Table of Contents
What is Soundproofing?
Soundproofing is reducing the sound pressure between the source of noise generated and the receiver of the sound or reduction in auditory perception of sound pressure. Sound isolation works the same, both ways, there is no difference in approach to keeping sound in or out.
There are 5 elements in sound reduction (Absorption, Damping, Decoupling, Distance and Mass) The “Absorption” aspect in soundproofing should not be confused with Sound Absorbing Panels used in acoustic treatments. “Absorption” in this sense only refers to reducing a resonating frequency in a cavity by installing insulation between walls, ceilings or floors. Acoustic Panels can play a role in a treatment only after walls or ceilings have been soundproofed, reducing the amplified reflection in the source room.
Absorption:
Reducing resonating frequencies within a cavity such as a wall, ceiling or floor. Use of Rockwool Safe and Sound Insulation, Rockwool Comfortbatt, Silent Open Cell Foam Sound Panels
Damping:
When Damping a wall , we are aiding in the effectiveness of decoupling, mass, and absorption materials. Think of a wine glass ringing out, if you were to place a crumpled napkin in the glass or wrap the glass with a wet napkin, the resonating sound within the glass will change significantly. Use of Sound Absorption adhesives (Green Glue), Use of Mass Loaded Vinyl or other sound deadening materials to reduce vibration on impact noise.
Decoupling: Separation between sheetrock and studs/joists. Use of Resilient Channel, Sound Isolation Clips, Rubber Pads to minimize impact vibration.
Distance: Sound waves spread out with distance, lessening the sound intensity from the source to the receiver.
Mass:
Adding dense materials to a soundproofing treatment in order to stop sound waves from exiting a source wall, ceiling or floor. Use of Mass Loaded Vinyl, QuietRock, Plywood, MDF, Concrete, Rubber… Different materials reduce sound within different frequency range. Use of multiple layers of materials is essential to the success in any treatment.
New York Residential Noise Control Guidance Sheet
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NOISE REDUCTION BASICS
ROOM WITHIN A ROOM
Creating a large air-gap between the outside wall and inside wall in combination with decoupling the drywall from joists and studs is recommended for reducing sound transfer from exterior noise. This works both ways keeping sound in and out. Most commonly used in a recording studio, this technique has shown great results apartments.
SOUND DEADENING MATERIAL
Several factors come into play when using different sound deadening material, acoustic foam for instance, we are looking at the thickness, cell size, shape, density.. Density in all material is what determines the true effectiveness in any given treatment. Resonant absorbers are a certain density and thickness based on specific frequency range being reduced.
APARTMENT
When sound proofing a room in a apartment, we are trying to keep noise out from noisy neighbors, impact noise from ceilings, street traffic from windows.. All of which require different levels of treatment, rarely corrected with acoustic panels or acoustic foam. Window noiseproofing requires sealing the framing of windows, we may replace windows, or install an addition window. Noisy neighbors often involve adding insulation, mass and decoupling the walls or ceiling, sound deadening materials. We may suggest installing heavier solid core doors, weather stripping around the perimeter of the doors, tighter precision door framing..
OFFICE
Most common problems reducing noise between offices are duct work, drop ceilings, walls above drop ceilings that are unfinished and only framed to the drop ceiling, leaving a gap above the wall where sound can transfer from one office to the next. Other issues are speech intelligibility in conference rooms due to reflection or echo in the room. Acoustic Panels being installed strategically can help reduce echo and improve speech clarity.
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Larger spaces require heavier acoustic treatment. Echo, reflection, and reverberation can be an issue with higher ceilings, large windows, flat surfaces, etc. Large machinery, HVAC systems, elevators, pumps… produce lower resonating frequencies which require spring loaded isolation mounts, sound deadening materials, added mass to walls and ceilings to prevent vibrations from transferring to the larger rooms where these frequencies can reflect and cause major issues in the work space.
List of Sound Absorbing Materials
In essence, sounds that you usually hear are already a mixture of sound waves that travel directly to your ears from its source and the indirect sound waves.
These indirect sound waves, which are also known as indirect reflected sound, are sound waves that have bounced off from the smooth surfaces of a room.
Generally, these reflected sound waves can have good and bad effects. In a way, they can improve sound quality or the way you hear a particular sound.
As evident in movie theaters and concert halls, reflected sounds can add a certain pleasant spaciousness to the sound.
On the other hand, these sound reflections can also distort the quality of sound mainly because it has the tendency to amplify certain notes while masking other notes.
In order to regulate these sound reflections, you need to learn how to soundproof because it’s best to have high-quality sound absorbing foam installed in a room.
Sound absorbing foam is great for broadcast studios, commercial recording studios, auditoriums, conference rooms, gymnasiums, offices and even in restaurants.
Sound absorbing foam is a perfect solution for any place that has reverberation (echo) issues.
Most types of sound absorbing foam can absorb sounds that are generated at varying frequencies.
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The best type of sound absorbing foam is one made with melamine foam core and wrapped in a non-woven fabric core covering.
Since this material offers consistent firmness and density, it has the capacity to improve acoustic performance. However, despite being firm and dense, sound absorbing foam made of such material is also lightweight.
This makes it easier for anyone to attach the foam to any surface and it won’t require the use of any complicated tools or material.
Aside from offering easy installation and durability, sound absorbing foam is also sold in a wide range of colors.
You can easily choose something that matches the color of a particular room, or something that complements it so it won’t look tacky or out of place.
Instead of providing additional visual nuisance, choosing the right color of sound absorbing foam can also enhance a room’s design.
The foam can also make a room less prone to minor accidents, especially if the room is often visited by children. Just in case kids accidentally fall and hit their heads on walls, they won’t necessarily end up having a large bump on the forehead.
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Finally, sound absorbing foam is highly flexible. It can be wrapped around curved walls and even around thin columns or posts.
So, you won’t have to experience difficulty when you install it in rooms with complicated design details.
However, you have to make sure that the brand of sound absorbing foam you choose has an excellent flammability rating just to keep things safe.
Sound Absorbing Foam for Computers
As computers age they lose that soft, smooth hum that—for some—is very comforting to the ears.
What replaces that sound is usually a loud, rattling noise that seems to come from the rear of the computer.
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It sounds remarkably like loose screws and fans rattling around on a hard metal-and-plastic case. Instead of opening your PC tower or getting a technician to tinker with its innards, you can instead install sound absorbing foam in your computer.
Sound Absorbing Foam for Computers
Muffling Computer Noise
There are people who don’t like the idea of using sound absorbing foam. Computer fans will naturally wear out and produce noise in the process;
However, using noise mufflers might just disguise the true condition of the machine and make you unaware that it actually needs repair already.
This is indeed sound reasoning, but there are people who can’t afford to consult professional technicians each time their computer rattles.
That doesn’t mean though they have to endure the distracting noise for as long as it lasts.
They can instead use specially designed sound absorbing foam for computers. They are usually made from melamine foam, a material that effectively deadens sound waves.
Cause of Computer Noise
The noise produced by a computer usually comes from its cooling fans. As the machine gets older the fan accumulates dust and other bigger particles that lodge on the bearings.
Dust bunnies that form on the blades will be flapping around as they spin; and if it catches some bug or large bits of dust it will create that rattling sound.
