Working in a call center can be stressful enough without having to worry about the noise around you affecting the quality of the call. If you’re inside an old office building, the noise control might not be the best, but there are many different ways to adjust to a loud call center. In this article, I will talk about how to reduce noise in a call center and help you have a more peaceful workday inside a noisy call center.

A couple of answers out of the 32 listed below on how to reduce noise in a call center are by having the rule to manage a call center like a library. Also, using workplace plants to absorb some of the sounds from one caller to another can be very beneficial.

One thing I need to say is that I’ve never worked in a call center. So to gather all this information I asked the question about “How to reduce noise in a call center” in a Reddit community. The answers they gave me are from real people that work in a call center environment. Things You Can Do Right Away to Help You Deal With a Loud Call Center

Noise is an actual problem in numerous call centers. So what possible remedies can we offer?

1 – Train Your Agents to Keep Their Voice Down

Agents have to be aware of their fellow representatives when talking on the phone.

In training as well as in practice, repeat the message that it is necessary to keep a low degree tone of voice. The agents don’t have to whisper necessarily, but if an agent has to talk to someone, it is best to go to their cubicle instead of talking over the dividers.

2 – Minimize Staffing Density

Among the most effective yet expensive options is to decrease the number of operators. If the operators are packed in a room like sardines, then it will be much louder and much more difficult to concentrate on your calls.

Ideally, you should have more than 120 square feet each agent. This must provide individuals even more area to take a breath and make the call center an extra loosened up atmosphere.

3 – Incorporate White Noise devices In the Call Center

You could mount white noise machines. These devices help develop synthetic degrees of background noise and also mask the extra interfering noises that could distract or make it difficult to hear what the agents are talking about.

“This allows personnel to hear customers much more plainly without being sidetracked by the general sounds of daily phone call center pressure,” explains a Reddit commenter.

The commentator is seasoned phone call center manager and an advocate of this technique: “I utilize this white noise as well as it truly helps to concentrate on your own voice and also stays clear of the consumer hearing all the background noise.”

Echo canceling devices could additionally be set up. There is even some white noise system that can be adjusted based on the call volume in call centers. That’s something to look into. Here is an Amazon link for adjustable white noise machines that might help.

4 – Return to Having Cubicles as Individual Working Area

Taking down the partitions can cause an open-plan feel and look, it moreover makes the background noise boost. Cubicles supply first acoustic baffles, along with providing a degree of personal privacy.

Noise-reducing foam can be set up with each workstation as well as enhancing the range between the siting of agents will most definitely help in reducing the noise level.

5 – Place All Loud Devices In a Separate Room

Sitting in front of a copy machine that is frequently beeping to educate you it is out of paper would irritate the calmest person. The very same could be said concerning the coffee maker or water dispenser. So consider your phone call center layout. Take into consideration positioning all office devices at the rear of the office or in one more room so no one can listen to these annoying and loud audios.

6 – Don’t Hold Meetings Alongside The Call Center Agents

Splitting up is additionally useful in the call center atmosphere. It’s a good idea to establish separate conference rooms for all team conferences, both major and one on ones.

As one Reddit commenter acknowledged “It appears that unnecessary talking between staff members as they meet in the corridor can truly aggravate others on the telephone, so take all discussions right into another space.”

7 – Treat the Call Center As a Library

One of the Reddit responders said that a few years back they visited the quietest call center they ever stood foot in. Their call center (for high-end server support) felt much more like a library.

On tour, they were asked to keep quiet or murmur (practically in whispers). “Our assistance specialists require it to be peaceful to be able to focus on addressing the clients’ technological issues.”– How revitalizing!

8 – Have an Internal Webchat System Available

Make an internal webchat for the employees and supervisors available. A set up such as an internal group or private chat would undoubtedly put an end to shouting across the room or rising to talk to the supervisor.

If you have an “Intranet” set up, then you can indeed have an IT person look into providing an internal chat for your call center.

9 – Soft and Silent

Bouncing acoustic waves off hard wall surfaces as well as wooden floorings will undoubtedly raise the sound levels in your workplace by a substantial quantity. Replace wood floor or cover with carpet and also present some plants to assist by soaking up ambient sound.

Call centers could likewise decrease noise by including sound-absorbing material in between agents or on floorings and wall surfaces. This can reduce the influence of adjoining discussions on their capacity to hear customers.

You could use acoustic panels in the furnishings, strong carpetings, blinds and also ceiling absorber panels.

