How to Reduce Noise Through Walls? The Ultimate Guide

Your walls are a major source of noise coming through from your neighbors. The good news is that there are things that you can do to help reduce the noise that comes through your walls. That’s where we come in. We’re going to tell you how to reduce noise through walls, so you don’t have to deal with the loud noises anymore. 

Why Does Noise Come Through the Wall?

The first thing that you need to understand is why sound comes through the walls so easily. When contractors build townhomes or apartments, they’re generally trying to keep their costs as low as possible.

To execute this, they often build walls in the cheapest way possible, shared walls often contain nothing but some 2×4 studs with a thin layer of drywall on either side. There might be some fiberglass batt insulation in there too to help with temperature control and limit noise.

Luckily there are things that you can do to fix this problem. Let’s get into how to reduce noise through walls. 

How to Reduce Noise Through Walls

If you share a wall with your neighbors, this is probably where most of the noise comes through. Walls, especially if you live in an apartment, are usually thin because contractors try to cut down their costs as much as possible when building.

Because walls are the biggest reason why sound from your neighbors is transmitted into your room, you might want to consider soundproofing them first. We’re going to go over a couple of different ways that you can achieve this.

The common way to soundproof a wall is by using acoustic panels and foams. These are typically boards that are made from sound-absorbing materials, like fiberglass. These panels help increase air resistance, which in turn helps reduce the sound that passes through them.

You can also use drywall to add thickness to your current walls. This comes from the idea that since noise travels better through thinner walls, by creating thicker walls, the amount of noise you hear will decrease.

Drywall is typically good at blocking out sound, as well as adding extra thickness to your walls. For better results, you could even add two layers of drywall. However, installing drywall is not as hard as it might seem, because all you need is some screws to hold it into place. To install drywall, you simply need to screw it in place so that the screws attach to the wood studs that are already in your wall.

If you aren’t able to do either of these options, you don’t have to worry. The nice thing about sound blocking is that you can utilize items that you already have. For instance, if you have large canvas paintings, you can use those.

Hang them on the wall that you share with your neighbor and be amazed at how much sound is reduced. Or you can position a bookcase on that wall – this has the same effect as the canvas painting.

Remember always to add your soundproofing materials on the wall that the noise is coming from. This means that if your neighbor or kids are making all the noise, you should treat your side of the wall, not theirs. 

Soundproofing Walls Cheaply

Do you need to reduce the amount of noise that comes through your walls but don’t think you have enough money for it? Even the cheapest methods of soundproofing can be effective. Below you’ll find four ways to soundproof your wall at a low cost. 

Find the Weak Points and Noise Source

Before you start doing anything related to soundproofing, you need to understand the room layout, and to locate where the noise is coming from. This is because the sound comes in a variety of types, including impact and airborne noise, which are common issues that drive people to soundproof.

Airborne noise has a middle to high frequency and travels through the air, and impact noises can pass through doors, walls, and windows at low frequencies.

What soundproofing material you use depends on where the noise is coming from and what type of sound it is. For instance, if the disruptive noises are coming through the windows, soundproof curtains could be enough to take care of the problem. 

Fill the Space

Sometimes the issue with space isn’t that it picks up noise, but that it echoes noise within itself. If you have a room that is large or hardly furnished, the lack of furniture taking up space can be the reason that noises reverberate around the room, and small noises are amplified. This problem is easy to solve because you can simply fill the room with furniture that will be better at absorbing the noise.

You can do this by adding wall art, bookshelves, and furniture to the room. If you really want to reduce the amount of noise that comes through the walls, place the furniture close to the wall. While this won’t get rid of all of the noise, it will help dampen the sounds. 

Install Acoustic Caulk, Drywall, and Insulation

Photo by Milly Eaton from Pexels

One of the best ways to soundproof your wall is to use soundproofing materials and drywall to create a tight space in the wall. The drywall is usually installed over the insulation and sealed to create an added layer in your walls. This extra layer creates a sound barrier that will help to reduce the noise coming through the walls. 

Use Acoustic Foam Pads

If you think that you’re going to mix a variety of soundproofing methods, acoustic pads are a great way to add another layer to your walls. Acoustic pads might not be enough to completely erase the noise, but if you pair them with another soundproofing method – for instance, drywall – it can help absorb excess airborne noises. By using several soundproofing methods in your rooms, you can create a greater defense against noise.