You might find that your living environment is just a bit too noisy. Some people live in a house or an apartment that allows noise to travel too well. This can lead to you hearing people’s conversation from the next apartment or room over. It can be very distracting and this will make it a lot tougher to get a full night of rest if the neighbors keep odd hours.
The best thing for you to do is to try to soundproof the walls and reduce the noise. Most people aren’t sure about how to go about this, though. Today, I’m going to explain how to reduce noise through walls using some simple DIY methods. You should feel much more prepared for dealing with this problem after reading through this information.
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1. Rearrange Your Furniture
This might seem like an odd solution for your noise problem, but rearranging your furniture can actually help to reduce the noise coming through your walls. Noise has a far easier time traveling through empty spaces. For instance, if you have a wall that has nothing on it, you’re likely going to hear a lot more noise coming from the other side of that wall. If you place heavy furniture items on that wall, then you’ll be able to keep things a lot quieter.
Simply placing your heavy fabric couch on the wall where most of the noise is coming from can make a difference. This is such a good method because it is easy for anyone to implement. You don’t have to get into some big DIY project just to reduce noise this way. You’ll be able to dampen the noise that is coming through the wall and it won’t even take long to accomplish.
If you don’t have enough furniture to do what you need to do, then consider buying some bookshelves. Bookshelves that are filled with books can work great for dampening sound. If you want to keep your noise levels low, then this is a low-cost way to go about fixing your problems. Bookshelves are generally inexpensive and putting some together while placing whatever books you own can reduce the noise levels a lot.
2. Place Some Artwork on Your Walls
As mentioned above, a wall with nothing on it is going to allow noise to travel throughout the room much easier. If you have an empty wall, then you want to try to fill that emptiness with something that can muffle the sound. One thing to consider is placing artwork on the walls in question as this can actually make a big difference and will dampen sound substantially. Some people decide to place paintings, but there are many different options that you can consider.
Putting tapestries on your wall is another option for reducing sound. Tapestries are usually thick and are made out of fabric. This will help to stop sound quite a bit and you can also find tapestries that will fit in with your sense of style. Whatever option it is that you want to pursue, you’ll be able to place some type of artwork or decoration so that you can reduce noise levels.
Even thick wallpaper can actually help you out. If you aren’t a big artwork type of person, then using thicker wallpaper might dampen a bit of the noise coming from the other side of the wall.
Just do your best to put something there to try to reduce the noise levels. If you leave it empty, then you’re going to keep having the same old noise problems.
3. Hang Noise-Reducing Curtains
Another idea that some people make use of to solve this type of problem is hanging soundproof curtains. Soundproof curtains work well for reducing sound in rooms and they can help you to reduce the noise that is coming through your walls as well.
Of course, people will normally hang soundproof curtains where there are windows or doors. There isn’t anything stopping you from hanging them along the wall, though. In fact, they are a great solution if you want to stop the sound from traveling through your air vents.
You would need to install a rod for this idea to work. There is also the fact that putting a curtain on a wall where there is no window will be an unusual decoration choice. This might not be the ideal solution from an aesthetic perspective, but it does give you good results. It will reduce noise coming from the walls, so it’s something that might appeal to you quite a bit.
You can find these soundproof curtains in many different colors and styles. Having more options to choose from is nice and you should be able to find something that matches your décor fairly well. This is something to consider when you want to reduce the noise coming through the walls without spending too much cash. Soundproof curtains are fairly cost effective and they do work nicely to reduce incoming sound levels.
4. Use Soundproof Blankets
Soundproof blankets are another option that some people make use of. If you’re simply trying to get rid of the noise that is coming from the other side of the wall, then this is something that will work out nicely. Soundproof blankets are very thick and they’re typically used to wrap furniture to keep it protected during a move. Placing and hanging these blankets on the walls will definitely reduce the sound that is coming in.
This works similarly to the tapestries that I mentioned earlier. The difference is that these soundproof blankets are likely going to be significantly thicker than any tapestry that you might consider hanging in your home. The effectiveness of this method is hard to deny. It simply comes down to whether or not you care about how your DIY soundproofing solution looks.