10 – Use Plants to Absorb Noise In a Call Center

Using big plants in the office can help to disperse sound. The Yucca and also the Cheese Plant come to mind. Don’t overdo it though; you don’t want the call center looking like the tropics.

Make sure that you have someone to water the plants.

11 – Inhibit Representatives From Holding Discussions Behind Functioning Agents

We instruct our team never to hold a ‘conversation’ behind any agents on the phones. Firstly, it’s rude, and secondly, it distracts the working agent from efficiently doing their work.

A loud call center offers customers an understanding that it is not a specialist organization. It just makes the call center sound like there’s a cluster F*** going on in the background.

12 – Use a Two Ear Headset

Call centers are busy and noisy settings. Regularly getting on the phone can be quite challenging as you can hear the commotion around you.

A duo (binaural) headset is especially good as it lowers the noise around you; and also guarantees a crystal clear conversation. When utilizing a duo headset, the sound directs into both ears of the operator on the telephone.

Staff members will entirely focus on calls. They will also not try to speak louder to hear the customers on the other end of the line.

13 – Encourage Your Agents to Transfer to a Different Location For Breaks

You can have rules in place where the call center agents need to leave their desks while on break. It’s suitable for noise control and also great for morale to have a change of scenery while on break. It would not be a bad idea to have a soundproof break room where the employees could play pool or sit in large comfortable chairs to relax while talking and drinking coffee.

You could additionally have deals with companies that deliver tasty treats like dark chocolate and homemade pastries. They could set up at the rear of the contact center, behind a soundproof wall surface, to ‘encourage’ representatives to move to that area.

14 – Noise-Canceling Headsets In Call Centers

Noise-canceling modern technology considerably lowers background noise, allowing for a crisp interaction between the representative and client.

However, the quality of the headset is likewise reasonably important. If you feel extra comfy with a headset in one ear, then make sure you get a headset with noise canceling ability.

Noise-canceling headsets will improve the consumer’s audio experience. The additional impact is that the basic sound level in your work environment will undoubtedly be lower.

Headset innovation has gone up significantly over the last couple of years; Integrating noise-canceling and wireless abilities, which can be vital in a call center.

15 – Raise the Volume of the Call Center Agent’s Own Voice Feedback

Raising the volume of the agent’s own voice feedback in their headset can aid in making the operator talk in a lower voice. At least this way they might realize that there is no need to speak so loudly.

Talking loudly is one symptom of a noisy call center. You’ve noticed when people talk on the phone in public they tend to speak louder than if they were in a secluded room? Well, this is the same thing because by hearing the background noise the person on the phone will try to compensate by talking louder when it’s not actually necessary.

16 – Ban All Types of Cellphones and Smartphones

Individual phones could additionally be a noisy nuisance. A cellphone buzzing on a work desk while the proprietor is out at lunch or in the conference room in a lengthy meeting can lead to a cell phone being “accidentally” dropped in a cup of hot coffee!

Carry out a policy that makes certain that all workers turn their phones off if they are away from their work desk. When the phones are away the ability to concentrate on work will rise significantly.

17 – Remember the “Noise At Word Act”

As well as always remember legal obligations also. Brought into effect in April 2006, the Noise At Work Act aims to protect staff members’ hearing in a workplace setting.

The law specifies that companies need to carry out safety measures to keep daily noise exposure below 85 decibels for their employees. It is essential to make sure adjustments are produced for an efficient and healthy and balanced workforce.

18 – Try Installing Acoustic Ceiling Tiles Instead of Standard Ceiling Tiles

There are acoustic ceiling tiles that you can invest in the call center instead of conventional ceiling tiles. Acoustic ceiling tiles will make a tremendous difference if you’re in a location where the building was built back in the sixties or seventies.

If you’re in the market to refurbish an old building, then acoustic ceiling tiles are indeed the way to go!

19 – Consider Carefully About the Games You Introduce for Break

It is essential to think about just what games you introduce the workers to while on break. Games like pool, shuffleboard and even video games can lower the stress level of the workforce.

On the other hand, it can add added stress to the other agents that are not on break. Keep in might how the games might affect the noise levels in the work area of the contact center. If you don’t have sufficient soundproofing in the break room, then make sure the activities they perform are less noisy.

20 – Place Artwork Canvasses on the Wall Surfaces

It’s not only essential to have acoustic noise absorbing ceiling tiles, but you should have things on the wall that also absorbs noise. Avoid having empty walls and consider placing some artwork to help alleviate the echo.

You can buy different artwork in bulk at places like Costco where you can purchase large paintings at reasonable prices.

