Soundproofing a doorway may seem like a very hard task, but it might actually be one of the easiest and cheapest soundproofing projects you’ll ever complete.
After moving into my new house with my wife and kids, I had trouble sleeping and working in peace. This wasn’t because my kids were always playing, but because of a hollow front door.
What most people don’t realize is that most doors in homes today are hollow, and there are all kinds of ways in which sound can get through. Most interior doors have gaps around the frame, and at the bottom near the floor, through which noise can travel into a room very easily.
Rather than ignoring the disturbing noise, the doorway should be one of the first areas that you decide to soundproof in a particular room. In this article, I’ll explain several ways to soundproof a doorway without emptying your wallet. You may need a few tools to get the job done, but many steps will be easy and quick.
Each of these steps can be done on its own; however, we recommend combining as many of them as possible for a more effective result.
How to Soundproof a Doorway
1. Seal All Gaps and Holes
The first thing you should do is seal all the gaps and holes around the edges of the door. Holes and gaps are one of the main culprits when it comes to airborne noises passing through the doorway.
If the gaps and cracks aren’t big, it may be a bit difficult for you to find them. Therefore, a great idea would be to turn off all the lights in the room and then ask someone to hold a light behind the door. The gaps and cracks will allow some of the light to get through, so you’ll be able to easily identify where they are.
Once you’ve located all the gaps and cracks, it’ll be time to seal them. I recommend using this high-quality insulating sealant to do so. This is a water-resistant, airtight and paintable sealant that will effectively close up gaps that are about one inch wide.
If the gaps on your door are bigger than that, this sealant may not work for you, and for smaller gaps, I suggest using the Red Devil small gaps foam. Once you finish sealing, you’ll notice a huge difference.
2. Apply Weatherstripping Tape
Applying weatherstripping tape to your door is another affordable way to get rid of unwanted noise. Weatherstripping is usually made from sound-absorbing materials such as fiberglass.
One of the main benefits of using weatherstripping is that it’s quite easy to apply, and can be easily removed as well. Although its main purpose is to keep rain, dust and wind from getting inside a particular area, it’s a good sound-absorber.
You may want to try this self-adhesive weatherstripping tape by securely applying it all along your doorframe. This will create compression and an airtight seal, which will prevent noise from passing through the door.
3. Install a Door Sweep
When it comes to small cracks around the edge of a door, weatherstripping will take good care of that, but it won’t deal with the biggest crack, which is located at the bottom of each door.
If you look closely, you’ll see a gap between the floor and the bottom of the door. Because of its size, it’ll be able to let in lots of noise, so installing a door sweep is very important when it comes to soundproofing your doorway.
A door sweep’s main function is to help seal the gap between the door and the floor, whenever the door is closed. I recommend that you check out this door sweep, although you should also keep in mind that a door sweep isn’t as easy to install as weatherstripping tape.
4. Add a Door Gasket
If you don’t have a problem with spending money, you can use a door gasket instead of a weatherstripping tape. They both work in the same way, as both are used to seal gaps at the jamb and the header of the door. By using a door gasket, you’ll get an even tighter seal than you’d get with weatherstripping tape.
5. Use a Soundproof Blanket
Another effective and cheap way to soundproof your hollow door is to use soundproof blankets. These blankets are usually made of fiberglass, a material that’s known for being a good sound absorber. Because of the fiberglass panel included in each one, this type of heavy blanket will soak up lots of sounds.
The installation process should be quite easy, as all you’ll have to do is hang the blankets from hooks on the back of the door. I suggest that you use these heavy duty hooks with anchors, so you’ll have the ability to easily put the blankets up or take them down whenever you want to.
The only downside to soundproof blankets is that they may not fit your design aesthetic perfectly. These blankets usually aren’t visually attractive, so I recommend that you use them for rooms in which the look doesn’t matter as much, like your bathroom.
6. Install Foam Panels
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t want to spend money on a soundproof blanket, a more affordable option is a soundproof foam panel.
These acoustic foam panels will do a great job at dampening sound, especially echoes. If you have an indoor studio on the other side of your doorway, then installing these panels would be an excellent idea.
You can purchase 12-pack acoustic panels for a reasonable price online. You may be able to make use of a few of them in your studio, since you won’t need all of them for one doorway. With these, you’ll have multiple colors to choose from, and each panel is one square foot in size with a thickness of one inch.
You can easily attach these panels by using a command strip. These are extremely easy to use, and they won’t cause any damage to the door. If you don’t want to use foam panels on your doorway, then you can try installing acoustic panels on the back of the door instead.
