the doors to help them combat noise.

In order to achieve that you can install acoustic panels on your door.

Foam panels are good at reducing echoes, reverbs, and vibrations whereas fiberglass panels perform extremely well in blocking noise.

So, depending on your requirements, you can use either of them or both of them.

I’ve tried both panels and found that in the case of interior hollow doors, fiberglass is the one that has given me a satisfactory outcome.

At the same time, I’ll not deny the fact that fiberglass panels are costlier than foam panels.

The other reason why I recommend fiberglass panels is the visually appealing nature of this product. (Check out my recommendation on Amazon)

It will definitely add to the decor of your room.

These fiberglass panels come in a variety of designs and colors to help you select the one that syncs with your interior decor.

If you’re a soundproof enthusiast, then you’ll be well aware of the fact that out of the three frequencies; high, mid & low, the most difficult to combat is the low-frequency noise.

Though the market is flooded with soundproofing materials still there are only a few sound-dampening materials that you can count on figure to combat the low-frequencies.

And, the good news is fiberglass panels are one among them.

Without any doubt, fiberglass panels are also great at combating vibrations.

In short, you’ll get complimentary benefits such as thermal insulation by installing fiberglass.

For the newbies, the installation process can become quite tricky.

For example, if the panels aren’t self-adhesive, then you can try green glue to fix them or you can use these command strips (Check the Current Price On Amazon) to attach them properly to the door.

Well, at max two strips at the back of panels will do the work.

There is nothing good or bad, either you use command strips or green glue.

In both cases, you’ll get the result.

Nevertheless, when it comes to removing the panels, strips are easier to tackle as compared to green glues.

Panels fall under the category of cheap soundproofing materials.

Don’t forget to take the measurement of your door before ordering the panel.

It’s always advisable to buy slightly bigger panels because you can always cut them as per the requirement of your door.

 These panels are quite effective in combating reverbs, vibrations, and echoes, and because of this reason ONLY they are a preferred choice in the music industry. 

You’ll find these panels installed in almost all the audio recording studios.

The solid core doors are widely opened & closed, so there is a high probability that the hanging strip will fall down.

It has happened in a couple of our projects in the past.

So, you need to install them properly.

Seal Holes, Gaps, and Cracks

This is one area where most people make mistakes.

I’ve seen many soundproof consultants ignoring this step and later paying the price for it.

 So, why sealing the holes, gaps, and cracks is so important? 

Well, I’ve talked about it in detail in the article “soundproof doorways”.

Anyway, I’ll help you with the gist of it.

Most of the hollow or even solid core doors have holes, gaps, and cracks.

The gaps help sound waves to travel to the external world.

To keep the sound from going out or vice-versa, you’ll need to seal these holes.

I’ve noticed that as compared to the solid doors, the interior hollow doors have larger gaps.

Weatherstripping tapes (Check the Current Price On Amazon) could be the best solution when it comes to tackling gaps, holes, and cracks.

The hardest part of sealing the gaps and cracks is to find those that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

To find the small beasts, you will have to perform a task.

Switch off the lights and close the door.

From the other side, use a torch(light source) or another source of light to flash on the door.

You’ll find that the light rays are passing through the holes.

Use a marker to mark the holes and gaps, and then use weatherstripping tape to seal them.

For an airtight seal, you can also use green glue.

Once you’ve sealed the gaps half of your work is done.

Now, you need to seal the space between the door bottom and the floor.

I would recommend you use an adjustable door sweep for this purpose.

These door sweeps can block the space when the door is closed and vice-versa.

There are many good door sweeps to choose from.

However, if you’re looking for a cost-effective recommendation, then you can try this versatile product. (Check the Current Price On Amazon)

It’s worth every penny spent.

The thing that grabbed my eyeball was the self-adhesive nature of this adjustable sweep.

Unlike its counterparts, you don’t need any professional help.

It is completely doable on your own.

Pros

• Reduction in thermal leakage
• Noise reduction to a satisfactory level
• Bugs and insects prevention

Cons

• You might have a hard time sliding the door

Use Soundproof Curtains

Soundproof curtains aka noise canceling curtains are one of the easiest, yet effective ways to soundproof interior doors.

Some people may wonder, the curtain on doors?

Well, why NOT?

Soundproof curtains come in different shapes, sizes, designs, and colors.

Once the curtains are installed you’ll experience a tangible reduction in the echoes, reverbs, and vibrations.

There are favored sound-dampening materials when it comes to soundproofing windows.

Never prefer curtains that don’t have grommets installed even though they are cheaper.

I’m saying this only after having experience with the noise-canceling curtain that doesn’t have embedded grommets.

The installation process is quite easy.

First and foremost, install the curtain rod, and then buy a curtain with eyelets.

Hang them on the rod and you’re done.

Before buying the curtain, it is highly advisable to take the measurement of the door.

For the optimum result, buy curtains that are slightly larger than the door frames, so that they can cover the area comfortably without leaving any gap.

Again, these curtains can deal only with mid and high frequencies.

 If you’re struggling with the low-frequencies, then installing these curtains alone can’t help you out. 

One of the best ways to combat low frequencies is to use soundproof curtains in accordance with other sound-absorbing materials that can combat low-frequencies.

Purchase a Barn Sliding Door

What would you do if all the aforementioned methods didn’t work for you?

You may be inquisitive to know what is the solution in the extreme case, right?

As well all know, most of the interior doors are either made of wood or glass, so you also have an option to improvise with the material.

For example, if the sound dampening isn’t enough after installing a multi-layered soundproof curtain, then you don’t have any option, but to change the hollow door with a solid one.

On the downside, the replacement may cost you as much as $300.

So, try all the methods before replacing your hollow door.

Hope it helps!

Use a Combination of Methods

As discussed earlier, to combat the unwanted noise, the best thing that you can do is to use a combination of methods.

By doing so, you can easily combat noises of different frequencies.

As a soundproof consultant, I’ve completed a large number of projects, and I accept that I wouldn’t be successful in even a single project if I hadn’t exploited the concept of using a combination of soundproofing materials.

I hope my experience will help you to achieve the result at a faster pace.

The reduction of noise can be easily enhanced by adding an additional layer of defense.

It’s A Wrap

• Peace is priceless, right?
• It goes without saying, that soundproofing interior doors isn’t rocket science.
• Some of the aforementioned methods are easy to implement while the rest are on the tougher side.
• However, at the last, what you need is nothing but an epitome of silence.
• Better safe than sorry, so even though some methods are irritating and need a bit of extra effort, don’t ignore them.
• Inculcate the best practices.
• Keeping in mind the demands of my readers, I’m glad to say that all the methods are cost-effective except one.
• A budget of dollar 50 is more than enough for most of the methods discussed.
• The ONLY method that I found costly is replacing the hollow doors with solid core doors.
• People who are looking for a very specific solution, and don’t have any budget constraints can replace the hollow doors with the solid core doors.
• Out of all the six methods, which is your favorite when it comes to interior door soundproofing?
• Do you use any other soundproofing method that is not included in this post?
• On average, what is your budget for interior door soundproofing?
• Let us know your response in the comment section.
• Last but not least, share this piece of information with the ones who are in search of it.
• After all, sharing is caring.

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