21 – Separate Representatives with Glass Dividers

At number 6 I mentioned going back to cubicles, but one contributor from Reddit told me that at their call center they replaced their fabric dividers with glass dividers. He said that it made a world of difference. I will have to take his word for it because I’ve never worked in a cubicle in my life, glass or fabric.

He also said that it made the agents feel better because they did not feel so isolated behind a glass divider.

22 – Utilize a Collection of Doors and Also Corridors to Different Sections of the Call Center

Specific call centers are closed off from the lunch space and elevators by an array of doors and also passages. You should also stick a note on each door going into the call center that asks to keep their voices down.

23 – Earplug In the Open Ear

This one I thought of myself because I wear earplugs to bed. The type of earplugs I wear to bed is very comfortable. Consider placing a sponge a spongy and expanding earplug in the ear the does not contain the headset (obviously).

The single earplug will almost entirely drown out any background noise the agent heard while on a call. Worth a try and it is the cheapest “how to reduce noise in a contact center” tip on this list.

24 – Seat Same-Shift Agents With Each Other

Some call centers are open 24/7 so, where feasible, try seating same-shift telephone operators with each other in the same areas.

This will undoubtedly aid to minimize the noise levels at the end and the beginning of each shift. There will be a higher level of noise as individuals are starting or ending their work shift.

25 – Play Recordings Back to Noisy Agents!

Up until you show the loud culprit the evidence that they are too loud, they simply won’t accept that it is a strain for the people around them.

When representatives are creating a disturbance by being loud on the phone, play the recordings back to them. It might work!

Conclusion

So there you have it, after a few weeks of research I came up with this list of 25 ways on how to reduce noise in a call center. Background noise is a problem in most call centers and by utilizing some of these 25 tips, your work environment should begin to feel calmer and will, in turn, make you more relaxed, focus and productive.

I’ve lived in a rural area for most of my childhood life. One thing I can say about that is how quiet and peaceful it was. It’s an entirely different story now that I live in a suburban neighborhood. I can now hear everything that is going on around me for the most part. This article will focus on how to reduce noise in your backyard and try your best to soundproof a backyard.

Of course, you can’t “soundproof” a backyard. You can, however, certainly do many different things to reduce the noise coming from the other side of the fence, that is if you have one. Having a fence would undoubtedly be the place to start because if you don’t have a fence, you’re fighting a lost cause.

Best Home Fence to Install for Noise Abatement

The first step in your endeavor to reduce the noise coming into your backyard would be to install a fence. I’ve been researching all over the internet to find out what would be the best home fence to install for noise abatement.

The first step is choosing the right material to make the fence useful for noise reduction. You need first to identify what type of noise is coming into your yard and where it is coming from. Options for the fence would include cedar or redwood. You can also use steel sheeting, straw bales and rammed earth. But these are the materials that are less popular in densely populated residential areas.

You should not cut corners when it comes to the cost of a fence. The reason for that is because you will probably end up paying more money to fix the fence when it becomes useless for sound reduction.

Be wary of material that is primarily intended for indoor use. Make sure to ask questions about how durable the material is to weather. Climate factors like extreme heat and sun can in time degrade the material and impede its sound protection quality.

How to Build a Soundproof Fence?

Another factor when it comes to a soundproof fence is the hight of the fence itself. As I was researching, I found out from Noisehelp that a fence should be between twelve and fifteen feet high to block sound effectively. The rule of thumb here is the taller the fence, the more sound reduction you will achieve. I know that a fifteen-foot fence might be challenging to maintain and could also be an eyesore but when explicitly speaking of noise reduction, the taller, the better. Make sure the bylaws in your area allow for a tall fence. I know for a fact that not every city or municipality would allow for such a project.

Make a note of any irregularities with the terrain before either building a fence or hiring someone to build it for you.  Make sure the ground is level. Fill in the spots that might dip because the worst thing you can do regarding noise reduction in fencing is leaving gaps between the ground and the bottom of the fence. Your landscape will probably not be one hundred percent level so make sure to have this fixed before installing the soundproof fence. It is best to avoid this error because fixing this problem will be more costly once the fence is complete.

Once the fence is in place, make sure to inspect it on a regular base for gaps and holes. Many things can cause these gaps but small animals primarily the cause them. Don’t allow animals to use your fence as a shortcut because you’ll soon notice the soundproofing effectiveness diminish over time.

The video below shows an installation of a noise reducing fence specifically made for noise reduction. This is another option you could look into from a local dealer. 

