If noise is driving you mad, worry no more! Quiet days and nights are in your future if you use these tips and tricks to soundproof any room in your home or apartment. No hammer or handyman required!

Wall art

One of the easiest ways to soundproof a room is by covering the walls with art. There are many different kinds of art that work well for soundproofing purposes. A framed painting would be ideal – even better would be a gallery wall.

Related Post: How To Make a Stunning Gallery Wall

We may be biased, but we love using Everline Art to make our rooms look stunning (and block out noise). It would be best to use materials like canvas or paper mache so that they absorb the most amount of noise. You could also use tapestries or macrame.

Soundproof wallpaper

Soundproof wallpaper is a cost-effective way to soundproof a room. It’s usually a thin layer of material that absorbs sound and can be installed over any surface, including drywall, wood or glass. The best part is that it’s easy to install!

Soundproofed walls can be made with different types of materials; the most common is an acoustical cloth (also known as mass loaded vinyl or MLV). This type of material has tiny pockets in it that absorb sound waves and reduce the amount that gets through from one side of the wall to another. The more pockets there are per square foot, the better at absorbing sound it will be.

If you’re looking for something inexpensive but effective at reducing reverberations within your home without having any impact on its aesthetic appeal then this might just be right up your alley! Thankfully, you can find very affordable (and aesthetically pleasing) sound absorbent wallpaper that sticks on and peels off (renters rejoice!).

A popular trend for soundproofing walls is using faux brick panels that stick on and peel off. They’re affordable and work so well, you could practically turn your living room into your podcast studio!

Acoustic panels

Acoustic panels are an easy, affordable way to soundproof a room – this method is used for keeping the noise in the room. These products work by absorbing sound waves and preventing them from bouncing back into the room. This is a great option if the sound is coming from your kids’ playroom, a media room, or a room where someone plays an instrument. The panels would be installed in the room where the noise is, so the sound stays in the room – not into your room while you’re trying to read or work.

When you hear “acoustic panels,” you probably think of those black, foamy panels that look like egg cartons, right? Well, it’s 2022, baby! They’ve since upgraded acoustic panels and now they look like works of art! You can find affordable panels that also happen to look gorgeous!

Bookcase

This is your excuse to go thrifting to find a large bookcase and put all of your books on the shelves. The more, the better! The wood bookcase itself doesn’t necessarily block a lot of noise (although it certainly helps), but the books absorb most of the noise. Maybe that’s why libraries are so quiet…

Soft Furniture Placed Strategically

You can use furniture to create a sound barrier. The best way to do this is to place a row of chairs, your couch, or bookshelves along the wall that’s affected by noise. This is especially useful if you have a small space and want to reduce the amount of noise coming into your room.

Related Post: 14 Easy Tips to Make Small Rooms Look and Feel Bigger

Another tip to consider is to use soft furniture. Furniture with soft, puffy cushions absorb the most amount of sound. If your furniture happens to be hard, like wooden chairs or iron tables, that’s not a problem. Pillows and blankets will do the job!

Layered Rugs or Mats

Carpeting is one of the best barriers against noise, but it’s not the easiest to install on your own. So if you don’t want to install carpet in order to soundproof a room, or you have beautiful hardwood floors you want to keep exposed, there are a couple of options for you.

Placing a carpet on top of another carpet isn’t extremely common in homes yet (I personally think it is a major upcoming trend), but it’s a useful trick for noise reduction. Not only does it block more noise, it also elevates your room aesthetically. If you’re not a fan of layered rugs, consider using thick felt or a pad under one large rug, so only the top rug is visible.

Door sweeps

Door sweeps are rubber or foam strips that fit into the bottom of a door frame. Door sweeps work by preventing sound from escaping through the bottom of your doors, which is where most thin doors have a large gap between them and their frames because they’re not properly weatherstripped.

You can find “instant” door sweeps that come preinstalled on plastic strips that slide over existing thresholds so you don’t have to measure anything at all. Easy peasy!

Window inserts

Soundproof a room by blocking noise from entering through the windows using window inserts. They’re great to use because they don’t require any major alterations. They’re relatively inexpensive and easy to install, so they’re perfect for DIYers looking to save some cash on soundproofing.

First, you’ll want to measure the width of your window frames and select window inserts that will fit into them perfectly. Then, you can install them with some adhesive tape. It’s hard to imagine making windows soundproof without some type of construction or a professional installer, but I assure you, it can be done with these window inserts!

Thick curtains

Thick curtains surprisingly block out a lot of noise from outside. You can find many types of curtains that are affordable – just be sure to buy heavier, tightly-woven fabrics like vinyl, velvet, or jacquard. If you still want a light and airy feeling in your room, you can certainly have one layer of lace curtains, paired with a heavier fabric curtain.

Drown Out The Noise

Ok, so you’ve tried to soundproof a room by installing door sweeps, hanging artwork, and layering your carpets, but you’re still bothered by noise?! Time to resort to covering the noise up with something else. While we all wish we could have peace and quiet without adding anything, sometimes it’s just not possible.

Funny coincidence: I’m literally writing this as drilling is happening next door – do they know I’m writing a post about soundproofing?! Turning my music up all the way!

When nothing else works, here’s what we can do:

• White Noise: My favorite way of covering up noise is by using a fan (level 3, please!). It’s also great because it doesn’t require a lot of energy like an air-conditioner. There are also lots of great white noise apps you can download on your phone (or find white noise videos on YouTube).
• Music: Bust out your old records or favorite Spotify playlist and play some tunes. Music covers up noise, but can also lift your spirits and get you out of a negative mood that the noise may have put you in. Apple’s AirPod Pros have a noise cancelling feature, and I can attest that they work wonderfully (I can barely hear the drilling now!).
• Fountain: Nothing calms us down more than the sound of trickling water. Maybe it’s not the loudest option to cover up annoying noise, but it will definitely cover up some of it and calm the nerves at the same time.
• Earplugs: The last resort… You’ve tried all the options and still hear that barking dog driving you nuts? Time to get some earplugs and stop the noise from entering your ears.

Peace and quiet

When it comes to noise disrupting your sleep or quiet time, I feel for you. I hope these tips can bring you some peace and quiet! If they don’t, maybe it’s time to move?! Joking aside, these tricks to soundproof a room should block out the majority, if not all, the noise that’s disrupting you. Time to take a well-deserved nap!