How to Soundproof a Bedroom in 7 Cheap and Easy DIY Steps

The bedroom is the most private part of any home. It is where people hold secret discussions and other things that shouldn’t be heard by other third parties.

Not only that, that is where you have your night rest and sleep. Because of that, any noise that tends to interfere with that can be very annoying and even cost your sleep and health.

When you live in a noisy neighborhood, that is when you know sleep is a luxury we should cherish.

Likely, there are tips on how to soundproof a bedroom. Thanks to the many soundproofing materials available.

When I decided to soundproof my room, I knew remodeling wasn’t going to be part of the plan. Because that will cost lots of money which I didn’t have.

How to Soundproof a Bedroom

So, I decided to apply DIY techniques. These soundproof tricks and tips I will share with you won’t cost you a fortune. There are actually affordable.

I know these DIY tricks are not going to completely eliminate the noise but with all the bits and pieces added together, you will drastically reduce the sound impact in your room.

How to Soundproof a Bedroom for Music and Good Rest

The techniques here can be applied to different rooms as well.

  1. Soundproof Your Bedroom Door

  • Seal Gaps and Cracks on Door

One of the first steps to soundproof a door is to check for gaps and cracks if there are any. To identify if there are gaps in your door, simply turn the lights in the room off and close all windows and curtains.

Then let someone stand outside the room and lit a torch and point it at the door. If there are gaps, the light from outside will pass through them

Identify these gaps with a marker and seal them with an Insulating Sealant. This will make the gaps and cracks airtight and weathertight. You can also use a weatherstripping tape to seal the perimeter of the door.

  • Install a Door Sweep

The gap between the under of your door and the floor is one of the biggest gaps you can find in any door.

If there is an opening like this in your door, then you need to install a door sweep to block the noise, dust, and insects from passing there to enter your room.

Installing a door sweep is easy even though it will require you to drill the screws into the door. This might take some time to do.

How to Soundproof a Bedroom

I got this door sweep when I was soundproofing our bedroom from the neighbors’ noise and the highway. It worked well for me.

  • Add Extra Mass to The Door: A Soundproof Curtain, Blanket, Drywall or Foam Panel

When you are installing any of these, it means that you have ascertained that the noise is actually coming in through the door and after installing the door sweep and fixing the gaps and cracks, if the noise level didn’t reduce.

You can hang a soundproof curtain or soundproof blanket on the door to reduce the noise impact in the room. But don’t expect them to drastically reduce your noise. They can control it a bit.

The other options you can also choose are to install an acoustic foam panel or drywall behind the door. These two options are effective in reducing noise better.

If you want to know all the best techniques I used to soundproof my room door. Here is my recent post on how to soundproof a bedroom room door effectively and cheaply.

2. Soundproof the Windows

  • Seal Gaps with Indoor Window Insulator Kit and Hang Soundproof Curtain or Honeycomb Blinds

Windows are another area with gaps and openings that might be letting noise into your bedroom. Before you hang the sound deadening curtains on the window.

First, investigate for any gaps that might need sealing. Use a window insulator kit to insulate the window.

Next is to install some heavy-duty soundproof window dressings such as curtains, drapes,  shades or blinds. These soundproofing materials are designed to block out sound and light and actually deflect it back outside.

For the soundproof curtains or drapes to work effectively, I suggest you get one that will cover the entire window from top to bottom. Check out these DIY Ways on how to soundproof your bedroom window here.

sound deadening curtains

If you opted for the honeycomb blinds rather, then get the thick ones which will do a better job of absorbing and deflecting the sound.

3. Soundproof Your Walls

What type of noise are you hearing through your wall, is it impact or airborne noise?. Depending on the sound type, then you can use the right soundproof material to effectively reduce it.

If the noise you are hearing is airborne which was my case because I was sharing my bedroom wall with the living room. where TV and people sitting there are making noise.

then acoustic foam wedges worked best for me. These foams come in different sizes and shapes and can be used for different parts of the room for noise control.

how to soundproof room cheaply
Acoustic Foam Panels

Some foam panels are self-adhesive and ready for you to put on the wall but some don’t have adhesive. So you have to buy that separately.

These work best in reducing airborne noise by converting the sound energy into heat energy.

On the other hand, if the type of noise you are hearing is impact noise – a type of noise whereby an object impacts another thereby sending vibrations through the object.

This type of noise can be better controlled by installing a mass loaded vinyl mat on the wall. Also check out how to soundproof a bedroom wall easily and cheaply.

4. Soundproof the Floor of the Bedroom

Wooden floors are more susceptible to sound than carpeted floors. If your room is a wooden floor, then you definitely need a heavy-duty carpet on it.

