Soundproofing Your Home

“Pass the sound canceling headphones, please”…While we have addressed the noise level in homes for some time; it is probably something more “top of mind” for many of us who have less alone time at home right now.

If you are like many of us working from home, even when we think we have the noise covered – we can hear a colleague’s dog barking or we are apologizing for the random “HEY MOM!”.

The rating for a wall or floor’s ability to block sounds called a Sound Transmission Class rating; and, yes, there are people who take noise seriously from professional studios to clinical settings… and also, in the home. If you are not renovating, the best cures for reducing sound are adding doors where there are no doors for more flexible work spaces. Soft furnishings go a long way such as area rugs (or carpeting) and drapes or other window or wall coverings.

While renovating the first minor step is fiberglass insulation between floors, or something we use more often to really help is Roxul Mineral Wool insulation between floors and on interior bathroom walls. We actually have a budget line item in our budgeting forms for sound insulation because of its popularity. For the more serious and about 300% more on the blueboard and plaster line item; there are systems using multi-panels with specialty glues and gaskets if you don’t want to hear your guest’s cough in the spare room, or the kids watching an action adventure movie. In a recent renovation we added a system like this and the difference is remarkable between floors.

Remodeling for the sole purpose of soundproofing is not something we recommend; however, we do suggest looking… or better yet, listening, to your home to see if there are things that can buffer the noise level now… or during your next project.