Soundproof Door: How To Soundproof A Door? Material, And More

Sometimes all you want is silence and ruminate in peace. But with noisy neighbors, barking dogs, honking cars, stereo blaring, what’s a poor city-bound lad do? Soundproofing door? If you thought that, then you are absolutely right. 

A soundproof door or room can be the solution when you want peace and quiet away from all the city noise. The good thing about getting a soundproof room or door is that you can also implement it on your own, and all you need to know is some basic tips and steps for it. 

In the article, we will talk about all the aspects of soundproofing, including how to soundproof a door, how to soundproof a room completely, items, and more. 

Why Soundproofing a Door Is Vital?

When we talk about acoustical treatments, the doors contribute the most noise issues. Thus they become an essential element when we want to know the answer to How to soundproof a room or door. 

A soundproof door is also an essential element as a doorway is the weakest link when we go for soundproofing a wall or room. Often the gaps around the door left between the door and wall are from where the most outside noise leaks in. Adding to the problem is that most of the interior doors have hollow cores and so play a role when you want a soundproof interior door. However, a hollow core makes the interior doors more budget-friendly. 

All these issues of noise leak, hollow core, and more can be whisky solved with the help of a soundproof door. 

A soundproof door is also helpful in maintaining the temperatures inside the room. The reason for this is that various materials and tools which are used in soundproofing also have insulation properties. So, this may come as an additional benefit for you as a soundproof room costs much less for heating and cooling. Another benefit of the soundproof door is the improvement of the air quality and humidity levels in the room. 

This is because a soundproof door helps keep out the moisture and pollutants from the room. Thus making the environment more comfortable to relax and work. 

When Should You Get A Soundproof Door/Room?

There are several conditions that require a soundproof room or door. These are:

Work From Home

Are you working from home? If yes, then the need for a quiet and peaceful workspace is one of the essential things. This helps in concentration, especially if you are involved in a work that needs the creation of videos or content. In such situations, a soundproof room becomes a lifesaver. 

A soundproof door helps you in shutting out all the noises which might disturb you in your work. It helps you shut the outside world away and lets you focus on what you are doing. Studies have also proven that a workplace from which we remove conversational distractions like human speech leads to an increase in productivity up to 48%. It also helps in reducing the stress levels up to 27%. 

You Have Noisy Neighbours 

Nothing puts a damper on an ideal living environment than a noisy neighbor. If you can get the sound of your neighbors’ music or hear them yelling or blasting their stereos, then soundproofing is what you need. It is an amazing way to help you give some peace and quiet, which is much needed for sleep to work. 

You Are The Noisy Neighbors

Are you a gamer who likes to blast gaming music at the top? Or are you someone from the music industry who plays instruments or practices? If yes, then getting a soundproof room becomes essential to avoid any problems for your neighbor as well as yourself. 

In other terms, you don’t want someone knocking at your door now and then to complain about noise and disturb your practice. 

How to Soundproof A Door?

Do you want a soundproof interior door? If yes, then you can do the following things for it:

Addition Of Wooden Panel

One of the best things you can do in addition to a wooden sheet. This is the best thing you can do if you don’t mind doing some small home projects. 

The good thing about this solution is that it is wallet-friendly, easy to install, and can do it independently. All you need to do for it is get a wooden panel or plywood sheet from the hardware store, a can of wooden adhesive, and you are all ready. 

Steps 

• Start by measuring the size of your door. 
• Now cut the plywood sheet according to the size of the door leaving the space for the doorknob. 
• Now once you are done, apply adhesive on the plywood sheet. 
• Once you do it, fix the sheet on the door. 

This will help decrease the outside noise to a level as the plywood sheet will help absorb the outside noise. 

Addition of Soundproofing Rubber

Do the outside sounds leak from the sides of your door/ if yes, then going for the soundproof rubber can be the solution that can help you make your door a soundproof door. In this, all you need to get is to measure the perimeter of your door and then get the soundproofing rubber accordingly. 

Steps

• First, you need to pry off the molding of your door if it has one. 
• Once you do it, add the soundproofing rubber around the edges of the door. 
• For additional soundproofing, add insulating sealant or acoustical caulk in the small gaps or cracks left after the addition of the rubber. 
• To find the cracks in the door that are left behind even after the addition of the rubber, you can find them easily. All you need to do is turn off the lights in the room, and the outside light will expose the cracks and gaps. 

This is one of the most effective methods for turning a regular door into a soundproof door. The rubber which is used in the process is the same which is used as an insulator in wetsuits. 

Add Weatherstripping

If you are going to add rubber to your door for soundproofing, the next thing you will need to do is fill up the gaps between the door frame and door. One of the most effective and easy ways to do it is using weatherstripping. This material is generally used for insulating the windows and doors from weather elements. The basic type of weatherstripping tends to wear off or degrade over the course of time, so you can go for a high-quality variety of the material. 

Uses of high-quality material will ensure that you don’t need to re-do the process after a short period.