Road Noise Reduction Fence Panelling

If you already have an existing fence and you don’t want to tear it down to install a soundproof fence, then you do have a few options. The first option I would mention would be to install noise reduction paneling on the existing fence to make it more noise resistant. Every little bit will help, just as long as there are no gaps in the fence to let the noise through. It’s a lost cause for soundproofing if there are gaps, so it should be the first thing you’ll want to fix before installing road noise reduction paneling.

The acoustical solution makes weather resistant outdoor noise reduction blankets to install on an existing fence. The blankets can also be useful in blocking the noise of individual appliances like an HVAC unite and pool pump.

These types of exterior grade absorber-barrier blankets are made in combination with a sound blanket that has a barrier backing, and an absorptive face to provide sound absorption as well as effectively block sound. Like it was mentioned above, the higher the fence, the better it will be to reduce the amount of noise coming into the backyard.

The video below talks about soundproof outdoor blankets.

Residential Acoustic Fencing

You can also install a residential acoustic fence to help block the noise coming from the road. This type of acoustic fence is made from pressure treated timber panels that are mounted to either steel posts or pressure treated timber posts. This type of material will significantly improve the lifespan of the fence.

Check out JPK Fencing Systems for all the information on this type of fencing and see if it is right for you and your budget.

Best Plants For Noise Reduction

Plants and shrubs can also be used to reduce the sound leaching into your backyard from the road. This type of backyard noise reduction is undoubtedly the most visually appealing. All parts of the plants will absorb the noise, but some plants work much better than others.

Some experts say that the best species of plants regarding noise reduction are species with many branches and thick leaves with thin petioles (leaf stems). Of course, plants will lose their effectiveness in the winter months as they lose their leaves. At least they will be nice and thick in the warmer months when you’re most likely to have your windows open. In warmer climates, however, these broadleaf evergreens can provide you with some sound absorption benefits for the entire year.

Organize the plants in a way that it resembles a hedge. You would need to space them, so there are no gaps that form to let the noise inside your backyard. Shrubs and Trees as a Noise Barrier Evergreen shrubs make the best plants for noise reduction because they will provide you with year-round effectiveness. The broader the leaves are, the more effective they will be to reduce noise.

One way to achieve this type of backyard noise reduction is by building a berm in the landscape and planting your trees or shrubs on top. Click this link from gardeningknowhow.com for a better explanation than I could give you! This website is an excellent resource for things you would want to build for your backyard. I might as well leave the explaining to the experts in this field.

What Type Of White Noise Can Help To Reduce Traffic Noise In A Backyard?

You would not need substantial speakers in your backyard to play a steady stream of white noise to be able to counter the racket you’re trying to hear no longer. Most noises that people complain about the most regarding a backyard is the sound of traffic.

The sound of water could be useful in hiding reasonably loud traffic noise; not just that but the noise of running water or a stream could be so relaxing and soothing.

Creating a flow or putting a fountain similar to this in your garden may produce something like the white noise in similar frequencies into those the traffic is causing.

The closeness of this noise is vital in cases like a backyard soundproofing. Well, these white noise contraptions will be a lot nearer to you than the traffic is, and thus they’d overtake the sound from the traffic you’re hearing.

It would be best if you were able to combine this technique with a different one, like a wall or any green leafs and bushed.

Backyard Noise Reduction Speakers

I saw this question pop up on Quora a few times, and I was interested to know if there was a type of backyard noise reduction speakers you could buy. As I was searching on Google and Amazon, I did notice that a lot of people were talking about it, but there were no speakers to be found.

The only speakers I could find that had the words “Noise Cancelling” in them were speakers made explicitly for CB radios. Some people did use these types of noise reduction speakers to reduce noise, but it was for tiny sitting areas. This would indeed not work for an entire backyard. If I’m wrong, please leave me a comment below so you can educate me. If there is such a thing as noise reduction speakers, I would be interested in trying it out for myself.

Click the link for more information on “noise canceling” from an article on enoisecontrol.com.

This article explains exactly how noise canceling technology works and the possibility of building a noise canceling set up for yourself.

Conclusion

I hope you found this “how to soundproof a backyard” article as informative as I did from researching the subject. I did learn that it indeed is not an easy task to reduce noise in your backyard. The most sound you want to cut will relate to how much money, and an eyesore you’re willing to endure.

Leave me a comment if you have anything to add or if you disagree with something said in this article.

