Working from home has become increasingly common in recent years, and many people have set up home offices to be able to work remotely. However, if your home office is located in a busy area or near a loud street, it can be difficult to concentrate and get work done. That’s where soundproofing comes in.
Soundproofing is the process of reducing or eliminating unwanted noise from a space, and it can be a crucial step in creating a peaceful and productive home office. In this article, we’ll explore a variety of strategies and materials you can use to soundproof your home office and create a more peaceful workspace. Whether you’re dealing with external noise from the street or internal noise from within your home, there are many options to consider. By following these steps, you can create a peaceful and soundproof home office that allows you to focus and be productive.
How to Soundproof Home Office Door
Soundproofing a home office door is an effective way to reduce noise and create a more peaceful workspace. There are several strategies you can use to soundproof a home office door, including using door sweeps and weatherstripping, adding a door sweep and seal kit, and installing a solid wood or metal door.
When you start researching, how to soundproof a home office, you will notice the maximum amount of white noise in your home is going to come from the door. Mostly, the interior doors have a hollow core and do not have a tight seal. Even though this makes them cost-effective, it allows the noise to vibrate right through the doors. You can thicken up your existing door with the help of acoustic foam, MLV, or fabric. You can add a layer of fiberboard on both sides of the door. You can remove the current door and install a sliding door that has a solid core. If you don’t want to replace your existing door, then you can seal the door with the help of an acoustic viscoelastic compound that would fill any square foot of open space or small gaps that are present between the door and the adjoining wall. You can also use foam insulation for the gaps.
The door sweep needs to be installed along the door’s bottom edge. Similar to the installation of weather stripping, all you have to do is measure the door sweep, cut it, and then apply it in place. Make sure that the door sweep covers the threshold when you close the door but doesn’t scrape the floor as you open the door.
Here are the three best soundproof door sweeps we can recommend:
Ohuhu Door Draft Stopper Door Sweep
- Keeps the Outside Out: This sealing strip can do it all. It's...
- Tough and Durable: 118"(39x3) L x 2" W" for three doors! The premium...
- Fits like a Glove: The luxurious smooth surface and sophisticated...
BAINING Door Draft Stopper Door Sweep
- Easy Fix Gap to Stop Drafty. Have the dirt, dust, and drafty problems...
- Fit For Most Door. Our door seal strip made of silicone, and 39 inches...
- More Efficient and Durable. 3 layers of seals stop the noise, dirt,...
Suptikes Door Draft Stopper Door Sweep
- 【HEAVY DUTY AND DURABLE MATERIAL】- Made of flexible and adjustable...
- 【ALL SEASON PROTECTION】- Protects your home and family from...
- 【INSTALLATION GUIDE】- 1)Measure the bottom of the door and cut the...
Most of the doors used in the interior of the house are usually empty. This allows sound to pass through them very easily. The door to your home office is therefore a major medium through which the word goes. You should consider soundproofing your door to reduce noise. Soundproofing your home office door can be quite difficult. There are several ways to do this. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people. If you’re working on a tight budget, a sound absorber in favor of weatherstripping will work for you. Just buy it and put it in your traffic jam. Weatherstripping comes with an adhesive, so it takes a few minutes to apply.
Weatherstripping is primarily designed to prevent rain and water in a room. These are usually strips made of fiberglass material that is glued together. However, the new models of weatherstripping have been made soundproof. Since weatherstripping is made of fiberglass, it can also act as a sound absorbing material.
The pull plug will slide to the bottom of the mat to provide sound isolation. Like weatherstripping, windbreaks were originally designed for lifting against heat loss. However, nowadays tension plugs are made from sound absorbing materials. They reduce the intensity, dampen the sound to go through them.
How to Soundproof Home Office Windows
It is not about being noise sensitive. If you keep hearing sounds from various sources, it is going to stress you out. When you are working, you can’t afford to be annoyed and stressed. The second thing that allows noise to penetrate a room is windows. If you are going to build a new home office, then you should install windows that have sound insulation window film. Noise blocking windows are usually energy-efficient and reduce cooling and heating costs, which is another advantage.
You have to use the same sealing procedure as you did for the door. Apply the viscoelastic compound, followed by foam insulation into the window film. Once you are done, you can reinstall the molding. You also need to apply weather stripping on the windows making sure there are no cracks. Once you have applied the weather stripping, you may have difficulty in closing the window. However, that is a sign that you have successfully soundproofed your window!
Here are the 3 best soundproof window curtains we can recommend:
NICETOWN Thermal Insulated Grommet Blackout Curtains
- READY MADE: Set includes 2 BLACKOUT CURTAINS PANELS of 42" wide x 63"...
- SERVE WELL: Curtains impede 85%-99% light and UV rays(Dark color...
- ENERGY SMART: Triple weave blackout fabric balances room temperature...
