Soundproofing Advice Archives - Page 11 of 11

If you’re looking for a way to soundproof a room, you should pay special attention to any windows it might have. Unless you have a soundproof window, there can be a lot of noise coming from outside into the room. Soundproof curtains are marketed as the ideal solution to getting this problem resolved. They’re fairly inexpensive, easy to hang up, and there’s no maintenance involved. But do soundproof curtains actually work? Well, it depends on the criteria we place upon them. Soundproof curtains are great for deadening the noise that comes through the window. But they’re not going to completely block all sounds from coming in. The way that soundproof curtains work is by drastically reducing the echo in the room. You might not be aware of this, but it’s usually the echo of the sounds, and not their decibel power that bothers you the most. The easiest example I can think of to demonstrate this is comparing the quality of music coming from a cheap stereo in an old car, with the sound you’d get by using high quality headphones. The echo that gets produced in an old can thumbling down the road makes both the inside and outside sounds intolerable. Soundproof curtains can drastically reduce the echo, making the awful sound die out far more quickly. Depending on their thickness and overall quality, soundproof curtains reduce the strength of the sound as well to a degree. But it’s not the same level of sound reduction as professionally made soundproof windows. Regardless of that, they're a very popular choice for many households. My Verdict Yes, they do. In my opinion, they’re an excellent choice for many situations, due to their effectiveness, affordableness and the fact that they're easy to hang. I live in an apartment next to a very busy road, with vehicles constantly speeding from both directions. It basically feels like living on an airport. I’ve been using soundproof curtains in my bedroom for a few months now, and the room has been far more peaceful and quiet than before. I’ll place another set of curtains on the remaining two windows in the apartment soon as well. How To Choose High Quality Soundproof Curtains The thing with “soundproof” curtains is that the term is used for just about any curtain that is a bit thicker than usual. It’s a marketing trick similar to a box of cereal that is “imbued with vitamins and minerals”, when in fact it’s no different than the regular cereal. A REAL soundproof curtain is thick, tightly woven, and it’s fairly long and wide. In fact, the wider and longer it is, the better. Of course, you need to think of the aesthetic component as well. But in order for a soundproof curtain to be effective at deadening the noise, it should seal as much space as possible. So an ideal curtain will go from the ceiling to the floor, and a few inches past both sides of the window. There are three soundproof curtains I recommend: Best Home Fashion Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtains (the ones that I use in my bedroom) Fashion Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtains NICETOWN Blackout Curtains All 3 of these curtains have over 3000 positive customer reviews, and have been implemented successfully in various rooms and situations. Other than soundproofing qualities, another cool feature they have is thermal insulation. So they protect from both extreme heat and cold from the outside. I've noticed my bedroom has been significantly warmer this winter ever since I hanged the Blackout Curtains. I can't vouch for the other two options, but based on mutiple reviews they're pretty good in that department as well. Three ways you can get better sound reduction: Buy FOUR panels instead of just two for each window. It’s all about the density really. Density destroys sound, and the denser your curtains are the better the results will be. Get LONGER curtains that go all the way from the floor to the ceiling. They tend to look better as well. Use ceiling mount curtain brackets. By using these brackets instead of the regular ones, your curtain will be even closer to the ceiling, and will break down more of the sound before it gets to enter the room. There are a few other methods you can use as well. Some people use foam panels and cover the window with them completely. The reason why I don’t advise you to use this method is because it basically turns your window into a wall. It looks ugly, and it’s no longer functional. I believe it’s better to use the curtains and keep the functionality of the window intact. A Professional Curtain Solution The standard soundproof curtain is fairly inexpensive and works pretty well. But if you have a higher budget and want to take your window soundproofing to the next level, then check out Acousticurtains on Amazon. These aren’t cheap, but if you place them over the window together with the sound deadening curtains mentioned before, you can be sure that no sounds will bother you at all. Also, it’s still a cheaper solution than paying a thousand bucks for a soundproof window and additional half grand to get it installed by a professional. To Conclude A professional soundproof window is the optimal way to block any sounds coming into your room. But it’s quite expensive, and probably not worth it for most people. The soundproof curtains are an inexpensive DIY method that can save you a lot of money while providing an effective sound barrier, especially if you use the advice I’ve layed out in this article. I hope you’ll find this information helpful in creating a more peaceful and quiet environment in your home.