Every kitchen has at least one sink, which is one of the essential pieces of any setup. However, there are some kitchen sinks out there that are extremely noisy, even when not actively in use. It can drive some people nuts if they can’t get control of everything.
Fortunately, there are some solutions out there that actually work on soundproofing a kitchen sink. It can certainly be frustrating to try to live with annoying sounds, but it does not need to be the case.
Below is a look at some different ways to soundproof a kitchen sink and make it a little quieter overall. Some of it includes making some changes to the sink itself, while others are just some general tips on reducing sound overall.
All in all, people who have a noisy sink should find something that works for them so that they no longer have to deal with these issues.
1. Installing Mass Loaded Vinyl
For people who have done some type of soundproofing work in the past, they understand that Mass Loaded Vinyl (Amazon) is one of the best general materials out there. It can be used in so many different settings, and the kitchen sink is just another option.
The main reason why it works so well with the kitchen sink is that there is a lot of mass with this material, and it is also extremely flexible.
There are a lot of curves and tight corners with a kitchen sink, so being able to cover everything very close up makes sense. Having the material right up close to the sink and eliminating any gaps is the best way to kill all sounds.
The general rule for any noise issue is to kill the sound by adding as much mass as possible. MLV is a great way to do that, and it is not incredibly bulky. This helps with controlling anything from water dripping to utensils dropping into the sink.
If mass loaded vinyl sounds too great to be true, there is a slight drawback. It is pretty expensive, but with the kitchen sink, the good news is there is not a lot of material needed.
Most people want to try to cover everything underneath the sink, but if money is tight, just getting the bottom is going to be just fine. A person can decide to leave the side portions uncovered since they are not used as much.
How much is mass loaded vinyl needed for a kitchen sink? People usually can get by with just about 40 square feet to make everything work.
Most mass loaded vinyl is going to weigh about one pound per square foot, so keep that in mind that it is going to be pretty heavy. Obviously, the bigger the sink is in the kitchen, the more mass loaded vinyl a person needs to end up using.
The vast majority of people will be able to attach mass loaded vinyl by themselves, so a person can at least save on the installation process.
Make sure to clean the underside of the sink to begin with so that the adhesive sticks very well. Use the right type of strong adhesive so that the mass loaded vinyl stays in place.
Remember that since it is going on the underside, it does not need to be perfect with the application process. Just make sure to cover as much as possible, and try not to cover up the area for the drain pipe.
Below are a few other options besides mass loaded vinyl that work and pretty much the same way. A lot of the same rules apply, so jump back to this section if they are picked.
It is very important to make sure that the underside of the kitchen sink is as clean as possible, or it is brand new. The gluing process might only need to happen one time if done correctly.
Otherwise, a person might continuously have to find themselves re-applying glue and trying to keep everything stuck together.
2. Sound Deadening Mats
Anyone who has experienced trying to soundproof a car might recognize sound deadening mats from there. Indeed, the same material that is used for cars can also work for kitchen sink. The only difference is a little bit of customization is needed for people to pull this off.
The reason why people would go with a sound deadening mat over something like mass loaded vinyl mostly comes down to cost. It is much more affordable to use this option, and the difference in effectiveness is not really that much.
The first step is to make sure to find something big enough to cover a sink. Not all sound deadening mats are particularly significant, so do not just blindly buy something and hope for the best.
There is an opportunity to use two different ones and provide coverage for the sink, but that just makes it more complicated than it needs to be.
The only hole that needs cut in a sound deadening mat is for the drain pipe. Other than that, everything works pretty much the same as attaching mass loaded vinyl.
Make sure to use a very useful type of adhesive so that it stays on, even if some even comes with its own adhesive backing. The difference here is that in a car, this is usually used with gravity working in its favor.
When it is attached to a kitchen sink, gravity is working against it. Some people use the adhesive backing, as well as saw some additional glue to make everything stick.
My Self Adhesive Sound Deadening Mat Recommendation From Amazon!
3. Rubberized Spray
One undercoating that is very useful and quick to apply is a rubberized undercoating spray (Amazon). This works in a lot of ways like the other material added to the sinks, but since this is in spray form, people like the convenience factor overall.
Not only does this undercoating help with soundproofing, but it could help cut down on corrosion as well. People use this for anything from the kitchen to cars in some cases.
To make everything really work, it needs to be sprayed on very consistently so that there are no vulnerable areas.
