Figured this group would be the best place to ask. I have a new neighbor who shares my condo wall and I’m starting to think he might be partially deaf because I can hear everything, rumbling, music, TV late at night and early in the morning. I’ve asked him to turn it down and the HOA’s even stepped in, but even after he supposedly removed his subwoofer, I can still hear music bass and tv rumbling through the wall. I can’t feel it through the wall, just hear it.

What’s wild is that I’ve lived here on and off seven years and never once heard any of my neighbors until now.

Is there actually a way to soundproof a shared condo wall? The bedroom wall is a small space (10ft?). Both our units are studios with bedroom cubbies. My shared wall has a closet system of the other half of the wall so all the noise comes out the cubby side lined red in the photo. I’m at the point where I need to do something because I can’t sleep but have no idea where to start or what really works.

For those of you interested in how to soundproof an entire detached building, such as a garage or a shed, the ultimate way: to an extent to withold sounds of drums in a detached house neighbourhood area (nearest neigbours 5 meters away) - here's footage and materials of my build process of soundproofing a standard half warm detached garage into a standalone home / drum studio.

Done by the code, with building health in mind, to also withstand fluctuating weather conditions of the Nordics - permit approved, throughout soundproof system including air ventilation, heating and cooling (mini-split).

Just released a 17-minute 4K video walkthrough (PT1) featuring footage from the actual build process, from day 1 onwards up on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HBAjZyP9PD0

Enjoy!

We bought our first place about three months ago. When we came to the open houses (both on super quiet Sunday afternoons, of course), we barely noticed a thing.

Fast forward to actually living here, reality has set in: we’re close enough to a major highway that we get a 24/7 drone of trucks, motorcycles, tire hiss and road rumble.

It’s worst in our bedroom and it’s completely wrecking our sleep. The walls seem pretty solid, but the sound is coming straight through the windows (basic double-pane vinyl).

We’re ready to spend some cash to fix this so we don't go insane, but I really don't want to throw thousands of dollars down the drain for a 5% improvement.

Has anyone here actually dealt with this? Here's what we're looking at right now:

• Acrylic inserts (like Indow): Are lighter acrylic inserts enough for traffic, or do you need real laminated glass to block low-frequency hums?

• Secondary interior glass windows (CitiQuiet, Soundproof Windows Inc., etc.): I've seen these recommended. Do these actually deaden that deep highway rumble, and are they worth the price?

• Replacement windows: To anyone who dropped $10k+ to replace their entire exterior windows... was the difference night and day, or do you regret it?

• Recaulking / weatherstripping: Is it even worth starting here, or is it just a drop in the bucket for highway noise?

Would love some real-world advice or a reality check before we start burning through our savings. What actually worked for you?

i know this looks ridiculous, but I'm very desperate here. i just moved to a new apartment that reaches levels of noise from every single side of it that i didn't even know were possible. every wall carries sounds of stomping, laughter or even regular talks, moving furniture, slamming doors, and probably worst of all - water running through the pipes. the windows carry the sounds of car engines and people partying outside.

I have the lightest sleep on the planet and I need at least 9-10 hours of sleep to not feel dead the next day. earplugs are too weak here. can't do anything to the walls cause of the landlords.

if i built a box similar to this (can't buy it it literally costs my monthly rent) with soundproofing materials and place it on a mattress that's laying on some sort of sound/vibration-proof foam, would it help at least a little bit? literally 30% of the noise blocked would already be a win for me here. is there any point in trying to build a thing like this or would it do literally nothing at all?

With Covid restrictions, many people are forced to work, school, gym from poorly soundproofed homes.

Many older apartment buildings were built for workers, who only came home to eat, sleep and shower.

Not built to be 24x7 home offices, classrooms, conference rooms, gyms, art/music studios etc.

For those of us, who live in older construction,

working, learning, staying fit from an apartment with poor soundproofing and insufficient acoustic insulation is a NIGHTMARE.

Here is a scenario:

The ceiling joist of the lower level is often the floor joist for the upper level unit. There is no space between them, so someone living downstairs must endure the sound of

every footstep,

every drawer opening,

every cupboard slammed,

every toilet flushed,

every faucet turned on,

every song played,

every movie watched,

And on and on.

Noise cancelling headphones can only do so much.

Imagine an inconsiderate upstairs resident.

Imagine other neighbors who are bystanders. They're retired, they have been in their units forever, paying peanuts for rent. They're just watching tv all day anyway. The sound disturbance doesn't impact them as much. They don't have to focus on grueling, cognitively demanding tasks. So, they won't speak up.

Imagine a landlord that refuses to acknowledge the extent of the issue with statements like:

"just get used to it, it's not such a big deal".

and

"during the day, all tenants have the right to watch tv and play music. as loud as they want"

Any suggestions anyone?

How to get landlords to take this seriously?

How to get landlords to talk to the offending tenant?

People living/working directly below such units are disproportionately impacted.

