how to soundproof a wall
How To Sound Proof A Wall
How To Sound Proof A Wall
Paper-thin Wall Woes
We've all heard the phrase "paper-thin walls" and I guess it kinda carries with it a sort of negative connotation. Forgive the brutal honesty, but no one likes hearing every fart and burp from their kids' bedroom – or worse yet, their living room! And the thing is, if you can hear their noises, they can probably hear YOUR noises as well. That can be a frightening thought to say the least. Suffice it to say, no one should be made to undergo the consequences of thin walls!
Here in Japan, we literally have paper-thin walls, as many of our walls are actually made of paper – called shouji or fusuma doors. Doors because instead of proper walls, we have sliding doors you can remove at will. This enables you to join 2 rooms together and make one big room etc. Now not ALL rooms here are made with these kinds of "doors" as their walls, but in your average house, there are traditionally at least 2 rooms which are plagued with this style of building.
Ok I'm sorry, it's not actually a plague, because it really can be beautiful when properly taken care of and when you don't allow the kids to go running around poking holes in your shouji doors. Japanese houses are made strong, as well as delicately and fearfully, and reflect the culture and character of the people. We are by nature, quiet and reserved, and enjoy the stillness and solace of our houses.
Having said that however, when you have 12 kids running around doing their thing, and never seeming to have enough money to reform and upkeep the house, these things can really seem like nothing less than a CURSE! I'm not gonna lie to you. Paper doors look really, REALLY bad when they have holes and tears everywhere, are old, dirty, and have graffiti all over them. And what happens when you think you're in the black and decide to change everything to new only to have them rendered right back to their same despicable state?
Yup, it begins to wear you thin – just like your walls. And although these particular walls take the cake, thin wall woes can come with proper, solid walls too! Nowadays, with building companies trying to shave off as much of a profit as they can, the overall workmanship has gone down. Have you seen the movie "The Money Pit" with Tom Hanks? Uh huh, that's what I'm talking about! The average wall here in Japan consists of ribbing, and a 9.5mm sheet of sheet-rock on either side with wallpaper over it.
Well, for those of us who are making our own rooms, we actually have a say in how thick our walls and floors are as well as what material we use! Let's choose wisely and take the bigger picture in before making decisions. It's much easier to make it the way you want from the beginning! My advice for a reasonably (minimum) sound-proof wall consisting of your average building material is 12mm plywood+12mm sheet-rock – this is one side. (If you have a bigger budget you can go for the fiberglass or cellulose insulation.) Putty the joints and throw wallpaper over it and you have your wall!
How can I make my shared wall in a duplex more sound proof without ripping apart the wall?
I don't want to rip apart the walls as I rent. Is there anything I can put on my side of the shared wall to absorb some of the noise? Please help, I have a neighbor that complains about my son being too loud at night, don't know what to do!
Mind you this is in the bedrooms so it needs to look nice.
First .. discuss with your landlord and either get him/her to arrage or agree to you doing it (assuming you have the skills).
First a few facts. Soundproofing is really a question of cutting low frequency (bass) transmission. Highs and midrange are comparitively easy (basically seal the room and you're done). Cutting bass require decoupling of the inner surface from the other side so the sound is not transmitted through the wall or damping the wall by adding mass (or both).
Since the wall already exists and there are limitations on what you can practically do you must recognize that you can't totally soundproof ... but you can improve the situation. Although recognize the following would not make any difference to sound transmission through the floor or ceiling!
One option is to put a new layer of drywall over the existing surface with an elastomeric glue. One such product is called Green Glue (See first link for details and test results).
A second option is the use of Resilient Sound Isolation Clips and metal furring strips with a new layer of drywall over them. See the second link for detais and test results.
Basically both the Green Glue and the "RSI Clips" serve to decouple the new wall surface from the existing wall.
The outer edge of the new wall surface in either approach must be sealed with a non-hardening elastomeric caulking (Read the labels carefully at your local hardware / building supply store). And of course the new drywall will have to be taped and sanded then painted.
Sounds complicated I know ... but the other suggestions will only provide marginal improvements.
You should be able to convince your landlord that the cost would be an investment in both good relations / tenant satisfaction and for future advertizing purposes... and if not maybe you should move.
