Soundproofing a Room - Cheaply? Possible?

[JJ]

Here's a completely random question from someone who knows nothing about the matter.

What's a cheap way to sound-proof a room? Or not necessarily completely soundproof it, but reduce the audibility of the sounds produced in that room elsewhere? I'm about the subject, so any little info is welcome.

[crackinhedz]

curtains

[gvortex7]

The ONLY cheap way to slightly reduce high decibel sound is to put thick, furry carpet on every wall of that particular room. Mind you this is not full soundproofing by any means, but it will help quell the noise level somewhat. Just keep in mind that this won't help with the bass.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

The ONLY cheap way to slightly reduce high decibel sound is to put thick, furry carpet on every wall of that particular room. Mind you this is not full soundproofing by any means, but it will help quell the noise level somewhat. Just keep in mind that this won't help with the bass.

Afternoon, Greg.

See, the house I'm renting in now, my game room (which all of a sudden I want to turn into a HT room) - shares a wall with an efficiency - and the walls in my home are notoriously weak at holding in sounds. Heck, black thick furry carpet might look nice. Anything to muffle the sound.

But yes, the LFEs might be a problem then...damn. Will have to give this more thought, then...

[GreenScar]

This is a thought. Wouldn't be very cheap to do a whole room.

Convoluted Foam Sheets

[Beta Man]

If they are thin walls, and the Theater room in question shares a wall with an efficiency as you said.... but you rent..... really there is no way to really stop the vibration etc. from the sub, but the BEST thing you could do, would be to find a THICK foam, about 4 or 5 inches at least..... and cover the shared wall. Won't be pretty.... but should absorb a LOT of sound. It may be expensive, but if you can find a thick enough foam, it may be worth it.

[JJ]

I wouldn't even know where to look for this stuff. Alas! That's what the internet is for...maybe Home Depot knows better... To heck with looking pretty, I can worry about that eventually!

[Beta Man]

Frame enough of this together with inexpensive trim pieces of wood, a slat of wood every three or four feet...... and get enough rolls to make it about 5 layers thick...... depending on the size of the wall... maybe $150 ???

http://www.fast-pack.com/foam.html

[GreenScar]

Wow, here's some expensive stuff. It's dense though.

http://site.iwebcenters.com/afoammar...hanefoam7.html

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Frame enough of this together with inexpensive trim pieces of wood, a slat of wood every three or four feet...... and get enough rolls to make it about 5 layers thick...... depending on the size of the wall... maybe $150 ???

http://www.fast-pack.com/foam.html

Hmm, I'll look into all this - I'm currently weekending at my mother's house, but when I return home Sunday night, I'll measure up the room and see what I can do. Why am I getting all giddy over something that at this moment is purely a possibility??

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by jasonbird

This is a thought. Wouldn't be very cheap to do a whole room.

Convoluted Foam Sheets

I was actually gonna tell him to put his subwoofer on these types of foam. That's about the only thing that will absorb some of the vibration.

[JJ]

Dear geez, that foam is expensive, Jason. I think maybe I could set out $250 solely for that one wall, and that foam would be ridiculously expensive. A lot of stuff to think about, honestly.

[GreenScar]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Frame enough of this together with inexpensive trim pieces of wood, a slat of wood every three or four feet...... and get enough rolls to make it about 5 layers thick...... depending on the size of the wall... maybe $150 ???

http://www.fast-pack.com/foam.html

Originally Posted by jasonbird

This is a thought. Wouldn't be very cheap to do a whole room.

Convoluted Foam Sheets

No, that's only 1/8" thick each sheet and it's not dense at all. I sell this stuff for a living. You'd be better off with the convoluted. (it also comes in an anti static pink that you seen used in radio station walls usually covered by a curtain or fabric).

[JasonR]

Check out this site.

http://shop3.mailordercentral.com/supersoundproofing/

[MPDIEHL]

As far as sound absorbing materials go one of the best is a double or triple layer of Firecode sheet rock...
It can be installed easily.(a little harder to "finish") but will be completely invisible when your done. Stagger the sheets so the seams are offset. Only the outside layer needs to be taped and painted.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by MPDIEHL

As far as sound absorbing materials go one of the best is a double or triple layer of Firecode sheet rock...
It can be installed easily.(a little harder to "finish") but will be completely invisible when your done. Stagger the sheets so the seams are offset. Only the outside layer needs to be taped and painted.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId=100321595

Something like that, Diehl? A few sheets of that?

[MPDIEHL]

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...-_-buyingguide

5/8" Firerated....this stuff is heavy bring help

[theprophecy247]

good stuff guys this will help me out to

[JJ]

Originally Posted by MPDIEHL

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...-_-buyingguide

5/8" Firerated....this stuff is heavy bring help

It is a rented house - how would I go about setting it on the wall itself, Diehl - I'm not too sure if I could actually install it on the wall.

A lazy part of me simply thought of getting big comforters from Wal-mart and layering them on the wall,

Thanks for all the help, fellas, you're helping me to see just how feasible this would be.

[mattym]

the only way to knock out LF is to do it properly, foam on the wall will do nothing unless its massively thick.

www.greengluecompany.com is THE solution, if you can do it in the room

Foam on walls = meh for soundproofing.
Look into heavy acoustic curtains, there are some companies that manufacture special ones that are lined with materials to stop transmission noise.