One way to soundproof a room floor is to get a heavy-duty woolen carpet or the woven type and place it where the impact of the noise it. But the best will be to cover the entire floor and let part of it up against the wall a little bit.

To reinforce soundproofing the floor, I will recommend you place another soundproofing material under. This can be a mass loaded mat or a rubber floor mat.

These are great protective barriers for noise-sensitive floors like concrete, tiles or wooden. These mats absorb movements and provide a cushion for your feet. This is an excellent choice for protective flooring.

how to soundproof a bedroom floor

You place the rubber floor mat and the vinyl mat first on where the sound is leaking much and then place the carpet on top of them.

This way, no one will even know you have soundproofed your floor.

In place of the carpet, you can choose to use floor protection under rug. These come in different sizes and colors for you to choose the one that best fits your bedroom decor. Here is a detailed post on how to soundproof your bedroom floor.

5. Consider  Soundproofing Your Ceiling

Maybe the neighbors upstairs are your noise source. Just when you are about to sleep you hear those footsteps everywhere or it’s their washing machine making the noise.

Noise from upstairs could take any form. Either way, this is affecting your time in the bedroom and you know you must take drastic steps to reduce the noise without hurting your neighbor’s feelings.

You can add some acoustic foam panels up there which will probably help to an extent or even put a soundproof vinyl mat up there. The noise will be reduced. Be sure to secure them properly to prevent them from falling on you.

If you are willing to make the investment, these Whisper Wave Clouds for ceiling are effective but expensive. Here are some Cheap and Proven ways to soundproof a bedroom ceiling 

6. Hang Some Arts

Arts are beautiful to look at and they tell us hidden stories. If you are into arts, then this is the time to have the feel of them. Invest in relatively cheap art for your bedroom.

These will enhance the appeal of the room and also help in reducing echoes in the room. I found these Canvas Art Wall Decor interesting so, I got some for my room walls. They added extra beauty to the room. They are different designs you can select from.

7. Fill Up the Bedroom

If the only thing in the room is only the bed, because the space is empty, this will allow a lot of echoes to bounce around the room. but if you place a chair, table and even your sturdy in the room.
This way the echoes will be absorbed by some of the things in the room and their impact won’t be felt much.

How much does it cost to soundproof a room?

If you want to know a soundproof room cost, well, the truth is it depends on how you are going about it. The cost to soundproof a room generally will vary between $170 to $250 for new materials.

The cost of the materials depends on the type of materials you want to use, but they are usually measured in terms of length or number of pieces.

If you want to employ the services of a professional, then they take between $190 to $300. With my techniques outlined above, you can easily install or hang these materials yourself to reduce your cost and save some money.

How can I soundproof a room without damaging walls?

If you live in a complex, this is a question that might run through your mind when you want to soundproof your room. I know you don’t want to violate the rules and probably lose your security deposit.

This way I will recommend you use acoustic foam panels to stick to the wall. These use adhesives to stick to the wall. The wall won’t get damaged through that. They are popular soundproofing materials for walls. The foam panels won’t damage the wall.

Does soundproofing work for noisy Neighbours?

It depends on how you are going about the soundproofing. Some soundproofing methods are more effective than others. It will also depend on your pocket. Whether you are willing to invest in quality and effective materials to soundproof your home.

If you apply the techniques above, you will be able to soundproof your room against noisy neighbors.  Although the noise won’t completely disappear, it will be reduced drastically.

Final Thoughts

Would these above mentioned tips on how to soundproof a bedroom make your room completely soundproofed?. The answer is No. But, they will, however, help you turn your bedroom into a peaceful haven.

A peaceful and calm mind is where many ideas are nurtured. You cant allow your bedroom noise pollution to affect that.

When my peace was been affected by the noises, I knew I had to take the necessary soundproofing steps to help myself. I  am glad I did.

Ever since I was able to soundproof my bedroom, I haven’t had any trouble sleeping or having my own quiet time. This has also helped with my level of productivity at work.

Sometimes, I am even able to play loud music in my bedroom without disturbing the neighbors.

The best part is I have managed to arrange my room and use colors that complement each other and lifted the overall appeal of my bedroom.

My soundproof curtains are also doing a great job of also blocking light from entering the room.

It is worth mentioning that once you get started with your soundproofing, it can be very tempting to want to keep soundproofing once the excitement kicks in.

But you will have to stop at some point. Otherwise, you will spend more than you probably initially budgeted.

I hope I was able to help you find the solutions to your noise pollution.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions, suggestions or you want to let us know how it went for you on your soundproofing journey.

Josephine

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