Soundproof Your Apartment Door. Cheap.
Intro: Soundproof Your Apartment Door. Cheap.
My bathroom is right next to my door in my apt, and I can hear lots of hallway noise. So I figured they could hear me taking a dump! Not cool. Also I like to play music. The door had about an inch that was exposed at the top so you could hear everything. So I went to walmart, bought a mattress topper foam thingy, some weather stripping, and later some black fabric, a staple gun, and long staples.
1. Put the weather stripping (the fat kind) on the top and handle side of the door. As many layers/ covering as much surface area as you can. Avoid the lock and handle parts, or the door might not close.
2. Cut that foam sucker into useable pieces with big heavy duty scissors.
The foam off gases a bit, but only a bit. Open a window.
3. I am lucky because my door is old and made of wood. I just hammered some nails through the foam right into the door. You might have to get a drill and do it properly. I used 4 little nails per big sheet. I made sure to use the foam to cover the space between door and frame, for extra protection
4, This is what is below. Next I will put some particle board? Or maybe some poster board, or maybe something harder on top for increased aesthetics, noise reduction and so i dont feel like i am in an asylum.
5. Cut a hole for the door knob and the peep hole.
6. I covered every inch of the door in foam, and then stapled up some black fabric to make it look nicer. Stapled the loose foam ends. Duct taped the weather stripping on the top to keep it there.
7. Cut a whole for the peep hole, cut a hole for the doorknob.
A note: google soundproofing. The more surface a sound has to travel through the quieter it will be. Also, the kind of surface that can absorb the sound matters. Obviously I figure foam is a good move, like yelling into a pillow. Also, there is a difference between acoustical soundproofing (in music studios) and preventative soundproofing. The music studios want to enhance sounds by eliminating anything extra. For our purposes we just want to block out sound.
If I open my door I can hear music playing from the closed door of the apartment next door, or the loud dryer down the hall. If I close my door I hear nothing. I think it does a great job of muffling.
1. Put the weather stripping (the fat kind) on the top and handle side of the door. As many layers/ covering as much surface area as you can. Avoid the lock and handle parts, or the door might not close.
2. Cut that foam sucker into useable pieces with big heavy duty scissors.
The foam off gases a bit, but only a bit. Open a window.
3. I am lucky because my door is old and made of wood. I just hammered some nails through the foam right into the door. You might have to get a drill and do it properly. I used 4 little nails per big sheet. I made sure to use the foam to cover the space between door and frame, for extra protection
4, This is what is below. Next I will put some particle board? Or maybe some poster board, or maybe something harder on top for increased aesthetics, noise reduction and so i dont feel like i am in an asylum.
5. Cut a hole for the door knob and the peep hole.
6. I covered every inch of the door in foam, and then stapled up some black fabric to make it look nicer. Stapled the loose foam ends. Duct taped the weather stripping on the top to keep it there.
7. Cut a whole for the peep hole, cut a hole for the doorknob.
A note: google soundproofing. The more surface a sound has to travel through the quieter it will be. Also, the kind of surface that can absorb the sound matters. Obviously I figure foam is a good move, like yelling into a pillow. Also, there is a difference between acoustical soundproofing (in music studios) and preventative soundproofing. The music studios want to enhance sounds by eliminating anything extra. For our purposes we just want to block out sound.
If I open my door I can hear music playing from the closed door of the apartment next door, or the loud dryer down the hall. If I close my door I hear nothing. I think it does a great job of muffling.
3 Comments
batvanio 7 months ago
HarrisonP8 7 years ago
Do you think tape would work instead of nails or staples? Also, what is your plan for when you have to cover up the holes? I'm just considering all options. Could you be more specific with the materials you used? If this worked well then I'd like to try it out but want to make sure I'm getting all the right stuff.
GGFDE 9 years ago
im gonna try this thank you