How to Soundproof a Room

the sound from your home in, or you want to keep external sounds out. You may even live in a rowdy or musical household and want to spare your neighbours from the racket. Or you may value a bit of peace and quiet on an evening, without the outside road noise drowning out your favourite TV shows.

Either way, soundproofing a room is a win-win for everyone, and there are loads of options out there, from labour-intensive permanent solutions like wall insulation or soundproof wall panels to quick and easy temporary solutions like draught excluders, both of which can make a world of difference. We’ve put together a guide on how you can soundproof your home.

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Soundproofing options range from permanent (e.g. installing wall panels and insulation) to temporary (soft furnishings and weatherproofing). Permanent solutions offer the best results but require more time, budget, and DIY skill, while temporary fixes are quicker and cheaper.
Permanent soundproofing methods reduce sound at the source, especially acoustic panels which absorb and break up sound waves. Internal wall insulation also significantly limits noise transfer through walls permanently.
Temporary soundproofing solutions still make a noticeable difference, even though they’re not permanent. Soft furnishings (curtains, rugs, and blankets), weatherstripping doors and windows, and larger items of furniture can all help dampen or mask unwanted noise.

Permanent soundproofing solutions

If you’ve got a bit more time, some DIY know-how, and a higher budget, permanent soundproof panels like acoustic panelling are a great option. These striking acoustic slat wall panels break and absorb sound waves while adding interest onto a wall to create a stunning and tranquil space for you to relax. Not only can you use them to soundproof a room, but to also accent different walls and add some texture to your space.

How to install acoustic panels

Acoustic panelling has become a popular fixture of Scandi design over recent years as it lets the warmth of natural wood into the home while adding a touch of elegance. Plus, it’s a pretty easy DIY project that doesn’t always require any drilling or hammering. Let’s take a look at how you can install them.

Acoustic wall panelling
Tape measure
Spirit level
Grab adhesive
Handsaw
Optional:
- Wall plugs
- Screws
- Drill

Measure your wall space so you can decide on the panel type and the amount needed for your project.

If required, use a handsaw to cut your panel to size, accommodating any light switches, wall sockets, windows, and other obstacles. Then apply grab adhesive to the back of the panel.

Place the panel onto the wall, using a spirit level to make sure that it’s completely straight. Working from right to left, make sure the side with the slat set back faces right, while the side with the slat extending past the backing faces left to align with the next panel.

Press the panel onto the wall, applying firm and even pressure across the panel.

If you’re worried about the panel detaching from the wall (this shouldn’t be a problem if you’ve used a strong adhesive), you can drill holes into the wall to match each corner of the panel, and use the necessary screws and wall plugs to hold it in place.

How to install soundproofing in plasterboard walls

If you’re willing to make a larger time and money investment, you can even take down your plasterboard walls and install acoustic treatments like mineral wool and acoustic insulation.

Insulation (e.g. mineral wool or insulation panels)
Handsaw or breadknife
Wrecking bar
Acoustic sealant
Retractable blade
PPE
- Dust mask
- Gloves
Replacement plasterboard
Optional:
- Wall plugs
- Screws
- Drill

Score along the edges of your wall, including where it meets the floor and ceiling. This will stop it from damaging surrounding areas when you remove the plasterboard.

Use a wrecking bar to pry the plasterboard away from the stud.

Using a breadknife or handsaw, cut your insulation to fit in the gaps between your wall studs.

You may need to make cuts to account for obstacles like pipes and wires.

When installing the insulation, you’ll need to find the right balance between the insulation being snug enough to not leave any gaps and loose enough to properly absorb sound.

If it needs a little help staying put, use expanding foam along the edges to keep it in place.

If you’re trying to dampen sound caused by vibrations through the wall or ceiling (like footsteps or traffic noise), it’s a good idea to create a gap between the plasterboard and the studs.

You can do this by installing long metal channels to the studs and then screwing the plasterboard to these. Now the path for the sound to vibrate through will be broken up by air gaps between the studs and plasterboard.

