Having noisy neighbors is one of the most annoying things there are some perks as well like barbeque invites and borrowing things if you need them but those are exceptions. Noise will annoy and distract from the work.
You can move from that apartment to other but what if there are still noisy neighbors in the new apartment that will lead to frustrations? I have moved to a new apartment but the noise was still a disturbing factor.
After moving to a new apartment I was happy that I no longer needs to hear the noise of the neighbors but that joy was the short term the next day the noise was annoying and it was the big mistake I made in moving.
The noise from the neighbors is unbearable no matter how many times you complain to them they will still continue the same without any second thought. What if you block this noise and make your house soundproof from the neighbors?
If you own the place and not renting out then the only option left is to soundproof a house from the next door noisy neighbors. The walls in the house can be big trouble because they will transmit most of the noise from neighbors.
Noisy can get on your nerves after a long day of work and you badly want to relax the neighbors start making noise which is unbearable. If you’re working from home like me then you need to soundproof the house from the neighbors because it will get difficult to work and be productive with that noise.
Eventually, soundproofing is the only option left to block noise from the neighbors. In this guide, I will walk you through how to block noise from the neighbors and some of the effective tips to block noise from the neighbors and make your house peaceful.
Why You Need To Block Noise From Neighbors
Hearing the constant noise from the neighbors is annoying and frustrating after a long day of work all you need is rest and suddenly the noise comes that will take over the complete relaxing time.
If you’re the one who makes the noise then this will work for you as well. Neighbors might have complained about the noise coming from your house then this would be embarrassing with the constant complaining.
Soundproofing your home will give you absolute peace by blocking noise from the neighbors. Soundproofing walls and all the other parts of the noise that are transmitting noise will be soundproof and makes block noise from neighbors.
When you’re working from home the noise can be a huge distraction and this can be tackled by soundproofing the house which will be an effective solution to block noise from neighbors.
Moving from the current place to another is the option left for us but what if the new house also has noisy neighbors? Therefore soundproofing can be the go-to way to block noise from neighbors.
How to Block Noise From Noisy Neighbors
Here are some of the ways to block noise from neighbors who will annoy you with the constant noise. Sometimes it will be difficult to focus on work or rest with the noise. Let’s dive into the guide.
1. Search For Holes And Seal Them
The primary thing you should do when you’re hearing the noise is to find the holes and seal them in your walls. Holes are the real culprits in passing the noise through the walls.
All you need to do is check for the cable holes and holes and seal them before doing anything else. The sealing of holes can be done with different materials.
One of the materials that worked really well for me is fiberglass insulation which is more effective to seal all the holes. Fiberglass is a web-like cloth that absorbs the sound inside its threads.
When you applied fiberglass it will close all the holes and reduce the chance of loud and unpleasant sounds getting through the walls. Fiberglass is also the best sound-absorbing material other than heat insulators.
Fiberglass is easy to install and it will provide an effective way to deal with the noise that is passing through the holes and block noise from neighbors.
If you want to know more about fiberglass insulation then check out the detailed guide on fiberglass insulation.
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2. Soundproof The Doors
The main cause of noise problems is your apartment doors. The doors and windows are real culprits in passing the noise in your apartment. Since they are thin and hollow the sound easily gets in through.
So how do you insulate doors? Here are some of the solutions that will help you to soundproof the door in an apartment.
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is one of the cheap and handy solutions you can try as it offers several layers of protection. Weatherstripping is a type of insulation that will help you to seal all the gaps around the doors.
It’s commonly made as rubber tape and plastic lath which you can easily attach to your door with the adhesive. It will help in providing protection against thermal leak protection, and soundproof protection which along with several other protections it will also help to reduce outside noise.
Weatherstripping is easy to install and you don’t face any difficulty in installing it on doors.
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Soundproof Blanket
A soundproof blanket is one of the best ways to soundproof a door. This might sound funny but doors can have a blanket that’s not like a usual blanket but the soundproof one.
The soundproof blanket should be attached to your door. This is one of the cheapest ways to block noise from neighbors and reduce the outside noise. but you need to keep in mind that this blanket will cover the door’s appearance.
