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Nothing beats the tranquillity of peace and quiet after you soundproof a bedroom.

After a long day at work, you deserve to rest and sleep peacefully.

But what if your home is generally noisy and chaotic, or you live in a busy town or city – how will you get the peace and quiet you desire?

What if you live close to a factory or construction site and can hear the humming of machinery or apparatus?

If you’re suffering from constant daily noise, then you should seriously consider soundproofing your bedroom.

You cannot afford to spend several sleepless nights as this will affect your mental health and wellbeing.

It will diminish your ability to focus the following day, as well as your physical health in a myriad of ways.

Thankfully, soundproofing your bedroom to create a ‘safe haven’ is a very feasible option, and there are several ways how you can go about achieving very good results.

Clarify Your Objectives

Prior to soundproofing your bedroom, it’s important to devote some time to understand what you want to achieve.

For starters, you should ask yourself what your main objectives are.

What kind of noise are you dealing with?

Do you want to contain an internal source of noise in order to prevent it from moving into other rooms in the house?

Or is your main goal simply to block external noise from entering the bedroom from outside sources?

It may be that in some cases, you will be aiming to solve a number of key problems.

In other cases, you may wish to prevent over-hearing sounds coming from your neighbour’s home and need to soundproof a wall.

You may live in an apartment and want to block sound from above by soundproofing the ceiling.

Whether it may be conversations, children shouting and screaming, appliances such as a loud TV or music system, even footsteps, or general crashing and banging of doors and windows.

If so, you need to focus on reducing noise ingress into your bedroom.

Being clear on what you need to achieve will help you establish an effective mitigation strategy and solve the problem far more effectively.

Identify Weak Points

One of the most important factors you need to bear in mind is that sound travels at tremendous speeds.

Sound moves at around 1300 feet per second. You can compare it to the way water behaves, as it will always find access points to flow and travel through.

So whilst you’re considering the soundproofing method you could use, keep in mind this important factor.

At the end of the day, your acoustic treatment is only going to be as strong as its weakest point.

Therefore, you need to make sure your soundproofing method is applied thoroughly and appropriately to prevent pathways through which noise can end up passing through.

For instance, something as obvious as windows.

Less obvious pathways such as ducts, ventilation systems, tiny air gaps, lintels, steel support structures, loft areas, joists and floorboards could all well be weak points in your soundproofing conundrum.

All offer flanking routes through which sound can move.

Types of Noise

It is also important to understand the different types of noise and how they’re generated.

Let’s carefully consider the types of noise that exist, and the main aspects relating to each one of them.

Airborne

Airborne noise refers to sound transmitted through the air.

The sound waves propagate away from the source and are transmitted by air until picked up by the ear of a receiver.

This for example, is the way speech and music travels.

Within the source room this airborne sound wave will collide with a solid object, such as a wall or ceiling for example and be returned back into the room.

But once the collision occurs, there will be vibrations that pass into and through that object or structure.

Structural Airborne

This is sound that results from an impact or a vibration that occurs when sound waves collide with a structure, after having been created from an adjacent surface.

Structural vibration can lead to movement through the building and out into the space beyond.

Vibration will also pass along the rigidity of the structure which leads to what is known as flanking transmission.

Impact

Impact noise is similar to a structure-borne sound, but in this case you will have an impact that takes place between two objects where one object strikes the other. Foot fall on a floor is a common example.

In such a case there will be a structural vibration which gets radiated from an adjacent surface area which also vibrates as a result of the impact.

Building Structures & Common Problems

Considering the different types of sounds that exist further demonstrates how important it is to understand them so you can tackle them appropriately.

So the need to understand the types of buildings as well as the building fabrics, and how the noise is reaching your bedroom is critical.

The starting point is to investigate the noise you are dealing with, to understand the type of sound generated, and from where it is travelling.

This will allow you to determine the type of acoustic installation required to soundproof your bedroom more effectively.

Masonry walls, for instance, are very dense.

You might think that sound will not be able to pass through solid masonry or brick, but sounds can still make their way through.