If you’re thinking of soundproofing a wall in your home, what thickness wall boards will work best? The drywall thickness you apply on the wall will undoubtedly affect the level of soundproofing you’re going to acquire. In this article, I will discuss the difference between 5/8″ sheetrock vs. 1/2″ sheetrock and which one is best to soundproof a room.

Why is 5/8″ Sheetrock Better Than 1/2″ Sheetrock?

If you’re in the process of building or remodeling, you should consider installing 5/8″ wall boards on all walls and ceiling in your home.

Typically in the last 20 years or so most homes will have 1/2″ sheetrock on the walls and 5/8″ sheetrock on the ceilings. Of course, the reason some people use the 1/2″ and not the 5/8″ drywall on the walls is for cost savings, but I will be talking about the actual cost difference below.

Why Chose 5/8″ over 1/2″ Wall Boards on the Ceiling?

The reason most builders use 5/8″ sheetrock on the ceiling is that that thickness of sheetrock is much stiffer. Another reason to go with a 5/8″ on the ceiling is that you will greatly reduce the chance of the sheetrock bowing between the ceiling joist, especially if they’re on 24″ centers.

Of course, when you use a thicker product, you’ll have better soundproofing.

Why Installing 5/8″ Drywall on the Wall’s Better Than 1/2″ Drywall?

Like I mentioned, most homes these days will have the 5/8″ on the ceilings and 1/2″ sheetrock on the walls.

I’m a big fan of using 5/8″ wallboard everywhere in the house. The reason for my 5/8″ preference is because when we frame a house with traditional lumber (Although we use finger jointed lumber most of the time), the 5/8″ is much smoother sheetrock by making all the inconsistencies disappear.

All the inconsistencies between the studs are gone giving the walls a much better finish overall. Another reason the 5/8″ is better for soundproofing is the obvious, the thickness. More thickness means more mass and more mass means better soundproofing.

The 5/8″ is also more durable sheetrock versus the 1/2″ option.

Cost Difference Between 5/8″ and 1/2″ Sheetrock for an Entire House?

You’re probably wondering what the difference between the two different thickness of drywall would end up costing you if you decide to go ahead and install the 5/8″ throughout the house.

The cost difference is quite negligible, to say the least, especially when you consider the difference in quality and durability.

To give you an example, for a 2200 square foot home it cost roughly 300 dollars more to change from a 1/2″ to 5/8″ wallboard. You should ask your builder how much the upcharge would be to change from a 1/2″ sheetrock to a 5/8″ sheetrock throughout the house and not just the ceilings. The difference in price certainly pales in comparison with the difference in the overall finish of the walls.

Is 5/8″ Drywall Sheets Too Heavy to Handle Versus 1/2″ Drywall?

We’ve covered why the 5/8″ drywall is better in the finish and also has a better noise absorbing capabilities, are you now asking yourself if it’s too heavy to handle? Well, the answer to that is yes, and no.

Of course, the 5/8″ sheets of drywall will be much heavier than the 1/2,” but now you can buy a lighter 5/8″ sheetrock called USG UltraLight Firecode Tapered Edge Gypsum Board. You can find this type of drywall at your local home depot or by clicking this link.

USG Ultralight 5/8″ drywall was designed as a lightweight alternative to standard 5/8″ type X panels. The USG Ultralight is 30% lighter than the 5/8″ alternative (27 pounds to be exact) without sacrificing performance or appearance.

You can use these wallboards anywhere type X boards are not needed to reduce noise or act as fire resistance. You could use the standard 5/8″ drywall where you want a more soundproof room. And use the Ultralight for the rooms where noise reduction is not an issue.

Best Places to Use USG Ultralight 5/8″ Wallboard?

The Ultralight is optimized for non-rated and 30-minute fire partitions such as tenant improvement projects where nearly 80% of the walls do not require an hour-long fire rating.

The Ideal place to use the Ultralight boards versus the standard boards is for contractors that want to use 5/8″ wallboard instead of 1/2″ for improved strength and impact resistance especially in high-end custom homes and commercial construction on steel studs.

Ultralight wall boards are also an excellent choice in an office remodel as long as the partitions between the offices and the conference rooms do not need to be fire rated.

One thing to note if you’re a building contractor or if you’re building your own house, with the lighter drywall sheets, each person can install between three and five wallboards each day compared to the standard 5/8″ wallboard. That might seem small, but when you have a large crew working on a project, that number can add up and save a lot of time and in return, save money.