A more advanced product you can use is an isolation clip with channels. These add an extra layer of soundproofing, especially for low-frequency noise.

For soundproofing purposes, go for a thicker plasterboard than you usually would when reinstalling.

Screw this into place, either into the studs or into the metal channels if you’ve decided to decouple the wall.

It’s important to seal any gaps left in your soundproofed wall, as sound will travel through them if left unsealed.

Use acoustic sealant around the edges of the plasterboard and around any cutouts like plug sockets and pipes.

Note: if sealing around plug sockets, make sure to turn off your electricity.

Temporary soundproofing solutions

Not everyone is able to install new wall panels or rip out old walls, but there are some more temporary solutions that can have a big impact without taking up so much time and money.

Sound-absorbing textiles are a quick and easy solution and can make a bigger impact than you’d expect. Thicker textiles like curtains and rugs can absorb sound before it gets into the room.

Different textures and thicknesses of curtains can give you different levels of sound absorption. You can get specialised sound dampening curtains which are made from a dense fabric that stops sound waves from travelling from your window and into your home. It doesn’t completely soundproof your home, and it won’t have a huge impact on loud sounds, but it dampens noise reverberation and ambient noise.

Rugs have a similar effect as their thicker fabric can absorb sound waves coming up from the floor, perfect if you’ve got downstairs neighbours. This method of floor soundproofing can absorb impact vibrations, so your footsteps won’t be as loud for those living below you. Another advantage to having a rug in your space is that it stops sound from bouncing around your room, making it a perfect addition if you’ve got hardwood floors.

If the noise in your space is particularly troublesome, wall coverings and thick blankets can also make a difference. While some wallpapers may be thicker and therefore advertised as sound-absorbing, they can only do so much. Nailing a thick blanket or a decorative tapestry to your wall can help to dampen sound coming in and going out of your room.

Doors often move after they’ve been fit, leaving gaps between the door and its surrounding walls and floor. These gaps make for an easy way for sound to travel from room to room, so filling them can have a significant impact in noise reduction. All you need to do is buy a few relatively inexpensive draught excluders or door sweeps which can fit underneath and around your door. Plus, you get the added benefit of keeping warmth in rooms.

Your windows and door frames may be leaking more sound than you’d think, and one quick way to fix this is to apply acoustic caulk around the seals. This is a really quick fix that can make a huge difference, blocking off pathways that sound may have been travelling through prior.

The design of your home can be the difference between a room filled with traffic noise and one that’s peaceful and calm.

If you’re into minimalist design, the flat surfaces may encourage sound to bounce around your space more freely. A more maximalist approach will better help to absorb sound and create obstacles to prevent it from travelling, but this doesn’t mean you have to fill your home with things you don’t want. Just consider adding some artwork and soft furnishings.

If your walls are large empty spaces, these will be a haven for sound to bounce off and travel through. Try adding some artwork and picture frames to add some texture to the space. This will dampen sound, preventing sound waves from travelling around so easily.

Bookshelves and wardrobes placed against the wall add another layer of sound insulation. Large built-in bookshelves full of books will dampen sound coming through from next door, and built-in wardrobes full of clothes will create a void, with the softer fabrics absorbing a lot of noise.

While it may seem counterproductive to add more noise to a space you’re trying to soundproof, white noise machines emit certain frequencies that will drown out the sounds you don’t want to hear. If it’s traffic noise that’s stopping you from getting to sleep, white noise can offer a more tranquil sound that drowns out the noises that are keeping you awake in the night.

If you’re having problems with noise in your home, there are loads of way to soundproof the space, and you’ll get the best results by combining multiple methods at once. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution and you’ve got the time, money, and DIY prowess to do it yourself, soundproofing insulation and acoustic wall panels are a great option.

For quicker fixes, simple things like adding extra decoration and soft furnishings can make a world of difference. For a more visual guide to one of these soundproofing methods, check out our step-by-step video on how to install acoustic panelling.