Just about any room could benefit from some level of sound deadening. Whether it is exterior noise, interior noise, or any other type of disturbance for that matter, room acoustics can make life a little more pleasant for everyone.
The problem is, leveling up the acoustics in a room can sometimes get very expensive. There are many people who would like to have some of the benefits, but do not feel like spending a ton of money to get to a certain level.
Fortunately, some options are pretty affordable, and they can make a big difference without breaking the bank.
Looking for the best value out there as far as sound deadening products are concerned? These are a few products worth checking out depending on what you needs. They are all pretty easy to install and helps people avoid having to hire a professional to take care of business.
What Makes a Room Noisy In The First Place?
One of the best ways to control echo within a room is to understand where sounds are coming from in the first place.
Most of the sound is going to come from one of three locations, and it makes sense to examine them all.
Sounds Source
Sound can often come from one specific source for people to try to handle. For example, a television that is playing noise, an instrument, or even a road outside with a lot of traffic.
If the sound is coming from one specific spot, concealing the sound as much as possible will cut down on any other problems with that sound.
It does not take a ton of troubleshooting to identify the source of the sound. With affordable soundproofing solutions, I can also utilize a trial and error approach. If the sound source is seemingly identified, try a particular placement out.
Entry Point
When the sound enters a room, this is known as the entry point. Depending on how a room is set up, this can either be the point that is adjacent to the source, or filling up an entire side of a wall.
If sounds are coming from the outside, it generally means that it is going to look for more vulnerable areas to keep through. For example, exterior windows are a great entry point for sound in a lot of ways.
Reflection Point
Getting into a space is one thing, but there is also the problem of sound reflecting once it enters. There is an angle entry that is a straight line, which means it will bounce back-and-forth between the two, causing a lot of sounds.
Making sure that the reflection point is covered is an important step in soundproofing a room. It might take a little bit of messing around at first to get the right setup, but most people end up figuring it out on their own.
Looking for the best value overall? These are a few solutions that will help out considerably. Priced from low-cost options to more expensive solutions, they are all going to make an impact that will be noticeable from the very beginning.
1. Acoustic Foam
Many believe that Acoustic Foam (Amazon) is the best value out there for any single homeowner trying to get the best-sounding rooms.
Not only does it offer great sound reduction, but it works virtually anywhere and is priced extremely affordable ranging from around $15 to $40 for a pack of 12 foam panels.
There are some options out there that are better than others, but even the most expensive brands are still very affordable.
They might not be quite as effective as acoustic panels, but they are cheaper and more versatile. Those who are shopping around might use a combination of both, and they are both going to provide a good amount of value.
Since soundproofing acoustic foam is so prevalent these days, it is available in quite a few different colors for people to count on as well.
It makes it a little more aesthetically pleasing, which is excellent for people who might be hesitant to add this to their home in the first place. If it looks a little bit better, and also functions well, there is no doubt that it provides value.
The STC rating for acoustic foam panels is basically zero because it is not meant to block sound, they are meant to deaden the sound of a noisy environment.
2. Moving Blankets
Every single person should own at least a few moving blankets (Amazon) to use for one reason or another. They are very inexpensive, can go just about anywhere, and do not have to be up all the time.
This is great for people who need temporary soundproofing, or maybe they need to move it around if the sound source varies.
They might look a little unprofessional, but they are not meant to be a standout solution visually. With that said, there is quite a bit of variety when it comes to finding new types of blankets to use. Keep that in mind if deadening is something needed on a more permanent basis.
A lot of people might start with moving blankets and then graduate to something a bit stronger and with better soundproofing elements overall.
With that being said, they do a great job in providing value, and people should never gloss over having blankets around when needed.
You can buy a single moving blanket for around $15 but the best value is buying in bulk! A pack of 12 moving blankets will cost between $65 and $90!
Like the acoustic foam, the STC rating for moving blankets is erelevent since this is mo
3. Soundproof Curtains
Curtains (Amazon) are largely looked at as ways to keep light out, but these also help in cutting back on sound entering.
As many people realize, windows can be one of the most vulnerable areas for sound to come into a room and cause a disruption. The way to cut that down is to provide a barrier that can kill light and sound.
The thicker the window treatment, the better off they will be. It will NOT stop a lot of sound from coming in and causing a disturbance but can help with certain frequencies if the window is already thick and or insulated.
Thick curtains are also good at absorbing ambient noise floating around in the interior of the room and will in turn make the room sound better overall.
4. Sound Absorbing Rugs
Rugs (Amazon) can do a great job of absorbing sound inside a living area. For some, people are dealing with the sound that is coming from below.
A rug can help kill some of that sound, and it does not even look like any treatment was done whatsoever.
It is much easier to put something on top of the flooring instead of digging everything up and starting from scratch. Soundproofing a floor underneath is very time-consuming and expensive.
The great thing about rugs is that other materials can be stuffed underneath without causing any problems as well.
A thick pad will help mask the sound even more, and it could help on the other side of the floor as well. Sound can be noticeable from above, but it helps to cut that down quite a bit with an area rug.
Just like curtains, not all area rugs are necessarily marketed towards helping control sound. It can be a little challenging for some people to get exactly what they want in the beginning.
The good news is that there are so many options out there that someone can find something that works for them visually and from a sound-controlling perspective.
5. Furniture Rearrangement
Although not technically an investment, this is a very cheap and effective way to help soundproof a room.
It is likely not going to be the only solution a person needs to rely on, but just the same, it helps with the overall results.
The layout of a room can make a pretty big difference as far as sound is concerned. For the most part, if a person can strategically place furniture in areas to break up any sound causing a problem, it can help significantly.
