What is the most economical way to accomplish room soundproofing in your home?

Answer 1

The easiest and most cost effective way to soundproof an existing room is to add another layer of soundproofing drywall like Quietrock over the existing drywall - or replace. It's easy and now Lowe's is selling it for $34 per panel. It's very reliable even univeral studios uses it - you have to use materials designed specifically for high stc that won't get short-ciruited and fail when you hang picutres or anything like that on the walls

Edited to add:

Another great alternative is the use of Green Glue damping compound. It comes in a caulk-like container. All you have to do is squirt it over your existing walls, afix a new layer of drywall, seal the seams with acoustical caulk, and refinish the surface! It's easy and inexpensive!

Answer 2

Just to clarify, Soundproofing refers to keeping sound IN or OUT of a room. Sound Conditioning is what you would do to a specialized room like a recording studio or theater. It treats the sound remaining in the room.

To soundproof, you would want to deploy the 4 basic elements of sound isolation. Decoupling, Absorption, Mass and Damping. Consider building a Room within a room.

Take care to address the three most common sources of leaks (flanking):

1 Outlets in the walls, and ceiling can lights.

2 Doors

3 Ventilation.

A common source of mass is standard 5/8" drywall at $7 a sheet.

Answer 3

To soundproof a room you'll want to take each part - the floors, ceilings, and walls - separately.

Start by checking the areas around the windows, doors, and electrical outlets. Are they properly sealed? If not, you'll need to get some acoustical caulk and fill in the cracks.

Are your doors hollow or solid? Try replacing hollow doors with stronger, solid doors to help block sound.

Finally, you'll use a series of techniques to add Green Glue damping compound and extra drywall to the walls and ceilings. This is easier to do if you are working on a building still under construction, but you can soundproof an existing room. All you have to do is apply the Green Glue to your existing surface (as it is), screw the new drywall over top, fill in the seams with acoustical caulk, spackle, and repaint.

Before you know it you'll have a soundproof room!

Answer 4

You will need either an air barrier or massive additional weight to the walls. Auralex makes vinyl sheets that go behind the drywall that create the mass necessary to absorb some of the sound energy. There are also concrete drywall sheets that can be used. Unless you are willing to renovate your room with new drywall and extra heavy doors, you won't be able to 'sound proof' it.

Answer 5

Using simple foam boards can help sound proof a room. You can also change out the carpet.