How to Reduce Noise Through Walls

by Jennifer Porterfield | Last Updated: July 11, 2023

There’s nothing worse than being at home, where you’re supposed to be able to enjoy some peace and quiet and hearing all sorts of noises coming through the walls.

Whether it’s noise leaking through the walls from the neighbor’s apartment, from the room next to yours, or even from the outside, one thing is for sure: it’s going to drive you mad. And so, you will want to learn how to reduce noise through walls.

This is usually due to the walls being quite thin, so they don’t really do much to stop the sound from traveling through. And at night, if your neighbors decide to be loud, there will be nothing to stop you from having a terrible sleep.

That is unless you do something so that less noise can travel through the walls.

Luckily, there are many different things you can do in order to reduce the noise that gets through the walls, some of them pretty simple and cheap!

In fact, it’s quite surprising how much adding a few small details can affect how sound travels through the walls, and you can easily turn your room into an almost soundproof space, without having to go down a professional route or method.

But…how exactly do you reduce the noise through walls? What can you do? We’ve got you covered.

To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of some of the easiest ways in which to reduce noise that leaks through your walls, by making the walls slightly more soundproof. Let’s get right into it!

Easiest Ways to Soundproof Your Walls

As promised, here are some of the easiest ways to soundproof your walls in order to reduce the noise that travels through them:

Soundproof Blankets

Soundproof blankets are heavy and thick blankets that have been made with the right materials, in order to effectively dampen sound.

So although they will not 100% soundproof your walls, they will significantly reduce the amount of noise that gets through!

You can hang them from the walls, in order to cover as much surface as possible, and as you can find them in all sorts of patterns and colors, they can also serve as decoration!

If you’re not sure of where to find soundproof blankets, or you can’t get any, then we recommend simply placing thick blankets or quilts on the walls.

They might not work as well as the specifically designed soundproofing blankets, but normal blankets will still help reduce the amount of noise that gets through!

Just think that the more layers you cover the wall with, the less noise will get through, and the thicker the layers, the better, so blankets can make a pretty big difference!

Seal Any Holes or Cracks

If there are any holes or cracks in the walls, sound might be leaking through them, as they will be the thinnest parts in the wall, and therefore the easiest through which sound can make it through.

So if you want to reduce the noise, you should look for any holes, cracks, or gaps, and seal them up.

For this, you can use any sort of sealant, or even glue. Just make sure to fill in the holes and cracks until they are completely filled up so that the surface is even all throughout the walls once again.

We recommend you double-check the corners, and where the walls meet both the ceiling and the floor, as this is where gaps can appear. Also, make sure to cover the gaps around doors too!

Vinyl Mats

Vinyl mats are one of the most popular solutions to soundproofing walls, especially in rooms that are being converted to a music space or similar.

They are essentially thick mats of vinyl, made out of soundproofing materials, that will very effectively dampen and reduce the noise that leaks in through the walls.

They are also very easy to install, as in most cases they simply attach to the walls, with very little effort needed.

And don’t worry about them looking weird, because they are available in all sorts of patterns, colors, and designs. So they can actually look really good, and essentially decorate your walls while also soundproofing them!

Place More Furniture in the Room

Have you ever walked into a completely empty room? It echoes, and sounds seem way louder than they should be. And that’s because empty rooms have no obstacles to dampen the sound.

So if you want to make your room a little more soundproof, or trap the noise that is coming through the walls, why not place more furniture in it?

The top recommendation is to place bookshelves (full of books and other items) right up next to the walls. These will be incredibly effective at absorbing the noise so that it doesn’t get past them. But you can place all sorts of furniture.

Just think that the fuller the room is, the less noise will be able to travel around it, due to the obstacles it will come up against!

Install Acoustic Foams

Foam is a material that is highly effective at absorbing and reducing the amount of noise, as well as keeping in the warmth of the room. This is why acoustic foams are very popular for soundproofing the walls of a room.

They are very easy to install and come in all shapes and sizes. Those that want to create a music studio will usually install acoustic foams that cover the entirety of the walls so that no noise can get through whatsoever!

Some acoustic foams are quite professional and can get pricey. However, there are plenty of affordable acoustic foam options, you just need to look for them!

Soundproofing Paint

If you want to reduce the noise that gets through your walls, a good idea is to paint the walls with soundproof paint, which has been specially formulated with soundproofing ingredients.

It acts as normal paint, so you’re simply decorating your room, but at the same time, it makes that small difference in working towards dampening the sound.

However, it must be said that soundproofing paint by itself will probably not be enough of a solution, so you should do other things too!

Soundproofing Walls Video Guide

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