How to soundproof a window cheaply : When you are doing a soundproofing project of your home, you may be tempted to leave out the windows. But, windows can be the worst channels of noise if not placed into the big soundproofing plan.
Those of you who have just moved into busier areas of the town, where traffic and the hustle-bustle of the immediate neighborhood is an everyday nuisance, soundproofing your home windows is a must. Or perhaps, you put the new garage next to your bedroom or living room windows.
Good news is that there are many methods on how to soundproof a window cheaply. I will be taking you through each in simple, baby steps so that you make the next move.
Remember, whether alone or with your family, you need the peace of mind: good sleep, rest, concentration for work and many more things. If you work from the comfort of your home, like me, I bet you don’t want to be disturbed at all.
Things Which Will Make You Soundproof Your Window.
To go ahead and start soundproofing your home against noise, you must have gone through hellish moments (or you’re anticipating) due to one or a combination of the following things. These may vary from place to place and consequently person to person.
- Heavy Traffic
In cities, heavy traffic is the first culprit when I start talking about noise. The drivers honking their car horns all over the highway or if it’s a street.
On a traffic jam, some cars play all sorts of music. Without leaving out the constant active car engines gushing out all types of sounds – everything getting right through the open/closed window.
- Barking Dogs
When you finally find yourself in the neighborhood where the order of the night is howling, snarling and barking dog sounds, you don’t have an option except to soundproof windows of your apartment, house or home.
This is really awful and can spoil your night’s sleep and overall rest.
- Noisy Neighbors
Your neighbors are always quiet; that’s why you haven’t figured out your windows. But when you join a community where kids are wailing, not to mention people generally arguing loudly. Plus, loud rowdy music coming from inside some youthful houses, you may not like it.
If you are next to a nightclub or outdoor entertainment area, things move from worse to worst. Noisy people and loud music will not make your life easy.
8 Amazingly Simple Ways to Soundproof a Window Cheaply.
1. Blocking the Entire Window
Soundproofing windows by blocking the window entirely is an effective method of killing noise almost completely. The problem is when you are not ready to do this.
You can use insulation panels for the job as they do it more effectively. What you’ll need to do is just cut them to the right sizes that can fit on the windows.
Soundproof panels such as this fiberglass Acoustic panel would block off and reduce noise significantly in your house.
This complete blockage comes with its own downside; not enough light will get in the house. Which may be a bit disgusting given that natural light is extremely important.
Again, blocking the window interferes with the house ventilation.
2. Seal All the Air Spaces
Noise or soundwaves in the air can travel in the slimmest of spaces available on their path. And if there are gaps and spaces in the windows, why not continue to experience the outside disturbance?
So, because these gaps are vital paths already, all of them must be sealed off completely to the last count. You’ll notice the difference.
It is not hard to do this. All you need is a suitable adhesive or this acoustic caulk to help you with sealing those pathways.
- Big stretch caulk, 10.5 oz., white - 1028277
Don’t worry about its cost as it’s one of those on-the-go methods that will provide awesome results quickly and inexpensively. Yet, acoustic caulk is such an efficient sealant, flexible and durable.
You could also use a high-density foam tape that’s usually applied to surfaces to treat air spaces. Install this tape by fitting it on the suspect areas.
All these materials used to seal off the window spaces are easy to install.
3. Make DIY Soundproof Window Inserts
Soundproof window inserts are also sometimes called window plugs and can be great at stopping noise leakages through air spaces and gaps around the window. In fact, it is a simple, easy DIY project that you’ll love and enjoy to do.
The window inserts are simply frames made of foam or sponge. And you can just plug them into the space, get the peace you want from the quiet surrounding and afterward, remove them – they are a convenient temporary method of soundproofing your windows.
They are handy when you are the one producing that noise. To avoid causing discomfort to the neighbors, they will help you do your noisy stuff within the time you wish and later on remove them.
The window inserts are not going to cost you a lot of bucks, they are cheap materials, and also readily available on the market. Once you have an interest in this project, it becomes fun and easy.
Take note of key things when making these inserts:
- Cut the window inserts according to the size of the window. You will need to measure your window.
- Use a frame on both small and large window. This makes foam to stick on the window and not pop out.
You may check this good acoustic studio foam for use in your DIY soundproofing project. They are cheap and still do a decent job.
- 【Eco-friendly and Safety】Made of high quality environmentally polyurethane foam, these studio foam are durable and effective, no health...
4. Get Thick Soundproof Curtains and Install Them
Another way to complement the existing methods to reduce noise in your home is by using the soundproof curtains. Like many other methods, soundproof curtains will not completely block off noise from entering the home.
But they do eliminate noise up to a huge percentage. So you can definitely add the usage of these curtains to your soundproofing project at home.
The soundproof curtains are designed to be thicker, heavier and stronger. They deaden noise and reduce its amount in the rooms by killing off the echo.
They are dependable alternatives on how to soundproof a window cheap.