Another reason may be that the cooling fans have started to rust. This will roughen the surfaces of its joints and create a buzzing sound. In this case, it would be a better idea to get your technician to replace your cooling fan.
Except for the last situation, regular cleaning and some sound absorbing foam Panels for computers will be enough to quiet down your machine.
Why Use Noise Mufflers?
A logical question that will come to mind is, why don’t you just send your PC off for repairs? There’s bound to be something loose that’s causing that noise.
The thing is, damaged or loose screws and bearings isn’t always the cause for this. If this is indeed the reason,
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Your PC might as well not turn on at all; but if your PC works just fine and is in perfect condition except for this deplorable flaw, it is likely that there is no actual damage that needs to be fixed.
If you insist on overhauling your PC to get rid of the noise, you could just be wasting money on repairs and parts replacements that are not absolutely necessary.
Basic Tips on How to Soundproof a Room
Noise is always a form of nuisance for most of us, unless of course we are the source. Apart from boisterous laughing or talking and loud music, annoying noises can also come in the form of your neighbor’s dog barking,
A humming laundry room, or a drilling construction nearby. Since removing noise sources is generally not an option, your best bet is the sound absorbing foam for your room.
how-to-soundproof-a-room
If you have no idea on how to soundproof your room, below are some basic tips on how to muffle sounds.
The truth is, you don’t really need to spend a lot to have your room soundproofed. Contrary to several guides on how to soundproof a room,
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You can actually employ easy and inexpensive techniques such as moving your sofa away from the wall and positioning it right at the center of the room. This absorbs sound waves that may go around bouncing from the walls.
If you have no idea on sound absorbing foam Sheets or how to soundproof a room, you’ll be shocked to know that it may only be as easy as installing drapes on your walls.
Aside from that, you can also place a rug over your hardwood or vinyl floors to help absorb any harmful sound reflections.
Another helpful trick is diffuse or break sound reflections is to place a bookshelf at strategic places where external noise might bleed in.
If these techniques might not be enough to muffle noise coming from the outside, then you should try the following techniques.
If you have extra money to spare, you can have double-pane windows installed. It helps if the window pane set you choose comes with vinyl frames since they tend to offer an effective solution to minimize noise levels.
Aside from that, you can also try attaching various types of soundproofing materials on your walls. However, if you decide to do so, make sure to do it cautiously,
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especially if it’s your first time. Make sure to wear a dust mask and a pair of goggles during the process.
Finally, you also have to make sure not to overfill the walls otherwise you may spend more than you would like to.
The process is quite easy once you get the hang of it. However, if you’re not entirely sure if you can pull it off or if you can’t find time to do it yourself, you can just hire a professional to do the job for you.
Alternative Sound Absorbing Materials for a Home Theater
Many of us wish to have a state of the art TV room, or better yet, a spanking home theater.
Unfortunately only a few can actually afford all the expensive sound equipment and room renovations that no doubt must be done in order to perfectly recreate the visual and sound quality of a cinema.
The most that many of us can do is purchase a very good, high-definition TV and a surround sound system that’s crisp and clear.
There’s one problem though when people try to transform an ordinary room into a mini-theater without paying for an overhaul: the sound quality won’t be as good as it should ideally be.
Besides the television and audio equipment, sound proofing and sound absorbing materials in a home theater room are the most important things to acquire.
If you don’t have the budget to have your walls done by a crew specializing on theater rooms, you may be able to do something all by yourself.
The outcome may not be as excellent, but it would nevertheless produce similar results.
Makeshift Sound Absorbing Materials
Sound absorbing materials literally absorb the sound waves. Since they will simply pass through the walls, they don’t bounce back and produce echoes.
Notice that the interiors of cinemas are not plain concrete. Almost all surfaces are covered by thick and padded carpeting. Some walls may be plain wood, but they are in broken panels and still lined with thick padding.
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The ceiling also seems to be made up of felt-covered panels that are propped up against one another at a slight angle.
These uneven surfaces and padded walls, floors, and ceilings are necessary to absorb sound. Sound waves echo when it comes across a hard solid.
The chances of echoing is reduced when it hits an uneven surface—most especially a soft and padded uneven surface.
This is what people have to think about when they’re looking for sound absorbing materials.
Here are some examples of what you can use at home:
Egg trays – This is a popular alternative for sound absorption. The surface of an egg tray is uneven and carton is one of the best sound absorbing materials.
Often though, egg cartons have to be used alongside thin foam padding for complete sound absorption.
Bed foam – Ordinary sheets of foam that are usually used for cots, chairs and sofas are very ideal.
They are readily available on home depots and they can be easily attached on the walls. The large sheets are also quicker to set up because each one can cover a wide portion of the wall.
Thick wool carpets –These work quite as well as egg trays and can be easily nailed on the walls.
Drapes – Thick curtains, like the ones used on theater stages, are excellent sound absorbing materials. Plus, you can push these off the walls when you’re not using the home theater system.
Remember that even if your audio system produces loud, clear sound, its full potential will not be fully manifested if the room is not aptly equipped with sound absorbing materials on the walls, floor and ceiling.
The Necessity of Sound Absorbing Material in Various Public Places
There are many public places wherein acoustics is a major concern. We can identify at least three classifications of these places: establishments for entertainment, prayer, and work.
In Places of Leisure
Home theaters, cinemas, operas, sound studios, karaokes, and many more establishments for entertainment require proper acoustics.
It’s a huge buzzkill, for instance, to watch a movie in a cinema whose sound quality is very bad.
Operas and stage productions also need excellent acoustics so that the music, songs and dialogues of the actors and singers will be heard clearly in all corners of the room.
Karaoke parlors need very good sound absorbing material so that customers won’t go deaf because of the loud music reverberating all over the small rooms.
In Places of Worship
The most common sound absorbing material used in places of worship are curtains and heavy drapes.
They fit in very well with the usually formal furniture and decorations of churches prayer and worship rooms.
It is also easier for church attendants to wash and clean these sheets than to make sure that dust and stains don’t accumulate on acoustic wall panels and floors.
Most places of prayer and worship are open-air rooms; if ever there is centralized air-conditioning the doors are almost always open.
Breeze, bringing in all kinds of dust and air impurities, will be circulating throughout the place. Such a set-up can easily result to grimy acoustic panels and very dusty, musty floors.
Drapes as the primary sound absorbing material is economical and very practical. Churches that usually have bands playing during their services and worship sessions should at least have drapes to improve the acoustics.
In Workplaces
Although it isn’t frequently done, workplaces can also benefit from having sound absorbing material installed on the walls.
Common offices where dozens work at the same time can get very noisy. Even if some workers choose to be quiet, they can still be disturbed by the noise their coworkers make.
Any form of disturbance in the office can have a negative effect on workers’ output. If the problem is noise, then improving the office’s acoustics will not go amiss.
There are also some workplaces wherein very good acoustics is a requirement. Take call centers, recording studios and conference rooms, for instance.
They need to have a proper sound absorbing material in place, preferably acoustic panels that are created especially for audio-visual rooms.
Just like in places of worship, offices don’t necessarily need to have sophisticated acoustic panels.
They only need to minimize sound and contain noise, so an alternative sound absorbing material like drapes and thick carpets will already suffice.
