Homes are meant to be peaceful. We live in homes to enjoy a peaceful respite from the bustling city life. However, that’s not possible because as the outside world is getting more and more busier, it’s becoming more and more noisier. People who usually work from home face severe issues while concentrating on their works. If you too are thinking of making your walls soundproof, but don’t know where to begin from, don’t worry anymore.
Nowadays, soundproofing materials are easily available in the market. You don’t even have to call a professional to get the job done. We have enlisted 10 useful ways of soundproofing a wall while maintaining your wall’s outlook at the same time. If you are eager to know the best temporary soundproof wall ideas, continue to read below.
How Do I Temporarily Soundproof a Wall?
Walls are excellent when it comes to providing privacy but do not make room soundproof. The walls usually present in our rooms lack insulation in between the studs. Because of the empty space between the studs, sound waves bounce all over that area and sometimes get even louder. Here comes the need for soundproofing walls. Now if you are wondering how should you soundproof walls, here are the steps you must follow.
- Inspect the wall. Look for holes, gaps, and cracks.
- Find where the noise is coming from.
- Seal the holes and gaps with temporary soundproofing You can use nails to attach the materials to fill the gaps.
- Seal seams using barrier tape.
If this isn’t enough, you can apply other methods too. We have talked about the other solutions in detail below. So, without wasting any further ado, let’s go through the temporary wall soundproofing solutions that homeowners can consider.
10 Temporary Soundproofing Wall Ideas
Below enlisted are some convenient and effective wall soundproofing ideas that you must try out to prevent outside noises from disturbing your peace:
Apply Acoustic Caulk
If you feel a light breeze entering your room even after applying weatherstripping tape, it means the surrounding walls have cracks. This can also be due to an improperly fitted window. No matter what is the cause, it can be fixed by an acoustic caulk.
For this, you have to identify the leaks and cracks on the walls. Once you have found out, you apply acoustic caulk evenly over the surface. Apply the sealant wherever you feel necessary. Now, push it into the cracks, intending to fill them using your fingers. When it sets, it is expected to prevent new cracks from being formed. If you think that spot looks odd and attracts everyone’s eyes, you can paint and decorate that area, as you like.
One can use acoustic caulk for other soundproofing purposes too. For instance, you can use it to attach mass-loaded vinyl to a wall surface.
Soundproof Wallpapers
Soundproof wallpapers are a convenient option for homeowners who are looking forward to temporarily soundproofing a room. There’s no construction work involved, no installation hassle. On top of that, modern-day soundproof wallpapers come in nice designs and styles that enhance the look of the walls. These wallpapers are temporary. You can decorate your style your room with these wallpapers just as you like while soundproofing your room at the same time.
If you think that these wallpapers are made up of only colors and patterns, you are wrong. These wallpapers are made up of special layers that are specially manufactured to dampen sound waves and noises. These materials can be slippery latex or acoustic panels. The wallpapers contain multiple layers of such materials, which enables them to effectively dampen the sound waves while they travel through them.
Soundproofing wallpapers are removable soundproofing solutions that are extremely effective in blocking low-frequency sound waves. However, if the noise is of high frequency, it might weaken the intensity of the sound waves.
Soundproof Blankets
An easy and convenient way to reduce sound transmission through walls, while enhancing the wall’s outlook is by using a soundproof blanket. Hanging a blanket on a wall is also an affordable solution. Let alone the specially designed soundproof blankets, even the regular blankets available nowadays provide some kind of soundproofing qualities. They too absorb noise and prevent echoes.
The latest, specially designed soundproof blankets are made up of materials that absorb noise. In this case, however, the thickness of the blankets plays a major role. Additionally, the way the blanket is stitched also plays a major role in weakening the sound waves.
If you want to maintain the outlook of your room and implement a soundproofing solution, the best is to attach a soundproof blanket to the walls. These blankets are attractive and serve both ways. You must have seen these blankets, especially in music studios. Homeowners are becoming aware of soundproof blankets day by day because they are affordable, easy to attach, and complement the room’s decor.
Acoustic Foam Panels
Another effective temporary soundproof room idea is attaching acoustic foam panels to the walls. It is a perfect sound-absorbing material that would prevent outside noise from entering your house. Acoustics foam panels are mostly used in restaurants, offices, and studios. The best part is acoustic panels come in a variety of finishes and styles. You get a lot of options to choose from. Therefore, besides soundproofing your room, modern-day acoustic foam panels also complement your home decor.
These acoustic foam panels contain suppressed mineral wool that helps them to absorb outside noise and restrict reverberation in walls. How these panels work is interesting. Whenever sound waves hit the wall and strike against these acoustic foam panels, friction between the waves and the surface increases. This friction causes vibrations which then lead to the conversion of sound energy into heat energy. Now, this kinetic energy gets dissipated into the atmosphere, quickly. Ultimately, no outside noise reaches your ears, enabling you to live in peace.
