There are moments when all you want is some peace and quiet. Isn’t it just a matter of finding a room and closing the door? However, if you live in a noisy household, part of the noise will follow you into the room.
So how to make the Bedroom Door Soundproof? It’s most likely the same route you did, through the door. How can the noise be stopped, or at least reduced? Sure, you can use noise-canceling headphones, but you might not hear all you want to hear. Soundproofing a door can be done in a variety of ways, from a low-tech hack to a more comprehensive technique, and it can be cheap or expensive, with a variety of alternatives in between.
What Happens When Sound Passes Through a Door?
A sound is a form of energy that vibrates its way through a medium (air, water, glass, wood, etc.). The particles in a medium closest to the source collide with neighboring particles, which collide with the next ones, and the vibration is created.
The less the sound can move, the higher the particle density. It’s not surprising, then, that sound travels more easily through the air than through a brick wall. Because they have air gaps, the windows and especially the doors are often the less dense perimeter sections in an enclosed room.
How to Soundproof a Door Without Spending a Lot of Money
Method 1: Fill up the cracks
Unlike external doors, most interior doors are not weatherstripped. There’s always a gap beneath the door, as well as one running up the sides and over the top. By filling in these cracks, you can reduce the amount of sound that gets through.
Purchasing adhesive-backed, flexible foam weatherstripping is a simple and inexpensive solution. It comes in a variety of thicknesses and widths.
Materials and tools required:
- Knife for everyday use
- Screwscrewdriver (manual or cordless)
- Hacksaw
- Aluminum and vinyl door sweep (at least as long as your door is broad) Adhesive-backed, flexible foam weatherstripping
Steps:
- Step 1: Apply the foam strip to the edge of the doorstop (the trim onto which the door closes), removing the backing as you go; you can also apply the strip to the outer perimeter of the door that closes onto the jamb.
- Step 2: If the foam is preventing the door from shutting, switch to a thinner type. It’s possible that you’ll need to modify the strike plate on the door jamb to get the door to close properly.
- Step 3: Then, at the bottom of the door, install a door sweep. Sweeps come in a variety of styles, but the ones that are attached to the surface of the door that faces the room’s interior are the easiest to install. They’re made up of an aluminum channel that holds a neoprene or vinyl flap in place.
- Step 4: Close the door, set the sweep on the floor, mark and cut the sweep to match the width of the door, and voila!
- Step 5: Attach the channel to the door using screws. You may need to alter the sweep height if your floors are uneven.
Alternatively, ready-to-install sound-dampening kits consisting of neoprene seals installed on aluminum tracks are available. A typical setup will set you back roughly $250.
If there is a significant gap under the door, you might add a thicker threshold as an alternative to weatherstripping that is in line with the original aesthetic of the door. There will still be a space, but it will be narrower, allowing less sound to pass through. You’ll need to use a flat bar to eliminate the existing threshold. You can use the original as a template for the new threshold if you carefully remove it one piece at a time.
Gaps in the door jamb trim can also let sound in but to a smaller amount. Run a bead of caulk anywhere there is a gap to accomplish a complete soundproofing job.
Method 2: Increase the door’s bulk
Solid objects can be penetrated by sound. The sound will be absorbed less effectively as the object’s mass increases. If the door has a hollow core, you can replace it with a solid door if you’re willing to spend the money. On the lower end of the price spectrum, you can add mass to the door by putting a heavy blanket or carpet on it—a simple but temporary solution.
Materials and tools required:
- Knife for everyday use
- Edge with a straight edge
- Gun for caulking
- Adhesive for construction
- A screwdriver a roll of a mass-loaded vinyl screwdriver a screwdriver
If the appearance of the door isn’t important to you, you could screw a similar-sized piece of plywood to it; just make sure there’s enough space around the door for the plywood to operate properly.
You can acquire sound-reduction mats created specifically to be hung on doors if you really want to get serious without replacing the door. These are the most effective in slowing sound waves’ propagation, but they aren’t cheap. One solution is to have a sound barrier constructed just for your door.
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Making your own barrier out of a material called mass-loaded vinyl is a little less expensive solution. It comes in various thicknesses, resembling a rubbery sheet of lead; the thicker (and heavier) the material, the greater the sound suppression. Because it’s only available in rolls, you’ll have plenty of leftovers if you’re only soundproofing one door.
Steps:
- Step 1: Measure the door carefully, then lay out the vinyl and transfer the measurements to it. To make sure the cuts are straight, use a utility knife and a straightedge.
- Step 2: Check the fit—hefty it’s stuff, so you could need some assistance. Make pencil marks to indicate where the vinyl should be placed if you’re covering the side of the door that shuts against the frame to avoid interfering with the door’s shutting.
- Step 3: Remove the door from the jamb and lay it flat on the floor by removing the hinge pins from the door hinges or unscrewing the hinges from the jamb.
- Step 4: Apply a bead of construction glue around the perimeter of the door and on any surfaces where the vinyl will come into contact with a caulk gun.
- Step 5: Place the vinyl on the door, making sure it’s fully adhered, then let the glue cure before rehanging the door.
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