How to make a bedroom soundproof?

In this blog, we will describe how to soundproof a bedroom. We will provide detailed solutions and strategies that will make a bedroom soundproof.

We need to sleep in the quietest environment possible to have a good night’s sleep. In this regard, our bedroom is a haven of calm, yet external noise occasionally disrupts your sleep. Don’t worry, we have the solution, now we’ll teach how you can sleep peacefully by following soundproofing techniques. 

You may not always be able to limit the irritating sound that is coming into your bedroom, particularly if it comes from the street or a neighbour’s home. However, these easy soundproofing methods can help to alleviate the problem.

In this era of advanced technology, one can easily design their bedroom in a way that limits the factors which are the possible carriers of sound pollution.

If you are among those who want to get rid of bedroom noise then this article is for you. In this debate, we will figure out the possible reasons and the effective strategies to deal with noise in bedrooms.

Following are some factors that are supposed to be a healthy cause of our problem;

  • First of all, the location of the room matters a lot whether your bedroom is located in a noisy area or not.
  • The presence of windows in a bedroom is a common practice of our architect and it welcomes the external noise.
  • The gap under the doors is one of the major reasons.
  • Sound-catching curtains can also play a role.
  • Low-quality thin doors are one of the major factors that provide door to sound

What are the ways to make a bedroom soundproof?

 Following are some of the best techniques to soundproof a bedroom cheaply and effectively.

  • Decoupling the wall
  • Use of soft material
  • Install thicker carpets
  • Use Acoustic cloud
  • Install Floor underlayment
  • Install Good quality doors
  • Soundproof windows of the bedroom
  • Stuffing of bedroom furniture
  • Building bookcases in Bedroom
  • Eliminate Air Leaks of room

Decoupling the wall

The process of making two sides apart such that they vibrate independently of one another is known as wall decoupling. Decoupling is one of the most successful methods for vanishing sound on a single side of one wall while preventing it from going through to the opposite side.

This decoupling can assist us to isolate higher frequencies, but not low frequencies, because the captured lower frequencies will be transmitted to one of the walls by the air inside the hollow.

Green Glue might help to reduce the transfer of low frequencies to the wall. Green glue has the power to transform soundwaves into heat and is particularly excellent in dealing with low-frequency sound energy and reducing sound in the building’s interior.

It’s inexpensive and recommended if you’re having trouble with low noise frequencies.

How to use Green Glue?

This is a three-step procedure for using green glue.

  • On the backside of the second drywall, apply many coats of green glue; preferably, 1-2 tubes should suffice.
  • Now press down this drywall on top of the existing wall, keeping in mind that it will dry in 15 minutes.
  • Attach the second drywall to the existing drywall with screws.

As a result, green sealant can help us damper soundwaves and minimise resonance indirectly and is the most appropriate method for soundproofing existing walls.

Materials NeededTools Needed
Green GlueDispensing gun

Use of soft material

Soft material in a room can absorb the sound waves in a way that we feel the warmth of the bedroom. So, the use of soft blankets, floor rugs, heavy curtains can play role in sound reduction.

Material
soft blankets
floor rugs
heavy curtains

Install thicker carpets

Walking feet on flooring can cause vibrations in your room, which can be bothersome at times. Installing carpets or mats of thick texture to assist mask the noise of your feet is the greatest solution here. Carpets and mats dampen sound as well, that’s why many apartment owners use them to offer an extra layer of solitude.

Use Acoustic cloud

For committed sound proofers, the solution to their noise problems could be found inside the ceiling cloud, an absorbent foamy “cloud” suspended from a room’s ceiling to minimize echoing and collect noises. Ceiling clouds, despite their great cost, function effectively in high-angle bedrooms or spaces with particularly high ceilings.

Material NeededTools
ceiling cloudCeiling grid installation kit

Install Floor underlayment

For soundproofing a room, we need to make its floor soundproof via floor underlayment for floating hardwood flooring. It will not only effectively minimize footfall impact sounds, but it also features a barrier that resists moisture, mould, and mildew, working as a sound reduction for hardwood. 

Products that can be used as Floor underlayment

The process to do floor underlayment

we can utilize nails, glue, or both to install hardwood floorboards. Nails can bypass the noise to subfloors, thus glueing is a better solution if at all possible. By every mean your room will feel a clear difference in the reduction of noise.

Material neededTools needed
LaminateNails, Glue, Hammer
Carpet

Install Good quality doors

Bedrooms with hollow-core doors, which have a thin outer surface of the wood with plastics or board inside, are generally noisier than those with solid-wood doors. Replacing a lightweight door with a heavy-duty strong door will help block out unpleasant noises.

Soundproof windows of the bedroom

Soundproofing a window with a sheet or soundproof curtains can eventually help in making a bedroom low noisy.