You can also put portable wooden dividers to minimize echoes in a very large office space.
It is now very easy to make sure that the sound absorbing material installed in offices, worship and prayer rooms and private nooks in bars are also compatible with the interior decorations.
Manufacturers make their products in various designs, materials, colors and shapes. You should be able to choose a sound absorbing material that will blend very well with the furniture and colors in any room whose acoustics you wish to improve.
Sound Proofing Foam as a Pest Prevention Measure
Sound proofing materials are used in audio-visual rooms, auditoriums, movie theaters, and recording studios to prevent the sound produced within to pass through the walls and create noise in adjacent rooms.
It is used alongside sound absorbing materials in order to improve the sound quality within an enclosed space.
There are many materials used for sound proofing, the most common of which is sound proofing foam.
There is one other possible use for sound proofing foam though, and it’s not at all related to audio improvement. This material can be utilized at home as a preventative measure against household pests.
Using Sound Proofing Foam as Sealant
The spray foam used to sound proof a room is made up of a chemical compound that expands when released from the bottle.
After some time, the foam settles and hardens in place. This is why sound proofing spray foam is also used by some homeowners to keep out pests from entering their homes. It works this way:
The foam is sprayed on the cracks and crevices on the walls and along the ceiling line. When it expands, the substance gets into every nook and cranny it covers, especially the cracks along the concrete or wood paneling.
Once it hardens, there’s no more space through which critters and pests like roaches, rats, and termites to go through.
Here’s one tip as well: since there are different kinds of sound proofing foam available in the market, look for closed-cell spray foam.
This is the type that hardens to a solid after a few minutes. There are even anti-microbial versions, which can prevent not just pest infestation but also microbial and bacterial infiltration in your home.
Since hardened sound proofing foam also prevents moisture from seeping into the house, it also helps prevent mold from forming in cellars and attics.
Sound Proofing Foam – Economical and Eco-Friendly
What’s great about using sound proofing foam for pest prevention is that this material is very eco-friendly.
The chemical compounds used for it are non-toxic. Plus, since the substance solidifies once it is sprayed, there’s no danger of chemicals getting drained and washed off to contaminate the soil outside the house.
It doesn’t smell bad so it won’t irritate the members of the household who have delicate olfactory senses. Most importantly, it is more permanent than chemical sprays and moth balls.
It would be worth it to spend for sound proofing foam since it will last for a long time. With pest-repellent sprays, homeowners will need to purchase again and again each time a pest infiltration occurs.
Of course, since you’re already using sound proofing foam around the house, you might as well use it for the TV room where it is really ideal.
You can also use it for your teenagers’ rooms so that they don’t disturb the rest of the household when they start cranking up those rap, rock and alternative music.
There are so many uses for this material around the house. Evaluate where you need to spray on the foam and be sure to concentrate on the locations where pests are most likely to show up.
What Acoustic Sound Foam Can Do for You
Acoustic sound foam is a special kind of foam commonly used for acoustic treatment and insulation.
It works by increasing the air resistance of airborne sound waves, thus reducing their amplitude and giving the sounds a calmer and more soothing vibe.
The energy involved in this process is then dissipated as heat. Many people who plan to set up a home theatre take advantage of the benefits acoustic sound foam has to offer.
This material is very easy to use, since it comes in several different sizes, thickness, and colours.
Its versatility also extends to the fact that it can be attached not only to walls, but also ceilings and doors.
Uses of Acoustic Sound Foam
There are generally two uses for acoustic sound foam: acoustic enhancement and sound blocking.
The main objective when using foam for acoustic enhancement is to enhance sound properties by improving the quality of sound and the clarity of speech.
This is why the material is often used in recording studios and home theatres. It’s meant to reduce resonance without actually eliminating it and this purpose is achieved by placing similarly-sized foam pieces on opposite walls,
Usually shaped in cones or triangles. It’s also meant to reduce echoes in a room, particularly when it’s attached to the walls of temples and churches.
When using acoustic sound foam for sound blocking, the main objective is usually to prevent sound from entering or leaving a particular room.
For this purpose, the material has to be placed in all the walls of the room as well as on the floor and ceiling, thus eliminating all resonance within the enclosure.
Jagged acoustic foam can also help baffle sound in the same way sound baffles work to break up empty space in large rooms with high ceilings.
The best acoustic foams are generally those with protruding spikes or pyramids, which are known to increase sound absorption.
Benefits of Acoustic Sound Foam
Aside from the uses mentioned above, there are several benefits that can be gained from using acoustic sound foam in your home theatre.
For one thing, many such products are treated with fire retardants, so you can be assured of its safety.
It’s also very easy to shape and use, and is made of just the right materials and bubble size to attain maximum absorption of a wide range of frequencies, from the highest pitch to the lowest bass.
Of course, you’ll have to install the foam properly and in the right proportion to be able to take full advantage of these benefits.
Among other things, you’ll have to make sure the width of your foam is in the right proportion to its length and height in order for you to enjoy all of its benefits.
Remember that it’s not advisable for you to cover your home theatre entirely with the foam because doing so will make the room seem extremely tightly-packed and give the sound an unnatural quality.
And if you feel that using acoustic foam is overkill for a home theatre, then you may substitute it with acoustic curtains.
But if you do, then you should be prepared for a less-than-ideal effect compared to what you’d get with acoustic sound foam.
Benefitting from Soundproof Foam
Many people are becoming interested in sound proofing these days for several different reasons and if you’re one of these people, then you may want to learn more about soundproof foam, which can be very useful for your purposes.
Some people require soundproofing for a particular room in their home, while others plan to soundproof an entire building or home.
Some want to do so to keep the noise of the city out of their home, while others install soundproofing to enjoy their home theatre or music room even more.
Whatever your reasons are, soundproof foam can surely provide you with a quieter environment.
Soundproof Foam: Considerations before Installation
Even with the best soundproof materials, you still won’t get the sound quality you expect unless the materials are properly installed.
Before you start installing soundproof foam, though, you should first measure the sound level in the area you’re planning to soundproof using a barometer.
The results of your measurements will determine which particular areas will need insulation materials.
You should also find out if foam is indeed the kind of material that’ll fit your needs best.
While it’s among the most popular insulation materials, you may also want to consider other materials such as carpeting and cork.
How to Install Soundproof Foam
Regardless of whether you use soundproof foam or another soundproof material, you may want to add a second wall, which allows for extra space where air can flow.
You may then fill the space with the insulation material to achieve the best results. While this may be an expensive way of soundproofing a room, it’s also among the most effective.
Remember to measure all areas that need insulation before you go out to buy the foam. It may even be a good idea to measure twice to make sure you can maximise the cost of the soundproof material.
You should also make sure that the soundproof foam is installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
There are foam products that can be applied to all kinds of surfaces and there are also those that may only be applied to specific areas.
Take note as well that soundproof materials work best when they’re installed at the same time the house or room is constructed.
Of course, you may still benefit from soundproofing even if you install it after construction, but it isn’t likely to be as effective as it can be when installed during the construction phase itself.
If you’re soundproofing your home to enjoy a home theatre or music room, then you’d best place your speakers on elevated surfaces so as to prevent sound from vibrating inside the room.
