Here are some tips to soundproof an apartment. Whether it be the walls, floor, ceiling, door, or windows, it can be done. Most temporary soundproofing methods will not fully stop the noise. If your apartment has very little insulation in the shared walls, you are most likely hearing everything your next door neighbor is doing. A loud TV at night, bass or music coming through the wall when you are trying to sleep, people talking all night. It happens in almost every apartment. But what can you do?
There are 2 things you need to know when it comes to soundproofing. Noise blocking and noise absorbing. These 2 things combined are the best way to stop noise from your apartment neighbor. There really is no easy solution to block or stop noise from coming through a shared wall.
There are things you can try but the best option would be to contact your landlord or apartment owner and see if they are willing to help you. Some apartments will recognize this and install a noise dampening green glue with new drywall that can block sound very well. Other times the apartment will talk to the noisy neighbor and try to resolve the situation that way. If contacting them results in them adding soundproofing, then problem solved.
Consider different types of sound blocking absorbing materials for temporary solutions
Most of the time you will have to find a solution on your own if the apartment is not willing to soundproof. In this case you have a few options. You could line your walls with a vinyl soundproofing barrier. This material is especially made for soundproofing and can be applied to walls and ceilings to block noise. You could also use Masonite boards and hang them on the walls if you have access to large sections of it.
Make sure you have enough furniture in the apartment and possibly large floor rugs to help absorb sound from bouncing around. Acoustic drapes are good for windows and walls if applied correctly. Acoustic wall panels are also a good option as they absorb sound and can be used temporarily. Bookcases against the shared wall will also help block the noise. Adding many books to the bookshelves can really help stop the noise too. If your bed is against the shared wall, consider moving it to the opposite wall. If noise is coming through the door, you can add insulating material to the sides and bottom to help reduce noise.
If these methods and solutions do not work to block the noise, consider a white noise machine. These white noise machines can produce a low soothing sound that covers up most types of noises that can be from noisy apartment neighbors. If you can’t afford a white noise maker, then download a white noise app on your android or iPhone. A white noise app can then be used with a decent bluetooth speaker and help block noises. We have embedded a 10 hour white noise video at the bottom of this article. Play it on your computer to block noise when your neighbor gets noisy.
How to soundproof a shared wall
The best way to fully insulate your apartment from the noisy neighbor is using a product called green glue. This would involve applying the green glue on new sheet rock or new drywall and cover your existing wall. This is not a temp fix but a permanent solution. You could do this yourself but it involves much work and may not be approved by your apartment or landlord.
If you know of an easier method to reduce apartment noise, please leave a comment below to assist other readers.
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