Process of soundproofing windows in a room

  • Fill up every gap around the window with Caulk. To limit the amount of outdoor noise that enters your home, make sure all holes surrounding your windows are sealed.
  • Construct a Barrier in Front of the Window
  • Hang acoustic curtains
  • Double and triple-coated window panes are the final step of this process.
MaterialTools
soundproof curtainsCaulk

Stuffing of bedroom furniture

Adding any kind of furnishings to a room will help to reduce noise levels. While packing more stuff into space will assist to reduce noise, it is not the most attractive option. The furniture you place in a room has a big impact on how well it works.

The majority of the decorations, such as armchairs and tables, will not lower the exterior sound that enters the space, except furniture buried in the walls. However, because all noise must bounce and pass via more things to get out, this will lessen the amount of noise coming out of it.

Empty rooms are much more prone to produce an echo, thus if we want to lessen noise within our room, we need to put a lot more furniture in there.

Material
armchairs

Building bookcases in Bedroom

Bookcases, strange as this may seem, can help to keep an area quiet. This is because bookshelves produce mass, which absorbs sound. Just make sure the bookshelf extends from the floor to the ceiling and that the shelves are stocked with magazines and books.

Material
bookshelf

Eliminate Air Leaks of room

The very first thing to check for when soundproofing a wall or ceilings between rooms is air channels. Air channels can be found in places like wall sockets and switchboards, gaps under baseboards, and HVAC vents, in additional doors and windows. Sound travels best in the form of air, thus any holes or openings that allow air to circulate through will also allow sound to enter a room.

Special soundproof source covers, soundproofing putty, fibreglass insulators, or acoustical foam gaskets can be used to seal air leakage at electrical boxes. Air vents, on the other hand, are a little trickier. You can’t conceal vents permanently because they’re necessary for warming your bedroom or flowing fresh air, but if you truly need to have some peace, you can.

Process of checking Air leaks

To avoid door air leaks, begin by doing the following:

  • Remove the door trim and use acoustical sealant to seal the frame.
  • weatherstrippings should be attached to the surface and edges of the door.
  • Seal the base of the door with a door sweep.
  • Continue to stand within the room door sealed and the lights turned off to inspect for air leaks. If light shines through, there is an air leak through which sound can travel.
Material
weatherstrippings
soundproofing putty
door sweep
fibreglass insulators

Conclusion

Your main bedroom is a retreat for you. When you get home from a long whole day of work, the first thing you want to do is go straight to your room. You take off your shoes, put on your jammies, and turn on the TV to watch your favourite sitcom for the evening. When you’re wrapped up in your blankets, the very last thing you want to deal with is disturbing noises that keep you from totally relaxing.

Soundproofing your space also provides a great opportunity to enjoy your favourite sounds without having to deal with annoying complaints. You can enjoy all of your sounds at your level of comfort if you have a liking for blaring music or wish to practice your instrument in solitude.

Technically, a domestic room cannot be completely soundproofed. Even the most serene settings, which appear to be silent, do have background noise.

What else you can do is lower the noise level to a comfortable level for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): How to make a bedroom soundproof?

Is it possible to soundproof a bedroom?

Yes, it is possible to soundproof a bedroom. But for getting this peace we need to follow some technical footsteps provided by experts to soundproof a bedroom effectively. All the possible methods of soundproofing a bedroom is discussed in detail in this blog.

Which one is the best method of soundproofing?

Soundproofing can be done under various methods. Every method has its pros. It is mainly depending upon the external environment where exactly the room is situated. Location of bedroom decides the best ways or strategy to opt accordingly.

Stuffing of bedroom furniture is a successful way of soundproofing a bedroom?

It is exactly depended upon the nature of a person that is living in that bedroom. Some people do not like the excessive furniture stuffing in the bedroom. For those people, the furniture everywhere in the room creates anxiety and irritation factor. In this condition, we do not recommend excessive furniture stuffing as mental peace should be the priority.

Can we do decouple of a bedroom after construction?

It will be difficult to do decoupling after the whole room is constructed. The reason is that decoupling is done with the walls of the room. Once a wall is finished then we cannot place studs in the wall lining. So, it is recommended that decoupling should be done while constructing a bedroom wall. Otherwise, we have to break the wall for installing the soundproof studs that are the core concept of decoupling.

How much budget did we need for applying soundproofing techniques to the bedroom?

Again, this question would be answered if we have the proper dimensions of a bedroom area. Only then we can estimate the cost of soundproofing techniques.

The average price of dampening a room is $1,843, with a range of $1,012 to $2,704 on average. The lowest point of this pricing ranges from $600 to $4,000. The materials, the size of the space, and the surfaces that need to be soundproofed are all major cost issues.

Reference

https://archive.curbed.com/2017/3/2/14777456/quiet-home-diy-acoustics-tips
https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/7-simple-soundproofing-solutions-for-your-bedroom-53274
https://www.impressiveinteriordesign.com/how-to-soundproof-a-bedroom/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/g2470/soundproofing-a-room/
https://www.hunker.com/13711756/techniques-for-soundproofing-walls
https://www.thespruce.com/floor-underlayment-as-sound-barrier-1821090