You should also add weather strips or caulking to any gaps, cracks, and spaces around the ceiling, baseboards, walls, windows, and doors.
To put it simply, you don’t want sound to enter or leave the room in any way. Once everything’s installed, measure sound with your barometer again.
You should now get a better reading and start enjoying the results of installing soundproof foam in your haven.
Attaining Peace and Quiet with Foam Soundproof
No matter how much you love your house, you have to admit that it does have its faults and one of these may be the significant amount of drafts and noise that seem to creep in, which just might make foam soundproof material something of a necessity.
Too much noise can make your home much less cozy than you’d want it to be and prevent you from enjoying much-needed peace and quiet.
A home is supposed to be a refuge where you can unwind at the end of a busy day and foam soundproof material can definitely turn it into such a haven.
Installing Foam Soundproof Material
Among the biggest advantages to foam soundproof material is that it can easily be installed by bringing it up to your attic and then lowering it down the interior of your walls, thus automatically giving your home an effective sound-absorbing layer of insulation.
Once the foam has completely filled the space between your walls, you’ll finally be able to enjoy the peace and quiet you’ve long been dreaming about.
Make sure the insulation material completely covers all holes and gaps, including the ones surrounding your light fixtures and electrical outlets.
Basically, you need to seal off all the areas where air can enter.
Benefits of Foam Soundproof
The major benefit of installing foam soundproof is that it helps you deal with two shortcomings in your home at once. Not only is it a reliable soundproofing material, but also an excellent insulator.
Perhaps like most homeowners, you may never have realized that the tiny openings around light fixtures and electrical outlets can actually affect energy efficiency in your home.
Well, your next energy bill will surely show you just how big a difference the foam can make.
Besides that, another benefit of soundproof foam that’s often overlooked is that it helps prevent unpleasant odors from spreading throughout your home.
Even better news is that you won’t need any advanced preparation for the installation of foam soundproof material, since there’s no need for you to remove or replace any of your walls.
Perhaps the only real preparation you need to make when soundproofing your home is that of measuring the areas where the foam material is supposed to go.
Soon after that, you’ll finally be able to enjoy the kind of atmosphere you’ve long wanted to have in your home.
So, if your home is located in an area where there’s constantly heavy traffic, then it’s definitely a good idea to consider soundproofing it.
And don’t just limit yourself to blocking outside noise from entering your house; you’d do well to prevent sounds from penetrating inner walls as well.
This way, you can still enjoy a nice, relaxing time in front of your fireplace even as your kids play their video games or music in their rooms.
By getting foam soundproof material installed, you’ll spare yourselves from getting distracted by each other’s noise as well as that of your neighbors’.
The Guide to Soundproofing a Room
Soundproof A RoomIf you have been meaning to look for effective ways to minimize the amount of sound coming out or into the room but are clueless on how to start,
Read on to find out several important things you need to know on how to soundproof a room or by simply using sound absorbing foam into your room.
Before everything else, you have to know that there are actually various methods on how to soundproof a room.
The right method is the one that is most suitable for the type of room you have. Since you also need to spend money, it’s advisable for you to set aside a budget.
To effectively block the flow of sound that flows in and out of the room, you have to know where the noise or sound comes from.
Noise comes as a result of sound vibrations. A vibration results from the back and forth movement of a sound wave.
The best way to prevent sound waves from bouncing back and forth in the walls of a room is to install any material that can absorb sound waves to get rid of the noise it produces.
However, if you are renting a room, having your walls built this way may not be the best option for you.
Instead of annoying your landlord, you can just create a buffer that prevents sound waves from escaping the room while simultaneously preventing external noise from coming in.
If you find that you may be a little bit low on the budget or you don’t have enough time to undertake this type of project, you can employ less expensive and less drastic methods.
There are simple ways to dampen noise inside the room. For instance, you can easily lay down a carpet or hang drapes over your walls and windows to minimize noise.
Although these may not prove to be the best solution to dampen unwanted noise in your room, you can save a lot of time and money from this simple technique.
Besides, you don’t really need to go all out on soundproofing a room unless you are planning to turn the room into a recording studio or something like that.
Another effective way on how to soundproof a room is to place rough-surface furnishings in your room.
As compared to plain smooth surfaces, having rough surface furnishings installed in your wall can effectively absorb sound waves.
This can be achieved by simply spraying a type of acoustic spray texture to your room’s ceiling or walls.
These are just some of the ways to dampen the noise in your room. Given that you have ample budget for this project, you can explore other, more effective ways to soundproof any room you want.
Multi-Purpose Sound Absorbing Foam Spray for Home and Audio Recording Use
There is no avoiding sound wherever you may go, except perhaps if you are in a vacuum or in outer space.
No matter how hard you try not to create any form of noise, you are still bound to create vibrations that are audible to keen-eared people and animals.
However, there are times when you have to block out unwanted sound for the sake of peace and quiet. Examples of these situations are when you are meditating, doing an audio recording, sleeping, or in a place of worship.
If you have the means and authority to tinker with the venues where these activities are held, you will benefit greatly if you install sound absorbing foam spray on these rooms. This will help keep unwanted sound like echoes and external noise from penetrating through the walls.
That’s not all. Sound absorbing foam spray also has another important purpose other than sound absorption: providing insulation.
Foam Spray as Insulation – Sound Absorbing Foam Spray
Sound absorbing foam spray can be used as insulation for a house. They have excellent R-value rates (measure of resistance to heat) ranging from 3.5 to 6.0, which make them effective insulators for houses situated in cold locations.
There are two kinds of spray foam used for this purpose: closed-cell polyurethane spray foam and open-cell polyurethane spray foam.
Both are very durable and hard-wearing. Closed-cell polyurethane is excellent at retaining gas, which further strengthens its capacity as an insulating material.
It is also highly resistant to water. Open-cell polyurethane may not be as good as the former when it comes to insulation capacity and water-resistance, but it is still a very good material for home use.
Foam Spray for Sound Absorption
Using foam spray in addition to sound absorbing foam panels will help to completely block external sound from penetrating an audio recording room.
The foam spray is usually stuffed right on the corners and crevices of the walls and roof before the foam panels are installed.
There are also other places where you can install sound absorbing foam spray besides audio recording studios.
They are also used in machinery rooms where large and extremely noisy machineries are humming and rattling 24/7; in nightclubs where there are soundproof walls;
Surrounding generators or chambers containing energy-generating machines; inside cooling systems and computer CPUs; and beneath skateboarding ramps.
Advantages of Using Spray Foam
Even though sound absorbing spray foam is more expensive than your average polyurethane foam and fiberglass material, it is easier to install because of its “spray” orientation.
You can easily get the foam to stick into the crevices and small corners of a room or in any other location.
When properly and sufficiently applied, customers can be assured that their homes will be free from cold drafts and unwanted noise.
Steps in Installing Sound Absorbing Foam Sheets
There are many venues where sound absorbing foam sheets are needed, mostly for rooms where it is imperative to have clear and crisp audio reception.
Examples of these rooms are audio recording booths, cinemas, theaters, meditation rooms, and places of worship.
In these places, it is important that the sound created within the room will not refract on the walls.
