Soundproofing is a universal yet critical factor anyone designing a new building, especially hotels, offices, restaurants, or residential buildings, has to consider. One of the reasons engineers, planners, and architects have to consider soundproofing is to ensure each room is free of external noise pollution. Although a hotel might seem clean and luxurious, without soundproofing, very few people would be willing to stay for long. This is why designers ensure every room and floor is soundproofed. The same cannot, however, be said about residential places and homes. Most residential houses lack proper soundproofing, a reason many complain of a noisy neighbour, dog, or even external factors such as road traffic.
If you live in a noisy neighbourhood or prefer peace and tranquillity, soundproofing your walls is the ultimate solution. If your house is still at the construction stage, you can have soundproofing installed during construction. You could also have soundproofing retrofitted on the walls, especially if tearing the walls down isn’t an option. Soundproofing your home can help restore harmony and peace in your home/life. Below are some ways you can soundproof your home to keep unwanted sounds and noises out. If you need help with it, get in touch with reputable soundproofing consultants in your area.
Decouple The Walls
Decoupling entails separating two sides of a structure to eliminate the transmission of sounds from either side. This is the most preferred method especially when looking to prevent sound transmission through floors, ceilings, and walls. Decoupling is, however, only effective in preventing the transmission of structure-borne sounds. The process may entail constructing double stud walls and using resilient sound isolation clips or staggered stud walls to prevent sound reverberation.
Sound Dampening
The main aim of sound dampening is to reduce sound transmission using unique materials that absorb sound waves. A dead wall is thus installed to help achieve this. Engineers also use cavity wall insulation to soundproof modern homes as well. Some of the key materials used for sound dampening include mineral wool, fibreglass, and polystyrene beads. These form an insulating layer that absorbs much of the soundwaves, with only a little passing through. One of the advantages of cavity wall insulation is that it doubles up as heat insulation. This thus helps keep the room/house warm/cool depending on the temperature outside.
Install Sound-Absorbing Materials
This is one of the cheapest yet most effective ways of soundproofing your room/house. It entails using soft materials that help absorb or prevent sound echo from hard surfaces. Marble, quartz, glass, concrete, and granite are notorious for amplifying and producing sound echoes in the house. Adding a thick layer of carpets, rugs, wall dressings, curtains, and fabric blinds can help dampen the sound. Although you might not know, acoustical curtains do a marvellous job of absorbing unwanted noise. Covering up hard surfaces in the house, especially walls and floors, will make your home more comfortable and free of unnecessary noises.
Add Mass to The Walls
Thin walls allow more soundwave through, as compared to thicker ones. Adding mass to your walls can help boost soundproofing in your home or office. This is one of the key considerations designers, DIY enthusiasts, and builders must consider when building a house from scratch. According to research, doubling your wall’s mass area improves sound insulation but cuts off at least 6 decibels. That said, using thicker walls for external walls can go a long way in improving sound insulation. The same applies to window panes. Consider using double or triple-glazed windows for improved sound and heat insulation.
These are some of the most practical and easiest ways to soundproof your home. Proper planning and budgeting are key to achieving the desired results. You might, however, want to consider room aesthetics before settling on a soundproofing method.