If you’re considering soundproofing this type of wall, you would need to set up a structure consisting of a framing system that incorporates studs or battening.

In the case of load bearing walls, flanking transmissions could also occur through the building’s structure itself.

There would most likely be steel columns, pipes and services which move around acoustic treatments.

There’s also more modern houses where dot and dab plasterboards are in place.

Effectively the plasterboard is stuck to the wall by means of a series of large blobs of plaster.

This is not ideal when it comes to soundproofing such walls, as there is most likely going to be numerous unfilled air cavities right behind the plasterboard, allowing sound to resonate and pass through.

Moreover, this type of structure could actually end up being like a sound box or drum, which leads to an increase in resonance, as well as sound amplification.

This will be even more problematic should this have been installed before, as there would ultimately be a common gap throughout.

Types of Soundproofing Principles

There may be a couple of acoustic principles you will need to be aware of when soundproofing your bedroom.

Acoustic Isolation

Acoustic Isolation refers to the process where you prevent sound from leaking to or from one room to another.

This invariably is going to be the key principle to creating the desired quiet space.

Putting this principle into action might require the use of multiple soundproofing methods.

This will depend on various factors, namely:

Deflection

Deflecting sound is a common method.

The mass or density of the material will need to be taken into account.

Some sound waves will be able to pass through the material even if it is incredibly dense.

So you need to carefully consider the finishing board you’ll be using, for instance.

Your aim is to add more mass to the building’s fabric by further increasing its density by applying a material which will be able to push back a sound to its source, rather than allow it to enter your bedroom.

Absorption

In this case your aim is to absorb sound.

So you will be making use of materials which allow sound waves to enter into them, and work by slowing down the speed of sound, and thus its volume.

This is a material which will fill a void that may be present, and so you need to take into account required thicknesses and how effective it is at sound absorption.

The material needs to be thick enough to offer a high level of sound insulation, particularly in cases of low frequency noises.

You also need to be very careful that you do not use a material which may end up adding acoustic resonance or regeneration.

Acoustic/Thermal Conversion

A widely recognised way to really get the best out of any planned works  or construction to reduce unwanted noise is to convert sound waves into trace element heat energy.

This principle massively assists the other principles described to work more effectively.

When sound waves hit against this unique and specialist sound isolation membrane, the friction caused by the vibrating sound waves is converted to heat energy.

Our specialised material Acoustiblok Insulation Membrane is that material..

At just 3mm thick, it is highly effective at converting sound waves from a problematic acoustic energy into trace element heat energy through vibration or thermal conversion.

As sound hits the membrane, molecules move to create friction, friction to heat which is transferred sideways to reduce flanking transmissions.

Decoupling

In some cases, it is prudent to put this principle into action.

By installing a resilient channel or even something as simple as a cross batten perpendicular to the main framing system.

This helps reduce the points at which there is direct linkage through the system, and thus lessens flanking transmissions within the building structure.

Acoustic Calibration

Acoustic Calibration aims to equalise internal acoustics within a room.

Let’s face it, this is not usually going to be the issue when trying to deal with soundproofing a bedroom ,as invariably the space is quiet and only affected by noise ingress from an external source.

Acoustic calibration is to ultimately optimise sound quality, and simultaneously improve the listening experience within the room.

The aim is to balance out the sound waves in the room to achieve a cleaner and purer audible environment.

This principle is ideal in cases when the main problem revolves around reverberation and distortion within the space.

More likely within a cinema with sources of high energy or a kitchen for example, with many hard and flat surfaces.

Not usually associated with the decor within a bedroom.

However, for good measure let us look at a few ways of effectively achieving this by using different methods, including:

Absorber Panels

These are essentially panels which increase the levels of actual absorbency within the room when placed strategically on the otherwise hard, flat and reflective surfaces.

Our AcoustiCloud Absorber Panels can be incorporated into ceiling applications as well as our Acoustiblok Wall Absorber Panels for walls.

