Nowadays, you would find that most interior doors are hollow, which is great at saving money but poor when if we consider their soundproofing abilities. Doors are a major element through which soundwaves and outside noise enter continuously. Therefore, it’s important to soundproof your hollow door to make sure unwanted noise and sounds cannot enter through it. If you are on the lookout for ways to increase the soundproofing abilities of a hollow door, you have come to the right place.
Different people have different reasons as to why they want to soundproof hollow door. For instance, some people reside in high-traffic areas and are tired of hearing the honking of cars and bikes all through the day. People want to block out such noises out of frustration. You might also be willing to keep your room warm. Some of these soundproofing items also offer thermal insulation. Therefore, installing them would serve both purposes!
Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to soundproof a hollow core door? Do you know how? This guide answers all your queries in detail. Yes, it’s possible to increase the soundproofing abilities of a hollow door by adding mass to it. Besides increasing the mass, attaching soundproofing curtains, blankets and paints can also help to soundproof a hollow door.
However, before we proceed into a detailed discussion it’s important to mention that one cannot soundproof hollow core door entirely. By applying certain methods and attaching soundproofing materials, we can significantly reduce the entry of unwanted noise inside a room. Let’s go through the various ways by which you can increase the noise reduction capacity of a hollow door.
7 Ways To Soundproof a Hollow Door
Just like soundproofing any other surface requires increasing its mass, you need to add mass to a hollow door to make it soundproof. However the door can’t be made too thick, otherwise, you will have difficulty in opening and closing it. Therefore, this makes it important to add the right amount of thickness to the door to enjoy maximum noise reduction benefits.
Also, you must know that soundproofing a hollow door includes more than simply increasing the door’s mass for the purpose. To completely soundproof it, you must check its weaker parts and fill hollow core door. Let’s see how can one improve the sound-reducing capacity of a hollow door.
Weatherstrip the door
Normally, you would find people using weatherstrips to seal windows. However, you can use the same to soundproof your door as well. A weatherstrip can block unnecessary noises from entering the room, keeping the room quiet and peaceful.
If you are opting for this option, make sure to buy self-adhesive soundproof weatherstrips. Before applying it, clean that area and let it dry. Next, you must remove the top layer of the strip a bit to expose its self-adhesive surface. Now stick it on the door frame. You must begin attaching it from the top corner of the door and continue to drag it to the bottom of it.
Once the weatherstrip is applied, it forms a kind of a seal around the door, obstructing a major portion of outside noise to pass through.
Don’t Neglect the Door Frame
The door frame might have tiny gaps and holes, through which noise and unwanted sounds can pass through easily. Look for existing holes and gaps around the perimeter. Unless you close these gaps, you can never enjoy a peaceful space in your apartment.
There are various ways in which you can address a broken or ill-designed door frame. You can replace it entirely with a new one, or, there are other things to try out. For instance, try to add mass to it as much as possible. Use a sound deadening mat or curtain and attach it to the door frame.
Next, you can also use a perimeter sealing item that is usually silicone and aluminum-based. These items fit around the door frame tightly, filling all exiting holes and gaps. The aluminum base rightly attaches itself to the doorframe and the silicone helps the item to seal the existing gaps and holes.
Wondering how to install this perimeter seal? It’s quite hassle-free. You need screwdrivers, drills, a tape measure, and a hacksaw. This item is sure to be anyone’s right choice because it fits in perfectly with any kind of hollow-core door.
The next option you can try out is using the green glue compound to seal the holes and gaps. It’s an extremely popular sound dampening material. This acoustic caulk is silicone-based meaning it wouldn’t crack under any circumstances.
Don’t Forget to Add Mass to the Other Side
Besides filling up all holes and gaps, you must add mass to both sides of the hollow door. By now you must know that adding mass is the key to soundproofing any door, wall, ceiling, or window. Now there are various ways in which you can add mass to a hollow-core door. Some of them have been discussed below:
Acoustic Foam Panels
Do you know what are acoustic foam panels? They are sheets of foam that can be used for any soundproofing project. These acoustic foams absorb noise rather than soundproofing. Wondering how do these acoustic foam panels work? Well, they reduce the reverberations by trapping the excessive sound waves that strike the door’s surface. By trapping the sound vibrations, these acoustic panels prevent the vibrations from escaping and entering any room.
