If you live in an apartment you will already agree with the fact that the walls of the apartment are very thin and sometimes if they are too thin then even the general conversation can be heard very clearly which can be very disturbing in our daily routine.
Sometimes, because of this sound, you may also have to register a complaint but in the end, it is still not the best solution. This is where soundproofing comes into play.
Nowadays, it has become very essential to soundproof the wall between apartments. Be it outside traffic, a noisy neighbour or even the next dog, sound pollution can hugely hamper your daily routine.
How to soundproof a wall between apartments?
- Fill the space in the room with furniture and stack them against the wall:
One of the easiest methods to soundproof a wall between apartments is to fill the room with furniture and stack them against the wall.
Walls between apartments are usually pretty thin and so adding heavy furniture like couches, wardrobes, closets, china cabinets or any type of cabinets and any other type of furniture works first when you stack these types of furniture against the wall you make the world thicker and denser hence allowing it to absorb more sound making it soundproof between the apartments.
To work best, you can add another layer between the furniture and the wall like for example, a blanket or a curtain. This will act as a middle layer that can absorb more sound waves that are trying to pass from the furniture.
You can also use soundproof foam or acoustic foam that can easily work as a second layer between the furniture and the wall for more effectiveness and soundproofing between the walls.
- Use mass loaded vinyl:
Mass-loaded vinyl is one of the best soundproofing materials that are present on the market. You can also use it to soundproof walls between the apartments.
Mass-loaded vinyl has multiple applications other than being used to soundproof walls. It can also be used for thermal issues. They act as a barrier between the wall and the outside of the apartment. It does not allow the outside temperature to manipulate the inside one.
It is more of a mat kind of material that is very thick and fast and is one of the best soundproofing materials ever created.
You can easily install a mass loaded vinyl directly on the wall with an adhesive that is present behind it or you can use any type of other adhesive to install it.
Although, these are some of the best working materials they are not very pleasant looking. You can wrap it with other stuff so that it is not very visible to others.
Here are some of the ways you can use mass loaded vinyl in the apartment –
- Install it on the wall and place furniture in front of it so that it is not visible to other people but still acts as an extra layer.
- Cover it up or wrap it with curtains after installing it on the wall.
- If you want even better results, add a soundproof foam to the mass-loaded vinyl.
- Acoustic foam mats: Acoustic foams are not the best soundproofing material directly, that can make the room acoustic where the sound signals bounds of the mats making it more tender and acoustic.
In this situation, these mats are perfect because we already know that apartment walls are pretty thin, so these mats make the sound stay within the room making the apartment wall more soundproofed indirectly or directly. It is affordable and effective.
Installing these acoustic mats are also very easy and does not require external help. Acoustic mats, apart from soundproofing your apartment, also have the capability of reducing thermal energy from outside the wall surface. These are usually lightweight and more durable.
- Install a layer or two layers of drywall: You can install a layer or 2 layers of drywall to thicken your wall. It will absorb and soundproof the wall between the apartments. A drywall is usually made up of gypsum ceramics and viscoelastic.
Adding one layer of drywall will give you the results but two is always better than one. It will increase the effectiveness and provide more soundproofing to the apartment world-first top
However, installing drywall is not that easy. Professional help will be required to install drywall in your apartment.
- Paint the walls with soundproofing paint: Another good and cheap way to soundproof your walls is by painting your walls with soundproof or acoustic paint. It is a good idea if you were planning on renovating your world.
The paint comes in different colors which allows you to choose from a variety of options. This paint is thicker compared to regular paints and it is applied in layers to increase its width. This ensures that the low-frequency noises are greatly reduced.
Coat the wall with one layer of paint and allow it to dry before applying the next layer. Repeat the process a few times to get better results.
If mass-loaded vinyl feels expensive for you, soundproof paint is an excellent alternative.
You can paint your walls on your own as a DIY project instead of hiring a professional.
- Seal the gaps and holes on the wall: A small hole or gap on the wall may not seem like such a big issue, but it can let in a great amount of noise. This is true, especially for apartments with small walls.
Make sure to go through the apartment wall and check thoroughly for any holes that may be letting in the noise. Once you find any, you can use an appropriate sealant to seal them.
Green glue compound is both an adhesive and soundproofing compound that can be used to seal the holes and gaps. This serves two purposes simultaneously. The glue absorbs sound waves and transforms them into heat energy which is distributed on the wall.
Remove all the wall decorations such as artwork, paintings and clean the area around the holes and ensure they are dry before applying the glue. Allow the glue to dry out before returning all the decorations to your wall.
- Use form padding: Form pads are another affordable means to soundproof apartment walls. These are made up of high-density rubber which dampens the noise in a space.
The thickness of the mats makes them ideal for sound deadening apartment walls.
- Use a white noise machine: This is a temporary solution for soundproofing your apartment. You can get a white noise machine that drowns the background noises in the white noise. These machines are usually used during sleeping but here you can also use them to soundproof your apartment walls for some time.
- Add mass to the existing wall (use quiet rock panel): As the name suggests quiet rock is a sound barrier product that is made up of gypsum material and viscoelastic material which is sandwiched between the two layers of gypsum. Both of these materials help reduce the transmission of sound.
Thickness, density, and heaviness are major factors in how efficient it will be to soundproof your apartment walls.
Installation of the quiet rock panel is very similar to drywall. Apply the green glue all over the quiet rock and then place it over your existing wall.
Hold it softly for 20 to 30 seconds. Always use a thick quiet rock panel for better results.
The green glue being used to attach the quiet rock panel also acts as another layer of soundproofing.
- Insulate your wall: If the above methods do not give you the desired results, you can try for something a bit more long-lasting but also expensive as well as space and time-consuming. This method will require a professional person.
You have to make a wooden stud structure for your wall and then fill the rock wool insulation in between the stud cavities.
Rockwool is one of the best sound-absorbing insulation. It is a mesh-like structure that prevents this transmission of sound from one pocket to another. This helps in reducing the intensity of the noise in your room.
Apply mass-loaded vinyl over the stud and staple it with the help of an air stapler. Apply the resilient channel in the perpendicular direction of the stud over the MLV, then screw it to the stud and apply quiet rock drywall over the resilient channel and screw it again.
Read more from Outdoor category: How To Stop Shoes From Squeaking On Linoleum?
Conclusion
The aforementioned methods and techniques can be used according to one’s convenience and wish.
You can use either one method or compile two to three methods together to get better results. You must have heard of many common myths of soundproofing such as using egg cartoon crates, yoga mats hanging ordinary curtains, or applying dark color on your wall.
These are not very effective to soundproof your apartment. These DIY methods mentioned above are effective in the long run. You can try these methods mostly on your own or with somebody’s help.