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What can you do yourself about soundproofing?
Every house and home should be a place for a peaceful respite from the noise and outside world. But it’s getting harder, because the world is getting noisier. This one in particular affects people who work from home, and so they need peace and quiet...
In order for a room to be isolated, it is necessary to detect where the most annoying noise comes from, how the sound behaves while passing through the room, and what the most efficient ways are to block it. We will describe a few methods of soundproofing the premises, including simple tips and more advanced techniques that use special sound absorbent materials (sponges and insulation foam).
Soundproofing of doors
For interior doors, insulation tapes for exterior doors and windows are rarely used. Those tapes are easy to install, they are affordable and readily available. In addition to protecting against the wind and elements, they also very effectively protect against noise coming from another room. So window insulation tape can serve as the first way to reduce noise and insulate your study.
Soundproofing of walls
Hard and flat wall surfaces, such as plaster, cardboard, plaster and tiles, reflect and amplify sounds. On the other hand, soft surfaces, such as sponge and PU foam, absorb sounds and the room becomes much quieter.
If you don’t mind the room getting an industrial-style look, attach sound-absorbing acoustic panels or special sponges to the walls. This can also be applied to the ceiling. Choose panels made from premium noise dampening materials such as soft foam rubber, dense polyester fiber and cork.
What can you do yourself?
As a good way to absorb sounds in the study, shelves full of books have proven to be excellent, especially if they are placed from wall to wall, and on walls that are particularly thin or separate the room from the noise source. Massive materials and objects stifle vibrations and thus reduce sound transmission. Make sure that the edges of the built-in shelf fit tightly against the walls, floor and ceiling, so that there are no air gaps, which represent another additional route for sound from the outside environment to penetrate into the work space.
• if, despite the added insulation materials and tapes, the sound is still heard behind the door, try hanging a thick curtain over it
• the more furniture in the room, the less sound will be reflected. If the room does not have enough furniture, try adding more. If there is enough of it, try moving it so that it absorbs as much sound as possible
• if the sources of the annoying sounds are in another room – for example, speakers, home appliances or exercise equipment – the floor under them should be insulated with insulating foam. This reduces the transmission of vibrations through the floors and reduces the noise in the room you want to isolate.
Soundproofing of floors
Hard floors, just like hard walls, reflect sound and make noise louder. Place the carpet wall to wall in the room you want to insulate and keep in mind that the insulation is better when the carpet is thicker. For extra insulation, add a layer of foam or sheet material under the carpet.
Soundproofing of windows
Windows, even those with a high degree of soundproofing, are not particularly effective in blocking external and internal sounds. The simplest way to insulate windows is thick curtains that do not let sound pass. Also try insulating window tapes, which are used to reduce air ingress, but also reduce noise.
Special panels made of glass or acrylic are used to insulate windows and are installed inside the existing glass in order to reduce the penetration of noise from the outside.
