Soundproofing condo walls can be a difficult task, and an expensive one as well. For those who aren’t familiar with condos, they’re small living spaces (similar to apartments) for those people who don’t feel the need to purchase a free-standing single home.
Due to the nature of condos, you’re often close to your neighbors, and sound and smell can easily travel through adjoining walls. It’s also quite common for condo walls to be made of thin material, as these are often used by construction companies to save money.
In this article, I’ll explain the most effective methods for soundproofing your walls, which will be especially beneficial if you have noisy neighbors.
Soundproofing Common Condo Walls: 6 Potential Methods
Here are the most effective ways to soundproof common condo walls:
- Install acoustic foam panels
- Add drywall
- Use Green Glue noiseproofing sealant
- Seal all the gaps and cracks
- Attach foam mats
- Get a white noise machine
1. Install Acoustic Foam Panels
When it comes to blocking out unwanted noise, the first thing that pops into my mind is acoustic foam. Acoustic foam panels are spongelike objects that have been designed to absorb and reduce the amount of sound and echoes inside a room.
I’m not suggesting that you use regular acoustic foam panels, like the ones you might’ve seen in a music studio. I think acoustic panels with wooden frames are actually the best ones to use for soundproofing condo walls. You won’t have to worry about spending too much money, because foam panels are usually cheaper than most other soundproofing materials.
The only downside to this solution is that the panels won’t completely block out unwanted noise, but you can still expect a dramatic reduction in the amount of noise that passes through your shared walls.
2. Add Drywall
Another quite easy and effective thing you can do is to add more mass to your condo’s walls. If you’d like, you could even make soundproof drywall, which is made up of ceramic, viscoelastic and gypsum.
The thing I like about drywall is that it’s quite inexpensive and easy to buy. Before buying drywall, though, make sure you measure your wall precisely, as it’s very important to get drywall that will perfectly fit your wall’s dimensions.
3. Use Green Glue Noiseproofing Sealant
Green Glue is one of the most popular products that’s available at an affordable price. It’s been designed to stop sound and vibration from traveling between rooms, and to convert one type of energy to another. This glue is usually placed in between two drywall layers, and once that’s been done, it won’t let soundwaves travel from one side of a room to another.
If you’re a handyman, soundproofing your condo walls by using green glue won’t be difficult. All you’ll need is the right amount of drywall, and then you can apply the green glue and attach the drywall to your walls.
While this solution is fairly easy to carry out, you won’t see dramatic results right away. Instead, you’ll have to wait at least 90 days to see the full effect. Nonetheless, if you’re interested in proceeding with green glue, I recommend that you check out this type.
4. Seal All the Gaps and Cracks
You may be wondering, how can there be holes in my walls? If you look closely, though, you may notice some cable holes in your shared walls.
These small holes can cause a great amount of noise to enter your condo, and you probably won’t even be aware of how it’s getting through. This is the main reason why it’s necessary to seal all of the gaps and cracks in each wall.
For this job, I recommend that you use green glue. It’ll not only seal the holes, but it’ll also soundproof them as well. Sealing every hole and crack may take some time and effort, so it’s best if you do it on a weekend.
5. Attach Foam Mats
If you’re on a tight budget, this is the best solution for soundproofing your condo walls, because foam mats are extremely affordable. Not only can you use them for soundproofing purposes, but they’ll help reduce the amount of thermal heat that’s lost in a room as well.
These mats are mainly made of rubber, which makes them resistant to oil and petrol. The installation process is also very easy: Since they have adhesive on the back, you can simply stick them to your walls.
6. Hang Soundproof Blankets
Soundproof blankets are typically made of fiberglass, which is a good sound-absorbing material. When buying a soundproof blanket, you should make sure it’s very thick, because the thicker the material is, the better it will work. If you want to avoid the hassle of searching for thick blankets in stores, check out these ones online.
These blankets are usually easy to install, although they may not always be visually appealing.
7. Get a White Noise Machine
If you need an immediate solution, or none of the previous methods have worked out for you, you may want to use a white noise machine.
These machines are great for masking the amount of noise coming from each wall you share with your neighbors, and they’ll also help cover up any sounds you make yourself. One thing I really like about white noise machines is their ability to produce sounds that are peaceful and relaxing.
Even if you’ve been satisfied with the other methods above, you can still use white noise to enhance your soundproofing.
Conclusion
Soundproofing common condo walls can be a long process, especially if you’re not a DIY type of person. Regardless of your personality, I suggest that you follow the steps above that you decide to use in a careful and methodical manner. Once you’re done, you should be able to offer yourself the level of quietness you’ve always wanted.
If you’ve found this article helpful, you may want to read our recent article about how to soundproof an office cubicle.
image: Pixabay