In this post, I’ll walk you through various aspects of soundproofing a room from outside noise.

Well, all the methods that we’re gonna discuss are highly effective and budget-friendly.

So, even though you’re on a shoestring budget, you can implement most of these methods.

So, keep reading to solve your problem TODAY…

As a soundproof consultant with a decade of experience, I can assure you that quietness and peacefulness are luxuries in today’s world.

Needless to say, everyone can’t afford a quiet ambiance.

In fact, who doesn’t want to enjoy a noiseless environment in the comfort of their home?

In the last couple of years, the demand for soundproofing rooms has increased tremendously.

 Slowly and gradually, people have started realizing the importance of a noiseless environment. 

I’m assuming that most of us are well aware of the fact that noise pollution if not checked on time can take a toll on our mental as well as physical health.

Just for your information, continuous exposure to noise can lead to stress and depression in the long run.

Nowadays, even staying near a busy street or an apartment building will expose you to lots of unwanted noise.

It becomes quite annoying when you return from a hectic schedule and find your neighbors to be too loud.

Correct me, if I’m wrong.

It really becomes difficult to bear the neighbors, especially at night when you’re on the verge of sleeping.

It goes without saying that in metros you’ll find hardly any place to live where there isn’t much noise.

So, what’s the solution?

 Well, the good news is that you can soundproof any and every room from outside noise by following a few simple steps that I’m gonna discuss later in this post. 

With that said, you’ll be able to have a noise-free room in an epigrammatic span of time.

How to Soundproof a Room From Outside Noise

• Before we dive deep into the process, I would suggest, that you shouldn’t skip any of these methods.
• I’m going to explain all the methods in the simplest possible way, so even though you’re just starting out, you’ll not find any difficulty.
• So, without any further ado, let’s begin…

Soundproof Windows

As we all know, sound waves need a medium such as air, water, etc. to traverse.

So, any hole, gap, or crack in your room can allow the air to come in or go out, and the same holds true with the noise.

Windows is the interface to the outer world, so you need to be very careful while soundproofing windows.

Trust me, when it comes to letting sound waves into the room, windows are undoubtedly the biggest culprits.

Moreover, there could be numerous reasons for it.

Especially if the windows are old then there is a high probability of the existence of gaps, holes, and cracks in the vicinity of the windows.

Another obvious reason could be the thinness of the window glasses.

Unfortunately, thin glasses don’t have the capability to combat unwanted noise.

 As said earlier, to make your room quiet, you need to start with soundproofing windows.

There are quite a few ways through which you can achieve it.

However, I would recommend you select the method that suits your budget and also, your expectations out of the soundproofing project.

At the same time, the selection of soundproofing materials also plays a crucial role in the success of the project

If you’ve got a decent budget for the project then I would suggest, you change the window panes.

Most of the windows have single pane and so, they allow a lot of noise to enter into the premises.

Trust me, it will make a significant amount of difference to the noise coming from the window.

It is expected that replacing the entire window pane would cost you a bit more as compared to the other Orthodox methods.

Since this is a highly effective method and gives a superlative outcome, you don’t have any option but to bear with the price.

On the other hand, if you’re on a shoestring budget then I would never recommend you to go for the aforementioned method.

For the shoestring budget, I’ve something idiosyncratic to offer you:):)

The easiest thing to go with is the window plug.

They can be made quite easily and will definitely not cost you a fortune.

On the downside, window plugs will not allow the sunlight to pass through it.s

They are quite effective in dampening external noise.

Another viable option could be noise-canceling curtains.

These curtains are thicker as well as denser and are made of sound-absorbing materials.

They are quite enticing as they come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.

You can buy one that suits the decor of your room.

Frankly speaking, the discussion could be incomplete without throwing some light on caulk sealant (Check the Current Price On Amazon) and its uses.

They play a crucial role in sealing gaps, cracks, and holes.

A viable alternative could be weatherstripping. (Check the Current Price On Amazon)

It also does the same work.

Never forget to look for the holes and seal them as soon as possible.

Walls Modification

Similar to the windows, there are cheap as well as costly methods to soundproof walls.

Needless to say, this will be a highly expensive as well as time-consuming method.

But, at the same time, I can assure you that no other method could give you a similar result.

So, what’s an ideal solution?

You don’t have to put in any extra effort, all you need to do is, use caulk sealant or weatherstripping to seal the gaps and holes.

Just replicate what you did for the windows with zero modification.

If the walls are way thinner than the benchmark then you’ll have to add a layer of drywall to increase the density and thickness of the walls.

 The drywall will act as an additional protection layer against external noise. 

If you’re hearing the name “drywall” for the first time, then let me tell you, these are panels made of sound-absorbing materials and are mostly used in the interior walls and ceilings.

Moreover, adding drywall could be a bit costly.

Are you looking for a cheaper option?

In case, you’re looking for budget-friendly solutions, then I would recommend you install thick soundproof wallpapers or paint the walls with soundproof paints.

I’ve personally used soundproof wallpapers and paints in quite a good number of projects, and without any second thought, I can assure you that these cost-effective hacks will give you a tangible result.

You can even use paints as well as wallpapers together for the optimum result.

If you’ve got thick blankets in your home then all you need to do is to install them on the walls.

The moving blankets are thicker and denser and are great at absorbing noise.

Even though the noise will be successful in penetrating the wall, it won’t reach the room as it will be absorbed by the blankets.

Furthermore, you can hang a couple of blankets one over the other on the wall to provide multiple protection layers against the noise.

 Finally, let’s have a look at the FREE method. 

As a precautionary note, don’t expect this method to be as effective as the aforementioned ones.

