How can i make my home more soundproof

[mentionME]

Hello Lit!

Finally made the move to a rental home so that my dogs can have a yard to play. Its nice and quiet and a great set up the only issue is we're concerned we will be too loud and the neighbors will hear us. Is there any suggestions y'all would have for insulating the noise?

 

[bronzeage]

Double pane windows are the most effective sound deadener. You only need to worry about the windows which face the neighbors house.

This can be expensive. As long as no one calls the police, what does it matter if the neighbors can hear you?

 

[bambikiller]

Rental property.
Not much maybe drapes and some storm windows.

Now if you owned it.
Blown in types of insulation in the wall.
Double or triple pane windows.
Sound deadining drywall ( about $ 80.00 a sheet )
Build another wall in front of the existing wall leave a 1" air space between the two walls insulate and drywall.

 

[Sanichi]

Thick curtains

If you are renting it may not be practical to invest in double glazing or thick carpets. Any sound-deadening material in the room will help - curtains, cushions, rugs and furniture. If your 'noise' will be confined to the bed, get a four-poster!

 

[mentionME]

Well it just seems rude. Also, my gF is self-conscious...mostly my girlfriend is self-conscious lol

 

[mentionME]

If you are renting it may not be practical to invest in double glazing or thick carpets. Any sound-deadening material in the room will help - curtains, cushions, rugs and furniture. If your 'noise' will be confined to the bed, get a four-poster!

why a four-poster?

 

[warrior queen]

we had the same issue - worrying about keeping the noise down.

then i finally figured 'hey, everyone knows we're having sex, so why stress about a little noise?'

that being said, we do play the stereo to try and mask a little.

 

[SweetErika]

Since we're getting into summer, if you don't have A/C, you could invest in a window or portable unit so you don't have to worry about opening windows when it's hot. It's a small investment that you could easily take with you in the future.

 

[WetAndTasty]

Cork is a great sound proofing, only issue being, it hanging cork for roof to floor in a room, is a little...conspicuous, and well...time consuming.

 

[BertrandRussell]

I helped dismantle a sound studio that had been built in our garage by the previous occupant. The way a professional does it is to have two layers of drywall/plywood/sheathing, and two sets of studs, so that no part of the first wall touches any part of the second. ( The only connection is at floor and ceiling )

At first this sounds like the wall is twice as thick. It need not be. It is about 1 inch thicker. The studs alternate.

Start with your normal wall. Remove the inner drywall. If there is no insulation in there, put some in. Now add more studs, attaching at top and bottom, alternating between the ones that are there. Make sure the new studs are 1 inch inward - that is one inch away from the outside plywood/sheathing. Now put new drywall on, attaching it to the new studs.

You now effectively have two separate walls, one composed of the original studs and the outer plywood/sheathing, and one composed of the new studs and the inner drywall.

That takes care of the walls. As a previous poster observed, sound is most easily transmitted through windows. Double pane helps, but not a lot. You can insulate windows very effectively for both sound and heat with the following:
Get sheets of rigid foam insulation at your local home improvement center. They are 4 x 8 feet sheets, a sandwich of a layer of foil, a 2 inch layer of stiff yellow foam, and another layer of foil. Cut to the size of your window ( use a very sharp knife, don't try to cut all the way through in one stroke - 4 or 5 passes is better ) and seal the edges with duct tape. If you have measured carefully, they will be held in place by friction.
Not only can this keep the noise in, but it can lower your energy bills.

EDIT: Ooops! I just noticed the part about renting. Insulating the windows is your best bet.

 

[NippleMuncher]

Being a rental, there is little to nothing that you can do. However, you could tack egg crate foam to the wall facing the neighbor and have a piece large enough to fill the window opening as well. The entire wall would need to be covered with no gaps for the best sound absorption. The window air conditioner idea would work wonders at drowning out any amorous activities. If she's a screamer, she's just going to have to quell that with a pillow or self restraint.

Or, you can do what most of us do and not worry about it. To be quite honest, unless she's getting above a conversational noise level, it is unlikely that you can even be heard outside the wall, let alone inside the neighbors house. On a personal note, I'd rather hear a few sounds of people having sex than I would to listen to their choice of music at any volume, which IMHO if I can hear your music inside my house, it's too loud.