Baffles

Baffles reduce the strength of airborne sounds. Sound baffles are constructed in a way that mitigate noise by reducing reverberation.

Diffusers

If the main problem in the bedroom is sound aberrations such as echoing, then diffusers are the best option to solve this.

Isolators

These are vibration isolators which are sometimes also referred to as spikes.

These work by reducing noise by working on the resonance or regeneration that leads to vibrations.

Soft Finishes

This is a commonly used method, often combined with other solutions.

It works very well in bedrooms where soft furnishings such as mattresses, duvets, curtains, cushions, and rugs all create a nice environment from an aesthetic point of view.

These soft furnishings will all help to absorb unwanted sound energy.

Applying Correct Construction Techniques

Knowing how to apply the best construction methods in order to achieve the best soundproofing results for your bedroom is critical.

You will need to choose the best soundproofing materials, and the most suitable construction techniques to address the type and level of noise that is bothering you in your bedroom as best you can.

Deflection

There are various materials which will help you to deflect the sound.

The idea is to use materials that have a dense structure and then add finishing materials on top to add more mass.

Good examples include concrete or masonry walls, which are the most commonly used options for typical wall constructions.

Then materials such as mass loaded vinyl, plasterboard or dense sheet materials can be used on top.

Mass loaded vinyl is a popular option.

This is basically rubber which is very dense in its composition.

Plasterboards come in varying thicknesses, and you would need to choose accordingly.

In most cases you might need to apply multiple layers.

The same applies to plywood and particle boards.

Absorption

Another option is to opt for open cell materials which are able to absorb soundwaves.

This is an ideal option where cavities or open spaces require filling.

There are open cell fibres such as mineral wool, stone wool and natural fibre which work very well for this principle.

Alternatively, or in combination to these, you could also use soft furnishings such as drapes, blankets, and quilts.

Thermal Conversion

There is another way to deal with unwanted noise, via a unique material which converts sound energy into trace thermal energy – Acoustiblok’s Sound Insulation Membrane.

Acoustiblok is a NASA developed technology and works in an intelligent way.

The material is only 3mm thick yet is just as effective as sheet lead millimetre for millimetre in tackling unwanted sound.

When sound waves hit against the Acoustiblok membrane, its molecules start to vibrate.

The friction caused then turns into trace heat energy which is moved sideways through the material.

Acoustiblok sound insulation membrane puts this principle into practice extremely well, is easy to install and achieves its maximum impact when incorporated into a wall assembly.

This membrane is only a few millimeters thick, but it works very effectively converting problematic acoustic energy into a less problematic heat energy.

Decoupling

When you create a separation from the structure you will be able to reduce the noise that is bothering you.

There are materials and systems which allow you to put the principle of decoupling into practice.

Resilient channels, for instance, are popular options which are used to do this.

Acoustic brackets or clips are also commonly used for this purpose.

You may also opt for a staggered stud construction made from timber or steel to create a secondary structure.

Soundproofing a Bedroom

Invariably, the only sure way to insulate a bedroom into an effective safe haven is to create a room within a room, sometimes referred to as a cell within a cell.

This is achieved by adopting the aforementioned standard approaches, principally by creating a decoupled frame to create the separated room within a room.

Acoustiblok 3mm Isolation Membrane would be attached onto the frame followed by a layer of finishing board for example.

By now you should have a good idea of the various soundproofing principles, as well as the types of noise that exist.

As such you are in a better position to understand the main needs in your particular case, and how to best address your problem.

These aspects all impact your direction on how to soundproof your bedroom.

So it’s important to be clear on these factors to make an informed decision.

The following are some of the most effective soundproofing methods you could use for your bedroom.

In many cases, a combination of these soundproofing solutions will allow you to achieve the best results:

Thicker Carpets

Installing thick carpets is a relatively simple and effective option.

Thick mats and carpets will muffle noises as they are sound absorbing materials.

They will also add aesthetic appeal to your bedroom, so they will ultimately be serving a dual purpose.