Conclusion

Let me know what type and thickness drywall you have in your home. Also your thoughts on the finish and quality and of course, the soundproofing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, I hope you learned something and that we see you revisit our website. Don’t forget to share with any friends or family you may know that would benefit from this information.

https://soundproofguide.com/soundproof-a-basement-ceiling-and-stairs/

How to Soundproof a Room For Under 50 Dollars That Actually Work!

Wouldnt it be nice to be able to listen to an audiobook while driving down the highway and actually be able to hear what the author is reading? Ok, fine Im a bit of a nerd when it comes to that. Most automakers these days are keeping the cost of their vehicles low in some respects by cutting some corners when it comes to less critical features. One of those features is noise reduction.  In this article, I will show you how you can reduce road and engine noise coming from the hood of your vehicle.

There are a lot of products that claim to be able to make an economy car sound like a luxury vehicle when it comes to sound dampening material. Many of them deliver, but which one?

I drive a one-ton box truck for work to haul all of my building materials. The engine is very noisy, especially while cruising at highway speeds. It’s a 2016 Ford 1 ton but looks and sounds like something from the 90s. I do like the V10 in it, but that would be where most of the noise issues begin. It’s a reliable engine, but it’s also very noisy while traveling 70 miles an hour.

What Should I Use For Sound Dampening the Hood of My Vehicle?

I was researching online and looking through Amazon reviews for something I could use, and that would also be inexpensive. I didn’t want to spend much more than $50, and I did find some excellent vehicle sound deadner that is just at the peak of my budget.

The vehicle sound dampening material that I chose is not a best seller on Amazon at the time of writing this article, But it does look promising and the people that bought it says that it works.

Uxcell Wave Studio Sound Acoustic Absorbing Heatproof Foam Deadener (Amazon link) is a product that works very well for this type of project.

The Wave Sound Deadener Liner has the same characteristics and noise insulation properties as rubber foam. Unlike polyurethane, It doesn’t absorb water & has no odor. It is also oil resistant which is perfect if you live in an area where vehicle oil base undercoating is the norm due to salt use on winter roads.

This type of material is perfect for all climates, especially in the hot climate areas.  It also works well in cold climates where it will not peel off when going from cold to warm with the engine on and then back to cold. The problem with most sound deadening material for cars is that its only heat resistant to an extent. For example, you should not use the popular Noico 80mil because it is not sufficient for the high amount of heat the engine emits compared to the Uxcell.

What I would suggest is if you want to treat your entire vehicle with sound dampening material is that you should use Uxcell Wave for the hood. Then use Noico 80 mil 36 sqft car Sound deadening mat (Amazon link), butyl automotive Sound Deadener, audio Noise Insulation and dampening for the rest of the vehicle.

How to Instal the Uxcell Wave Studio Heatproof Foam Deadner Under the Hood

First and foremost, the inside area of the hood of your vehicle needs to be clean, so the deadening mat sticks perfectly to the entire surface. The product’s effectiveness will become compromised if there are parts of the surface that are not touching the mat.

You need to clean the hood with a degreaser to make sure you there’s no dirt or grease left. You then apply the Uxcell sound deadening mat where there is bare metal.

Does Uxcell Wave Sound Deadening Mat Really Work?

Yes, it does. Some reviewers say that it exceeds expectations and does as good a job as the popular name brands at double the price. Most people use this product to soundproof their entire vehicle but with its high heat absorbing capabilities, its perfect for a sound deadner to use under the hood.

Conclusion

I hope you found this article useful. Please let me know if you used another product like this one to soundproof the hood of your vehicle. There are so many different sound dampening mats for cars that it’s sometimes difficult to know which one to buy.

How To Soundproof Your Car to Make Your Vehicle Quieter On The Road!

How to Soundproof Car Doors? Sound Deadening Car Doors That Works!

Have you ever wanted to buy a mini Sound Recording Booth for your voice over recordings; but didn’t want to spend too much money? In this articles, I will show how you can make a mini sound recording booth for under $20 that will work just as good as the real deal! Some also call this a microphone isolation box, in case you’re wondering.

Items You Will Need for Your Microphone Isolation Box

The first item you will need for this project is a box. It doesn’t matter what kind of box you use. I would recommend something sturdy and large enough to accommodate the interior insulation. The one I would choose is are the large Rubber or plastic tub/tote. You can buy those at your local Walmart for around five dollars.

To my surprise, I could not find an inexpensive rubber or plastic tote on Amazon. I saw a bunch of them at my local Walmart for around five dollars so I would suggest you look there for the best deal.  All the ones I saw on Amazon were about fifteen dollars and up. And it defeats the purpose of building an isolation box if you’re going to spend more money building versus buying a professionally made box.