7. Place a Rug
This is a simple step that won’t take much of your time, as you’ll simply need to obtain a cheap rug and place it near your doorway. Rugs can be very effective at eliminating echoes, so it’s a great idea to have one, especially in a hallway or basement where there are lots of echoes.
Using a rug will not only reduce the amount of sound and echo, but it’ll also enhance the visual appeal of a particular room. In comparison to other soundproofing methods mentioned here, though, using a rug is generally far less effective.
Even though the weatherstripping tape and the door sweep I purchased were amazing, I still decided to get myself a couple of fluffy rugs. For some nice ones, I suggest that you try out the Safavieh Hudson Shag Collection. From this collection, you can get an extremely thick, durable rug that’s made from polypropylene fibers, and you’ll get to choose from a variety of colors and designs as well.
8. Add a Layer of Soundproofing Paint
If you’re able to find some soundproofing paint in a color that matches your door or the decor of your room, then you may want to give it a try.
Soundproofing paint is great at eliminating medium-pitch noises, such as those coming from conversation, singing, television and such. Nonetheless, it’s not effective when it comes to eliminating high-pitched noises, but it’s cheap and will help you get your soundproofing job done.
9. Get Some Soundproof Curtains
We all know that curtains or drapes are made for use on windows. But did you know that curtains can also be used on doors? There’s no reason that you shouldn’t add curtains to a doorway, because they’re excellent at dampening sound.
In order to add soundproof curtains to your doorway, you’ll need to install a curtain rod above your doorframe. If you’re not a handy person, this may take some time, but it’s not extremely difficult to do. Once you finish installing the rod, you can then hang the drapes as you’d hang them from a window.
Using heavy curtains like these ones will also block out light, and these curtains can even trap heat, because of their insulation. When choosing a set of soundproof curtains, you’ll be able to choose any color and design that will match your room’s decor.
To learn more about soundproof curtains, check out this recent guide.
10. Dampen the Noise on the Other Side
A doorway is just a channel for sound, as opposed to being the source of the noise itself. When you’re soundproofing a doorway, reducing the amount of sound on the other side is very important.
To do this, you may decide to use rugs, as mentioned earlier. Using a rug won’t eliminate the sound altogether, but it can help dampen it a little. Another impressive way to dampen sound near a doorway is to add bookshelves and canvas paintings to a room, on either side of the doorway.
We suggest that you first identify the main cause of the noise and try your best to dampen that sound as much as possible.
11. Use Mass Loaded Vinyl
Mass Loaded Vinyl is a thick material that acts as a good barrier for airborne noise. If you’re annoyed by the noise coming from the hallway while you’re in your home theater, the best solution is to install this vinyl in order to reduce the noise that you can hear.
Installing Mass Loaded Vinyl is very easy, and to do so yourself, you may want to purchase this affordable TMS Mass Loaded Vinyl.
After you obtain it, you’ll have to cut it in accordance with the size of your door, and then attach it to your door with some heavy adhesive. If you aren’t satisfied with the result and you want to reduce more noise, you can go ahead and attach another layer on top.
The only downside to Mass Loaded Vinyl is that it’s a bit expensive, and any cheap types that you find may not be effective. If you’re looking for a high-quality alternative to TMS, you may be interested in this version from Soundsulate.
12. Buy a New Solid Core Door
Most interior doors in a house are hollow core doors, which are usually great amplifiers of sound, due to their lightweight and slim nature. Fortunately, a solid core door with more mass will dampen any sounds that pass through it, instead of amplifying them in the way that a hollow core door would.
If you’re not a handyman, then installing the door may be quite difficult. If you’re not sure about the installation process, it may be a great idea to call a professional for help.
If you don’t want to get an entirely new door, you can try adding some mass to your existing hollow door instead. You can quite easily do this by attaching pieces of wood with the same width as your door to the door itself.
Alternatively, you can purchase some drywall, and then measure the size of your door. Next, you’ll need to cut the drywall in accordance with the measurements, and then attach it by using an adhesive material. By doing this, you’ll significantly reduce the amount of sound that can travel through your door.
Conclusion
While going through this guide, you may have noticed that soundproofing your doorway is quite the same as soundproofing any other area of your house—it can be extremely cheap or quite expensive!
If you’re looking to reduce the amount of noise in your house to an acceptable level, then I suggest that you combine these methods for the best results possible. You can start by trying out the cheaper and easier solutions first, to see how much they help, and then move on to a more expensive option (if necessary). If you try all the other methods and none of them work, you’ll have the option of replacing your door entirely.
Those readers who live or work on a farm may also be interested in my guide to soundproofing barn doors. If you have any questions about the above article or soundproofing in general, feel free to let us know by leaving a comment down below.
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