Ways to soundproof your flat, part 1

Have you bought a new flat, only to find after just a few days of living in it that its sound insulation leaves a lot to be desired? Don't worry. There are effective and relatively inexpensive ways to soundproof it, that both limit the sound coming in from outside and prevent noise from escaping from inside. Find out about the most effective solutions now.

When living in a block of flats, unfortunately, you have to expect to hear the other residents of the building. The walls in blocks of flats are not thick enough, and the number of people around us in other flats makes the likelihood of ending up with a noisy neighbour quite high. How can we cope with this if we do not want to get involved in neighbourly quarrels? It is worth opting for suitable soundproofing of the rooms, which will bring soothing quiet to our flat.

Suspended ceiling

This is an option for people struggling with noisy neighbours upstairs. A suspended ceiling will effectively muffle the sounds of running children, and even the jumping of an adult. The downside of this solution, however, is its relatively high cost and the need to carry out fairly involved renovation work. The effect, however, will be long-lasting. This kind of solution is not suitable for rooms with low ceilings, as it lowers the ceiling by at least 5 cm.

Interior design elements with a sound-dampening effect

If you want a quick and cheap effect, go for the sound-dampening properties of certain materials. These include, above all, plush. It is therefore worth investing in curtains made of this fabric, which will muffle the sounds from the street. Laying thick, soft rugs on the floors or fitting wall-to-wall carpet is also a good solution. Placing a variety of cushions around the flat can also bring a slight dampening effect.

The downside of this solution is, unfortunately, its rather low effectiveness. It only muffles fairly quiet sounds and will not work against really loud noise.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper is an excellent complement to the previous solution. Its dampening effect is small, but combined with other methods it can bring a satisfactory result. When choosing wallpaper with sound-absorbing properties, it is worth going for a thick material and the roughest possible texture. All kinds of raised patterns will work well here, as they absorb noise better than a smooth surface. It is also worth adding that wallpaper has an aesthetic value too, which lets you give the interior a distinctive character.

Airtight windows

When replacing the windows in a newly purchased flat or installing them in your own house, it is worth paying attention to the Rw index, which indicates the level of noise reduction. As you might guess, the higher its value, the more effective the reduction of street noise. Standard windows most often protect against sounds up to 32 decibels. But versions that protect against noise of around 40, or even 50 decibels, can also be found on the market.

Windows with enhanced sound insulation are a great way to cut out noise when we live on a busy street in the city centre. The downside of this solution, however, is the high purchase cost and the need for thorough renovation work, unless we happen to be at the construction stage.

These are only some of the ways of soundproofing a flat or house. We present the remaining suggestions in the next article.