Think about having enough upholstered furniture to help absorb vibrations, as a lot of flat surfaces can be counterproductive.
In fact, if a room is filled up with nothing but flat surfaces, the echo and vibration around a room whenever sound hits can be pretty tough to handle.
There is no reason to go out and purchase furniture solely for sound control, but keep in mind that additional softer surfaces will always be better.
Adding something like an accent chair or something similar can do more than provide one extra seat.
6. Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels are the more expensive options compared to acoustic foam, but a lot of people like the level of sound deadening it provides.
They are outstanding at absorbing all the unwanted sounds in a room, and it can hang on the wall like pieces of art to look aesthetically pleasing as well.
The good thing about installing acoustic panels is that most people can do this by themselves if they have a little bit of patience.
They are lightweight, and they are coming down in price as well. With several different colors and designs to choose from, people can pick out exactly what fits their needs and go from there.
Where is the best place to hang acoustic panels? To start, people need to place panels on the wall opposite of where the sound is coming from.
It is important to keep in mind that sound reflection is the same as light reflection, and it bounces back at angles equal to the incoming sound.
Yes, acoustic panels are a slight investment, but a lot of people still believe this is the best value pound for pound.
It makes the biggest impact, people feel like they need to do less everywhere else, and it can look like it is just part of the home’s decor in the first place.
7. Sound Deaden a Room Without Spending Anything?
Technically speaking, soundproofing a room will involve some level of investment. However, since a lot of people already have some materials around the home, they could theoretically soundproof a space for free.
A lot of it comes down to using existing blankets, or furniture that is already in the home. Other options include installing the right curtains and placing all the rugs possible on the ground.
Blankets will always be the most versatile option, as everyone has at least a few extras hanging around. The thicker the blankets, the better off they will be.
It might be a little challenging to get them to hang in the right spots, but people can get creative with that.
Location matters with existing material, as a person can always move around their furniture and rugs if necessary.
For example, if a rug is already down on the ground, but it is not covering a spot with a lot of sound issues, it is not doing a very good job.
Move it around and see the difference, and it is maybe just fine from a look perspective as well.
Furniture needs to be in areas that are causing sound problems, and most of the time, it is pretty easy to move around.
It might not be exactly the type of setup a person once in a particular room, but it is better in some cases to do their standard spend extra money.
Finally, try to control whatever sounds are actually controllable. If it is a TV causing many sound problems and it can be moved, move it around and see how much it helps.
Do not create a problem with sound inside a home if it can be avoided. It really does not take much effort at all to pull something like this off.
8. Deadening Sound With White Noise?
Sound deadening is always a solution for people looking to handle sound issues in a room, but some people can get by with a way to mask sound instead.
For example, background noise can help out, and it is very easy to invest in some quality background noise as well.
The most traditional options for this type of sound control include counting on sound machines, an air purifier, or even a fan.
Sound machines (Amazon) will do a great job of producing a lot of white noise or natural sounds, and overall it makes for a soothing area.
Obviously, this is more for people who want everything to be close to silent, as a sound machine will distract from something like watching a movie. However, it is a way to drown out the sound and not break the bank.
Air purifiers help not only with sound, but it cleans the air as well. Some people actually count on air purifiers so that they have better air to breathe, and they can provide value in a hidden way as well.
They make a little bit of noise, but nothing that is too distracting by any means.
Fans are probably the most accessible and most affordable option for those who do not want to deal with more annoying sounds.
Getting some airflow in a room helps, and it is distracted enough so that other sounds are not quite as noticeable.
For something that is as simple as plugging in and letting it run, this is something that has been used to help with sound for decades. It also just happens to be a great option to keep cool and the air moving around inside.
Cheap Sound Deadening Methods That do not Work?
Cheap sound deadening methods do exist, but there are some thoughts out there that just do not prove to be nearly as effective.
For example, there is this common belief that people can use egg boxes or cartons to stop echo in a room, but that has been proven time and time again that it does not help out.
The reason why an egg carton is not going to work is that they are too thin and flat to stop sound sund waves from bouncing around. Yes, they are very affordable and easy to put up, but they will not provide any real value.
An egg carton is helping to cut down on the echo of a room, but there are easier ways to do that with a product that also helps with soundproofing.
Having a combination of help with sound is always what will prove to be a selling point for many shoppers.
Another solution to stay away from is just adding any type of mass to help with sound deadening. While the general thought is that more mass means harder for sound travel through and is great for actual sound proofing, a flat or hard surface will not really help.
For example, adding something like wood to a wall is going to reflect noise pretty easily. It will not help with the overall acoustics in a room, which is ultimately what people are looking for.
Yes, less sound might be coming through the walls with added mass, but a hard and flat surface is not going to be beneficial overall.
Realistically, people should always be looking for something that is in between egg cartons and a hard, flat surface.
The material needs to be a little thicker than egg cartons to work, but it can’t be so hard that it produces any echo or other sound problems. As long as a person keeps all that in mind, they should be good to go.
Why Deadening Sound In a Room on a budget matters
Unwanted echos in a room is always annoying, but it is also a huge hindrance for people to spend a lot of money to control sound in general.
That is why for most people, it just makes sense to try cheaper options that help out enough to make things tolerable.
The fact of the matter is that very few people need to have the level of sound deadening found in a recording studio. A
s nice as that would be, it just does not make sense financially. There are very affordable options out there that actually work, and soundproofing is easy enough for people to do without hiring professionals to do everything for them.
Even if just one or two of the solutions actually makes sense for a room, it can still make a significant difference.