Tired of Noise? Here Are 11 Easy Ways to Soundproof Your Home

Bedroom with black light fixture

Simply Grove

Your home should be your oasis—but it is hard to find that sense of paradise in your house when all you can hear are screeching car horns or the pitter-patter of your neighbor's feet. Soundproofing your home can help you reduce the unwanted noise that can come wafting in through windows or shared walls, such as street sounds, your neighbor's TV, creaky floors, or old pipes, to name a few.

While you can't always control your neighbor's loud parties, you can make a few simple changes to your home to help create more peace and quiet. Some ideas don't require alterations to your home of any kind—and are even great for renters.

Read on for 11 easy ways to soundproof your house and to help create a more tranquil, serene environment.

01 of 11

Fill in Any Holes

Living room with large TV

Rebecca Rollins

There is nothing worse than settling down for a night of Netflix only to find you can't hear your favorite TV show over the competing drama going on outside. The first step to soundproofing your house should always be to close off any holes. Sound travels through the air, so the more air that gets in, the more the outside noise will, too.

Using an acoustic sealant caulk, fill in gaps in your light fixtures, your baseboards, or even your floors to keep noise out.

02 of 11

Hang Heavy Curtains

Dining room with heavy curtains

Tara Kantor

If you're a renter, this soundproofing idea is perfect for you. Block out street noise by hanging heavy blackout curtains in the rooms in which you want to reduce sound the most. This is a great approach for dens, bedrooms, or living rooms, where silence is golden.

Pottery Barn heavy curtains
Pottery Barn Peace & Quiet Noise-Reducing Blackout Curtain $99,139.00
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03 of 11

Add Door Weather Stripping

Bedroom with print hanging

True Home

Whether you work from home and you need a soundproofed office, or you're losing sleep due to loud neighbors, one easy way to soundproof specific rooms in your house is by focusing on the door.

While swapping hollow doors for solid core versions is one great option, another is to add a draft stopper to the bottom of the frame. This will reduce any unwanted noise creeping into the room and lessen noise to specific rooms in your house.

Rubber draft stopper
Suptikes Door Draft Stopper $9.00
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04 of 11

Invest in New Rugs

Couch with an area rug

Rush Me Home

If you need an excuse to go shopping, well, here you go. A plush area rug can do a lot to dampen the sound in a room, especially in a larger room.

If you already have area rugs and you're still struggling with noise, consider upgrading your rug pad or even layering rugs to dampen the ambient sound even further.

05 of 11

Rearrange the Furniture

Office with bookshelves

Squid and Goose

Sometimes creating the quietest space requires a bit of trial and error. Pinpoint where the noise is coming through and try to rearrange your couch or bed so that they're situated as far as possible from the source of the noise.

Additionally, installing a floor-to-ceiling bookcase is another great way to dampen sounds you'd rather not hear. The paper in each book muffles the outside noise and reduces the vibrations, therefore creating a quieter space.

06 of 11

Replace (or Seal) Your Windows

Nursery with a rocking chair

Nest Out West

Original windows look nice, but single or even double-paned windows can be terrible for blocking out street noise. If you have the budget, replacing the windows in your home with triple-paned windows can be a great way to help ensure your entire house is as quiet as possible. Plus, you'll see some cost savings on your utility bill, too.

If a full window refresh is out of the question, you can use acoustic caulk to seal any gaps along the edges and seams of your windows to dampen some of the vibrations getting in.

07 of 11

Add an Extra Layer of Drywall

Office space with hanging shelves

Sarah Fultz Interiors

Soundproofing your home starts with the windows, doors, and walls. You may want to call in the pros for this one, but adding an extra layer of drywall in the rooms you want to soundproof can be a great idea. Though more costly, you can even add in a layer of special "soundproof" drywall to further reduce sound transmission into your room.

If renovating your entire wall seems like too big of an undertaking, even hanging art and reducing empty wall space can help lessen noise.

08 of 11

Consider a White Noise Machine

Bedroom with black light fixture

Simply Grove

Need a quick solution to help you get some shut-eye? Invest in a quality white noise machine in your bedroom. A white noise machine produces ambient sound to help tune out other noises that keep you awake.

While you can always opt for the "white noise" sound on an app, a white noise machine actually has a little fan in it to create a more natural sound.

White noise machine
Marpac Dohm Classic White Noise Machine $39.00
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09 of 11

Hang a Tapestry on the Wall

Dining room with a hanging tapestry

Whispering Bold

We love this idea—not only does it muffle sound in your home, but it is also a great way to decorate and fill up a large, empty wall. Hang an oversized tapestry on your wall to block out noise and create a cozier, warmer space.

Hanging a rug is another great alternative. Pick a thick, woven rug to add the heaviest sound-blocking barrier, one that's perfect for bedrooms or office spaces.

10 of 11

Upgrade Your Doors

Black barn door in a bathroom

Michelle Berwick Design

Hollow doors are cost-effective, but they don't do much to dampen sound from room to room. If you want to soundproof your bedrooms, consider upgrading to a more expensive solid-core door instead. This is a great idea in a nursery, where silence really is golden.

While options like barn doors or bi-fold may look nice, they don't always muffle sound as well as a full door. Consider your soundproofing needs before hanging any door to ensure you create the most serene space.

11 of 11

Fix Squeaky Floors

Bedroom with area rug

LeClair Decor

This may not help you tune out those noisy neighbors, but sometimes the loudest sounds come from inside your own house. If squeaky floors are keeping you awake, consider fixing them for a quieter space. There are a few potential fixes, depending on whether you can access your joists from below or if you have to fix the problem from above.

Once you've narrowed in on the offending planks, there is a range of options for you to DIY, such as using carpenter's glue or purchasing a squeak-fix kit from your local hardware store.