Therefore if you want the job to be done without investing much and you don’t really care about the appearance of your door then this is one of the best ways to soundproof doors.
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3. Soundproof Windows
After doors windows are the vulnerable parts of the house where the noise transmits through the apartment. How do you soundproof a window? Here are some of the cheap and effective ways to soundproof a window.
Soundproof Curtains
Soundproof curtains are one of the best solutions for different types of sound. Whether you’re facing the issue of noise or need to black the apartment then soundproof curtains will do the job for you.
Soundproof curtains have a layer of insulation that will protect them from harmful UV rays and direct sunlight also it is one of the cheap and best solutions for soundproof windows and curtains.
Therefore they will maintain in a room and protect from direct sunlight which is thermal insulation. Ensure to get a thicker layer of soundproof curtains the thicker the layer is the denser it will block out the noise.
Then insulate the soundproof curtains on the windows completely. Make sure to get a little longer curtain from the doors because the curtains which lay on the floor will absorb the noise more effectively.
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Acoustic Panels
The acoustic panels are a permanent solution for outside noise such as street noise. they will absorb the noise but there is one drawback they will block your window view.
They are one of the cheapest solutions to soundproof a window. Professional music studios use acoustic panels to soundproof the studio from outside noise.
However, you need to give more importance to the noise than the view of the window. These foam panels are the best solution to soundproofing and it has worked really well for me in soundproofing windows.
The installation is easy and simple you just need to hang the panels with the hooks that will come along the panels. Most of the acoustic panels come with adhesive you just need to remove and stick it on the wall.
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4. Insulate The Floor And Ceiling
Floor and ceiling are also major causes where the noise comes in an apartment. So how do you insulate the floor and ceiling? I have some of the best solutions to soundproof floors and ceilings.
Ceiling Insulation
If you leave in a building with several floors and you’re in the middle between two neighbors. Then you might consider doing things with your ceiling and floor.
The biggest problem with the ceiling is if it’s the thin one then you need to invest in the ceiling a bit more for your own peace. First, you can avoid the big investment in the ceiling by asking your neighbors to put some carpet on the floor which will reduce the noise coming from above.
Sometimes neighbors are unpleasant and deny the proposal. Suppose this is the case with you then you need to invest in insulating the ceiling. For the ceiling, acoustic foam panels are one of the best solutions. There are different designs and colors you can select that suit your interiors.
They will reduce the noise from above and decorate the ceiling in your apartment.
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Floor Insulation
The noise will not come from below that is your floor rather than from the ceiling. You could not hear from the neighbors below unless they are loud.
If your floor is made up of wood then there is the possibility of hearing some echoes bouncing around your room. If this is the case with you then you can get some comfy rugs and place them on the floor.
They will decorate you as well as absorb the noise that is passing through the floor. Because they are denser and absorb the sound.
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5. Use Soundproof Paint
Let me burst this might soundproof paintwork in reducing noise. believe it or not, it will work well in soundproofing a wall without removing drywall soundproof paint is water-based and will thicken cracks.
It is mixed with latex which makes the gaps and cracks thick and blocks out noise. let me tell you that if you only use soundproof paint as the source to reduce noise then it will not be effective.
Soundproof materials like soundproof curtains, rugs and acoustic panels along with soundproof paint will be effective in blocking out noise.
You can check out our blog on soundproof paint for more.
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6. Soundproof The Ventilation
We have discussed how holes pass the noise in the apartment and spread through the entire house. Therefore ventilation systems can spread the noise as they are the biggest holes in the house.
Don’t worry there are a couple of solutions to this problem. The first one is the maze vent. This method is to overlap the bunch of sound absorption panels that will absorb the noise and prevent it from bouncing through the vent.
Moreover, you will have a double benefit with this as the noise will be absorbed and you will have a completely functioning vent. If you find this waste of effort then you can simply opt for the solution of blocking the vent with the expanding foam or some similar material.
This solution will decrease your vent’s airflow that’s the reason it is best to go with the maze vent.
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7. Use White Noise Machine
Have you ever heard about the white noise machine? Or the machine which creates white noise? if you have tried all the above steps and the noise problem is still not solved then this one might solve the problem.