The walls need to be reinforced with special materials that will prevent echoes from forming audibly and disturbing the much-required quiet or penetrating through the music and sound that are being captured on tape.
The integrity of sound in these places is very important.
This is why sound absorbing foam sheets come are very important. Sound is very difficult to stifle, all the more if they are echoes created from refracted vibrations within the room itself.
The privilege of soundproofing or even sound absorbing foam computer and echo-proofing a room is not only limited to malls, churches, big-time recording studios and the like.
You can also create a room suitable for audio recording, quiet meditation, and prayer if you learn how to install these foam sheets properly.
Sound Absorbing Foam Sheets
The following are simple steps in installing sound absorbing foam sheets:
- Select the right kind of foam for the room. There are many kinds of foam and other materials used for sound absorption. Polyurethane foam, melamine foam, spray foam, fiberglass–even egg trays are used as alternative soundproofing material. For convenience’s sake, choose foam sheets that fit your budget and suit your needs.
- Measure and cut the sheets accordingly, preferably in half-wall lengths so that they’ll be easier to install. You can easily cut them using a sharp knife. If you have to use scissors, use the large, wide-blade ones. Tiny scissors have a tendency to compress the foam and reduce its integrity as a sound absorbing material.
- Use sturdy Velcro fasteners to attach the foam on the walls. Place them on strategic locations on the walls first: near the top, the bottom, and along the middle. You may need to put up more Velcro fasteners at close intervals to secure the foam’s position on the walls.
This will allow you to install the foam sheets with minimal damage on the walls. Normally, foam sheets are attached using liquid adhesives that could permanently damage wall surfaces once the sheets are removed.
- Attach the other halves of the Velcro fasteners at the back of the foam sheets.
- Carefully align the Velcro on the foam sheets to those on the walls. Press the meeting points for good measure.
For people who have their own bands and are often recording songs in a makeshift recording room, knowing how to install sound absorbing foam sheets will be a definite advantage. The same goes for those who have a private multimedia room and mini-cinema in their own homes.
Sound Absorbing Foam Panels For Audio Recording Rooms
In audio recording studios, it is important for the sound being recorded to be crisp, clear, and sharp.
All external sounds coming from outside the room have to be completely eliminated so that they won’t be audible in the final recording.
This is crucial if you are recording a song or dubbing the audio support for an animated movie clip. If external sounds make it to the final cut, it would be a big turnoff to the executives and producers.
Other than avoiding the hubbub of slamming doors, passing cars, and yelling people by means of sound proofing material,
You also want to avoid echoes and shrill, ear-piercing sounds produced by fluctuating frequencies in the recording room. These create a fluttering and slapping echo which is just as bad as external noises.
If you normally do recordings in a room at home, you can install sound absorbing foam panels on the walls, floors, and ceiling.
This will help you create a flawless recording without the echoing that is likely to occur in amateur recording studios.
Components of Sound Absorbing Panels
These panels are commonly made from polyurethane or melamine foam, batting made from cotton fiber and fiberglass.
The panels are narrow and usually measures 300-500 millimeters across and nine to 38 millimeters thick.
Of course, customers and builders can adjust the dimensions of these panels according to the needs of the recording room.
They also come in different colors and styles to fit various interior decorating themes.
For the foam panels, they are usually attached on the panels in its originally smooth and flat form. Some manufacturers create them with a serrated, wave-like surface though, to better prevent the occurrence of sound echoing.
These sound absorbing panels look pretty much like egg trays (which, incidentally, are actually another option for sound absorbing foam panels.
Other Alternatives
Besides foam, the most typical and easiest means of absorbing sound is to install drapes on the walls of the recording room.
On the downside, they do not completely eliminate echoes; they also fail dismally at preventing outside noise from penetrating the room.
If you want to have a very effective recording room with excellent sound absorption, go for the foam panels or use sound absorbing foam spray.
Installation
A word of caution though for people who plan to install sound absorbing foam panels in their rooms: these are commonly permanent fixtures that will cause damage on a room’s walls once you attempt to remove them.
They are attached with permanent adhesives that are very durable.
Sound absorbing foam panels—along with sound proofing panels—are the best choice if you want to create the most perfect audio recordings.
Cheap Sound Foam for Amateur Sound Mixers
Many young people are into sound mixing these days. The younger crowd has always been avid followers of pop culture, which includes modern songs.
Occasionally there are those who love classical, musical, and retro music. It’s because of this eclectic mix of tastes in music that musically-inclined people are able to come up with really good song mixes.
In order to create incredible mixes, a mixer needs to have a very good sound mixing software and equipment.
It is now possible to create mixes on the computer with the help of several peripherals and accessories for audio editing like high-definition speakers, sub-woofer, DJ headphones, sound cards, and microphones.
It is also very advantageous to at least have a private room where he can do live recordings, sound mixings, produce echoes for added sound effects and be able to play sample cuts as loud as he likes without disturbing others.
Naturally, this room needs to be properly padded and equipped with acoustic panels in order to replicate the efficiency of a sound studio.
However, teens cannot afford to pay for proper room acoustic treatment—especially if they already cajoled for their parents to buy them a computer and really good recording peripherals.
If they do get to have a room exclusively for their sound mixing, they can use cheap sound foam or alternatives instead.
There are many kinds of acoustic panels used for improving and enhancing the acoustics of a sound room.
They tend to be quite expensive too considering they are usually sold by square feet and even a small room will require quite a lot of panels in order to be fully padded.
Since it would be impractical for amateur sound mixers and those who only do it as a hobby to spend a fortune on a sound room, it would be better to simply utilize common materials at home to function as cheap sound foam.
Examples of Alternative Sound Foam for Home Sound Studios
Old mattress foams are very economical alternatives to genuine acoustic panels. They work pretty well in absorbing sound and reducing echoes.
In fact, all sorts of soft materials can absorb sound waves (although in varying degrees, of course).
Plus, acoustic panels are basically foam as well, so why not literally use cheap sound foam panels that are readily available at home?
Old carpets can also work, especially on the floor and ceiling. This would help in keeping the sound muffled to a minimum—which would undoubtedly be an issue for most moms and dads and other housemates.
Sound mixing can be quite noisy, especially when you create some of the sound effects and musical tones yourself.
Egg trays are also pretty standard in makeshift sound studios. They are great in diffusing sound waves and preventing echoes from becoming audible.
They don’t do much as sound absorbers though and are best used along with mattress foams.
Of course, it is also possible to come across a company that sells relatively cheap sound foam panels. The result may not be as refined as a professional sound studio, but that would already be a good start for amateur sound mixers.
Examples of Different Kinds of Sound Studio Foam
There are many kinds of sound studio foam used to improve the acoustics of a recording or music room.
The most basic kinds of foam for acoustic enhancement, the ones that many people are familiar with, are sound proofing and sound absorbing foam.
These two are often referenced together and used interchangeably, which is wrong because sound proofing foam is different from sound absorbing foam.
Sound proofing is for keeping sound contained within a room; or at least stopping sound waves from passing through the walls, ceiling or floors.
The waves bounce off this foam, making the sound louder and more pronounced. On the other hand, rebounding sound waves also result in echoes and deep reverberations.
These are not acceptable in a sound studio, particularly when a recording is going on.