Steps 

• Once you have the material know the gaps between the door and door frame. 
• After this, you need to apply the weatherstripping. 
• One thing to remember when applying the weatherstripping is that it puts enough pressure on it. 
• This is essential as pressure is what allows it to be airtight and thus soundproof. 
• In turn, it will help make the soundproof door more effective and impede any sound waves. 

Add Door Gasket 

Door gaskets are a great option when you want to soundproof your room, but they are a bit more expensive in comparison to other materials. Like weatherstripping, the door gaskets help fill the gaps between the door frame and door. 

Steps 

• You need to attach the door gaskets to the door’s top and sides, which you want to make soundproof. 
• The door gaskets, in comparison to the weatherstripping, provide more high-quality soundproofing and are more long-lasting. 
• If you want the door gasket to be flexible according to your will, then you can also purchase adjustable door gaskets. 
• Another step to follow is to measure the door properly, as not all doors are perfectly square or in shape. 
• Once you get the proper measurement and know the gaps, simply apply the door gaskets, and you are all done. 

The door gaskets, like the rubber sealants, also contain neoprene of high quality. 

Addition Of A Door Sweep

Do you need something to seal the sizeable gap at the bottom of the door? If yes, then the addition of a door sweep is the best solution for you. This is crucial as you can add all the soundproof panels or gaskets to the door, but it will be worthless without sealing the gap at the bottom. 

Steps

• Get a high-quality door sweep. 
• Measure the size of your door and then cut the sweep accordingly. 
• Now fix the door sweep under the door, and for additional permanency, you can also use wood adhesive with it. 
• Another way of installing a door sweep is to drill and screw it to the door. 

This may look like a lot of work, but the quality of your soundproof interior door will be worth the effort. The door sweeps are the best available solution for making your doors soundproof at the bottom, which is a major area for the leaking of outside noises. 

Add Automatic Door Sweep

You can also go for the installation of an automatic door sweep for making a soundproof room. This is one of the easiest and most practical ways for soundproofing. However, it is costly in comparison to other available options of soundproofing. 

The automatic door sweep work mechanism is simple and easy, and the installation process of the automatic door sweeps is also the same as the normal door sweep. Automatic sweeps have a spring mechanism for their work. This allows the sweep to stay above the ground when the door is open. Once the door is closed, the spring adjusts itself, and the sweep seals the gap completely. 

Addition of Acoustic Panels

If the addition of the various soundproof door elements looks too much to you, then go for the addition of the soundproof panels. The acoustic panels offer a notch up from gluing off the plywood sheet to the door. However, the good thing is that they are not generally as expensive as the fiberglass blankets for soundproofing. 

One more thing about the acoustic panels is that they come in a variety of materials. One of the most popular types of material for them is foam. They also come in the form of solid wood. These panels reduce the intensity of the noise which passes through them, thus making your door a soundproof door. 

Steps 

• Measure your door size.
• Once you do it, get the suitable acoustic panels accordingly. 
• Now nail these soundproof panels to the door. 
• If you don’t want to damage the door, then you can also use the adhesive. 

These are some of the solutions which you can try with a wooden door to make it soundproof. But if you want to make a metal door soundproof, then keep on reading as we have compiled the steps for it below. 

How To Make A Metal Door Soundproof?

The metal doors present a challenge when we want to make them soundproof as they are hard to drill in comparison to the wooden doors. You can follow these tips to soundproof a metal door:

Add A Door Threshold

The door thresholds are a type of runner protrusions that consist of neoprene. These help in filling up the gaps at the bottom of the closed doors. The difference between the door sweeps and door threshold is that, unlike sweeps, they attach to the floor instead of the door itself. 

A threshold is an amazing option if you have a carpet installed in your home. This is essential as no matter how good the quality of the door sweep you install, the carpet will not allow you to completely seal the door. So the threshold is a way better option as they completely seal the door even in a carpeted area. 

Use Soundproof Blankets 

The soundproof blankets are costly in comparison to the other option for soundproof door options. However, they are also one of the best options as they absorb the sound very effectively. 

The good thing about soundproof blankets is that they are easy to install. All you need to do is follow these steps.

Steps

• Affix some suction hooks on the door’s back. 
• Now hang the soundproof blanket on the suction hooks. 

One good thing about soundproofing blankets is that they allow you to install and uninstall easily. So when you need them to fix them, and when not in use, simply unhook them. 

Use Acoustic Vinyl Panels

The installation process of vinyl sheets is very easy. Floor these steps for installing it:

• Buy a sheet according to the size of your door. 
• Now using adhesives install them on your door. 

One thing to know about the vinyl sheets is that they don’t increase the aesthetic appeal of the door. But they are a great option where utility is the key. 

These are some of the options which you can try for making your normal door a soundproof door. 

Final Words

The soundproof door can be bliss in disguise when you are working from home and need to concentrate or need some peace from the noisy surroundings. 

The good thing about soundproofing a door is that it is easy to do, and you can do it yourself if you know some basics. What’s even great is that there are various budget-friendly material options available you can try for soundproofing.