Son's noisy bedroom

fletch3163

Hi, can I seek advice please.

We live in a paper thin end terrace. As my (now 15) year old son gets older he is getting noisier in his day to day activities. He was upstairs with a pal on Saturday on the computer and I was downstairs reading. I could hear every swear word he uttered :mad:

Also, our two bedrooms join with a thin wall. I used to have cupboards there but we wanted the space so we removed them. Problem is when he's up late and I have work next day I can hear his computer clicking away.

I like to go to bed about 10pm but it unfair to ask a 15 year old to go to bed then too. I've tried :eek: but his pals are allowed up till 11 on Skype.

Someone suggested cork for both the walls and the floor. Will this reduce the noise? I can't afford thousands on soundproofing but I really could use something to absorb a bit of noise.

Can anyone help?

rob7475

earplugs :rotfl:

Maybe just try asking him to keep the noise down a bit

maninthestreet

fletch3163 wrote: »

Hi, can I seek advice please.

We live in a paper thin end terrace. As my (now 15) year old son gets older he is getting noisier in his day to day activities. He was upstairs with a pal on Saturday on the computer and I was downstairs reading. I could hear every swear word he uttered :mad:

Also, our two bedrooms join with a thin wall. I used to have cupboards there but we wanted the space so we removed them. Problem is when he's up late and I have work next day I can hear his computer clicking away.

I like to go to bed about 10pm but it unfair to ask a 15 year old to go to bed then too. I've tried :eek: but his pals are allowed up till 11 on Skype.

Someone suggested cork for both the walls and the floor. Will this reduce the noise? I can't afford thousands on soundproofing but I really could use something to absorb a bit of noise.

Can anyone help?

Have you no control over your own son in your own house?
The world-wide web is not a playground for children - set limits on his access to the internet, and enforce them.

keystone

Remove the source of the noise to an alternative location until it learns that a relationship works both ways. Shed or garage spring to mind.

Cheers

shellsuit

If I'm going to bed, or even for a lie down, I'll ask my 16yo to be quiet when he's on the xbox.

Nothing worse than peace and quiet and then "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY FOR CHRIST SAKE MOVE MOVE MOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" being belted out from the next room :eek:

I swear one day that boy will give me a heart attack! :rotfl:



Seriously, its your home and he's 15 so should abide by the rules, which are no making noise while people are trying to sleep.

It's not unfair, it's life!

maninthestreet

....and tell him that swearing in YOUR house is never acceptable....

fletch3163

:rotfl:Well thanks everyone for the tips on bringing Jack up

Anyone got tips on the cork question?

I do have control of my household but understand also that I am touchy about noise (my mother says I can hear the grass grow:p)

I usually get sound:D advice on here.

Thanks for your input

gibson123

I have no idea sorry, just posting to say I have sympathy and thicker walls, my 13 year old plays guitar and keyboard and also friends on skype. it's the teenagers house too, and whilst my daughter is respectful most of the time, it would be unfair to expect her to make concessions if I wasn't willing to do the same. My neighbour put egg trays in his shed (his son has drums in there) but I think a bit unsightly for the bedroom.

tamerton

You can get soundblocking plasterboard...very dense plasterboard.

shellsuit

maninthestreet wrote: »

....and tell him that swearing in YOUR house is never acceptable....

Why would they do that, unless they live in the same house as you?

It maybe unacceptable in your house but it doesn't mean it's unacceptable in everyone's house.

AlexMac

If you do an internet search on this you'll find its a difficult technical challenge to 'retro-fit' soundproofing to a house. The only thing that really kills sound transmission is density, mass and effectively sealed joints between rooms; horizontally or laterally. So modern concrete system built homes, and those built with thick brick are much better than traditional British construction of hollow suspended timber joists and floorboards, or hollow internal studwork and plaster-boarded walls.

As I said above, do some web research, but while cork may help a little, it won;t eliminate much noise, the most obvious things will be to lay carpets (obviously), seal joints and gaps between walls and floors and around electrical switches and boxes with tape and sealants, blow in foam or paper insulation through holes to existing hollow internal walls and add more boarding to the surface of walls... And of course there are experts out there who you can pay!

To hear some of the tone of the advice above I'm surprised they don't suggest eviction or moving house and forgetting to tell the kid!