That is why sound absorbing is also used to complement studio sound foam. This one allows sound waves to pass right through it and lets a certain volume of sound to be heard from outside the room. It works efficiently for sound reduction too.
Most importantly, sound absorbing foam reduces the audibility of echoes and reverberations.
When used together, these two kinds of sound studio foam can improve the quality of the acoustics in the studio and will balance the need for sound isolation and reduction of unnecessary echoes.
Other Functions of Sound Studio Foam
Besides these two, there are also other kinds of sound studio foam that are used for other purposes in the sound studio.
For instance, there’s a special kind of foam that attenuates sound waves. This is the process of transporting sound waves from one room to the next.
This is done by installing two separate layers of acoustic paneling on the ceiling with a gap in between.
Sound waves coming from one room will pass through the ceiling and made to bounce on the second layer of acoustic paneling, and right through the ceiling of the adjacent room.
Sound attenuation may also be achieved by using sound absorbing foam on the inner ceiling and sound proofing on the upper ceiling.
Shapes and Specific Purposes
Sophisticated and high-end sound studios use sound studio foam that are made specifically for a particular part of the room and for a specific purpose. Two examples are bass wedges and soft-sound baffles.
There are also specially designed foams that fit into the corners of a sound studio. These are called corner trap foam. These are useful for ensuring that the volume of sound is even all over the room.
Imagine sound waves flowing through a closed, quadrilateral room. If the source of the sound is standing at the center (ex: the singer or musical instrument player), the sound waves will be hitting the various parts of the room at different angles.
This means some sound waves will bounce back to the source earlier, some will come later—and those that will bounce back later usually come from the distant corners.
By installing corner traps, sound waves will be have a more uniform speed and rate of bounce—and this can be determined through the volume and formation of echoes in a room.
Guarantee Your Peace and Quiet with Sound Reduction Foam
Noise pollution is inescapable today, but that doesn’t mean that there’s absolutely nothing people can do about it.
If the source of the noise cannot be dissuaded or stopped, people who are bothered by it can make use of sound reduction foam and retain the peace and quiet they want so much.
Sound Reduction Foam for Home Use
There are times when people want to wrap their house in sound reduction foam especially when there are rambunctious kids and teens around the house.
Even if they are not being intentionally noisy, it is difficult for most of them to keep silent for long periods of time.
They like to play, play games on the Xbox, and watch movies and ball games on the flat screen—activities that normally generate loud noise.
In order to at least minimize the noise in the house, parents can install sound reduction foam on their entertainment rooms’ walls and floors (if they are located on the upper floors).
This type of foam helps reduce the level of noise that penetrates the wood and concrete all over the house.
It would also be a good idea to install sound reduction foam in the home’s library or office.
This material may not be able to completely block the sound and noise coming from other parts of the house, but at least it would muffle the sound to a bearable level.
By carefully planning the acoustics of the various rooms in the house, the elders of the household will be able to enjoy some quiet time even as the younger members continue with their loud hobbies and recreational activities.
Reducing Noise in Offices and Classrooms
Sound reduction is even more important in classrooms and offices. In school, students need to be able to hear their professors clearly so that they can jot down accurate notes and understand their lessons easily.
Unfortunately, noise in school is never completely unavoidable, especially for classrooms that are located near the canteen or the open field.
The noise from outside the rooms can be mighty distracting to the students and disturb their concentration on their professors’ lectures.
The same thing goes for corporate offices, especially if they are located in large buildings that house other companies as well.
Workers need to have a quiet environment in order to concentrate on their work, especially those who belong on accounting departments.
Unfortunately, all sorts of distracting noise can be heard in the workplace: janitors gunning giant vacuum cleaners, loud hums of printing machines, and the occasional sirens from fire trucks, ambulances and police cars.
Sound reduction foam can reduce sound waves from bouncing and reverberating through a room.
Installing acoustic panels may be a bit of a stretch for most schools, but there are private educational institutions that do check the acoustics of their classrooms.
Admittedly though, considering today’s economy, offices are more likely to install sound reduction foam than schools or private homes—unless they use alternative sound absorbing material. Now that would be a different topic of discussion for another day.
Analyzing the Purposes of Sound Absorbing Products on the Ceiling and Floor
Not many people realize this, but there are so many places that require proper acoustic treatment.
The first places that come to mind are cinemas, auditoriums, audio-visual rooms, classrooms, conference rooms, recording studios, and even some restaurants and fancy ballrooms.
These places need to have very good acoustics so that the activities done within (such as watching movies, delivering or listening to lectures, recording songs, etc…) are carried out smoothly and perfectly.
In order to achieve perfect acoustics in a room, people shouldn’t only install acoustic panels on the walls.
The ceilings and the floor should also be treated similarly in order to achieve the best audio quality possible. After all, sound waves may rebound from all solid surfaces it comes in contact with, not just the walls but also the floors and the ceilings.
Sound Absorbing Products on the Floor
The main problem that people may have with bare, concrete or wooden floors is reverberation.
Sound waves will not be able to pass through the floor unless there is a gap between it and the foundation of the building; or,
if the floor is an upper level, which would naturally leave the bottom bare and allow for noise upstairs to be audible from the floor below.
By installing sound absorbing products on the floor of a room, the noise produced within will be muffled and reduced to insignificant decibels to people outside the structure.
This is why cinemas at the malls are reinforced with sound absorbing products from the walls to the floors and ceilings.
The material will also reduce the noise produced by footsteps within the room; pretty much the same way a carpet would muffle the clack-clacking of heeled shoes across the marble or hardwood.
Come to think of it, these materials already double as carpeting for cinemas and sophisticated auditoriums too.
Sound Absorbing Products on the Ceiling
The ceiling is more prone to producing echoes and reverberations than the floors. It is also very easy for external noise to make its way into a room by passing through the ceiling.
For example, a recording studio is commonly made up of two rooms. There’s the recording room itself where the artists and musicians take up their musical instruments and create the sound that will be recorded;
And the external room where the audio controls, mixers, and sound manipulating equipment are set up.
Besides installing sound absorbing products on the walls, it is also possible that special panels for sound attenuation will be installed on the ceiling.
In sound attenuation, the sound waves completely pass through the ceiling of one room and straight into the adjacent space.
All sound waves are transmitted from one place to another, unlike with sound absorbing products wherein some sound waves are still rebounded back into the room. The resulting echoes are not really very audible,
But if your recording equipment is extremely sensitive and can pick up very faint sounds, then this could be a problem.
By combining sound absorbing products with sound attenuation material, echoes and reverberations will be negligible in the recording, if not completely eliminated.
Inexpensive Noise Absorbing Material for Home Use
Uses of Noise Absorbing Material at Home
Not all people are concerned about finding noise absorbing material that they can install at home.
After all, there’s really no great need for a home to be checked for room acoustics unlike with an office or a public auditorium.
On the other hand, it never hurts to know about the dynamics of room acoustics and the ways that you can achieve sound room-quality using a very simple, even crude, noise absorbing material that can be found at home.
You might be thinking, for what reasons can you possibly need sound absorbing materials at home?
For starters, if you have a teenage kid at home who belongs to a band and practices in your garage,
You will definitely be looking for ways to keep the noise level to a minimum, not just for your own peace but for your neighbors’ as well.
