Soundproofing

Soundproofing is insulation against noise and can be achieved in one of two ways: reducing the noise and absorbing it. While the former is a case of introducing distance between the noise and the listener, the latter is about transforming the sound wave and suppressing with damping materials that absorb sound. These materials differ in nature - select each based on the type of soundproofing job at hand. Here is a breakdown of several soundproofing methods that have gained popularity over the years.

1) Damping materials – As mentioned above, damping materials absorb sound waves and limit the production of audible noise. The idea is to ensure the sound wave hits the damping materials before it falls on the listeners’ eardrums. A few common damping materials are listed below.
a) Lead is an effective but costly material which converts sound waves into heat over time and distance.
b) Neoprene is a synthetic rubber also used as a damping material. However, neoprene is not very effective in absorbing low frequency sounds and can be cumbersome to apply.
c) Foam is also used for sound dampening, although it doesn’t completely absorb the sound, as its porous nature still allows sound waves to travel, just not as easily as they would in open air.
d) Thermal insulators are an excellent choice in damping as they provide sound reduction and thermal regulation, giving you comprehensive control over noise pollution and temperature.
e) Polystyrene foam is a good choice when moisture is an issue. It aids treated structures in resisting moisture while also working to absorb sound.

2) Cancellation Devices – Instead of using material to absorb sound waves, cancellation devices such as noise-cancelling headphones work by emitting sound that is opposite to the undesirable one. The opposite sound cancels the original sound and creates a new sound barely audible to humans. Cancellation devices also work well to combat low frequency sounds that may be difficult to absorb with damping materials. Likewise, cancellation devices allow for granular control over audible frequencies.

3) Room Within a Room (RWAR) – A room within a room is popular method of home soundproofing. The idea is to prevent noise from going out of a particular area, rather than blocking the noise from coming into a particular area. This is achieved by building a room within a room using soundproof materials which cancels the need to treat the original structure and makes it easier to create a soundproof space from scratch,

4) Barriers – Sound barriers are often used as to reduce noise pollution in areas surrounding highways, freeways, and other sources of regular noise. Barriers, however, are not used in homes and businesses since the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows of these structures all conduct sound, and must be treated individually to absorb sound instead.

The bottom line when soundproofing is to consider the type of job before choosing a method and materials. Choices may vary whether soundproofing floors and walls or windows and doors, so research before selecting a method and consult an informed salesperson when buying materials.