How to get landlord to pay for noise canceling headphones,

how to get the landlord to pay for soundproofing, etc?

What do various state laws say? CA, specifically?

Thank you all for your insights.

I’m seeking a solution which MOST reduces outside noises coming through my windows.

I need blackout curtains and I want something automatic, so I was thinking of picking up these roller curtains from Ikea:

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/fyrtur-black-out-roller-blind-smart-wireless-battery-operated-gray-00417466/

Does anyone know of a solution like these Ikea curtains, but that is better at reducing sound? Or is there a curtain fabric I can purchase and to swap out with the curtain that comes in this Ikea product?

I realize I can’t completely eliminate outside noise, I’m just seeking a curtain fabric which will reduce the most sound. Thanks in advance!

I live in an old house with wooden windows on a pretty busy street in London, buses and lorries about every 10 minutes, plus deliveries at night. In the bedroom I currently have old double glazing, nothing special acoustically, and I can still clearly hear engines, braking, and whenever a louder motorbike goes past. I tried a sound meter app on my phone once and it showed a bit over 60 dB in the room when the traffic is heavier.

In the last few weeks I have been looking at options and the one that seems best to me is The Soundproof Windows. They say they make custom wooden windows with acoustic glass for houses like this, including conservation areas. I have already contacted them for an assessment and a rough quote, but before I throw thousands of pounds just at windows I would like to know if anyone has real experience with this kind of thing in the UK, not necessarily with them specifically.

I am mainly interested in whether, in day to day life after installation, you felt the traffic went from I hear it every evening to I can sleep without earplugs, or if the difference is more like a bit better, but still annoying.

Hello,

My girlfriend moved to a new apt. Guests have started to knock on our floor/their ceiling, every time when have sex after 12am. This is getting frustrating for us.

Can I soundproof a room for sex sounds going to lower floor? If so, how?

Any tips and help is appreciated.

My laudry room is right outside mt office and gets pretty loud. I was about to buy acoustic panels but just read that won't help. Can I attach anything to the doors to insulate the sound a bit?

I live in an apartment and my neighbor recently installed what I’m assuming is a soundbar/subwoofer directly on the wall that backs up to my bedroom. He is CONSTANTLY playing music/TV with really deep bass, and for some reason the bass coming through the wall absolutely drives me insane, especially when I’m trying to sleep.

I’ve complained to my apartment complex several times, and I’ve actually heard management talk to him about it. His response was basically, “This is apartment living.” 🙃 Which, yes, I understand apartments come with noise, but feeling bass vibrating through your bedroom wall for hours is a little different lol.

I get super anxious at the thought of going over there myself and asking him to turn it down, so I’m trying to figure out what else I can realistically do.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? Did you find anything that actually helped with bass specifically?
I’m also planning on buying noise-canceling headphones, so I would LOVE recommendations for really good ones—especially something comfortable enough to wear while sleeping.

Not sure if anyone will see this, but any suggestions from people who have dealt with this would be very appreciated!!

I recently bought an apartment where I can hear the upstairs neighbours talking and walking. The impact noise is quite loud, while their voices are mostly muffled. After months of research, I decided to renovate one 9 m² room so I would at least have somewhere quiet to go when the noise became overwhelming.

I hired a contractor to install a self-supporting acoustic ceiling. The construction consists of:

-A self-supporting metal frame fixed to the surrounding walls, not suspended from the concrete ceiling

-Approximately 7 cm of empty space between the concrete slab and the metal frame

-Isolation tape between the perimeter metal profiles and the walls

-Knauf acoustifit, 8cm thick

-Two layers of 15 mm fire-rated plasterboard

-Caulk around the perimeter and on every seam

-Staggered/sealed layers, now fully plastered

From what I could see, the installation was done carefully and neatly. However, I am devastated because I can still hear the neighbours’ voices. The room is currently empty, so the voices sound even louder due to the echo. Once it is furnished, I expect them to become muffled again, but that was already how they sounded before I spent €2,000 on the ceiling.

I was not necessarily expecting complete silence from impact noise, but I genuinely expected a significant reduction in airborne voices. At the moment, I cannot perceive any improvement.

Could the remaining voice noise be flanking through the walls rather than coming directly through the concrete ceiling? Could the wall-supported metal frame be picking up vibrations from the walls despite the isolation tape? Is there anything specific I should inspect or ask the contractor about?

I will add photographs of the installation. I would really appreciate advice from anyone experienced with building acoustics or similar ceiling systems.

Update: I installed the ceiling lamp and its not working lmao, they had to extend the electrical cable so they put a new one.. i tried two lamp and none of them are lighting up.. im cursed

I'm currently undertaking a project and I'd really appreciate any help. I'm currently working on a plan to soundproof, as much as possible, two windows in my apartment that are adjacent to a bunch of AC units. Feedback on the plans would be appreciated, as would recommendations for any specific materials to use.