Door Seals & Mass

You’ll be amazed at the difference door seals can make on the amount of sound that enters or leaves your bedroom.

The gaps underneath doors can be easily sealed by a draft stopper or door sweep.

Replace or Seal Windows

Sound passes through the tiniest of gaps, so sealing your windows is another must-do to reduce noise entering or leaving your bedroom.

This is a must if you live close to a busy street, where there’s heavy traffic, ambient noise, and many people passing by.

You may wish to go a step further by replacing your current windows and opting for more modern acoustic windows with triple glazing.

These are a great alternative.

These types of windows are made specifically to reduce noise ingress.

They are constructed with materials that stop sounds from entering your bedroom.

This includes vibrations and rattles caused by heavy vehicles passing outside, loud music, and other inconveniences from the external environment.

Soundproof Curtains

As previously mentioned, soft furnishings work very well for sound absorption.

You could go a step further by installing soundproof curtains in your bedroom.

Such curtains are made from heavy fabrics which absorb sounds even more effectively.

They will also add a nice decorative element to your bedroom.

Acoustic Foam

Acoustic foam panelling is a great way to absorb noise in the bedroom, as well as reduce the amount of soundwaves that used to make their way inside your bedroom.

Acoustic foam is available in different thicknesses and colours.

There are many who choose acoustic foam to add a decorative element to their bedroom walls, while also soundproofing the room effectively.

Ceiling Panels

In case you’re noticing that a good part of the noise that’s bothering you is coming from above your bedroom, then you should invest in ceiling panels.

These panels can be attached to the ceiling to absorb noises coming from the room above, as well as eliminating any echoes and reverberations.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Have you ever considered the possibility of rearranging your furniture a little?

For example, the amount of noise in your bedroom could be significantly reduced by placing your wardrobe against the wall through which the noise is coming from.

Bear in mind the principle of sound absorption while you try to come up with a practical way to rearrange your bedroom furniture.

For instance, a wardrobe is bulky and big.

Besides, there will be so many clothes stored in it, which will also affect the sound absorption qualities you’ll be able to achieve.

Blankets

If you’re on a very tight budget, you may wish to try this idea.

Maybe you have some old blankets or throws tucked away in storage?

You hardly ever use them, but you could put them to good use if you hang them on walls.

Thick blankets and throws could also be hung on the doors or windows to absorb sound waves quite effectively.

Obviously you will not be soundproofing your bedroom completely, but they can help to reduce the effects, especially if you do not wish to spend too much.

Insulation Membrane

Sound absorbing insulation membrane can be used on walls, as well as on floors and ceilings.

Such membranes can be cut easily to be installed wherever needed in your bedroom.

The material is ideal for absorbing sound, and you can effectively reduce the noise that used to bother you in your bedroom once and for all.

Acoustiblok sound insulation membrane for example, comes in two different thicknesses – 3mm and 6mm.

The material comes in rolls and you can easily cut the desired dimensions to install to your walls, floors and ceilings.

Despite the fact that it looks so flexible, you will be amazed at how effective it is.

In fact it is more effective than if you were to use a layer of lead of the same thickness!

Acoustic Wall Covering

Another effective solution to soundproof your bedroom is installing acoustic wall coverings.

Acoustiblok wallcover is made from flexible hybrid sheets which incorporate the Acoustiblok insulation membrane technology.

While being flexible to ensure ease of installation, it is still a very strong material which works wonders when it comes to sound absorption, as well as for acoustic isolation and calibration.

Conclusion

As you can see, the options you can choose to soundproof a bedroom are numerous.

There are those which are simple and reasonably effective which will not break the bank.

And there are more effective and specialised sound proofing material which will give you the best results possible.

The most important thing is to make sure that you are on the right track.

You cannot simply start off on a soundproofing project without carefully analysing the type and level of noise you are dealing with and its source.

Based on the above, you need to consider the soundproofing principles outlined, to correctly choose the most suitable soundproofing solution for your situation.

As always, seeking professional advice from a soundproofing specialist is highly recommended.