How can I make my shared wall in a duplex more sound proof without ripping apart the wall?

Question

I don't want to rip apart the walls as I rent. Is there anything I can put on my side of the shared wall to absorb some of the noise? Please help, I have a neighbor that complains about my son being too loud at night, don't know what to do!

Mind you this is in the bedrooms so it needs to look nice.

Answer 1

First .. discuss with your landlord and either get him/her to arrage or agree to you doing it (assuming you have the skills).

First a few facts. Soundproofing is really a question of cutting low frequency (bass) transmission. Highs and midrange are comparitively easy (basically seal the room and you're done). Cutting bass require decoupling of the inner surface from the other side so the sound is not transmitted through the wall or damping the wall by adding mass (or both).

Since the wall already exists and there are limitations on what you can practically do you must recognize that you can't totally soundproof ... but you can improve the situation. Although recognize the following would not make any difference to sound transmission through the floor or ceiling!

One option is to put a new layer of drywall over the existing surface with an elastomeric glue. One such product is called Green Glue (See first link for details and test results).

A second option is the use of Resilient Sound Isolation Clips and metal furring strips with a new layer of drywall over them. See the second link for detais and test results.

Basically both the Green Glue and the "RSI Clips" serve to decouple the new wall surface from the existing wall.

The outer edge of the new wall surface in either approach must be sealed with a non-hardening elastomeric caulking (Read the labels carefully at your local hardware / building supply store). And of course the new drywall will have to be taped and sanded then painted.

Sounds complicated I know ... but the other suggestions will only provide marginal improvements.

You should be able to convince your landlord that the cost would be an investment in both good relations / tenant satisfaction and for future advertizing purposes... and if not maybe you should move.

Answer 2

Since you rent, you don't want to fill the walls with foam, and probably not glue all sorts of junk on either. You can get foam insulation boards, of a couple different thicknesses, and nearly any building supply or lumber store. -Comes in 4x8' sheets, the same as plywood. Get the thickest you can afford, and stand the sheets against the wall. If your ceiling is less than 8', you'll have to shave some off the sheets. Corner molding tacked along the top edge will hold the stuff in place, and kickboards will both hold the bottom and provide protection from (what else?) kicking. Paint the surface of the insulation board whatever color you choose. When you're ready to move out, it won't leave as many holes or as much of a mess, as fastening stuff directly to the walls.

Answer 3

Truthfully, this is a question that you should direct to your landlord as they are really the ones who need to accommodate your family and the neighbor. I agree that egg crate foam, sound board, acoustical paneling, cork, sound deadening wall paper are all great ideas, but if you install them without the help or permission of the landlord, that will raise bigger questions later. I feel that your neighbor has the right to a quiet apartment and I agree that you and your son should be able to live comfortably in your apartment... Check with your landlord and see if they will either install the materials at their own expense (which is really re-investing in the duplex) or reimburse you for the materials or credit you a months rent or portion thereof to do the work. Hope this helps and your neighbor should be lucky that he or she doesn't have a band next door :-P

Answer 4

Would not recommend Egg Cartons think about how it would look pretty ugly!

Product called sound board you can purchase from Home Depot find your studs screw board over dry wall into studs

Materials 3 inch screws $5.00 box
Sound Board $10.00 4 x 8 foot Board depend the size wall
If you really want to keep the sound out put a piece of foam between the drywall and sound board 2 inch thick sold at Home Depot Good Luck!

Answer 5

1st--do ask your landlord to see if he will do something. Don't use the in-wall foam, violates your lease, plus if you don't know what you are doing, it will expand and burst the walls--had a crew do that to a mobile home. Not pretty.
If there is no prob with the landlord, go with the 4x8 foamboard. you can wallpaper over the side facing the room, heck you might just want to buy some industrial strength velcro (hardware stores, Sams) and slap one side on the wall, another on the panels and presto, installed. I've done that for temporary installations, works fine. Use aluminum tape to tape off the joints. Thicker the foam you can buy, the better.

Answer 6

I know what your going through. We had the same problem, other than putting up another wall and sound proof it, there's not much you can do. We had a neighbor that was into drugs and his wife was prostituting herself to pay for their habit. You can imagine what was going on through he walls at night.
I had the Realtor over on several occasions, finally they gave our up front money back along with the down and we moved. I heard later they evicted the other tenants.

Some places are like this. You never know without actually asking the former tenants, we did the next time we rented our condo. It's like buying and having ugly neighbors.

Maybe heavy drapes for a decor, something along this line. Move your child's room to another one. I don't know how old your son is but, maybe some discipline might help. Let him play in another room and sleep in the bedroom.
You could be asked to move.

Answer 7

How To Soundproof A Wall

Answer 8

What about the expanding foam used for insulation. Make a small hole at the top of the wall and spray in the foam, every sixteen inches, between the studs. It seems that would make a difference.

Hang a rug over the wall, that should absorb some sound vibrations.

Answer 9

A good sound proofer is cork. it is kinda expensive( in my book ) but it does work. You could put any furniture that is not the bed on the wall. the furniture absorbs the sounds too. Uphuloster the walls will also work if you use some batting with it hope this helps- kellie

Answer 10

You can use cork as a sound barrier. I'm sure you can find sheets of cork online.
Just glue the cork to the sheetrock, & either paint, or go right over the top of it with more sheetrock to hide it. Cork makes an excellent sound barrier.
Hope this was helpful, good luck!