 

[fuckmeat]

Invest in a ball gag.

Seriously, the way to go about this in a rental property is to think smaller. A garage or large closet can be more easily soundproofed than an entire house. If you have a basement, think about soundproofing part of that. Might seem a little odd or excessive but you'll reap the benefits when you're going at it in there without a care in the world.

 

[Sanichi]

If air can get in then sound can get out

Sound carries through air and will transmit through any surface e.g. window glass, so you need as much sound-absorbing material as you can reasonably use. Short of laying waste to your rented home with drywall and sound-insulating board, the best thing is plenty of furnishings as I mentioned: carpets and rugs, cushions, fabric wall hangings, plenty of pillows and soft comfy bedding, a bed with a padded headboard, a good mattress and underbed storage, and most of all, really thick drapes. These are all things you can take with you, and won't raise any eyebrows when friends come to stay. If you open closets, more sound is absorbed.

why a four-poster?

A four-poster has drapes and perhaps a canopy built in. Meant to keep out drafts, the benefits of good thick material can be more sound is muffled. A modern design can be very attractive, and it's cosy too!

Most folks here wouldn't mind noise but UK papers seem to delight in prurient stories like this and this.

 

[viper2000]

You can use a sound foam bought at most foam stores just double side tape it to walls should not mark and is a movable sound barrier.

 

[subwannabe]

Sorry, but I thought this a little on the funny side. I'm not trying to be mean but I do find it fascinating that a person brings two dogs to a "quiet" neighborhood and doesn't mention anything about being worried the dogs will bother the neighbors, rather that they are worried their sexual escapades might bother the neighbors. Maybe you could get the dogs barking while you do it?

 

[PublicAffection]

If your rental home has an adjoining wall (i.e. duplex/fourplex/townhouse), make sure your bed is on the opposite wall. This will reduce the amount of banging they will hear when your bed shifts during amorous activities. The suggestion of a 4 poster bed with heavy canopy and drapes is a great one, as well as hanging heavy drapes over the windows and having lots of cushions. If you are looking for a sound barrier that is as beautiful as it is removable, consider hanging floor to ceiling drapes along the entire exterior wall, not just over the windows. This will be a little costly, but will be a beautiful addition to your space as well as creating a sound cushion between you and the neighbors.

 

[mentionME]

Thanks everyone. Just to elaborate I do mean all noise (music, game nights, sex, etc.)

Lol it would be funny if i was solely focused on sex though.

The reason I worry Is because it was brought up when we moved in and when I think noise I think throwing parties or loud dogs (Nonissues) ... however my girl brought up sex and I brought up taboo spades etc. Because our landlord/neighbor talks about how loud the nuts are that hit the shed.

Just defending myself. (and pups) b/c I think the question was spun off to be some shortsighted all about sex question.

Oo we also don't have any internal doors so we can't close the bedroom or living room off when playing music playing with the dogs or sex

 

[mentionME]

Thanks everyone. Just to elaborate I do mean all noise (music, game nights, sex, etc.)

Lol it would be funny if i was solely focused on sex though.

The reason I worry Is because it was brought up when we moved in and when I think noise I think throwing parties or loud dogs (Nonissues) ... however my girl brought up sex and I brought up taboo spades etc. Because our landlord/neighbor talks about how loud the nuts are that hit the shed.

Just defending myself. (and pups) b/c I think the question was spun off to be some shortsighted all about sex question.

Oo we also don't have any internal doors so we can't close the bedroom or living room off when playing music playing with the dogs or sex

 

[hardhorn]

Foam or egg crates will do nothing to stop sound transmission you need layers to really do it like BertrandRussell mentioned and i assume you don't want to go tho that extravagance.

 

[A_Kefka]

I have no idea of putting them up in your rentall is feasable, but sites that sell music equipment (drums, guitars, recording stuff) sell foam panels you can put on walls for soundproofing. I never bought any, so not sure on prices or anything.

 

[Epmd607]

Soundproofing a house by blocking airflow or making a house especially heat conservative can lean to CO poisoning.

 

[Sanichi]

focused on sex

This is a site focused on sex. Other sites deal with building projects.

It seems to me the OP needs to find a better rental.