DWCN Blackout Curtains
- [Polyester Material] Made of high-quality durable 100% polyester...
- [Light Blocking Capabilities] These curtains impede 90%-99% light and...
- [Thermally Insulating] By insulating against the heat of summer and...
RYB HOME Soundproof Divider 100% Blackout Curtains
- 3 LAYERS - Package includes 2 panels total width 104 inch. 1 layer in...
- NOISE REDUCTION - Detachable felt fabric liner is in the middle of the...
- 100% BLACKOUT - Triple weave blackout fabric & 3 layers design make it...
How to Soundproof Home Office Walls
If you are building a new office, you should use staggered studs or double studs, along with resilient channels and sound clips that will reduce the noise being transferred from one side of the wall to the other side. There are several options available when it comes to wall insulation. If there is any space between two interior walls, you need to fill it with insulation to reduce noise into white noise.
If you are thinking of soundproofing existing walls, then you should remove the drywall between the two walls and add insulation material between them. Moreover, you need to look for crevices, cracks, holes, etc. on the wall. You can either repair them, or you can add an acoustic compound. You can also add the acoustic viscoelastic compound to the seams between the drywall. Drywall, on its own, also works a good sound barrier. All you have to do is add more protection and insulation.
Another option that you can consider is gluing a thin layer of acoustic board to the existing drywall. You can buy the acoustic board in the form of tiles and then install it in particular places or all over the drywall, as the need might be.
Moreover, you can also add plywood, particleboard, or OSB, to your existing wall. However, these options may damage your existing wall as they are heavy.
Here are the 3 best soundproof acoustic wall panels we can recommend:
IZO Soundproofing Foam Acoustic Panel
- Size: 2x12x12 (6pack) Egg Crate grey
- EACH TILE Splits into "2 WEDGES". Once You Split - Each egg crate foam...
- Good for Recording Studios, Vocal Booths, Home Theaters
DEKIRU Acoustic Panels
- 【MULTI-COLOR OPTIONS】: These noise cancelling foam penels come...
- 【HIGH DENSITY AND ECO-FRIENDLY】: 215kg/m3 Density. Made of 100%...
- 【IMPROVED ACOUSTIC QUALITY】: These noise-insulation panels are...
Rhino Acoustic Panels NRC Sound Proof Padding
- HIGH DENSITY - 230kg/m3, the densest sound panels on the market for...
- NRC 0.95 - LAB TESTED Noise Reduction Coefficient; commercial grade...
- ECO-FRIENDLY - Made with 100% Polyester Fiber, it is both safe to...
How to Soundproof Home Office Floors
Soundproofing a home office floor is an important step in creating a peaceful and productive workspace. There are several strategies you can use to soundproof a home office floor, including using rugs and carpets, adding underlayment, and installing soundproofing mats or tiles.
One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to soundproof a home office floor is to use rugs and carpets. Rugs and carpets can help to absorb sound and reduce noise, making them an effective way to create a more peaceful workspace. Look for rugs and carpets with a high density of fibers, as these will be more effective at absorbing sound. You can also consider using padded carpet underlayment, which is a thick, cushiony material that is installed under the carpet to provide additional soundproofing.
Another option to consider is adding an underlayment to your home office floor. Underlayment is a layer of material that is installed under the flooring to provide additional soundproofing. There are several types of underlayment materials to choose from, including rubber, foam, and cork. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to research and compare your options before making a decision.
If you want to take your soundproofing efforts to the next level, you may want to consider installing soundproofing mats or tiles. These materials are specifically designed to absorb sound and reduce noise, and can be used on any type of flooring. Soundproofing mats and tiles are typically made of dense, heavy materials such as foam or rubber, and can be easily cut to fit around existing features.
Here are the 3 best soundproof carpets and rugs we can recommend:
Mohawk Home Dual Surface Felt and Latex Non Slip Rug Pad
- DURABLE COMFORT CUSHION: Choose from three felt thickness options -...
- EXTRA GRIP: The latex rubber backing provides additional grip under...
- RECOMMENDED USE: Larger area rugs, over 5x8, with latex backing...
Gorilla Grip Original Luxury Chenille Bathroom Rug Mat
- SOFT AND THICK CHENILLE: pamper your feet with the softest, coziest...
- ULTRA ABSORBENT: our most absorbent bath rug; dense chenille pile...
- TEXTURED RUBBER BACKING: unlike other brands who use PVC or hot glue,...
RUGPADUSA Protective Non-Slip Rug Pad
- Felt and Rubber - Non-slip felt + rubber rug pad designed to be used...
- Natural Rubber Backing - Our felt + rubber rug pads are made with...
- Dense Cushion - Pad contains 17oz of felt and 14oz of rubber per...
