While working in an office, it’s often challenging to block out unwanted noise when you have deadlines to meet. You may not be able to do anything about your cubicle’s size, but there are several solutions you can implement to soundproof your cubicle and thereby reduce the amount of noise it lets in.
How to Soundproof a Cubicle
1. Seal the Holes
The first thing to do is seal all the holes, gaps and cracks in your cubicle, as sound will travel through even the smallest leak.
I recommend that you seal any gap you find with a green glue compound. Green glue is the most popular adhesive for soundproofing purposes, and with its special sound-absorbing properties, it’ll easily seal any hole you apply it to.
Just make sure you wear your work gloves when you apply green glue, since it’s a powerful (yet inexpensive!) substance.
2. Install Acoustic Panels
Another effective thing you can do is place acoustic panels on the inside of your cubicle walls, since most of these walls tend to be hollow and thin.
Acoustic panels are small, spongelike blocks of material that can be easily attached to walls in order to block noise. You’ve probably seen them numerous times, in recording studios and other music studios.
For the best results possible, when you install these panels, you’ll need to cover every square inch of your cubicle walls that you can. Installing these panels will also help decrease echoes and improve the overall acoustics with the area.
If you’re interested in moving forward with this method, then I recommend that you obtain a set of these acoustic panels.
3. Increase the Height of the Walls
This might be a bit hard to do, and you might need permission from your boss or company to do it, but it can definitely reduce the amount of incoming noise from the other cubicles in your area.
If you’re allowed to do this, then I suggest that you invest in some cubicle wall extensions to add extra height. These are fairly easy to install, although you’ll need to measure the thickness of your cubicle’s walls to make sure you’ll be able to clamp on the extenders.
The only downside to this method is the fact that cubicle wall extenders cost a lot of money.
4. Use Sound-Absorbing Curtains
If you can’t afford to invest in cubicle wall extensions, or you don’t want to put the time and effort into asking for permission, there’s another solution available that may even make your cubicle look more attractive.
Instead of using wall extensions, you can obtain a set of soundproof curtains. These curtains are very thick, and each one contains a layer of soundproofing material that can capture irritating noise in its threads.
Additionally, soundproof curtains are made of soft material, which enables them to absorb echoes, too. In general, these curtains are extremely affordable, and you may want to check out these ones today.
5. Lay Down Some Carpets
This isn’t the most effective solution, but the easiest and most affordable way of insulating a cubicle’s floor is to lay down some carpets. Adding carpet to your cubicle’s space will help dampen the sound within the cubicle and prevent echoes.
You should keep in mind, however, that adding carpet to your cubicle won’t completely get rid of all the unwanted noise. Preferably, it should be added all over the office.
Nonetheless, regardless of whether you’re carpeting your cubicle or the office in its entirety, you may be interested in these affordable office rugs that are available in different sizes and colors.
6. Select the Right Furniture
A lot of the noise and echo that’s produced in offices is likely the result of sound bouncing off hard and angular surfaces. Therefore, a simple way to reduce noise throughout the office is to use furniture made of soft material within the cubicles and common areas.
You may want to add bookshelves, couches and lounge chairs, as this will help decrease the amount of noise that’ll bounce off the ceiling, the walls and even the floor.
7. Invest in Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Getting a pair of noise-cancelling headphones is another superb way to block out unwanted cubicle noise. However, if the noise is constant, then wearing a pair of headphones may not be the best option, unless you can wear them all the time. Unfortunately, most people get tired of wearing them after a few hours.
If you don’t mind wearing headphones, I recommend that you take a look at this Bluetooth headset. This is an affordable, durably constructed headphone system that will reduce the amount of background and ambient noise in your environment.
8. Use a White Noise Machine
Once you’ve used all the methods above to dampen the sound within your cubicle, it’ll be time for you to focus on the best way to mask any leftover noise. In my opinion, the most effective way to do this is to use a white noise machine.
Usually, people buy these machines to help them fall asleep, but they’ll work just as well in an office cubicle. While you’ve got your machine turned on, you’ll gain a better ability to focus on your work and stay in the zone, instead of focusing on the noise coming in from outside.
If you’re not sure which white noise machine to choose, one of the best ones on the market is the Marpac Sound Dohm.
9. Talk to Your Co-workers About the Situation
If your co-workers are creating unwanted noise, it’s a good idea to talk to those co-workers or your supervisor about the problem. You should be straightforward with your co-workers about the loud noise, and politely ask them to be a bit quieter.
To reduce unnecessary noise, these are the simple rules of conduct that anyone who works in an office should follow:
- Use headphones when listening to music
- Don’t use speakerphones or any other way of communicating that might disrupt your colleagues
- Set cell phones or smartphones to a low volume or mute them, if you can’t turn them off
- Walk over to another person instead of talking to them from your own cubicle
10. Change Your Phone System
Last but not least, you may be able to change your phone system in order to reduce noise. One of the most common complaints from office workers is that the noise coming from co-workers on the phone is disturbing.
If you’re able to, it may be worth it to upgrade your phone system, so you can make use of headsets and microphones. Following that, you’ll likely notice that phone conversations seem much quieter.
Conclusion
These are the most effective ways of blocking out unwanted noise in a cubicle. Some of them require a lot of effort and time, but nevertheless, if you follow the steps above carefully, you should be able to provide yourself with a peaceful working environment.
Before starting, it’s best if you get permission from your boss to make any alterations, so you don’t get into trouble. We wish you the best on your soundproofing journey!
If you’re a camping enthusiast, as well as a cubicle worker, you may want to check out my guide to soundproofing a tent.
image: Pixabay