My current plan is to build something like a plug to put into the window. I'm thinking about getting two layers of 5/8" drywall (maybe with something between them?) to be the main mass of the plug. I'd cut the drywall to fit into the window cavity. On the window-side, I'd add in heavy insulating material to fill the space and gaps. On the room-side, I'd add handles so the thing could be removed quickly in case of fire or emergency, and then cover the contraption with curtains to hide the eye-sore. I don't really care that I won't be able to see through the window.

The windows are about 5 feet tall and 2.8 feet wide.

A few questions I had:

Would any particular drywall be effective? I'm thinking I go with heavy and thickest. I saw something called QuietRock, but it looked to be $72-85 a panel, which would be a lot pricier.

Any recommendations on the foam? This is mainly to fill in the space created by the window panes

Any recommendations on how to handle the edges/keep the contraption in place? I thought I could cut the foam a little wider than the drywall and use that to kind of seal the gaps and affix the stuff there.

My apartment building has gotten unbearably loud. Construction next door starts at 6 AM, neighbors argue through thin walls, street traffic never stops. I've tried earplugs, white noise machines, heavy curtains, nothing blocks it completely. Sleep deprivation is affecting everything, my work performance, my mood, my health. I started researching extreme solutions and discovered soundproof sleeping pod options designed for urban living.

These capsules promise near-complete sound isolation, creating quiet spaces within noisy environments. Some look futuristic and claustrophobic, others are surprisingly elegant. The concept makes sense, but the price tags are shocking. Am I really considering spending thousands on what's essentially a bed in a box because my living situation is intolerable?

I've found options from companies specializing in sleep technology to manufacturers producing office nap pods. Some suppliers on platforms like Alibaba sell commercial versions for airports or hotels, suggesting there's genuine demand for portable quiet spaces. But can a physical barrier actually solve what's fundamentally a housing and urban planning problem? My friends think this is excessive, that I should just move to a quieter building. But affordable quiet apartments don't exist in my city, and buying a soundproof pod might actually be cheaper than relocating. Is this solution innovative or just a depressing symptom of urban living failures?

Hey everyone, I just moved into a new apartment and didn’t realize how loud it would be living right next to the highway. The traffic and sirens are pretty constant day and night.

Moving isn’t really an option right now, so I’m hoping for tips. Has anyone found good renter-friendly fixes that actually help? Things like curtains, white noise machines, or window tricks?

Thanks in advance 🙏

Please, before posting here, try wearing foam earplugs to bed. It is by far the cheapest solution, and in many cases will be the only realistic solution.

Attached video sums up problem and requested solution

Has anyone had luck using curtains to reduce street noise, and if so, could you please share your recommendation(s)?

I can't replace my windows at the time being so am looking for other (if less slightly effective) options to dampen the road noise that enters my bedroom.

I tried resealing and caulking the windows but that didn't seem to have much of an effect. I'm afraid the windows themselves might just be poor quality.

I've been sleeping with Bose sound blocking headphones for months, and I'd love a quiet bedroom so that I don't have to use them - one can dream! haha.

I posted a while back looking for some recommendation on how to mitigate some of the noise from my loud shop compressor. I ended up going with two acoustic panels on either wall and then putting up steel pipe around the perimeter and then hanging three sound barrier sheets from audimute. While the result is not perfect, I can say there is a dramatic difference in the shop, which I am quite pleased with. I ordered another sound blanket as I have little gap I couldn’t quite fill with the three I have and I ordered another acoustic panel for the ceiling above the compressor. The whole project took me about two hours and the best part is I can easily remove the blankets to access the compressor for service.

Has anyone tried Indow Window soundproofing inserts to block highway noise? Do they work? I live off a busy highway and can’t sleep at night. I’ve been looking at Indow Window inserts as an alternative instead of paying a crazy amount for replacing my windows with sound proofing windows. Just trying to see if anyone has them and if they work? Thanks in advance!

My apartment hallway is very loud when I'm in my unit so I put up foam to quiet most sounds and it works for everything except these SCREAMING kids I mean like bloody murder screaming it's insane the screams cut right through the foam no matter how much I put on the walls and in what way i can't put furniture near it either. I stream and voice act and have sex I REALLY don't want to hear that. I was a guardian of 4 kids too so I know I can't just ask them to quiet down. any helpful tips would be appreciated

I'm currently seeking advice on the implementation of wood acoustic panels in my home office, which is a simple 10x10 white room, featuring a window with a view of my neighbor's wall.

I've been exploring the options of using WoodUpp or WoodEco panels for acoustic improvements. Could anyone share their experience with these brands?

Are they effective? Does anyone happen to have a referral coupon codes they wouldn't mind sharing?

Thanks in advance.

Keepin it uber short
Small apartment. Plastic door. Alcoholic parent and rough nights.
Invested in loop earplugs, highly disappointed. Any earplugs I've tried can't block out direct loud sounds enough for me. I'm tired of using headphones and music. I would like just silence.

Know of any products that will do a crazy good job at dimming noise almost to 0?