The Fourth of July celebrations are already round the corner, and it's but natural if you're worried about the noise that might erupt if you're hosting a party for your loved ones. Indoor celebrations can always cause inconvenience to the neighbors, but there are ample hacks to save you from being red-faced in front of the person living next door for raising the roof.
Soundproofing works wonders in such cases, and what's more, you can get it done without breaking the bank. A single hundred-dollar bill can get you all the arrangements you need to block the sound penetrating the walls. That being said, let's take a look at some of the best ways to soundproof a wall.
1. Use floor rugs and underlays
Using floor rugs may be a necessary option if you've got people living right underneath your apartment. To avoid someone like Mr. Heckles turning up at your door day in day out just because your noise levels are beyond control, you can place a thick rug on the floor.
You can also consider wall-to-wall carpeting, but only if you're looking for a serious solution to soundproof your home. If you plan on using a rug, we recommend using a rug underlay as it absorbs the sound of your footsteps easily.
The best thing about rug underlays is you can use any foam, fabric, or rubber material; pricing remains the only decisive factor, and we'd recommend spending economically here to save up for trying out more soundproofing products.
Mass Loaded Vinyl is a thin and effective soundproofing material that can be used in various ways. Whether it be for carpet underlay or using over drywall, a piece of MLV works wonders when it comes to blocking sound from going outside your walls.
What's more, you can also cover ducts and pipes because MLVs are very flexible and also aren't sensitive to moisture. You'd need to select the appropriate size that fits your walls; and yes, we recommend using this on walls if you've already got a rug underlay.
3. Cover windows with soundproof curtains
If you're gonna play a hell lot of music frequently, soundproof curtains are a must. Made up of thick and densely woven fabric, these curtains can easily absorb the majority of sound and your neighbors won't have the faintest idea of how loud the music's playing in your living room.
While buying curtains, make sure they're taller and wider than the windows to get the most out of this soundproofing method. Apart from size, you'll also have the chance to improve the room aesthetics by choosing the perfect design that gels well with the walls of your home.
Whether you believe it or not, the small gap underneath the doors can give away a considerable amount of sound. All your arrangements for soundproofing your home would be rendered futile if you've got sound leaking through this area.
Door sweeps are the perfect tool to have for blocking noise going beyond this space. You can either nail these sweeps to the door or glue them, depending on the type of door sweeps you choose to buy. Also, they're available for a dime, and worth the investment as well.
5. Hang acoustic sound panels on the walls
Looking to spruce up your walls but within an economical budget? Acoustic sound panels are a great way to adorn your walls, not to mention they also help block sound from going out. In a nutshell, with acoustic sound panels, you can improve room aesthetics as well as create impediments to stop sound travel.
Acoustic panels are available in simple black color and they're the cheap ones to go for. However, if aesthetics is a major concern, you can still get a nice set of decorative sound panels well within the specified budget.
If the weatherstripping tape of your room windows has worn off, it's better to scrap them off and install a new one. The reason is that worn-off tapes help little in blocking sound even when the windows are shut. Weatherstripping tapes are prone to decay, so you might as well need to replace them at some point in time.
If soundproof acoustic panels adorn one of the walls, the others can be decorated using a tapestry. The sole reason for this is that a tapestry can cover almost an entire room. They won't bring in a massive blockage for sound, but yes, they can soften the sound inside a room.
Furthermore, tapestries also play a major role in adding a good look to your home. There are ample types of tapestries available; the choice majorly depends on the size and the budget you'd be ready to invest in buying one.