Another place in the house where you may want to install some noise absorbing material is the laundry room.
Although the noise here won’t be as loud as the one produced by a group of enthusiastic teens with various musical instruments,
You might want to keep the loud hums of the machines down if the laundry room is located beside a receiving room or a bedroom.
Of course, if you have a designated TV room with a monstrous audio component, you’ll definitely want to keep the noise in this room isolated.
Besides, if you give a TV room an overhaul to isolate noise and improve the acoustics, you’ll also get to enjoy watching movies with wicked musical scores and soundtracks even more.
Examples of Noise Absorbing Material
It is possible to install some noise absorbing material at home without shelling out too much cash.
There are many things found at home that can be used as alternative sound absorbers. The most popular, for instance, are egg trays and ordinary foam sheets.
Notice that these two closely resemble the sophisticated and expensive acoustic panels that are manufactured by companies specializing in materials and equipment for room acoustics.
The uneven, cratered surfaces of the egg trays make it impossible for sound waves to bounce off from the walls in one direction, which would result to audible reverberations or echoes.
Upon hitting the dimpled surface of egg trays, the sound waves will refract in various directions and in different angles.
This slows down the rebounded sound waves, making them less audible and quick to disperse.
With the foam, the sound waves lose steam on the rebound because of the its softness and perforated surface, as opposed to a plain wall’s hard and smooth expanse (which is perfect for sound refraction and echo production).
This is why foam is more often considered as noise absorbing material while egg trays are often classified under soundproofing.
If you have these things at home already you can install them on your walls using adhesives like heavy-duty, double-sided tape.
Glue works pretty well, too; just be sure to use the non-toxic ones. By putting up some noise absorbing material in the noisy areas of your home,
You can enjoy some peace and quiet without restricting other members of the household from doing noisy activities.
Sound Foam Panels for Sound Isolation and Acoustic Enhancement: A Combination Worthy of a Recording Studio
Many people who are musically-inclined are now taking interest in building a recording studio right in their homes.
This is indeed an expensive project, but once the room is built it does serve the recreational and creative interests of a music enthusiast very well.
In fact, if the musical recordings turn out to be better than expected, a person can easily capitalize on his hobby and make money out of it by producing records and selling them to both producers and consumers.
Before reaching that point though, there’s still the matter of outfitting a home recording studio with the right sound foam panels and recording equipment.
Invest in Sound Foam Panels
It’s a given that in order to have very good recordings, one must also invest on very good sound mixers and recorders.
What many people fail to consider is that the room treatment is equally important as the sound equipment,
If not even more so. Experts at room acoustics say that even if they use less sophisticated recording equipment, musicians can already produce very good recordings as long as the room is outfitted with very good sound foam panels.
The acoustic panels that should be included in a home recording studio are the following:
- Sound proofing foam
This foam is used for acoustic isolation. It basically keeps the sound produced within the room inside the room and prevents any external noise from entering the room. If there is any need to block noise, sound proofing panels are recommended.
- Sound absorbing foam
Although sound proofing and sound absorbing are used jointly in discussions about room acoustics, sound absorbing foam is very different from sound proofing foam. These sound foam panels cannot block noise. They are merely used to improve sound quality by reducing the possibility of echo formation.
- Sound diffusion foam
Sound diffusion works alongside sound absorption. Sound waves are very much like the waves formed in a lake; when a wave stream reaches a barrier, like the edge of the lake (or in this case the walls of the recording room),
It bounces back at a slower rate and at an angle relative to the position of the source. As sound waves,
These are the echoes or mild reverberations. Sound waves that are not absorbed by the sound absorbing foam will instead be diffused by this foam until it becomes negligible.
These types of foam help eliminate the possible problems that may arise in a recording studio.
These problems are reverberation, echoing and noise infiltration. Vibrations, echoes and noise from outside the recording studio that re captured in the track will definitely reduce its overall appeal and quality.
The outcome might pass for those who have moderate standards, but if the ultimate goal is to create professional-sounding tracks, then this certainly wouldn’t pass muster.
The solution would inevitably be to buy sound foam panels and install them in the home recording studio.
Acoustic Foam Sound Insulation for a Recording Studio
It’s a little odd to think of acoustic foam sound insulation of a recording studio as one of the determining factors for an aspiring singer’s success or failure in catching the attention of a record producer and scoring a deal with a recording studio.
Still, this is as true as the voice of the singer being an integral part of the launching of his career.
Singers usually begin their careers by recording demo tracks and sending them to recording studios, producers and agents in the music industry.
Needless to say, it is important that their demo tracks sound excellent, from the audio quality to the balance between the singer’s voice and the minus-one he’s singing along with.
Most importantly, his voice must be properly showcased in the record, making apparent the strengths and potentials of the singer.
The best way for an aspiring singer to create an excellent and very flattering demo track is to record it at a professional recording studio.
Recording studios have excellent acoustic foam sound insulation, which prevents unwanted echoes and enhances the sound created within the room.
The result is a really good song recording which really gives off a studio-recorded vibe.
How Acoustic Foam Sound Insulation Works
The acoustic foam sound insulation panels in a recording studio are a combination of sound absorbing, sound diffusion, and soundproofing material.
These work together in producing clear and crisp songs wherein each component is clearly discernible when necessary (such as the voice of the singer)
And the other elements that sound best when combined are merged perfectly as well (like the musical instruments used to create the background music).
The panels inside a recording studio resemble egg trays. There are smooth, deep perforations on the padded walls.
These indentations absorb and diffuse sound waves, preventing discernible sound from echoing all over the room. Since there’s sound insulation as well, the sound produced in the room only produces a muffled sound from the outside.
Hence, the acoustic foam sound insulation ensures that the sound recorded is at its best quality and whatever level of noise produced within will not disturb the rooms beyond the recording studio.
On Recording an Amateur Demo
Although going to a recording studio for a demo recording is a very good first step to take, people cannot just head off there each time they feel like recording a song or two. They can still create recordings at home, especially if it’s simply for recreation.
That doesn’t mean though that they will simply have to content themselves with mediocre results. Anyone can transform a room into a fairly good recording room for amateur recordings.
People can buy acoustic foam sound insulation panels off online stores and home and office depots, although the cost could be expensive.
The cheapest soundproofing foam costs about $2 per square foot while a 2×2 section of acoustic foam can cost up to $14.
If you have the budget and a genuinely strong interest in recording songs and music, this could be a good investment for you.
Foam Sound Proofing: Effective for Preventing Noise Pollution
There are so many probably causes for noise pollution: humans, animals, machines, and the natural rumbling and groaning of nature when it is at its worst.
Unlike the conventional pollution wherein the effects can be lasting for centuries to come,
Noise pollution doesn’t create a lasting disturbance—unless of course if the source is constantly producing noise and there’s nothing people can do about it or if a person has suffered permanent ear damage because of it.
There are cases when noise pollution is unavoidable. Take airports and ship ports, for instance.
These places will never be completely devoid of noise coming from aircraft landing and taking off and the ships’ horns, not to mention the sound produced by machines and equipment found in these places.
Highways and roads prone to traffic also cannot escape the sound of car horns and the occasional crash of metal hitting metal in cases of accidents.
