I’ve talked about how to soundproof a door in general and also how to soundproof a laundry room door but what if you live in an apartment, somewhere you can’t make permanent alterations? that’s what this article is going to cover, how to soundproof an apartment door.
How to soundproof a door in an apartment? The best way to soundproof a door in an apartment is by using weather stripping around the inside of the door frame. Also installing a door sweep will help reduce noise from coming inside the apartment.
That are a few other ways however to soundproof an apartment door so let us get into it! I will also go into more details about what type of door sweep you should buy and also what type of weather stripping works best for this type of application.
9 Ways to Soundproof an Apartment Door.
It doesn’t really make much of a difference if you’re trying to soundproof an interior apartment door or an exterior one because you probably won’t want to make any permanent or costly changes. All these tips will apply to all types of apartment doors.
1. Weatherstripping
Of course, Im going, to begin with, weatherstripping because it is one of the easiest, cheapest and effective way to help block sound from coming through the cracks around the doorway.
That’s the first thing you have to asses when soundproofing any doors, are there any gaps around the door and if so, how large are they. Well, it doesn’t really matter how large they are because even the smallest crack would make even a solid core door relevant for noise blocking.
The easiest way to see if there are any cracks around any door is by turning all the lights off and only having light in the other room with the door closed. As you’re standing in front of the door, can you see light around the door trying to creep through? If yes then a special type of weatherstrip will seal that gap once and for all.
weatherstripping is not only made to block cold drafts from coming in, but they are also wonderful at blocking noise as well.
The weatherstripping I recommend and often use if called KELIIYO Door Weather Stripping. Let’s face it, there are so many different types of weatherstrips on Amazon but this one is a really good product in relation to the price at around $10, depending on if it’s on sale.
Click HERE for the current price of the Keliyo door weather stripping.
This weatherstrip is spongy and will allow the door to close tightly giving a great seal. It’s also self-adhesive which is a great feature that will make installing it a breeze.
All you need to do before you stick this weatherstrip around the inside of the door frame is to wash and dry the surface thoroughly. After that, you’re good to go!
2. Rubber Door Sweep
A door sweep is another way to soundproof a door in an apartment because it is easy to install and they are relatively inexpensive.
They are also easy to remove if you decide to move out. At least you’ll be able to bring it with you and reuse it at your next residence.
It can be very confusing trying to figure out which type of door sweep would be best regarding soundproofing since there are so many options to choose from online.
Click this link for the door sweep I recommend and often use from Amazon. This one has a metal strip that screws into the door and a rubber bottom that makes contact with the floor and gives a great seal. You should avoid door sweeps made from plastic because they don’t tend to last very long.
Also, brush door sweeps because these are not great at blocking noise.
You can easily fill the holes left by the screws with white caulking if you decide to remove the door sweep and bring it with you when you move. Caulking will make the holes disappear and save you from paying out parts of your damage deposit.
3. Quilted Fiberglass Panel
Another great option is installing a quilted fiberglass panel against the door. This would also be called a “soundproof blanket” but it is more geared in soundproofing a door since you can buy one that would match the dimensions of a door perfectly.
4. Seal All Cracks and Gaps
One tube of acoustic caulking will do the job and will only cost you between fifteen and twenty-five dollars. Of course, this method is permanent but it’s certainly not something the landlord would notice.
There are many different types of acoustic caulking online and at your local hardware store but the one that I always turn to is Green Glue Noise Proofing Sealant (not to be confused with Green Glue Noise Proofing Compound).
This type of sealant is flexible and will not crack as it ages. Turn the light off in the room you’re standing in and turn on the light on the other side of the door. As the door is closed, do you see any light leeching through? If so then you can certainly seal those gaps with Green Glue.
One great tip for you if you’re going with this option is to seal around the electrical outlets with the sealant you have left. You will be surprised at the size of the gap between the wall and the electrical outlet box once you remove the cover from your electrical outlets.
Sealing the door will help but sealing the electrical outlet boxes will also help reduce a few decibels of annoying noise coming from the other side of the wall, especially if it’s the hallway.
5. Moving Blanket
If you ever bought moving blankets to help you move from apartment to apartment then bring them out of storage because this could be a free fix for you!
As you probably know, moving blankets are pretty thick, they have to be so it can protect your valuables. Well, hanging a moving blanket in front of the door can also help block noise using the velcro method I talked about earlier.
Of course, using a moving blanket might not look as good as using a fiberglass panel built to fit the dimensions of your doorway but it will defiantly help to soundproof the door.
I would suggest using the thickness of two blankets instead of just one. You can find a verity of low cost moving blankets on Amazon.
6. Use a Rug
Something you might not have thought of that is simple is placing a rug in front of the door in order to seal the gap at the bottom of the door.
You might already have a thick rug at home that you can cut to size. Ideally, it would be great if you could even slide a bit of the rug underneath the door to give it a good seal.
Another positive of using rugs, in general, is that they are wonderful at absorbing sound and will improve the acoustics of any room, especially on wood floors.
7. Reduce Noise From the Opposing Room
A way to lessen the amount of sound traveling through the apartment door is to minimize the noise from the other side of the door.
The room with the most noise inside an apartment building is the hallway. Sometimes the building owner cheats out on dressing up the hallway and leaves empty with full of echoes.
If this is the case then you could talk to the landlord and see if they could hang paintings on the walls and maybe even add a rug if the floor is noisy. They could buy a ton of paintings from Costco and wouldn’t cost them that much for what they would get.
The worst your landlord could say is no so you might as well ask!
8. Soundproof Blanket
A soundproof blanket from Audimute (Amazon) would also work well at blocking some of the noise.
This type of blanket will also work on windows and is easy to remove and put back into place. They are a bit pricey at around $125 but they are well worth it and can be used for many years.
The dimension of this blanket is 34.5″ by 82″ and is a hefty twenty pounds heavy and works for a variety of noise problems. The material used works great for both acoustical enhancement of a room and also to reduce the transmission of noise.
Many blankets on the market are built solely for acoustic purposes but this one is dense enough to help block noise by a great deal! I would recommend having this blanket using industrial velcro for a better seal. You can certainly use the built-in grommets to hang the blanket but will not work as well as using velcro to stop noise from passing through the door.
The material for this product is primarily recyclable and is made entirely in the US.
9. Soundproof Pad
A soundproof pad (Amazon) works like a door sweep but is less “permanent” and will in some cases stop more noise from coming through the bottom of your door. The unique advantage in having a soundproof pad over a door sweep is that you can place the pad on the top of the door and not only the bottom.
The soundproof pad can be positioned wherever the crack around the door letting noise come through. It is constructed using the same types of material used in construction site noise barriers, Polyester wool, sound-insulating felt, PVC, EPDM rubber and iron powder for optimal sound absorption.
One thing to note however is that the soundproof pad will have to be reapplied every time the door opens and closes. If there is any crack at all, its ability to reduce sound is greatly reduced. When you apply it to the door, make sure to apply it with a downward pressure to make sure there are no cracks along the floor.
Conclusion
There are many ways to soundproof a door, of course, you could opt to replace the door all together with a solid core door, but this would be an expensive endeavor and a permanent one.
The only way I would suggest a solid core door is if you had the storage capacity to store the hollow core door and reinstall it before you move out so you’re able to bring your new solid door to your next residence. Otherwise, stick with simple and less costly alternatives.