 Sonic Barrier 1" Acoustic Foam w/PSA 18" x 24" List Price: Sale Price: $12.23 You save: $5.76 (32%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThe Sonic Barrier 1" acoustic damping foam is a precisely engineered material that offers optimum absorption for its thickness. The material features our exclusive embossed surface finish that helps to trap acoustic energy and improve high frequency performance. This finish is applied to an acoustic-grade open-cell polyether foam, which absorbs and converts the acoustic energy into low-level heat. A very aggressive pressure sensitive adhesive provides easy and permanent installation onto any surface. The Sonic Barrier 1" foam is excellent for general loudspeaker cabinet use. The non-composite nature of this material means that it acts as a sound absorbent across a wide range of frequencies. For situations where the cabinet walls are already acoustically dead, composite barriers may not be necessary-- in this case, the pure foam material can offer a lower-cost alternative with minimal difference in performance. The foam will help absorb unwanted sound from within the cabinet without disrupting airflow between the driver and port. This can reduce unwanted sound reflections and prevent them from exiting through the cone or port. The foam can cause an increase in apparent volume, which can help to offset the space taken up by the driver or the port. Sold in 18" x 24" Sheets Features
 |
 Fujifilm FinePix XP10 12 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Green) List Price: Sale Price: $129.99 You save: $49.96 (28%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionFujifilm FinePix XP10- 12MP, Fujinon 5x Periscopic Optical Zoom, 2.7" LCD, New uni-body chassis with a tactile grip finish, 4-Way Protection: Waterproof - 10ft (3M), Shockproof - 3ft (1M) and Freezeproof 14*F (-10*C). Other features include: Face Detection w/ Red Eye Removal, Digital Image Stabilization, High Sensitivity 1600 ISO, 6 Scene - SR Auto Automatic Scene Recognition, One-Touch HD Movie 720p w/ Sound, Thin Metal Body 21.7mm, Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery. Features
|
 FINIS SwiMP3.1G Waterproof MP3 Player List Price: Sale Price: $134.99 You save: $15.00 (10%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionProvides the same high quality sound and features as the FINIS SwiMP3 v2 Waterproof MP3 player with an upgraded processor and memory (1 GB). Unlike standard waterproof MP3 players--which transmit sound through the air or water and produce only a muffled noise when submerged--the SwiMP3.1G relies on your bones to conduct the sound. This direct transfer of sound vibrations from the cheekbone to the inner ear produces exceptional sound clarity, so you can listen to all of your favorite tunes while working out or taking a leisurely swim. And you needn't worry about damaging your hearing, as bone conduction hearing is a safe, well-established hearing mechanism in humans. Rather, this is the first time an audio company has leveraged the technology to enhance the experience of swimmers, tri-athletes, surfers, synchronized swimmers, and anyone else involved in general water activities. Ideal for swimmers, triathletes, surfers, synchronized swimmers, and anyone else involved in general water activities, the Finis SwiMP3 1G waterproof MP3 player allows you to listen to music underwater. Unlike standard waterproof MP3 players--which transmit sound through the air or water and produce only a muffled noise when submerged--the SwiMP3 1G relies on your bones to conduct the sound. This direct transfer of sound vibrations from the cheekbone to the inner ear produces exceptional sound clarity, so you can listen to all of your favorite tunes while working out or taking a leisurely swim. The SwiMP3 1G attaches to your swim goggles or snorkeling mask. The SwiMP3 1G also shines from a music standpoint, with 1GB of memory and support for both MP3 and WMA files. Listeners have a basic selection of controls, including volume, shuffle, and resume, with an MP3 control panel built into the side panel. And when you're ready to swim, the player attaches easily to your swim goggle or snorkeling mask. Other details include a rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 8 hours per charge, a built-in USB plug that inserts directly into your computer (no cable required), and a lightweight housing that weighs only 2 ounces. Designed to hold approximately 240 songs, the SwiMP3 1G is compatible with Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me, and XP and Mac OS 9.x and 10.x. Features: Patented Bone-Conduction Technology: Directly vibrates the inner ear to create the highest quality of music underwater New Sleek Design with Strap Clip: Allows unit to be attached easily to any swim goggle or snorkeling mask Integrated MP3 Panel: Incorporates On/Off, Volume, Next/Previous Track, Pause, and Shuffle functions 8-Hour Rechargeable Battery: Lithium-ion battery charges directly from a USB port for plenty of continuous high-fidelity music Windows and MAC Compatible: Easily drag and drop any MP3 or WMA files directly on to the device Expanded 1GB of Storage: Allows for approximately 240 songs to be stored Features
|