A lot of the rubberized undercoating sprays out there are pretty affordable, and there is not much to the process of putting everything on.
Just make sure to use some type of coverage on the ground when spraying, because otherwise, it can stick to places that it should not.
Make sure that the spray is also allowed a proper amount of time to set before putting the sink back on. Otherwise, it could start to run, and gravity could play a role in how well it works.
4. Rubber Sheets
A rubber sheet for a kitchen sink is going to work and a lot of the same ways as the rubberized spray, although it compares more closely to mass loaded vinyl.
Some people use this material because they understand that it can help fight corrosion, but it also helps out as a pretty affordable way to kill the sound.
The application process is pretty much the exact same as any other sheet mentioned in this list, which is why there is no reason to go over that again. By applying it to the bottom of the kitchen sink, people are going to find that it does a pretty solid job overall.
The one cool thing about using rubber sheets is that a person can either purchase them from a store, or use the leftover scraps they might already have at home.
For example, anything that is leftover from roofing, or even an old tire tube, can be used as a rubber sheet. There is nothing special about this, other than it is mass that is going to absorb sound associated with a kitchen sink.
5. Purchase The Right Kitchen Sink
Metal sinks are going to be noisier than other options out there, so stay away from them if sound is a significant issue. Nobody should have to deal with a lot of sound from drips, all the way to dropping in dishes and utensils.
The best material out there to use as far as something affordable is concerned is a granite sink (Amazon). It is going to look pretty nice, and most people will be able to fit it into their budget.
Ceramic kitchen sinks are also very quiet, but they are not going to be nearly as affordable as granite options. People who have a budget like the way that they stay extremely quiet, but it is not for everyone.
The reason why people go with metal sinks is that they are pretty inexpensive, so people live with the fact that they are noisy as well.
Some already come with treatment for noise reduction, so go with that option if a person does not want to do everything themselves.
Most of these sinks will come with some type of coating on the underside, and it saves a lot of time later on for people to put in.
6. Sink Set Up
Some people love the look of sinks that have two basins in one unit, but this is an excellent way for things to be extremely noisy.
That is because there is a little bit of space in between the two underneath, and this can create an echo chamber. To cut that down, put some type of mass in between to help out a little.
A foam spray is one option, and some type of mass loaded vinyl might make sense as well. It might be a little tricky to get it to stick with glue, but it is a solution if nothing else works.
Remember that anything that is put on the sink underneath is going to always be fighting the battle with gravity. Everything needs to be attached pretty solidly to hold up over time. If a person decides to just try to hope for the best, it is likely going to slip at some point.
7. Faucet Positioning
If the sound of water dripping is a huge problem, one way is to mess with the faucet positioning so that it does not make an impact on the bottom of the sink.
Some people are just going to have to deal with a kitchen sink that drips ever so slightly, and that is pretty annoying in itself. To make matters worse, it could be making a noise that frustrates people, and a simple switch will fix that.
If there is no good place for the water to drip, try to put something in the sink that will kill the sound. For example, placing the drain plug underneath the faucet will make sure that it makes much less sound when there is a drip.
It is not a perfect solution, and it is probably worth getting the drip fixed in the first place, but it is something to keep in mind.
8. Kitchen Sink Liner
The final option out there for people to consider that might make sense is to go with some type of kitchen sink liner.
These liners are usually made of a very soft material that people can drop everything into without having much worry whatsoever. Maybe a person wants to protect their sink overall, or they just do not want to deal with any type of noise.
The good thing about these liners is that they are pretty affordable, and that means they can be switched out fairly frequently. People do not have to use the same liner all the time, and it is much easier to replace them than to replace the sink itself.
Maybe the only bad news with a kitchen sink liner is that a person can’t show off the look of their sink overall. It is not for everyone, but plenty of people have been able to turn to this and keep things down quite a bit.
How Much Of An Impact Will Soundproofing A Kitchen Sink Make?
All the solutions above are great for a pretty significant impact on killing sound with kitchen sinks. Maybe people are still going to notice some type of sound that frustrates them, but not to the point that they are going nuts.
The last thing people want to do is deal with a noise that just irritates them all the time, and they are unable to get anything done as far as productivity is concerned.
There is always going to be a little bit of noise with any type of sink, but anything that is too distracting is still going to be a pretty big problem.
Do not be too afraid to make some changes and see what works. Maybe it is not worth jumping into using mass loaded vinyl underneath right away, but it is probably the best solution out there that is permanent and discreet.