How to Soundproof a Door With Blankets – Top 2 Options & 2 Alternatives

As you’re already aware, a lot of noise can easily pass through doors. That’s especially true if the door is hollow and the volume of sound is high. But even ordinary sounds like people talking in the other room can pass through weaker interior doors.

Many people decide to attach blankets to their doors in order to block noise. Unfortunately, ordinary blankets don’t make any difference in terms of blocking sound. At best, standard blankets will reduce the echo in the room and improve acoustics.

If you’re a podcaster or an amateur musician, this method can be useful. But for regular people who simply want to have more privacy in their home and block sound disturbances, there are better options. I’m talking about specialized blankets that are used for soundproofing.

In this article I’ll share information on 2 specialized blankets, and 2 ways you can use them. I will also share with you 2 other types of soundproofing materials you can use to soundproof your door effectively.

1. Singer Quilted Fiberglass Blanket

This blanket is the best if you’re trying to block all types of noise, including low frequency ones like drum bass. It’s really useful for drum rooms, laundry rooms, server rooms and all other places where there are a lot of low-frequency sounds and vibrations.

The dimensions of this fiberglass blanket are 8 x 4 feet, and it’s 2 inches thick. You can easily cut it to size using a knife or scissors in order to match the size of your door. Once you’ve done that, use tacks or a spray adhesive to attach it to the door.

Another way to use this blanket is by installing hooks with anchors above the door and then hanging the blanket from the hooks. Since the blanket has grommets on top and on the sides, a curtain rod can also be used. Suffice to say that it can be used for doors and windows as well, so it’s a really practical and effective soundproofing tool.

This blanket has been selling like crazy lately, and you need to have some luck on your side to find it available. I can’t guarantee that it will be available at the time you’re reading this article. You can check out if it is, along with the price and customer reviews on Amazon by clicking here.

2. Thick Moving Blankets

Thick moving blankets can also be used for soundproofing a door.

Don’t expect the same quality as you would get from a fiberglass blanket when it comes to lower frequencies though. But as far as medium and high frequency sounds are concerned, which is probably the only noise you’re dealing with anyway, moving blankets are a great solution. Also, they’re a lot cheaper than the fiberglass blanket.

With moving blankets, I suggest cutting them to size and using tacks or a spray adhesive to install directly on the door. I’m using plural, because you’ll need 2 or 3 layers to see a significant reduction in noise.

That’s all there is to it. I recommend getting these blankets because they’re large, heavy and thick enough to block regular noise. They’re made from padded virgin cotton batting and polyester binding.

Those are the blankets that I’m confident in recommending. But I’d like to mention two more ways that you can soundproof your door:

Alternative 1: Fiberglass panels

Fiberglass panels are equally effective as the fiberglass blanket. The only difference is the convenience of use.

Fiberglass blanket has the advantage that it can be hanged from hooks or a curtain rod, and it can be reused on windows and other doors more easily if hanged. But fiberglass panels look better on the door and they’re less expensive.

To install fiberglass panels on the door you can use a regular spray adhesive like 3M General Purpose Spray on the door and then stick the panels on the surface. Or you can spray the adhesive on the back of the panels and then place them on the door.

A cleaner way to install them is by using frame hanging strips. Use 1-2 strips on the back of the panel and then place it on the door. This way it will be easier to remove the panels and reuse them later. Also, the surface of the door won’t suffer any damage.

There are dozens of different fiberglass panels you can buy. The features you should be interested in are the thickness, the price and the design. I recommend using the panels pictured above. They’re 2 inches thick, fairly big and there are 38 colors to choose from. You can check out the price and other details on Amazon by clicking here.

Alternative 2: Noise-blocking drapes

Noise-blocking drapes are equally effective for soundproofing doors and windows. They’re more often used for windows and patio doors, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t soundproof any door in your home by attaching a curtain rod and hanging the drapes from one or both sides of the door.

These type of drapes are really thick and heavy, and they work well for sound and thermal insulation. Their effectiveness as far as sound insulation is similar to moving blankets. Don’t expect them to block bass noise and similar structure-borne sounds. But for people talking, yelling, music or traffic noise they work well.

The more of the area you can cover, the better soundproofing results you’ll get. Covering the door frame and the wall around it can also be useful, so I recommend getting large and long drapes.

There are two types of noise-blocking drapes of available – the really wide 1 panel drapes, and 2 panel ones. There’s very little difference between the two, and if you decide to use this option, get the ones you like best.

I personally think that wide one panel drapes look better for doors. These ones fit the bill in terms of all the important features; thickness, length, width and design. There is also a variety of sizes and colors to choose from.

#1 Soundproofing Tip that you MUST Implement

Regardless of which of these 4 options you choose, you must cover all the gaps and cracks around the door. It goes without saying that you should patch any holes in the door itself if there are any. But usually the only areas you need to deal with are located:

• between the door and the door frame
• underneath the door

To cover the first gap, cover the inside of the door frame all around using self-adhesive weatherstripping tape. Once you’ve done that, you’ll notice that when you close the door it will create a seal with the door frame. You can use the remaining weatherstripping tape on other doors and windows to reduce noise and increase thermal insulation.

For the gap under the door, attach a silicone door sweep to the lower part of the door from one side. This door sweep is the one I always recommend because it’s cheap, effective and easy to install. It has a self-adhesive side so you can stick it to the door, without having to use any screws, nails and other things.

Having said that, I hope you’ve found this information helpful, and feel free to browse all the other content on the website.