Secondly, you will need some adhesive spray. I recommend Loctite multi-purpose spray adhesive from Amazon. The reason why I chose this particular adhesive is its easy application and the affordable price of approximately five dollars. You do not need any special acoustical glue for this project because you’re not “soundproofing”, you’re merely reducing the echo.

And finally, you will need some acoustic foam. I saw some people recommending a foam mattress pad. But I could not find one that was cheap enough to make it worth wild. You might have an old foam mattress pad you could use or find one at your local Walmart for a decent price.

Acoustic foam works excellent and is now relatively inexpensive, especially for the amount you will need for this mini sound booth. The acoustic studio foam I recommend is Beefoam 6 Pack 12″ X 12″ X 1″ acoustic studio foam panels (Amazon Link) for around ten dollars. 

Lets Now Build The Mini Sound Booth in 3 Easy Steps

Building the mini sound booth for your voice over recordings is the easy part; now that you found all your materials. First, make sure the box you’re using is clean by thorally washing and drying it making sure the adhesive will stick.  It’s now time to take the six-pack of acoustic foam and place it inside the box. Make sure to cover all surface areas. Your mini sound booth might not work well if there is even a crack in the box that shows between the acoustic foam pads.

Now that you know the exact size of acoustic foam you need, grab some scissors and cut it up to make it tightly fit inside the box. Spray some Loctite adhesive inside the box making sure you cover all areas to make sure the foam properly sticks.

Cut thin layers of acoustic foam to slide inside any cracks you find to make sure you can’t see the box between the foam pads.

That’s is, the process is done! It’s not a complicated project, but it is a project that I never thought of until I received a question from a friend, he wanted to know if I knew anyone that had ever built one of these sound booths in this small size.

Setting Up the Microphone inside the Sound Isolation Box

The Sound Isolation box is now complete, and now you need to set up your microphone. I use the blue snowball microphone because the price could not be beaten with the type of quality. I had read many reviews, and I honestly did not want to pay a fortune for a microphone since I only use it for skype conference calls with clients, and I also make the occasional YouTube video when I have the ambition to do so. Click here to check out the blue Snowball Microphone on Amazon.

This microphone comes with a sturdy mini tripod that would have no problem standing upright in a mini Soundbooth.

Choosing to Go With a Professionally Made Microphone Isolation Box

Maybe after you ran all the numbers, you found it easier to buy an already made professional microphone isolation box. I did some research and read a bunch of reviews, and the one I saw that would be perfect for someone on a budget is “Portable Microphone Studio Voice Booth Isolation Box” from Amazon. Click here for current pricing.

You can typically buy one of these mini microphone sound booths for around fifty dollars. These types of boxes are perfect for Podcasting and Youtube voice over recordings.

Conclusion

Please let me know if you successfully built one of these microphone isolation box. Tell us if you did anything different or if you found better deals on the materials. If you did find better deals then I would be happy to look into it; and make the proper updates to this article, so everyone reading can benefit with the best value for your money!

The Number One Way to Reduce Road Noise

The number one way to reduce road noise is the product application called Dynamat. Dynamat is a simple DIY fix, but it is relatively expensive comparing it to other similar products on Amazon. It creates a foam shield that you place under the floor mats of your vehicle. It will then soak up a significant amount of noise coming from the tire and entering the interior of the car.

As I specified, there are cheaper alternatives that have the same effect on the vehicles noise reduction. One of these products that I recommend is FatMat Self-Adhesive Butyl Sound Deadener with Install Kit from Amazon. Fatmat is half the cost of Dynamat, and it is an excellent product if the reviews are any indication of the quality as a sound deadener for a car.

Installing this product under the floor carpet of your vehicle should take you less than an hour, and it is easily considered a DIY product. You don’t need to be an expert in this type of field to be able to install this type of material. The bigger plus about a Butyl product is that you do not need a heat gun to make it stick.

In the past, you would have needed a heat gun because the sound deadeners for vehicles were asphalt base. Newer Butyl products have an adhesive coating on one side to make the process reasonably easy without causing any headaches.

The amount of sound deadening material you have to get for your vehicle depends on how much road and engine noise comes into the cabin.  That will determine how much area you will have to cover. Also, do not hesitate to add a second layer on top of the first one if your vehicle is still noisy after the first layer.

