Budget-friendly Soundproofing Tips for Your Apartment or Condo

 


There will always be moments in our lives when we want quiet time, especially at home. If you're living in an apartment, you wouldn't want to hear your neighbors' loud music while trying to sleep or get some work done.

Soundproofing a room can be tricky since there isn't one solution that works for everybody. Rooms come in all shapes and sizes; even things such as the wall, floor, and ceiling material can drastically affect how you would soundproof a room.

 

Person covering her ears while she's trying to work

Evaluate Your Surroundings

Before going out to buy anything, you'll need to identify where your sources of noise. For example, you may find out that you have a problem with traffic noise, and the source is from the air gaps in your windows. In this case, purchasing weatherstripping that will allow you to fill any gaps you find on your windows would be more worthwhile.

Moreover, you may find that you have access panels in your unit that are responsible for noise leaks. In this case, getting properly insulated access doors would be the most helpful since it includes insulation and gaskets right out of the box and will massively reduce noise once installed.

 

Reorganize your room

One thing you must know about sound is that it travels in waves. Because of this, one way you can eliminate noise is to find ways to absorb sound waves before they reach your ears. Furniture such as sofas, bookshelves, and other dense objects are perfect for this task since heavy objects are good at absorbing sound waves.

If you already have these heavy objects around your place, repositioning them to walls where you hear the sound is the perfect (and free) way to block out unwanted noise.

 

Adding Acoustic Wall Panels

Only some have the luxury of having furniture to increase wall density for noise absorption. For this reason, you may find adding acoustic wall panels to be the perfect solution for you. These wall panels are great for absorbing noise and come in various styles and patterns to get the exact look and performance you need.

Specific house rules may prevent you from permanently attaching these panels to your walls. So, you may need to find removable double-sided adhesive strips, such as those used for posters, to attach them to your walls. If you ever need to move out of your condo unit, you can remove them without damaging the walls.

 

Utilizing Rugs

If you notice that your noise problem is coming from your floors, using rugs is an affordable way to absorb these noises without paying for an expensive renovation. A thick wool carpet would be perfect for this task since the wool fibers are excellent at dispersing sound waves.

Another solution you can go for is to add acoustic carpets to your floors instead. While these are more limited in aesthetic appeal, they soak up noise exceptionally well and would provide the best results compared to more traditional rugs.

 

All The Little Things Add Up

When you're working on soundproofing your apartment, it's vital to remember that it's all the little things you do that add up to the result that you want. While these tips seem simple enough, such as reorganizing your room or sealing off any air gaps, you may find that these are precisely the things you need to do to have the tranquil indoor space you always wanted.