How to Soundproof a Room

By B. E. Conrad

Unwanted sound can make even the most beautiful home a nightmare to live with, and getting a good night's sleep in such a noisy environment can be quite a challenge. Soundproofing one or more rooms can restore that much needed peace and quiet and help you get the rest you need.

There are several approaches to soundproofing a room, depending on whether the home is still under construction or already erected. To soundproof a room at the preconstruction phase, take these steps:

1. Make sure all electrical wiring and plumbing is in place before beginning the soundproofing process.
2. Hang drywall on one side of the stud walls in the room that is to be soundproofed. This will allow the room to be closed while still allowing access to the interior walls. When choosing the part of the room to leave open, consider such factors as easy access and the lay of the home.
3. The next step is to apply fiberglass installation batting to the walls. The batting can be packed in tightly, since the tighter the material the more sound will be stopped. When packing the material in, however, remember that the insulating properties of the fiberglass will be diminished by the tight packing.
4. After the fiberglass installation batting is in place, the drywall can be hung as usual.
5. An alternative to the above is to call in a professional insulation contractor and ask them to blow paper fiber or foam insulation into the room. This paper fiber or foam will adhere to the construction and provide both high insulation value and excellent sound deadening.
6. Another alternative is to hang manufactured soundproofing wall coverings. These soundproofing materials are sold in rolls or in panels, and they can be purchased at most home improvement stores.

The steps are slightly different if the home is already finished. To soundproof a room in an existing home, follow these steps:

1. Remove the drywall from one side of the walls in the room to be soundproofed. Choose the side which both offers the most working space and causes the least amount of damage.
2. After the drywall has been removed, install the sound deadening material as outlined above. Again you have the choice of applying your own fiberglass installation or having a contractor blow in foam or paper fiber insulation. Ready made soundproofing materials in rolls and panels are also a good choice.
3. Another option is to cut small holes in the drywall close to the ceiling between the studs. The space between the drywall can then be filled with blow in paper or expandable foam insulation. A contractor can do this work, or the machine needed to blow in the insulation can be rented at many home improvement stores.

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