If you want to have the easiest time putting these blankets on your walls, then you should buy blankets that have grommets. This makes it easy to hang the blankets up since it gives you a natural place to use a nail or some type of hook. Try to place the soundproof blanket snugly against the wall and you should notice a difference right away. You’ll be able to sleep a little easier even if the blankets make things look a little out of sorts in your home.
5. Consider Acoustic Foam Panels
If you want to get into more traditional soundproofing methods, then installing foam panels is one of the first things that you should consider. Foam panels will help you to absorb the sound that is bouncing off the wall. In many ways, it’s going to work similarly to the two methods mentioned above. The difference is that the foam panels are specifically designed to dampen sound.
There are many different types of soundproofing foam panels that you can purchase on the market. They come in different sizes and styles. The one problem with this idea is that many people won’t like the way that these foam panels look. It’s not that they’re offensive to the eyes or anything, but they might not look natural in a living room setting.
Placing foam panels on the wall will only take a few minutes. You can install these foam panels easily and the results will be very good overall. If you want to solve your noise problem, then this is an easy option to consider. Just understand that foam panels might not match up well with your other room decorations, limiting the practicality of this method somewhat.
6. Acoustic Fabric Panels Are Also an Option
Acoustic fabric panels are also going to be an option for you. Essentially, these acoustic fabric panels are going to function in the same way as the foam panels mentioned above. The difference is that these fabric panels offer even greater sound-absorbing capabilities. They’re also more expensive than foam panels, though.
Spending a little bit more money will give you access to panels that work a little bit better. Most of these panels are made using a solid wood frame and then the fabric is placed over the frame itself. It provides a panel that works really well to absorb sound, making it ideal for lessening the noise that is coming in from another room. This solution has the same problem as the foam panels mentioned above, though.
These panels won’t look any more natural in your living room or bedroom area than the foam ones will. They might work out better for soundproofing a home office than they would for a living room area where you want things to look visually appealing. Even so, this is a DIY soundproofing method that works really nicely. It’s worth considering if you want to try to fix your problems without worrying too much about style.
7. Fix Cracks in Drywall
You might not have thought of this, but it’s actually possible that your sound problems could be due to having cracked drywall. If there are cracks in the drywall, then the sound is going to have an easier time coming through. It’s unlikely that this is the sole reason for your noise issues, but fixing the cracked drywall will make a difference. It might be worthwhile to get inside the wall and see what you can do.
There could be cracks or gaps in your drywall that are allowing sound to come through easier. Fixing this issue isn’t really all that complicated, thankfully. Most people wind up using caulk to plug the cracks and gaps. It’s cost effective and using a caulk gun is something that just about anyone can do.
You can even buy special acoustic caulk that will make the process go smoother. This caulk is somewhat rubbery and it has the distinction of not changing shape over time. It is likely going to be the ideal choice for what you’re trying to accomplish, but any caulk will work. Just remember to clean the surface first and smooth the caulk out once you’re done applying it.
8. Install Soundproof Materials Inside the Wall
Installing soundproof materials in the walls will be a very practical solution as long as you’re willing to do the work. If you’re living in an apartment, this might not be an option. This is likely going to be a solution that will appeal to homeowners more than people who rent. Even so, it’s something that can work out very well to solve your problem without feeling like it’s getting in the way of your living space.
You can install soundproof insulation or soundproof mats in the walls. Both of these methods will involve getting inside the walls, so there will be a significant amount of work to do. Not everyone is going to have the skills or tools to accomplish this. If you want to have this done without having to do it yourself, then you’ll be able to reach out to contractors who can insulate or soundproof your walls for you.
Soundproof Your Walls Now!
It is possible to make things a bit quieter in your home when you use the above soundproofing methods. The vast majority of these soundproofing methods are very easy to accomplish.
You’ll be able to use these to reduce the noise coming through the walls effectively, so don’t hesitate to take action today. It should be easier to get a full night of rest soon enough.
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