There are special machines that produce white noise. These machines will produce special noise that will overtake all the other sounds. There will be an appropriate sleep environment.
White noise machines work on frequencies that we cannot really hear but they help us ignore other sounds and provides relief by deceiving our ears.
Fortunately, there are a lot of affordable and simple models that can do the job for you. I have already searched for the best white noise machine so you don’t have to spend much time searching all day.
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8. Install Bookshelves
Now you might be wondering how installing a bookshelves block noise from neighbors that’s because it provides more density to the wall and sound waves are absorbed. Load your bookshelves with the volume of books.
Loading bookshelves with the volume of books adds density to the wall and paper is one of the best sources that absorbs sound. Make sure you go with the bookshelf that is covered from the back as it absorbs the sound.
Bookshelf is one of the low-budget investments for blocking noise from neighbors. Loading that with books will give you more effective results and you don’t have to replace it or install it in a few days.
9. Rearrange Furniture
Now, this is one of the ways which doesn’t require any investment and you would be thinking does it work? let me tell you this method works pretty well to block noise from neighbors.
Rearranging furniture will help in providing mass to the walls and floors which block noise from neighbors and if you don’t want to use this then use softer material.
Moreover, you can load your wardrobes and bookshelves because it will add more mass to the walls which makes them denser and reduces the noise passing in the room.
So, rearrange furniture and you will feel the difference once you implement this way well there will be more space created in your room or house when you mix the furniture.
Alternatives To Block Noise From Neighbors
Here are some of the alternatives for blocking noise from neighbors which are cheap and yet effective. If you want to invest in soundproof materials then this will do the job for you.
1. Cover Your Ears With Noise Canceling Headphones
Your safety and sanity are important so investing in good noise-canceling headphones will give you peace and block the noise from neighbors. Make sure all the things are sorted and nothing distracts you like food on the stove or a guest ringing bell.
Noise Canceling headphones is one of the best and cheapest solutions to block noise from neighbors. They will help you concentrate on your work and leave distractions behind. Similarly, white noise machine does like noise-canceling headphones.
They are the cheapest and do the job for you also you can take that anywhere you want like on the bus to avoid the noise around.
2. Speak To Your Neighbors
This may sound a little hesitant but it’s better to speak to them than to bear the loud noise and get distracted. Often times people don’t realize how loud they are unless somebody informs them to keep down the noise.
Don’t speak with an argumentative tone this will make the situation worse do speak to them in a polite way. If you hesitated to speak face to face try to write a note and send through the contact info.
If you have recommendations for them tell them they may have children and dogs running around the house so recommend them some rugs to lay down on the floor to reduce the noise.
Final Thoughts On Block Noise From Neighbors
Living with noisy neighbors can be annoying and distracting to work or rest with the constant noise they are making. However, taking some of the steps to block noise from neighbors will work well.
These are some of the effective ways to block noise from neighbors and make the environment noise, you can focus on your work or rest after a long day of work. These ways require investment but believe me they are worth every penny spend.
However, You can try out multiple ways at one point in time for more effective results as they will give you the utmost soundproof properties and block noise from neighbors.
Laying some of the rugs on the floor and placing some soundproof curtains on the doors and windows will do the job for you. You can realize the difference between before and after soundproofing.
Now that you have soundproofed the apartment with the soundproof materials and ways. You can spend time in your apartment peacefully without any noise from neighbors.
If you got any value from this guide let us know we would love to hear from you. Share this with your neighbors. Also if you have any questions drop them in the comment box below. Checkout out our guide on how to soundproof a garage workshop.
FAQ
If your neighbors are noisy and stop you from feeling comfortable, you can try to speak to them and discuss. If that doesn’t work, you can use other ways like soundproofing the home.
For wall soundproofing, you can use acoustic panels that will effectively block noise from neighbors transmitting through walls. Check if the wall has any gaps or holes use acoustic sealant for filling the gaps.
1. Use Acoustic panels on walls
2. Soundproof doors
3. Soundproof floor and ceiling
4. Soundproof window
5. Use Soundproof Paint