All you need to do is to rearrange furniture, wardrobe, and bookshelf in such a way that the wall is covered.

They will act as an additional layer of a barrier for the outside noise.

Remember, to have a small space between the furniture and the wall.

The air in the gap will act as a sound insulator.

Even you can move the couch from the center of the room to the corner.

Well, if you are a soundproof enthusiast and want to learn more then check out the detailed discussion on soundproofing thin walls.

Soundproof Door

Well, if you’re well-versed with the process of soundproofing windows then soundproofing doors wouldn’t be a big deal for you at all.

If you’re the one living in an apartment then you would have definitely noticed the difference between the outer door and their inner counterparts.

Mostly the main door in an apartment is made of solid core/solid wood.

These doors are heavy as well as dense and can combat the outside noise.

On the other hand, the interior doors are made of plywood and are mostly hollow and thin.

They can’t combat external noise.

If you’ve soundproofed your windows and still you’re hearing unwanted noise then It goes without saying that the doors are the culprits.

These thin doors are very problematic and the best thing that you can do is to replace them with solid core doors.

Moreover, it will give a better result as compared to soundproofing the hollow doors.

But, what if, you’re on a shoestring budget?

If you’ve just started out then I would recommend you to go for soundproof blankets.

These moving blankets are quite cheap and effective.

All you need to do is to hang them on your doors.

You can do that with the help of tacks or adhesives.

The only thing that I don’t like about the soundproofing blanket is that they aren’t visually appealing.

Most of you will not be aware of the fact that soundproof blankets can alone soundproof the entire room.

Well, do I need to say anything else about the capability of soundproof blankets?

Nonetheless, if you’re very particular about the appearance of your room then soundproof blankets would be the correct fit to combat external noise.

By doing so, you’ll negate even the smallest of the possibilities of external noise from entering your room.

I prefer using a caulk sealant or weatherstripping for sealing the gaps and cracks. (Check the Current Price On Amazon)

Soundproofing a door couldn’t be completed without sealing the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor.

Though you can use weatherstripping to seal the space still I would recommend you go with a door sweep. (Check the Current Price On Amazon)

Door sweeps are meant especially for blocking the space between the bottom of the door and the floor.

Moreover, door sweep also comes with the benefits of thermal insulation.

For example, once you’ve installed a door sweep, you can expect your room to cool faster.

Moreover, you’ll find a decrease in the electricity bill.

Soundproof Air Vents

Needless to say, air vents are yet another way through which noise from outside can enter your room.

If you don’t know what air vent is then let me tell you, they are large holes in the walls that let air and sound in freely.

I would suggest you should block the air vents if you don’t need them.

There are numerous ways to block the air vents and you can select any one of them as per your preferences and priorities.

I either use filler spray (Check the Current Price On Amazon) or drywall to seal the air vents.

Let me tell you, I’ve tried other methods as well before narrowing down on these two methods.

 They are more effective and budget-friendly than most of the methods available on the market. 

The only downside of these two methods is that you’ll not get an adequate amount of fresh air which isn’t a small issue at all.

If you don’t have openings other than air vents in your room then it’s better NOT to seal them.

Then, what all the options are you left with?

Well, if you want to access the fresh air then you’ll have to soundproof air vent.

You can either use a sound maze or a honeycomb.

It goes without saying that both of these methods are an effective way to reduce noise while maintaining airflow.

Try Some Hacks On The Outside

To enhance the outcome, I would advise you to work on the outside as well.

For example, planting trees around the room can act as an additional layer of protection against unwanted noise.

For noise to get around the plants wouldn’t be easy.

The waterfall will act as white noise and will mask other external noise.

All you’ll hear inside your room is the sound of the waterfall.

People use white noise machines as a temporary solution to outside noise.

The last hack that I’ve for you is a soundproof fence.

You can build a soundproof fence all around your property.

The basic criterion for the fence to be highly effective is its height.

Yes, you heard it right, the fence should be at least 8 feet tall.

Needless to say, it can be taller but not shorter to be effective.

FAQs

• Well, I’ll be answering some of the frequently asked queries from my clients and readers.
• In case, you’ve similar queries, you can mail us.
• Someone from our team will respond back at the earliest.

How can I soundproof my house with road noise?

• All you need to do is to follow the step-by-step methods that we’ve discussed in this post.
  • Seal sound leaks
  • Soundproof windows, doors, and walls
  • Build sound barriers such as soundproof fence

How you can reduce noise when living on a busy street?

I would love to answer this question.

The answer is divided into two parts:

• Permanent solution
• Temporary solution

If you have a plan to live on a busy street for a long time then better go for the permanent solution.

The permanent solution includes but is not limited to soundproofing walls, doors, and windows.

On the other hand, if you’re staying on a busy street for a short period of time, then definitely go for the temporary solutions which include the use of a white noise machine, earplugs, noise cancelation headphones, etc.

It’s A Wrap

• It goes without saying that outside noises are quite annoying.
• However, the good news is that any room can be soundproofed against the external noise.
• So, you don’t have to worry at all about external noise even though you’re living in high-traffic zone areas such as near an airport or a railway station.
• All you need to do is follow the step-by-step methods that we’ve discussed in this post.
• Moreover, whether you’re on a shoestring budget or you’re willing to spend a fortune.
• We’ve got a soundproof solution for you.
• What is the budget that you can spend on soundproofing the room from outside noise?
• Which of the aforementioned methods are you willing to implement in soundproofing your room from outside noise?
• How effective did you find this article?
• Last but not least, share this piece of information with the ones who are in need of it.
• After all, sharing is caring, isn’t it?

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• How to Reduce Noise in a Dorm Room