How To Soundproof A Room Cheaply - Homedit

By Emily Medlock Emily Medlock Contributor Emily Medlock is a freelance writer, published author, and certified life coach. Her passion is in home improvement, historical fiction, interior design, and helping others. Learn more about Homedit's Editorial Process | Published on Jan 7, 2022 Reviewed by Stefan Gheorghe Stefan Gheorghe Founder/CEO Stefan Gheorghe is the founder and editor-in-chief of Homedit.com. He launched the platform in 2008 out of a passion for interior design, architecture, and how people actually live in their homes. With more than 17 years of hands-on experience publishing and curating home and design content, Stefan leads Homedit’s editorial direction and personally evaluates the projects, layouts, and design ideas featured on the site. His work focuses on practical design decisions, spatial clarity, and long-term usability. Rather than following short-lived trends, he prioritizes solutions that hold up in real homes, helping readers make informed choices they can live with and rely on over time. Learn more about Homedit's Editorial Process of 5 Soundproof a rooom DIYsoundproof roomHow To Soundproof A Roommusic room soundproof - Via Bruce Palmer Design StudioBasement sound proof walls How To Soundproof A Room Cheaply Buy Now

Not many people know how to soundproof a room cheaply. Many people think it’s a job for a professional contractor, but it’s not. Soundproofing a room is an easy DIY home project.

Hiring a contractor to soundproof a room can save time and effort. If you want to do it yourself, here are some DIY soundproof tips and methods for a room.

Why To Soundproof Your Room

With apartments, soundproofing protects your neighbors from noise.

If you are planning on recording songs, playing music, or producing a podcast then you will need to soundproof the room. You also might want to learn how to soundproof your game room.

For a bigger spaces, you can install a soundproof room divider with door. Soundproofing works both ways. It prevents noise from leaving and also entering your home.

How To Soundproof A Room

Soundproofing a standard room with four walls and a door is the easiest. Alternative spaces are more difficult and require professional help.

If your room isn’t weather-proofed well, it won’t work. The more closed in the space is, the easier it is to soundproof. That’s why soundproof pods are so popular.

You can build them outside your home in a storage building for some private space. The space can be used to take naps, play music, or work on projects. It’s a safe place to spend alone in a relaxing way.

Soundproofing Floors

The easiest way to soundproof floors is to put a rug pad under your rug. But to do that, you need to add a rug that covers your entire floor. This is a quick way to reduce sound incoming and outgoing.

However, there is a more effective way. But it does involve redoing your floors. You can add a soundproof layer, or underlayment, between the baseboards of your floor and the flooring you choose. This is usually a mat or interlocking tiles.

Finally, make sure that there aren’t any holes or gaps along the edge of the floor. If there are, fill them with caulk.

Soundproofing Ceilings

If you need to soundproof the lower story of your home, then insulate the lower ceilings. This is the easiest and most efficient way to soundproof your ceiling.

You can start with the upper level of your house by adding more insulation. An extra layer of thin sound insulation board will also help.

Soundproofing Walls

This is the most common method. Sound travels through walls not floors and ceilings. The best way to cover your walls is to seal doors and windows.

The walls, need to be insulated. You can add a sound insulation board between the base wall and the drywall or other outer wall. This comes in two pieces. One that absorbs sound, and one that insulates it.

You can install soundproof room divider with door, which is easy.

Soundproofing Your House

For open concept homes, follow the same steps above. Focus on doors and windows instead of walls and floors. Weatherproof your door for best results.

The goal is to make sure the room is airtight. This can help with both soundproofing and heating/cooling your home. So even if you’re not soundproofing, take steps to make sure around windows and doors is airtight.

How To Soundproof A Room In An Apartment

Soundproofing a room in an apartment is no different than soundproofing any other room. The difference is that you have to ask your landlord before changing anything.

How To Soundproof A Room Cheaply

There are many ways to soundproof a room on a budget. Here are a few suggestions:

Soundproofing Floors On A Budget

The cheapest method are floor mats and rugs. This will help soundproof the floor. You should lay the floor mat underneath the rug and cover it with the rug.

Soundproofing Ceilings On A Budget

There is no easy way to soundproof a ceiling. Adding a drop ceiling is an extra expense. Acoustic foam is cheaper but it needs something to cover it so look good.

Soundproofing Walls On A Budget

You can start with simple things like placing a bookcase against a wall. You can add a wall covering which will help minimize sound.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

How Much Are Portable Soundproof Room Dividers?

Portable soundproof walls have mass and sound absorption materials. They are a popular way to reduce noise. You should know that portable walls do not help decouple or dampen noise.

How To Soundproof A Gaming Room?

To protect your gaming room from noise, there are a few DIY tricks that will help. If there’s window in the room, cover it with heavy curtains. Cover the floor with soft thick rugs. For other hard surfaces, think blankets will help absorb noise pollution.

For your ceiling, acoustic foam tiles will do the trick. 

What's The Difference Between Acoustic Treatment And Soundproofing?

Acoustic treatment is designed for playing music. The point is to not only prevent the sound from entering the room but from traveling around the room. The focus is to control sound within the room.

But with soundproofing, the point is to control the sound coming into or leaving the room. Acoustic treatment increases the quality of sound while soundproofing reduces the sound altogether, focusing on minimizing disturbances. 

What Is Airborne And Impact Noise?

Airborne sounds travel through the air. Sounds like these include people talking, dogs barking, and trains whistling. Impact sound is made through contact and vibrations through objects. Footsteps, balls bouncing, and banging pipes are impact noises. 

What's The Difference Between Insulation And Absorption? 

Sound insulation is used to block sound and stops it from entering a room. Sound absorption absorbs sounds within a room, stopping them from echoing. Use both for recording studios and insulation for blocking incoming sounds. 

Can I Partially Cover A Surface To Soundproof It? 

Partially covering a surface can help. But you can’t soundproof a room without giving it the full treatment. If your goal is to reduce sound then cover it with an added layer. 

How Can I Test A Soundproof Job?

You can test how much sound is in a room by a decibel reader. A decibel is a unit of measurement used to measure sound. A 20 on the scale is a whisper while a 170 is a shotgun. Most sounds will be between these two. 

For best results, test a certain sound both before and after soundproofing.