These panels can be either installed on the surface of doors. The foam material, if installed in the door would allow for better absorption of sound.
Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) Barriers
MLV barriers made of salts, sands, and tiny metal particles are environmentally friendly options to soundproof a hollow door. The vinyl material is thick and heavy, which highly adds to the density of the door. Attaching MLV to the back of the door will significantly increase the mass of the door. But make sure the gaps of the door are tightly sealed beforehand otherwise they might act as entry points for unwanted noises and sounds.
Use Soundproof Curtains
Soundproofing curtains can be very effective in dampening excessive noise. They are made up of dense and thick materials and their surface has a lot of pores. When you buy soundproofing curtains, you must go through the product description. Make sure that the curtains are not just thick but more than that, as a few brands make use of this feature to sort their product under the soundproof category.
Installing the soundproofing curtains is easy. Do it as you would them on a window. Get hold of a rod, fit it on the top. Now hang the curtains on either side of the door. That’s all. Your work is done.
Try a Soundproof Blanket
Soundproofing blankets are another option that’s best suited for soundproofing hollow doors. The only downside is that you cannot decorate it with other sound-absorbing materials like acoustic foam or panels additionally. Depending on your choice, you can buy soundproof curtains that would cover one side of the door either permanently or temporarily.
This might not be the best option to soundproof hollow door, but is quite convenient when it comes to its installation. You simply have to fit hooks on the top of the door and hang this blanket on one side of the door.
Remember that one can always take down these blankets. These are the best temporary soundproofing options that one can use to soundproof not only doors but also walls, windows, etc. You can also use them in your music studio, tent, car, and more.
If you want to increase the effectiveness of the soundproofing blankets, we advise our readers to hang blankets to both sides of the door. Oftentimes people buy normal but thick blankets, thinking they too would offer soundproofing qualities. However, that’s not the case. Soundproofing blankets are specially designed to obstruct noise and offer thermal insulation. Buying the normal blankets is just a waste of money.
Use a Door Rug At Either Side Of Your Door
You must know that sound waves bounce off hard surfaces like walls, wooden doors, and flooring. After they bounce off these surfaces, they look for cracks and holes through which they can pass. Therefore, what homeowners should do is try to stop this sound transmission. How would you do that? The easiest way is to place rugs on either side of the door.
Rugs or carpets are wonderful elements at soundproofing because of their porous fibers. When sound waves bounce into the carpets, these fibers capture the waves, trap the energy, stopping them from further transmission. Usually, carpets are good at capturing airborne noises, but it also captures small portions of impact noises too.
Fill Hollow Core Door
Insulation foam can help in filling hollow core doors. A lot of people are unaware of this option as it’s not as popular as the rest of the methods. And it’s not as effective as the other methods, one can drill holes and fill the existing gap with a less-aggressive foam. This would make the door a bit more sound absorbent, blocking out unnecessary noises.
Don’t know how to fill the hollow core door? Well, it’s simple. Firstly, make small holes on the door’s edge. Now spray foam on them, and let it expand and solidify. Keep spraying the door, from the bottom to the top, spraying foam every 12 inches.
To prevent the foam from coming outwards, you can plug the holes using tape.
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Final words
As you can see, there are several DIY methodsto soundproof a hollow door. You can dampen the soundwaves or increase the mass to prevent soundwaves from transmitting through the door. If you are wondering which of the two procedures to follow, it’s better to focus on the latter one as increasing the thickness of the surface is always considered to be the key element in soundproofing. At first, you must seal all existing holes and gaps present in and around the door. Next, proceed to add mass to it.
If you can afford to replace the entire door, go for it. Even then, you need to add soundproofing items, as the new door wouldn’t be 100% soundproof. Buy materials that we have discussed in this guide. They have been found to make a significant difference in soundproofing a hollow-core door.