How to Soundproof Home Office Air Vents
Air vents are another place where white noise can enter. You can soundproof your home office all you want, installing solid core doors, thick, carpets, acoustic foam, etc. but if you don’t soundproof the air vent, it will all be in vain because of background noise.There are two ways you can soundproof your air vent. You can block it entirely, or you can make a sound maze.
If you remove the air vent and fill the hole, you are going to remove noise effectively. However, without ventilation, your room is going to get extremely hot in the summer. You need air vents to keep the temperature of your room normal. Therefore, the second option, that of creating a sound maze, is a better one. It will take a little more time and work, but you will get a soundproof room with nice ventilation. You can also add vent covers to reduce noise.
All you have to do is create a small maze within the vent space. You can make the maze using wood strips, and attach the acoustic foam to the strips. The sound will have to travel through this maze, and by the time it reaches the room, it will be significantly reduced into white noise.
You need to reduce the structural sounds. If your home office is directly above your garage, you are going to face noise issues. There is only one way to reduce structural sounds is to use isolation techniques. You have to separate the layers of the wall to ensure that noise doesn’t pass from one layer to the other. You can add another layer of drywall to do this.
Here are the 3 best soundproof vent covers we can recommend:
UnityStar Vent Magnet Covers
- Double thick magnet sheet magnetically seals the air from passing...
- Magnetic Vent Cover dimension: 15.5" (L) x 8" (W), pack of 4. Cuts...
- Lower your energy cost by not heating or cooling unused spaces....
4 Times Stronger Magnetic Vent Cover for Floor and Wall Vents
- YOU’VE READ OUR COMPETITOR’S REVIEWS: Their covers are flimsy,...
- MAKE SURE YOUR VENTS AREN’T ALUMINUM OR PLASTIC – Magnets won’t...
- CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU FORGOT EXISTED – My name is Adam, and my family...
Strong Magnetic Vent Covers for Ceiling and Wall Vents
- GUARANTEED MANGETIC STRENGTH - includes 8 powerful neodymium magnets...
- SAVE ON ENERGY BILLS – blocks air flow to all metal vents - HVAC,...
- WORKS ON MOST VENT SIZES – can easily be cut down with a pair of...
How to Soundproof Home Office Ceiling
You also need to soundproof home office ceiling. You can put acoustic foam in your dropped ceiling, and it will reduce some of the noise. If you are soundproofing your existing ceiling, then all you can do is add soundproof insulation. If you are building a new home office, then you should build your roof in layers to prevent structural noises.
This may be the case with acoustic panels installed on the floor, but it will take a long time. If the sound is coming from upstairs in your home office, this is a great option. Attaching the driveway to your ceiling soundproofing is involved. Make a frame and attach it to the ceiling. You can then attach an extra layer of drywall to the frame.
Drywall is also known as wall panel and is simply a panel used to make interior walls and ceilings. It is made with a number of materials that help to increase the acoustic absorption properties of the panel as well as its fire resistance. When using ceilings and walls, the drywall can dramatically reduce the amount of noise transmitted to it.
You can also buy acoustic ceiling panels. Like shovel panels these are made of sound absorbing materials. For these, you can choose different colors, styles and designs. So you can get something that matches the existing decor. Since it involves a lot of work, you may decide to hire your workman for this.
Here are the 3 best soundproof acoustic panels for ceiling we can recommend:
Burdurry 50 Pack Acoustic Panels
- SUPERB ACOUSTIC TREATMENT: High-density and large area coverage(50...
- PREMIUM MATERIALS: Made of 100% polyurethane foam, our soundproof foam...
- EASY TO RECOVER: The sound foam panel is shipped vacuum-packed and...
SoundAssured Soundproofing Acoustic Studio Foam
- EFFECTIVE DESIGN! Wedge style angled design ensures optimum sound...
- EASY TO INSTALL! We suggest our Acoustic Foam Adhesive Square 24 Pack...
- HIGH NOISE REDUCTION! Acoustic foam is used to absorb mid to high...
Ship xinfuren Acoustic Panels Studio Foam Wedges
- uEco-friendly and Safety: This studio foam is made of environmentally...
- uNoise Absorbing: This sound foam dampens and diffuses mid to low...
- u Suitable Size: This soundproofing panels package including 50 pack,...
In conclusion, soundproofing your home office is a crucial step in creating a peaceful and productive workspace. Whether you’re dealing with external noise from the street or internal noise from within your home, there are a variety of strategies and materials you can use to reduce noise and create a more peaceful environment. From investing in thick, heavy curtains or blinds, to using door sweeps and weatherstripping, to adding a white noise machine or soundproof windows, there are many options to consider.
It’s important to remember that soundproofing is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and you may need to experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you and your home office. So take the time to research and compare your options, and don’t be afraid to invest in more advanced soundproofing measures if necessary. With the right strategies and materials, you can create a peaceful and soundproof home office that allows you to focus and be productive.