Concrete Pavers: Ideas, Inspiration and Information

Five Noise Dampening Strategies For Every Budget

2 February 2015 by Benjamin Rice

Unfortunately, the hustle and bustle of the city or a nearby highway can be overwhelming from an acoustic standpoint, but you don't have to leave your home and move to a remote corner of the outback to find quietude. With the right noise-reduction strategies, you can stay right where you are and enjoy a quieter existence. Regardless of your budget, if you are tired of excessive noise, here are five noise reduction, blocking and absorption strategies you should try:

1. Hang Fabric Acoustic Panels On Your Interior Walls

Fabric acoustical panels absorb sound from both inside and outside your home. By absorbing interior sounds, these panels stop sound waves from bouncing around your home and creating a cacophony. You can buy fabric panels made just for this purpose, and you can have them printed with any design, including your favourite photograph. However, if you cannot afford fabric noise panels, you can simulate the same effect by hanging blankets on the walls or by lining your walls with bookcases.

2. Install A Precast Concrete Sound Wall

This method is particularly effective for people who live in the country near a loud busy road or for people who live on large plots of land in the city. In one study, the use of the right materials in the concrete were even shown to be effective at reducing train noises.

You can have these walls designed in almost any colour or style you wish, Additionally, precast concrete walls can be built to reflect noise, but if you use porous concrete, they can effectively absorb noise instead of reflecting it. Talk with your precast concrete contractor about which strategy is right for your area. If you cannot afford to have a wall commissioned, plant thick hedges around your property to absorb sound.

If you do not have your own plot of land but you are craving quiet, make sure that you only live in areas with sound barriers. For instance, if you are moving to a new flat by the highway, make sure that you choose an apartment block in a neighbourhood that is surrounded by a precast concrete sound wall.  

3. Lay Noise-Reducing Flooring

Noise bounces off of and travels through hard flooring options. To absorb noise, choose soft flooring options. Carpet with thick pads is the most effective at noise reduction, but if you prefer hardwood floors, you can use cork or a floating hardwood floor.

Because it is softer than most traditional wood floors, cork absorbs sounds almost as well as carpeting. Floating hardwood floors, in contrast, can be made with almost any type of wood, but rather than attaching the wood directly to the floor, this type of flooring fits together and then "floats" a few inches above the subfloor. This creates a cushion of air that traps sound.

4. Make Sure Your Windows Are Well Sealed

You probably know how big of any impact drafty windows can have on your utility bills, but did you know that unsealed windows can also let in a lot of sound waves. Stop those sound waves from entering your home uninvited by ensuring your windows are well sealed. Ideally, this means replacing your windows, but simply placing caulk in all of the crevices can also be effective. You can further dampen the sound by hanging thick, fabric curtains or drapes over your windows.

5. Replace Hollow Doors With Heavy Wooden Doors

Sometime, the noisy culprits travel right through your front door and into your home. To keep noise outside, consider replacing your doors with a solid wood ones. This strategy works for both exterior and interior doors. To see if you have a hollow-core door, knock on it. If you hear a light echo, the door is basically hollow.

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