Blocking Noise From a Doorway

Apartment buildings are notorious for noisy neighbors.

People like to relax behind closed doors, but if you live on a busy street or have noisy roommates or family members, you'll hear lots of unwanted sounds. When noise is coming through the doorway of your apartment or the doorway to your bedroom, it can disturb your concentration and interrupt your sleep. Unless you can replace the hollow core door with a thicker one, you'll need to tackle the problem by putting products into place that absorb sound and diffuse sound waves.

Things You'll Need

• Door sweep seal kit
• Screwdriver
• Foam tape
• Scissors
• Closed cell acoustical foam mat
• Acoustic curtain, optional
• Curtain rod and hardware
• White noise generator

Instructions

1. Install the door sweep at the bottom of the door. A door sweep blocks out both drafts and sound that enter the space between the bottom of the door and the floor. Use a screwdriver to affix it to the inside edge of the door. Open and shut the door a few times to ensure the sweep touches the ground when the door is closed.

2. Line the inside of the door frame with foam tape. Cut the tape to fit in such a way so that the door presses up against the foam tape all around the frame.

3. Line the inside of the door with acoustical foam. Cut the foam so that it is one-eighth to one-fourth inch bigger than the door. This way, the foam will cover any additional gaps between the frame and the door itself. Use an adhesive-backed foam for easy installation and removal.

4. Install acoustic curtains on a rod that hangs directly above the door. Mount the hardware so that the curtains will touch the floor when hung. Use curtain rings at the top of the material so the curtain can slide back and forth easily.

5. Plug in a white noise generator near the door to further mask any sounds that emerge through the door. Turn it on whenever you are in the room with the door closed and the acoustic curtain drawn.

Tips & Warnings

• If the door has a keyhole, cut a piece of adhesive-backed foam to cover it from the inside, because keyholes allow sound to pass through easily.

• If you are renting, confirm that all the soundproofing you do is removable.

References

• Soundproofing: Soundproofing Doors
• Noise Help: Door Soundproofing Options