There is no hassle when installing them. You simply hang them on the rods supported by heavy-duty tracks and brackets.
While some will hang from top to the bottom side of the window, others won’t – but it’s all fine.
The fact that these curtains can double up as blackout curtains that keep away excess light in the room and help improve the décor of the house, they have become an integral part of most homes in many places.
Check this curtain and see what it can do for you.
- Ready Made: 2 panels per package. Each Classic Lined Curtain measures 52" wide x 84" long (Total width is 104"). The unique design of the...
5. Use Thick Material Blinds
By soundproofing existing windows using thick material blinds or shades, you cut off and reduce a significant amount of noise in the rooms especially the echoes.
The advantage of using these blinds is that they are easy and quick to install, cheap on the market and ultimately can do a good job when used in tandem with another method to deaden sound in the home. They won’t be helpful when used alone.
The window blinds can also help filter off excessive light into the house. But of course, in an office setting, you will need the types that allow in light.
A great recommendation comes in this Cordless Single Cell Shades Being thicker and having ‘honeycomb composition’, they capably prevent sound decibels from penetrating deep in the house.
- PLEASE FOLLOW steps below when ordering. STEP 1: Select your color. STEP 2: Click on the first drop down above the colors and you will see...
6. Add an Extra Layer of Acoustic Glass/Acrylic to the Window
This method is not the easiest one. It involves some technical input. So you will need to be patient with yourself to make things a success.
Adding an additional layer of acoustic glass or acrylic on the inside of your window is a realistic way to stop most of the noise into the home. This is one of the most effective ways to soundproof window diy, no doubt about that.
But seriously you won’t be using a “flat glass material”. And by this, I mean a glass without lamination. Try this and there will be no results to show for your hard work.
During fixing of this glass, care should be taken to make sure it’s completely and tightly fitted over the window so that it doesn’t move within the frame.
How do you ensure the project is a success? Well, install a metal frame on your window before you place the glass or acrylic piece. Then use magnets to attach the glass material on to the frame.
This method should also better be utilized as an alternative to the others. It is time consuming, costlier and won’t eliminate the noise problem at hand completely.
7. Get Double or Triple-Pane Windows
This is one of the expensive ways you can use to settle your windows soundproofing needs. So if you have enough money and willing to spend, go ahead and buy double-pane and triple-pane windows and use them to replace the existing ones.
You are almost completely guaranteed to have all the noise blocked off.
The solution is as efficient to block off noise up to between 50-60%. Which is a huge outcome of noise reduction.
Now, more interestingly, these windows feature heat control aspects. So, they can reduce heat in the house during hot summers (and cool the house).
In the winter, they help gather heat in your home. The outcome of this versatility is a reduced energy bill.
There is one thing that you need to ensure though – the multi-pane windows MUST be installed correctly by a professional. No gaps or spaces (poor installation) should be left on the edges of windows.
If that happens, the whole project will be a waste of money as even a small path can let in so much noise in the house.
8. Use Acoustic Panels as Barriers on the Window
Acoustic panels are wonderful barriers of sound. They are normally thick and heavier and it’s this mass that becomes so instrumental in dampening noise.
Made from the quilted fiberglass, an effective sound stopper, these panels are not guesswork when you want to best soundproof windows. They practically block off everything that comes over their surface.
They are effective and efficient. That aside, these panels are easy to install since they are designed with grommets on all four sides.
To place them, just hang them on hooks by these brass-grommeted sides on the wall around the window. And noise reduction is going to be more efficient when these barriers are placed right next to the window.
Like the previous method, using acoustic panels is an expensive approach to reducing noise. You will want to consider this method when everything you trying out is simply not working for you.
- Each WEDGE comes uncompressed and in prime condition! The Wedges in the photo will be exactly what you get.
9. You Can Rearrange Your Furniture
Another simple way to soundproof windows cost-effectively is just by rearranging the furniture in your home. By the way, it doesn’t even require you to spend, does it?
Nevertheless, it can help reduce noise coming from outside. Since noise follows a certain pathway, this can be blocked by simply rearranging the furniture in the house.
The result is that these paths are distorted and blocked. Consequently, sound waves don’t bounce off the surfaces to disperse all over the house – hence reducing echo and reverberation.
When rearranging the furniture, you can place some near the window or just block the window completely (although this can eliminate light and make you stay in the dark) to ensure that noise is well blocked off.
Conclusion
For quietness and peace in a home, you need to deal with noise that comes through windows. That’s why you will need to learn how to soundproof a window cheaply and go ahead to embark on a method that will work out for you.
Many methods have been mentioned in the guide. No single approach will bring out those perfect instant results you want.
However, a combination of different ways has a greater potential of helping you achieve the soundproofing goals you have for your home.
Don’t look at the money if much of it will be needed to make your dream a reality. You have to do the right thing and get the peace you want around your home.
Last update on 2023-05-06 at 21:37 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
