9 Easy Tricks to Soundproof an Apartment

As great as apartment living is, one of the main downfalls has got to be the (sometimes near-incessant) noise. From rumbling trucks at 2 a.m., to noisy neighbors clacking their heels at the crack of dawn, to thumps that sound disturbingly like a bowling ball being dropped right above your head, we can all agree that few things are more irritating.

You can try drowning it out with your own cacophony, but for the sake of neighborliness, consider soundproofing your space instead. While homeowners are more flexible and can make significant changes to walls, floors, and ceilings, there is still hope for those in a rental. And there’s camaraderie in knowing sound irritants exist for some homeowners, too. “Similar techniques can be applied to homes as with apartments,” says Tyler Hadley, the marketing director for DDS Acoustical Specialties.

If you’re wondering how to soundproof your apartment, Hadley and a few other experts are here for you and ready to dispense their knowledge. Own your own home? These techniques will still come in handy — especially if you’re leery of making big structural changes to your home.

While soundproofing tricks (as opposed to installing permanent things like insulation or soundproof windows) won’t completely shut out the noise, they’ll muffle it enough to make life at home much more pleasant. Kirsten Horton, an acoustics-focused interior designer, agrees. “By using these acoustic-improving techniques in spaces, you create a space that feels more grounding and lends itself to focused work and intimate conversations,” she says, adding that minimizing the amount of hard surfaces in your home can improve acoustics and minimize echoes. Hadley adds that soundproofing options are dependent on the type of room and where it is. “It comes down to the location of the room, the wall/ceiling construction, and doors/windows,” he says.

To avoid expensive penalties for making structural changes or causing damage, our experts suggest several renter-friendly applications that you can take with you once you move out. “Because renters can’t make major modifications, the best approach is adding mass and absorption to reduce airborne noise,” says John Parks, co-owner of Advanced Insulation System. Here are nine suggestions for apartment soundproofing, which also work for homeowners looking for easy changes.

Acoustic panels are square- or rectangular-shaped fabric-covered boards that hang on your wall to reduce noise and echoes. While they’re often used for home studios or home theaters, they can work in just about any space. 

Adam Hamilton, the CEO of REI Hub, recommends talking to your landlord about helping with the cost of installing panels. “Ask permission by stating that upstairs noise is a big problem in the unit and that this is an upgrade that could actually add to the value of the unit,” he suggests. Feeling uninspired by the (rather plain) options on the market? Try this super-cool living wall soundproofing option instead.

Take a cue from the local preschool and add interlocking foam mats to your floor as soundproof isolation, like these black foam tiles from Amazon. Not only will you have a cushy place to sit or stand, but these mats also have the ability to muffle sounds that come from below. This room noise insulation application is also a good option for homeowners—simply add tiles to your child’s room or under a rug to keep noise at bay.

You might not have heard of window inserts, but if you’ve got a lot of outside noise coming in from your windows, they’re ideal. Window inserts are clear glass or acrylic panes that get installed over your existing windows on the inside of your home, like the ones shown here by Indow Windows. Many boast sound reduction capabilities of at least 50%, although that will vary by manufacturer.

You’re probably not going to be able to convince your landlord to replace those flimsy windows with top-of-the-line triple-pane ones, but you can easily install new curtains. Parks recommends specially made sound-blocking ones, which you can find everywhere from high-end fabricators to IKEA. Look for ultra-heavy drapes with several layers of fabric — curtains that are labeled “blackout” or “insulated” are usually a good bet.

That sliver between your door and the wall or floor may be small, but if air can pass through it, so can sound. “Doors are one of the most common culprits for noise leaks,” says Hadley. In fact, a 1% air gap can leak 30% of sound, and a 5% gap can leak up to 90%! If your noise problem is especially bad, Hadley advises purchasing an acoustical seal kit to help keep sound from leaking through doors. Weatherproofing your door is also helpful, especially at the bottom by the threshold, where the biggest gaps usually are. Install a door sweep — look for one with a thick strip of rubber for the best seal — or a draft stopper to soundproof the door from the inside.

Sound is absorbed by soft surfaces, so outfit your home with as many as you can, including on the walls. Hang tapestries or consider soundproofing blankets, which are ultra-heavy and often come with grommets so you can hang them from hooks on your wall or ceiling. “Draping heavy fabric across the ceiling can help absorb sound waves, especially for high ceilings that amplify noise,” says Park. They’re not pretty, but you can always drape a cool-looking tapestry, quilt, rug, or blanket over them.

Another option for soundproofing is adding fabric to walls by treating it like wallpaper and “pasting” it to as many surfaces as you can. A lighter-weight, non-stretch fabric will work best for this. If your apartment has drywall, you can use a staple gun to attach the fabric; if you have plaster or cement walls, you can actually adhere the soundproofing material directly to them with liquid starch, which acts as temporary glue and can be removed with water later.

Place big, heavy pieces of furniture against walls you share with your neighbors to help muffle sound. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases are good for bulking up a thin wall, especially if you fill it with lots of books and objects. For extra sound-blocking, place a thick piece of foam (or hang a soundproofing blanket) behind the bookcase.

While rugs are more for blocking sound coming from your own apartment, they can help dampen the sound coming from outside your home too — similar to fabric on your walls. “While not applied to the ceiling, adding plush rugs, upholstered furniture, and bookcases beneath the noise source helps,” says Parks. Cover your floor with a heavy, high-pile rug, cushioned with a high-density foam pad underneath.

If your upstairs neighbors are the ones driving you nuts, talk to your landlord: Many leases have a clause requiring tenants to cover a certain percentage of their flooring with a carpet or rug. Your neighbors might have disregarded it, and now’s the time to let your landlord know they need to follow the rules.

Our nine suggestions above work perfectly when you’re moving into an existing space. The easiest options are to add rugs and curtains, with remedies like acoustic panels or window inserts being a bit more involved.

Unfortunately, it’s practically impossible to keep sound 100% at bay. If you’re having trouble concentrating or sleeping, using earplugs or headphones will help keep you in your own headspace. 

The best way to stop sound from moving across walls is to stop it at the source during construction. The best way to keep outside noise out — or the best way to keep inside noise out — is to use recommended wall treatments, such as hanging fabric, upholstering, or adding acoustic panels. 

Similar to the above answer, you can add soundproofing to walls. If you have control of both rooms on either side of the shared structure, you can add acoustic panels, soundproofing fabric, or upholstery to both walls to limit noise.

Whether your child is practicing the recorder or you have your friends over for a jam session, it’s best not to agitate your neighbors. Some instruments have mufflers or another way to control sound, and you should limit the playing to daytime hours whenever possible. However, if your neighbor is elderly or has an infant that sleeps throughout the day, try doubling up on your wall-proofing to further muffle noise.

Depending on the application you choose, the answer is yes. Adding rugs, soft furniture, curtains, and fabric will all help muffle noise and can be done inexpensively by shopping at a thrift store, flea market, or estate sale. However, if you’re buying soft, fabric-laden items secondhand, be careful to check items carefully and clean them well to ensure you’re not bringing critters inside. Other applications, such as panels and inserts, will cost more.