You should also consider the trunk because a lot of noise comes from the back tires. It’s also good to make your trunk feel more solid when closing it and will also stop vibration from the radio. If the seats in your vehicle extend almost to the back, applying foam in the trunk won’t make much difference.

Auto Sound Deadening While Keeping Your Vehicle Cool

One approach I’m sure most wouldn’t have thought of is to add a sort of heat shield as your first layer under the Fatmat. I’ve never used this approach, but I did see someone do this on YouTube. I did a bit of research and found the product similar to what they were using; EZ-Cool Car Insulation Kit: Heat and Sound Automotive Insulation For Your Car Restoration Projects.

The primary function of a heat shield is, of course, preventing too much heat coming from the floor into the cabin. When heat transfers from underneath the vehicle it creates condensation. By using reflective insulation, heat transfer from under your car will block up to 98% of that heat.

When I was reading the reviews, I notice some people saying that it also works wonders as a sound deadener, on top of shielding heat transfer.

As I suggest, laying EZ-Cool insulation kit underneath the foam if you want the best results in the end.  You can watch the video below to see how someone installed a product very similar to the EZ-Cool Insulation.

For this particular product, you will need to buy 3M General Trim Adhesive to apply on the bare floor of your vehicle. This type of adhesive is made explicitly to bond the material to metal. Place the reflective insulation directly on the 3M adhesive and after it dries up, apply the FatMat foam as the second layer for maximum soundproofing.

Where is the Best Place to Apply Sound Deadening Product In a Vehicle?

If you’re on a smaller budget and you only want to buy one package of sound deadening material; the best place to install it would be directly under the driver and passenger seats. Directly under you is where most of the road noise comes from and will block most of that noise coming from the tires into the cabin.

The second most important area to install sound deadening in your car is in the trunk directly on top of the rear tires. The noise of the tires rolling on the road travels throughout the vehicle.

The Third vital area to install the soundproofing insulation is on the back seat floor. This is especially important in older model SUV’s but will also do an excellent job regarding noise control in any vehicle.

The final area I would focus on is the doors. Some vehicles are better than others in this aspect, but you can find out how your car is insulated by shutting the door. If the sound of shutting the car door is like a tin can then it might need some insulation. It will stop the vibration and make the door sound better when you close it.

Sound Deadening Application Best Practice

When applying the soundproofing insulation in your car, make sure to apply it everywhere in the area you’re working on. If you’re applying the insulation on the car floor, you will have to make sure there are no cracks; because that would defeat the purpose of the entire project.

Think of your patio door, if you open it just a crack you will hear everything that’s going on outdoors. It is the same thing in the case of soundproofing your car. I would suggest adding an inch of insulation on the sides to make sure you apply it to all areas.

Take your time; there’s no rush in doing this because the last thing you want to do is have to redo the entire process.

What Should you Expect after Soundproofing your Vehicle?

There are no scientific studies on this because every single car will have different results. That’s also true with the various products and application process. If you have an older car, you should expect a big difference since they were much less insulated regarding noise reduction than vehicles today.

If you drive a luxury vehicle, you shouldn’t even need to soundproof because manufacturers usually add extra insulation to make the car quieter. You should hear a considerable difference in older trucks, but the rule of thumb is the older and cheaper the vehicle is the more you’ll notice the results. I’m not going to throw in numbers because there is no way of knowing, Id just be guessing.

Importance of a Quiet Vehicle

You might not think that driving in a quiet vehicle is essential, but if you think about it for a minute, you will realize how much better your commute would be in a quiet car. For example, your driving at highway speeds and you want to turn the volume up on your radio, but you can’t because someone is trying to sleep or read in the back seat.

I listen to a lot of podcasts when driving, and I always need to crank the volume to make out what they are saying.

I’m a truck guy mind you so it might be a bit louder than your typical vehicle but you get my point. I sometimes find it more comfortable to wear headphones if I want to listen to a podcast or an audiobook. I did install sound deadening material on my truck floor a few years ago and found that it helps immensely in making my commute more peaceful.

The Future of Silent Vehicles

Many years from now we probably won’t be thinking of soundproofing our cars much because of the evolution of the electrification of vehicles.  Electric vehicles are much quieter than the typical internal combustion engine. The only thing that would make an electric vehicle noisy would be on highways with wind noise and road noise. If you’re driving in the city at low speeds, the engine noise will be a thing of the past.

Conclusion

Please leave us a comment if you have any questions about this type of process and let us know if you had success in sound deadening your vehicle.

https://soundproofguide.com/soundproof-a-basement-ceiling-and-stairs/

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