I want to sound proof our living room

Angeline

Hi

We are the only home owners in a block of four, the rest are council tennants. We have very poor sound proofing and althought the neighbours areaware of this, it doesnt stop them from still playing music loud at times adn their kids running amok and slamming doors ect. We are expoecting our first child in 3 weeks and I do not want my child subjected to their noise. We also must do the bedroom as we can hear them at least 4 nights a week , (sorry for being so graphic here), but we can hear them having sex.

I have contacted the housing association re the noise adn really there isnt much we can do about it as it isnt up tot he "unappropriate" level.

I love my home and really dont want to move, so this is really our only option. I just want it done properly adn would love to hear if anyone had to do this to their home?

Thanks!

Little_John

When they are "banging away" you start banging away on the walls. you will be suprised the next time they see you how their attidude will have changed to embarasement they proberbly don't realise how loud they are.

Our neigboughs used to play robbie williams loud when they were screwing. This was when they had just hooked up together and the woman I think was trying to make the guy think he was good. they have been together a while now and they are a lot quieter. and have stopped playing robbie williams which is a godsend.

Nile

Hello Angeline

I'll move your thread to the 'In my home' board, where it should get more responses.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

alexb123

You are going to hate me on this but there isn't really anything you can do. The only way to stop sound it to make a room within a room.

You can get Rockwool which is normally used to insulate houses but unless you cover everywhere it does do anything. I use rockwool to stop noise from the street and it works because it covers the whole of the window area. The other option is ear plugs or white noise. I use an air filter machine it gives a gentle hum which can help. However, I have done all these things but I'm moving. Stopping sound is very very hard unless you have a lot of money to have layers and layers of sound protection all over the place.

never_enough

Have to agree with the last post, there is little you can really do without throwing silly amounts of money at it. I had a similar problem, didn't want to move (I was there 16 years & really loved it) tried various things, but gave up in the end.

suniil

Rockwool is a good suggestion, but you may have to build stud wall. Also there is another product called GreenGlue that can be sanwiched to studwall with another panel.

pandaqueen1

I too had bad neighbours and although they have gone and we are moving, I'll never forget how it made me feel. In the new house the neighbours are brill, but elderly so won't be there forever. I decided to soundproof the walls. As they needed replastering anyway I used the Green glue method.

You put it on with a large gun. Its very easy to do. Its put on between two layers of normal plasterboard then this is put on the wall as normal and plastered over. Better still if you have the room is to batten away from the existing wall (battens fixed to side walls) to leave an airgap then the pasterboard on this frame.

I did under the front bedroom bay window and it help with traffic noise. Its double glazed but noise was coming through the wall here as it was only tiled on the outside. You will find a lot of advice from the people who make sound studios and home cinemas, they were very helpful. Just Google soundproofing and/or green glue. Good luck.

dianasnan

May sound daft but we sealed in the gaps between the skirting board and the floor with sealant and it significantly reduced the noise.

We could also hear every word from next door when we were in the loo and had a light bulb moment to put a layer of thick expanded vinyl wallpaper up on the adjoining wall which together with doing the floor gap actually reduced the noise by about 70%.

Found one roll in the loft which was enough to do the job and cost me nothing.

Newstart_4

have a search for articles on soundproofing and building a recording studio, there are many ways to controll sound, depending on your budget/how much sound

search for some articles on web sites for the following magazines

sound on sound, future music, computer music. i would expect they will have some sort of how to guide.

also look up something called Revac dead sheet.

pinkwitch_2

We're having this done this week !! so shall let you know how it goes.

andipandi_2

you need to have an understanding of how sound travels,impact sound from footfalls etc,airborne sound from loud music ,shouting ,talking and so on.

another issue is flanking sound,sound that travels down stud walls ,chimley flues and the like

google soundproofing ,have a look here

http://www.soundreduction.co.uk/

http://www.greengluecompany.com/upgradingExistingWalls.php