Our house should be a place where we can relax and rest at the end of the day, free from any disturbance or noise that comes from outside and diverts us from that moment of relaxation . However, many neighbourhoods , residential buildings or urbanisations, are noisier than we would like . Either because of constant parties in the neighborhood, or because of terraces or restaurants that may be nearby … For this reason, it is necessary to resort to some tricks to soundproof the home , with which to achieve the peace we need.
What can we do when we come to this situation? Moving is not usually an option, therefore the solution for soundproofing. Before starting the works to achieve that soundproofing of your house , there are other ways to mitigate the external sound and achieve that long-awaited tranquility.
Our Gilmar Reforms and Interior Design team gives us the 6 keys to be able to soundproof your home quickly, easily and economically.
Discover in this article how to prevent outside noise from disturbing the peace of your home, isolating strategic spaces , such as the office or the bedroom.
How do I soundproof my house with hardly any work?
Changing the windows, using specific materials or including certain elements in the walls, floors and ceilings are some options to mitigate exterior sound without the need for expensive works and major renovations. We detail each one below:
Double glazing
Windows, due to their position, are one of the main sources of noise entering the home and that is why it is vitally important to pay attention to them when purchasing or renovating a house .
If you are looking to keep the rooms of your home soundproof, starting with the windows is our recommendation. Opting for double glazing just like seen here at www.windowsrepublic.com.au allows you, in addition to maintaining a constant temperature inside your home, to prevent outside sounds from entering. This is especially useful for those windows that face directly onto the street. In these cases we can even choose those with triple glazing.
The insulating glass against exterior sound must be at least 6 millimeters thick. The thicker they are, the better insulation you will get . If we combine the thickness of the crystals, for example, one of 6mm and another of 8mm, we get better sound mitigation.
As a final piece of advice, do not forget to insulate the box from the shutter , through which much of the noise usually enters.
With this option for windows you will achieve another essential objective to ensure comfort in your home: isolate the house from the cold and maintain a constant temperature inside.
insulating paint
They are not especially well known, but they are more common than you imagine, being able to find them in any DIY store. This type of paint allows us to dampen external sound.
In general, its amount is higher than that of a “normal” paint can. However, the cost of using insulating paints on the walls of your house is always less than the cost of making reforms to add another type of insulating material to the structure of the house.
But how can a paint reduce noise? The key is in the components. These paints have a base of latex, resins and microspheres, these materials create a membrane that isolates sound, reducing it by up to 30%. As you can see, they can be a solution, especially useful for a moderate noise level.
There are several types of paints that will help you with the soundproofing of your home: coating paints, paints to add to the mix and even some that offer, incidentally, thermal insulation.
If you are thinking of changing the paint in your house, take the opportunity to use insulating paint and give your dream home a fresh and renewed air, here we give you some ideas for the living room.
Furniture
Another way to isolate the walls of your home and deal with external sound is to use the furniture in an intelligent way. You will be surprised how effective this simple solution can be.
How? Placing the furniture on the strategic walls of the house.
A shelf full of books is capable of soundproofing an entire room, they are the most practical furniture to achieve our goal. We recommend putting a deep shelf on the wall bordering the neighbor’s house. And remember that you must fill that shelf with books for the effect to be positive.
But the shelves are not the only alternative: cabinets, especially if they reach the ceiling; large mirrors; and the paintings lining the walls are useful for dispersing noise and preventing it from entering our rooms.
If you need to insulate the walls, it is time to invest in decorative details that make your house unique.
thick fabrics
Like furniture, home textiles can play an important role in absorbing sound waves.
On the one hand, we can cover the windows and walls with thick fabrics. In this case, we would choose fabrics such as velvet or corduroy, which are ideal for window curtains that overlook noisier streets.
On the other hand, we can decorate both the floors and the walls with rugs , looms, carpets and even large paintings with tapestries .
plasterboard sheets
With a simple remodeling work, you can add plasterboard plates to your walls . Depending on the characteristics of your home, you should opt for one density or another to achieve optimal insulation thanks to these plates.
Plasterboard is a very versatile material to personalize your home, so it will adapt to your needs or those of your family. We encourage you to try a new plasterboard bookcase, it will isolate your work or reading space and you will enjoy the ideal conditions to concentrate.
False ceiling
Although this option can be somewhat more expensive than the previous ones, installing a false ceiling can alleviate much of the discomfort caused by outside noise. The air chamber that remains between the false ceiling and the original ceiling dampens sound waves , preventing them from being heard inside the house.
And an extra trick, for the “handymen”
Soundproof the wall with cork plates. Cork is a natural insulator that, in addition to dampening noise, will give the space a very cozy feeling. Now there are really decorative alternatives, with different shades, textures and designs.
Here are some ideas for using cork in your home: place it in the bedroom, all over the wall at the head of the bed; create a mural in your work space; design a space in children’s rooms where you can put photos or drawings. As you can see, it has a multitude of possibilities!
With these tricks that we provide you with, you will be able to soundproof a house with accessories, furniture, and even quick and clean works that will hardly take up your time, but will always add comfort to your home.
