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Noise Reduction in Terraced House?

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robertboyd
robertboyd Posts: 17 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Hello all,

I just had a baby recently and really enjoy the pleasure of being a parent. There was tough moments and also the joy of seeing the baby grow up.
However, I recently received a courteous and kind note from our next door neighbor that baby crying in unsociable hours (1.30 am - 3.30 am) sometimes makes him unable to go back to sleep and hence affects his work the next day (he has to wake up early everyday for work). We live in a terraced house and so the walls between our houses are probably quite thin.

Although he said that it is not a tremendous disturbance, we still feel very bad for interfering our neighbor, so now we need to find a way to reduce noise. I looked online and found that soundproofing the walls by sticking sound-dampening materials like acoustic foam, or sponge is the most suitable solution for our situation.

Just before I storm out and purchase a lot of foam/sponge, I would just like to know if any of the members here has tried this before and whether it works or not? Does the foam absorb the sound well? Or doesn't do anything at all? There are mixed reviews about it everywhere I looked
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  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,470 Forumite
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    He could try earplugs.

    It's a baby, not a dog, nor loud drum 'n' bass at 3am.

    I think you're being more than accommodating.

    One thing, is the baby next to the adjoining wall? Is there another room/wall you could move the cot (or whatever) to?

    Is your baby literally crying for two hours every night, or a short time at some stage during those hours?
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • Wanderingpomm
    Wanderingpomm Posts: 524 Forumite
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    Cork tiles might be a good option as you’ll be able to wallpaper over them so they just look like a normal walk
  • robertboyd
    robertboyd Posts: 17 Forumite
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    The baby is next to the adjoining wall and there is no other place we can move the cot, i have thought about it and we can't.

    And yes, he cries for like a straight 2 hours pretty much everyday :(
  • robertboyd
    robertboyd Posts: 17 Forumite
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    Wanderingpomm wrote: »
    Cork tiles might be a good option as you’ll be able to wallpaper over them so they just look like a normal walk
    Have you tried it yourself?
    My research suggests that the cork tiles are not so great at absorbing sound
  • danlewi2
    danlewi2 Posts: 186 Forumite
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    buy them some ear plugs and a bottle of wine.
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,470 Forumite
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    robertboyd wrote: »
    The baby is next to the adjoining wall and there is no other place we can move the cot, i have thought about it and we can't.

    And yes, he cries for like a straight 2 hours pretty much everyday :(

    If not on a permanent basis, could you not just move the baby to another room, maybe temporarily? The hallway even? Lounge? In bed with you?

    Maybe I'm feeling his pain if 2 hours solid :eek:
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • Marvel1
    Marvel1 Posts: 7,172 Forumite
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    It's life they will have to get over it.
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    robertboyd wrote: »
    And yes, he cries for like a straight 2 hours pretty much everyday :(

    Presumably you've tried a range of things to stop this?

    I'd sort out the baby rather than try to sound-proof the house.
  • robertboyd
    robertboyd Posts: 17 Forumite
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    hazyjo wrote: »
    If not on a permanent basis, could you not just move the baby to another room, maybe temporarily? The hallway even? Lounge? In bed with you?

    Maybe I'm feeling his pain if 2 hours solid :eek:
    Well, the best way is still to soundproof the wall because that would be long term solution. We have no other room to move the baby to.
    Mojisola wrote: »
    Presumably you've tried a range of things to stop this?

    I'd sort out the baby rather than try to sound-proof the house.
    Well, the best way is still to soundproof the wall because that would be long term solution. We have no other room to move the baby to.
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    robertboyd wrote: »
    Well, the best way is still to soundproof the wall because that would be long term solution. We have no other room to move the baby to.

    Nothing is going to work well enough to stop the baby's crying being heard next door.

    If you can stop the baby crying for so long, that would solve the problem.
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