The best part about these materials is that they prevent noise from entering and exiting one’s room. These panels are no doubt heavy and thick and are of top quality. Moreover, these panels can be applied on a variety of surfaces.
Paint The Wall With Acoustic Paints
Acoustic paints aren’t the same as the usual paints we see in the market. They contain some specific soundproofing fillers, usually ceramic microspheres, that are meant to reduce the intensity of the noises. Due to the presence of those fillers, much of the sound waves get absorbed.
You must be wondering why can’t regular paints absorb noises. Well, that’s because they contain irregular fillers that aren’t effective at all. Such fillers create gaps and not a solid layer, thus letting sound waves travel through.
But, ceramic spheres provide a uniformity to your wall, which not only enhances the outlook of it but also increases its effectiveness at blocking sound waves. Soundproofing paints also help in reducing echo. These acoustic paints work both ways. Firstly, they don’t allow outside noise to enter your room. Secondly, they also don’t allow noises to leave your room. Thus, by adding soundproofing paints to the walls, you help yourself and your neighbors as well.
Attach Mass Loaded Vinyl Mat
One of the most common materials, mass-loaded vinyl is a flexible and thin but extremely effective soundproofing material that blocks sound, giving you peace. The material is specially designed to be thick and dense so that it acts as a barrier against the soundwaves and block them from passing through the wall. Not only is MLV effective in blocking sounds but also absorbs the noise effects.
Not just on the walls, one can install mass-loaded vinyl as a carpet underlay or beneath the flooring, as an underlay. Similarly, mass-loaded vinyl can be attached over or beneath drywall, to intensify the soundproofing qualities.
Overall, mass-loaded vinyl can be considered as an effective temporary solution when it comes to soundproofing. You can attach it to your studio walls, in movie theatres or rooms to improve the sound transmission class rating of the walls, and eliminate excess noise.
Hang Soundproof Curtains on Walls
One of the easiest temporary wall soundproofing ideas is hanging soundproof curtains. These curtains come in various designs and varying fabrics. Hanging the appropriate curtains would certainly complement your home decor, besides blocking the noise to some extent. The best part is they are inexpensive and easy to hang up on the walls!
These soundproof curtains are made up of acoustic materials that are extremely porous and thick. As a result, these curtains dampen the soundwaves by reducing their vibrations and provide a quite effective sound insulation.
Sometimes, people hang soundproofing curtains in the middle of a room and that acts as a temporary soundproof partition wall. These curtains are also energy-saving. Because they are thick, they prevent the sun’s rays from entering the room and keep the room insulated.
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Arrange a Book Shelf
Open spaces in walls act like doors that allow sound waves to travel through and bounce on surfaces, amplifying it in the process. Therefore, you can opt to fill the open wall spaces by adding decorative bookshelves. Push a bookcase against the common wall that you and your neighbor share. Try to buy a larger bookcase, so that it blocks as much noise as possible.
But to get better results, of course, it’s important to add sound-absorbing materials to it. Don’t keep the bookshelves empty. Fill it with a stack of books. Shelves are not only effective in reducing noises but also can act as storage options if you have limited space. Furthermore, they reflect your personal space and certainly elevate the design of any room.
Hang Heavy Tapestries and Paintings on Wall
The next cheap way to decorate your wall and soundproof it temporally at the same time is by changing tapestries and paintings. Though they wouldn’t be able to block sounds completely, they can soften sounds to a great extent.
Oftentimes people add tapestries and paintings along with mass-loaded vinyl. In that case, the soundproofing properties of the painting and tapestries become irrelevant, and whatever sound insulation you get comes from mass-loaded vinyl. Therefore combining both options isn’t a clever thing to do.
Tapestries and paintings prevent the sound waves from bouncing against the surfaces of the room, eliminating noises as much as possible. This option is convenient and quite affordable too.
Block Air Vent
This is the last method that one can try to temporally soundproof a wall. Some people opt to remove the vents permanently, but if you are unable to do it, blocking the air vent temporarily will do the job.
If you are wondering what to use, you can use drywall or heavy MDF to cover the air vent. Ideally, apply two layers of drywall to get better results. Afterward, you can seal any existing space between the new layer and the existing layer of the wall using acoustic caulk.
There’s another thing that people can try out. Acoustic foam can also prove to be an effective solution when it comes to blocking air vents. They reduce noise effectively by absorbing the echoes that travel through the Vents. As a result acoustic foams effectively minimize the amount of sound that comes into the room through the walls.
However, you must remember that this method wouldn’t provide 100% noise blockage. Blocking air vents will reduce the intensity of outside noises to some extent.
The Bottom Line
It’s okay to start the soundproofing process from the walls. But, only soundproofing the walls isn’t enough. You must also remember that walls aren’t the only medium of noise transmission. Windows, doors, air vents, gaps, and leaks allow passage for unwanted noises. Therefore, if you want to make your house soundproof, you have to pay attention to other areas too. Don’t forget the ceilings too. So, without delaying any further, transform your room into a soundproof one and enjoy!