Your bedroom is your sanctuary.
It’s a place to unwind, relax, and recover from hard days and long nights.
But with noisy neighbors, busy streets, or family members on different schedules, your bedroom might not be so tranquil.
If sounds from next door or the next floor distract you from work, sleep, or binging your favorite show, try these tips on soundproofing a bedroom.
- How To Soundproof A Door
- How To Soundproof Floors
- How To Soundproof Your Walls
- How To Soundproof Your Ceiling
- How To Soundproof Your Windows
- Rearrange Furniture
How To Soundproof a Door
Whether you’re a young professional living in the city with noisy roommates or a parent trying to raise roommates that are rowdy, soundproofing your bedroom door is a simple way to reduce incoming noise.
Door Density
One foolproof way to soundproof your bedroom is by installing a thicker door, as most doors are either hollow or made from relatively thin materials that easily carry sound.
According to snoringsource.com, a thick, slab-style door can cost at least $200-$300.
If you’re looking for a more DIY soundproofing solution, buy some mass-loaded vinyl (MLV), acoustic panels, or fiberglass sheets and attach them to the room side of the door.
Seal the Gap
Most sounds creep into your bedroom through the gaps under, above, and around your door.
Bobvila.com suggests covering these spaces with rubber weatherstripping, a draft stopper, a wraparound door sweep, or acoustic sealant to reduce airflow and sound.
Bonus Tip: If you have an exterior balcony with glass doors, you can also hang heavy curtains to help block exterior sounds.
How To Soundproof Floors
Got creaky floors or loud downstairs neighbors?
Here are a few DIY ways you can soundproof your floors without major renovations.
Install Thicker Carpets and Rugs
If you’re already installing carpet or looking to replace your current carpeting, selecting thick carpeting and underpad can help muffle the sounds from heavy footfalls and clicking paws.
If you have hardwood floors in your home and aren’t looking to replace them (or can’t), thick rugs are your best substitute, according to hunker.com.
Placing a thick pad under the rug provides further sound dampening.
Bonus Tip: You can install soundproofing underlayment to improve sound absorption under carpet, hardwood, or laminate flooring.
How To Soundproof Your Walls
Tired of outside traffic and noise from your next-door neighbors seeping into your bedroom?
Try out these DIY soundproofing tips for your bedroom walls.
Wall Hangings
Hanging any sort of soft material on your walls will help limit incoming and outgoing sounds.
Popularmechanics.com suggests using larger pieces like blankets and moving pads to absorb the sound.
If you’re looking for more stylish pieces, try decorative quilts, tapestries, and canvas paintings.
These items trade increased sound absorption for visual appeal, but every bit helps.
Acoustic Paneling & Foam
Acoustic paneling and foam come in a variety of designs and styles.
Used in recording booths for its sound absorption, tommorowsleep.com lists foam paneling as the perfect tool for bedroom soundproofing on a budget.
And with a wide variety of art-quality panels, you won’t have to sacrifice design or space.
Courtesy of urbanoutfitters.com on Pinterest
How To Soundproof Your Ceiling?
Are the footsteps of your above-floor neighbors making a lot of noise?
Soundproofexpert.com recommends installing acoustic or mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) panels on your ceiling to absorb sounds.
For a more eccentric design, hang a bedroom canopy from the ceiling.
This reduces the sounds bouncing toward you while adding a cozy ambiance.
Courtesy of ikea.com on Pinterest
How To Soundproof Your Windows
Double-or triple-pane windows are already fairly soundproof.
However, older houses with single-panes don’t block as much sound.
Regardless of the type of windows, these tips will help block exterior sound.
Seal the windows
TheSpruce suggests using transparent window inserts, plugs, and weather stripping to seal any openings around your window frame.
Some window inserts sit within your existing window frame, while others add an additional layer of transparent material over your window.
Other inserts are designed to quickly pop out when they aren’t needed, making it convenient to open the window.
This helps reduce the amount of exterior sound from entering your bedroom.
Curtains
Acoustic curtains for an average-size window can weigh 15 pounds and lie flat against the wall or window trim, according to impressiveinteriordesign.com.
They can block and reflect exterior sound from entering your bedroom.
The right pair of acoustic curtains can also act as blackout curtains, keeping your bedroom quiet and dark.
Rearrange Furniture
A simple rearrangement of your furniture can help soundproof your bedroom.
Architecturaldigest.com suggests positioning heavier items like dressers and bookcases against the walls to absorb exterior sounds, muffling them as they move through the wall.
Upholstered items such as a sofa, headboard, or chair will muffle noise inside your room. Placing a fabric lampshade on your bedside table or dresser will also absorb some sounds.
Bonus Tip: Add a white noise machine to help drown out additional sounds.
Sound Off
The more densely populated your neighborhood, the more sounds you’ll be exposed to, but that doesn’t mean you need to invest in a pair of earplugs.
Hopefully, this guide helped restore some peace and quiet to your bedroom.
Let us know which tips help you the most in the comments below.