Rooms where engines and generators are housed are equally loud but, like all previous examples, completely unavoidable.
In places where noise pollution is indeed avoidable, it would be to everyone’s benefit if people would install foam sound proofing in order to keep the noise down to a minimum.
This is especially true if the problem of noise pollution occurs in a neighborhood or an apartment where there are many people living in very close proximity with each other.
How Sound Proofing Foam Works
Foam sound proofing is a special type of material used to keep noise from entering or exiting the walls of a room.
When it is used for a room that’s generating lots of noise, like a printing room for instance, the rest of the rooms outside it will not be disturbed by the constant whirring and high-pitched sounds emitted by the hardware.
Foam sound proofing is more commonly used in recording studios and cinemas. These two establishments are just as concerned about containing sound and noise as they are about maintaining high quality acoustics at all times.
This can also be found in workplaces such as conference rooms and call centers, as well as establishments open to the public like theaters, restaurants, museums, auditoriums, and so forth.
There are also circumstances wherein a household may need foam sound proofing installed within their own walls.
Home theaters and garages that double as a practice space for a band are two very good examples of that.
In truth, noise is pretty much a matter of perception. What other people consider to be noise may be simply be loud but tolerable sound, or music even, to other people’s ears.
Case in point: some teenagers love to blast rock music from their cars but unfortunately, more than a handful regard the music as noise.
Considering that people’s preferences in music and audio volumes differ, it would be safer to simply observe precautionary measures and install foam sound proofing where you can.
Identifying Sound Acoustic Foam and Its Use at Home
Room acoustics is always associated with two different kind of foam used for audio improvement: sound absorbing foam and sound proofing foam.
These two do different things and are used for different purposes. Sound absorbing foam is exactly as it is called: it absorbs sound waves and prevents it from bouncing back, which would produce echoes.
Sound proofing foam on the other hand prevents sound from passing through the walls of an outfitted room, thus keeping the sound created within pure and undisturbed by external noise.
When we speak of sound acoustic foam, we are actually talking about sound absorbing foam. These are easily recognizable by their uneven and often-serrated surfaces.
Their texture isn’t smooth either. They are truly made of foam and therefore have the texture similar to felt paper, only that they have a distinctly sturdy feel.
They often resemble egg trays, which is also one reason why egg trays are often used as makeshift sound acoustic foam.
The carton, although stiffer than foam, also works quite well in keeping the sound waves from bouncing back too much to produce echoes.
This foam is often used in recording studios, call centers, movie houses, theaters and the like.
Can You Install Sound Acoustic Foam at Home?
Most people may not know it, but there are so many places at home where sound acoustic foam would be very useful.
An entertainment or TV room at home is an excellent example. Sometimes when the television is turned on too loudly, the sound coming out reverberates throughout the room.
This becomes obvious when you literally feel and hear vibrations on the walls and the floor when the bass gets too loud or drum beats are literally beating out of the speaker boxes.
If the walls are all concrete and there no windows in the room, chances are the sound will be echoing all over the room.
This sometimes makes it difficult to clearly hear what’s being said on the screen.
If you install sound acoustic foam, you will get to appreciate your surround sound even more, that’s for sure.
Without the annoying echoes and thundering reverberations going on, you and your family will be able to enjoy a real home theatre experience thanks to the superbly crisp and clear sound that goes with your movie watching.
In some households, the children’s playroom is outfitted with panels of sound acoustic foam.
Many do this in order to have a semblance of peace and quiet even when the little kids are at home and yelling their happy hearts out in their playroom.
This is also useful if the playroom is adjacent to a public room, say, the dining area or the living room.
If you have a generator at home that’s housed in your basement, you should definitely install sound acoustic foam in order to muffle the loud sound when it is put to use.
Sound proofing foam is actually the best answer for this; but if you only have sound absorbing foam at hand, you can still utilize it albeit with imperfect results.
Tips on Installing Sound Studio Foam on Sound and Recording Studios at Home
A sound studio is especially designed for music artists to create clear and crisp music or audio clips of excellent quality.
That excellence is the product of several factors, namely, the recording equipment, the talents of the recording artists and composers, skills of the musical band and the people who create sound effects,
The knowledge of sound directors and, most importantly, the superiority of the studio in which the recordings were made.
A well-equipped sound studio is the best place to create audio recordings; but if this isn’t a practical option for you,
And you already have the equipment necessary to create and record the tracks you want to produce, then perhaps you should just build a simple yet very good recording studio right at your own home.
One of the first things you’ll need for your home recording studio is studio sound foam. This is necessary for reducing echoes and reverberations within the room, as well as keeping loud noise contained as much as possible.
It would be bad form to neglect the peace of your neighbours and disturb them if you’re recording really loud material. Sound pollution is a common cause of argument among neighbours as well; nobody would want to incite one.
There are two kinds of sound studio foam that you will need then: sound proofing foam and sound absorption foam.
Both are necessary for a studio to produce excellent sound and music, and both have different purposes.
The sound proofing is to prevent sound waves from getting past the walls of the room, while sound absorption prevents sound waves from bouncing back within the room.
Both types of sound studio foam are available as ready-to-mount. They are already cut in uniform sizes and dimensions.
All you need to do is mount them using a special adhesive (manufacturers may include adhesives with the foam) and line them carefully side-by-side. For better results, you can hire a crew to recommend and install acoustic panels.
Usually though, people are asked whether they need sound proofing or sound absorption. In the case of a sound studio, it is best if both types of foam are used. Here’s an example of how this can work:
Install the sound proofing foam on every inch of wall in your sound studio. You will want to eliminate any possibility of noise getting inside while a recording is going on. This will also help reduce the noise coming out of the studio.
Then, install sound absorbing foam on the corners of the room and on intervals on each wall to reduce the possibility of echoes forming once the sound cranks up.
A much better option is to build a sound studio composed of an inner room and an outer room. Use the sound proofing foam for the outer room and the sound absorbing foam for the inner room.
For people in the recording business, quality and clarity of sound matters; and for this, it is important that the studio where it was recorded is properly fitted with sound studio foam manufactured by experts on room acoustics.
Soundproofing Your Window
This is probably not commonly known, but a window that is soundproofed will reduce noise levels by well over 75%, and reduce any exterior noise coming into the house or building substantially.
That is important news for anybody who wants peace and quiet in the house, or who just happens to want solitude so that he or she can concentrate. Soundproof windows are definitely worth any expense.
These construction conveniences are not as expensive as some people may think. It can be as simple as placing a soundproof window behind the existing one.
They are a little bit different than a dual paned window because they can open just like the primary one, and don’t cost nearly as much.
A soundproof window is made out of laminated glass ordinarily, and that can stop vibrations which produce noise. Moreover, the air space between the primary window and soundproof window will isolate the second frame from any vibrations.
There are also some other ideas for soundproofing window that include damping plastic film or sound blocking noise reduction curtains.
We can go over these and other options with any Dallas customer to determine what best suits the needs. The noise reduction capabilities of soundproofing the windows is simply too great to ignore.
Anyone who has a home office will discover how productive he or she will become when distracting sounds have been dramatically reduced. Please do feel free to give us a call and we can go over some ideas with you to reduce the decibels of noise floating through your space.
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