 Uniden DECT 6.0 Silver Cordless Digital Answering System with Caller ID and Four Handsets (DECT1580-4) List Price: Sale Price: $76.01 You save: $23.98 (24%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThe DECT1580-4 cordless phone by Uniden is packed with time-saving features that help you better manage your calls. It features a large display screen and orange backlit keys which make it a snap to dial the correct number or access features, even in low-light conditions. The phonebook feature stores up to 70 names with an alphabetical search, unique ringers you can assign to specific calling parties and an option to transfer either a single listing or the entire phonebook. The bilingual menus in both English and Spanish guide you through every step so you can take full advantage of the 10 full hours of talk time per battery charge. Never miss a call with the digital answering system that has up to 14-minutes of recording time. The DECT1580-4 includes three extra handsets and chargers/cradles. About DECT Technology: Advanced DECT 6.0 technology, or Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, operates on the newly released 1.9 GHz frequency band that was recently allocated to support cordless telephony. Uniden DECT 6.0 incorporates unique "listen before transmit" technology that avoids interference with many household products, such as baby monitors, microwaves and WiFi (which operate on frequencies like 2.4 GHz). As a result, DECT phones offer consumers enhanced voice clarity and crystal clear digital sound quality. DECT 6.0 technology also offers higher security and voice protection, as well as a longer battery and battery standby life than existing 2.4 GHZ or 5.8 GHz phones. Features
|
 Fujifilm FinePix XP10 12 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver) List Price: Sale Price: $129.99 You save: $49.96 (28%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionFujifilm FinePix XP10- 12MP, Fujinon 5x Periscopic Optical Zoom, 2.7" LCD, New uni-body chassis with a tactile grip finish, 4-Way Protection: Waterproof - 10ft (3M), Shockproof - 3ft (1M) and Freezeproof 14*F (-10*C). Other features include: Face Detection w/ Red Eye Removal, Digital Image Stabilization, High Sensitivity 1600 ISO, 6 Scene - SR Auto Automatic Scene Recognition, One-Touch HD Movie 720p w/ Sound, Thin Metal Body 21.7mm, Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery. Features
|
 Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA6OR 6MP MPEG4 Weatherproof Digital Camcorder w/5x Optical Zoom Sale Price: $489.00 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionCL) U)SANYO VPC-CA6 WTHRPROOFCAMCRDR Features
|
 AudioSource AS6C 6-Inch In-Ceiling Speakers (Pair) List Price: See Reviews For This Product Description6" Two-Way In-Ceiling Speaker AudioSource's AS6C 6-inch speakers go right into your ceiling to combine out-of-the-way convenience with the audio needs of your home or business. A two-way speaker that has a 0.75-inch center-mounted pivoting tweeter for those higher frequencies and a woofer for lower frequencies, the AS5C offers a frequency response range of 43 Hz to 22 kHz. The speakers are designed to be moisture-resistant, with the woofers constructed of polypropylene and surrounded with Butyl rubber for durability. The baked enamel-coated grill is rust-proof and easy-to-paint, letting you adjust the speakers' appearance to your decor. The tweeters are treated with ferro fluid cooled voice coil for extended highs. With a power handling of 100 watts and a sensitivity of 90 dB, the AS6C gives you quality and value, and is perfect for home theater use or for distributed sound. The AS6C is packaged in pairs. Features
|
 MP3 Shower Radio List Price: Sale Price: $22.79 You save: $7.20 (24%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThe iPod / MP3 Shower Radio brings your music collection into the last place you would have thought possible - the shower. Dock your iPod or MP3 player into the water resistant compartment and sing in the shower to your favorite tunes! Or if you need the local weather and traffic before you start your commute, just turn on the built in AM/FM radio. You can even shave in the shower using the built-in fog free mirror. Features: Built-in stereo speaker system plays your iPod and MP3 player; AM/FM Radio; Excellent stereo sound quality; Oversize Fog Free Mirror; Light for mirror - 2 LED white lights; Pull out night table stand, hanging strap or wall mountable; Water resistant compartment fits most iPODs and MP3 players (iPod and MP3 not included); Unit measures: 7.8in. x 2in. x 9.8in.; MP3 compartment measures: 4.75in. H x 2.5in. W; Takes 4 AA batteries (not included). Availability: This item takes 2-3 business days to leave the warehouse plus transit time. Features
|
 Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction (Body Only) Sale Price: $999.96 See Reviews For This Product DescriptionD1) PENTAX K20D BODY ONLY Features
|
Recent Posts
- Bello Home Theater Seating
- Matinee Theater Seats
- Portable Projector
- Speaker Reviews
- Music Soundproofing
- Streem Speakers
- Ultimate Home Theatre
- Home Theater Room Calculator
- Home Theater Speakers Sale
- Berkline Home Theater Seats
- Home Theater Lighting
- Home Theater Projector Packages
- Acoustic Sound Proofing
- Home Lighting Control
- Great Home Theater Speakers