Super Soundproofing

Archive for the ‘How To Do It’ Category

 Acoustic Foam Panels and Hanging Baffles: A “Easy to Install”  Noise Control Solution

Our Polyurethane Acoustic Foam Panels and Hanging Baffles are used to absorb noise in nearly every setting, from compressor rooms and recording studios, to computer rooms, punch presses, churches and gymnasiums. Panels install easily on walls to handle the toughest noise problems. Baffles can be hung to interrupt and absorb free-floating noise. Sound Blocking Hanging Baffles are especially ideal for big indoor areas with hard surfaces, such as gyms, manufacturing areas, auditoriums, and indoor swimming pools.

These cheap  Acoustic Foam panels are available in three designs: Anechoic Wedge, Pyramid, and Max Wedge.  Baffles are available in the Anechoic Wedge design.

Note: Polyurethane Acoustic Foam Panels and Baffles are also available in Class One Flammability Factor. GO

Features

• Open Cell Polyurethane Acoustical Foam construction for maximum noise control
• Flammability UL94HF-1
• Three unique designs allow customization
• Different designs, stock sizes, and thicknesses from 1″ to 8″ achieve the precise level of sound control you need.

Note: Not all sizes and thicknesses are available in every design. Please see the specifications for details. Custom orders are OK.

Specifications:

Anechoic Wedge Applications

• Industrial noise control
• Firing ranges
• In-plant noise
• Metalworking operations
• Commercial, home and audio market

Pyramid Design Applications

• Office & telemarketing areas
• Broadcast/recording studios
• Distance learning facilities
• Churches, homes, and more

Max Wedges Applications

• Anechoic chamber environments
• Test chambers
• Low frequency applications

Hanging Baffles
Anechoic Wedge Design

Applications

• Gymnasiums
• Pools
• Industrial facilities
• Fellowship halls
• Churches
• Entertainment facilities.

Cornertec Applications

• Room Corners
• Home, office and audio.

[BUY]

Safe Rooms- the modern bomb shelter!
Forget about duct tape and plastic wrap  for your safe room!

What is a safe room?
A safe room is one which the goal is to rid the air of any biological contaminants such as mold, cat allergens and pollen, viruses, bacteria, noise pollution and other types of environmental pollution like biological gases from a terrorist attack. A safe room can be any room in the house which is toxin free.Such a room can also be modified so as to provide radiation protection from nuclear attack, depending on the distance from ground zero.

Who needs a safe room?
Most people most of the time can tolerate some toxicity; the time to provide protection is when…
People have weak immune systems such as the young, elderly or sick.  And/or allergies that don’t respond well to drugs.
The level of toxic pollution for any reason (such as an attack), could reach such a level as to be considered dangerous to the population at large.

Info regarding a nuclear attack: Data indicates that if the blast of such an attack is survived, the radiation drops to a low level in the first 2 hours, then to a very low (almost negligible) value in the next 2 days

Building a safe room:

For soundproofing the walls and ceilings, see “Party” Walls

To build a safe room, one must bring enough uncontaminated fresh air into that room so that people will have plenty of oxygen. The answer lies in positively pressurizing a room. In order to provide occupants with a completely toxin free room, a constant flow of air needs to be drawn into the room from the outside or adjacent room through extremely high grade Hepa and/or carbon filters, so only pure air enters the room. Using the inflow duct kit for these air purifiers, bring the fresh air in safely from the outside through a duct fitted into a window or wall. When new air enters in from the outside, it filter out large particulates, then a surplus of air fills the room to capacity thereby excess air is forced  out of the room through a one-way outlet duct, because the room must be airtight.  In addition, a air purifier that destroys virus’ and bacteria (such as the  Eco-Quest), is used in the room as a secondary unit and that will continue to function should the first fail.  (Portable battery operated units are available for this purpose, too).

A standalone air conditioner might be considered, where the ionizing air purifier would be built into the ducting.

The radiation barrier is provided by lining the walls, ceiling and if needed, the floor with lead sheeting.  This is easily accomplished by using adhesive to cement the sheeting the walls or to additional drywall sheets which are then applied to the walls, ceiling, etc.  Lead tape is added to finish the sealing job.  The more lead, the better the protection.  The government protects our leaders with several inches!  We ordinary citizens usually cannot afford the kind of  protection the government provides our politicians.

Call us for more info on this. 888-942-7723 8-5 Pacific time

See these links as a resource for your Safe Room.

http://urbansurvivalkit.com/
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/safe-room.html?source=goto

How to soundproof your door with a simple acoustical sound proof  door sweep.

This is All About Controlling Sound and Reducing Noise coming through Doors.

We sell hundreds of these door bottom gap sealers to hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and apartment buildings  for cheap door soundproofing – take a tip from them!

After dealing with the exterior sound coming thru  windows,  sound control efforts in a room should focus on the door: a typical interior  hollow core door will pass sound quite readily.  (An STC of much less than 20- this means conversation can easily be heard thru it).

The door should entirely be replaced with a solid, exterior door, the thickest you can find.  “MDF” (Medium Density Fiberboard) doors are cheap and have good sound blocking qualities and available from Builders Supply like Home Depot.  Make sure it’s well fitted to the frame, no gaps or crevices for sound to migrate through. If there is gaps, use our closed cell PVC tape,  (not from the hardware store).  The door should be sealed off as if it was 40 degrees below zero on one side. If it has a gap over 1/4″ at the bottom, use a door sweep seal, (a metal strip with a rubber flap) mounted to it, available from us. (As shown here).  Set it to just brush the floor.  [BUY]

Your new door may still need sound insulation. Use 1/8″ MLV with 1/4″ closed cell foam, bonded to it. Then cover with “Super Soundproofing acoustical mat”. Usually 1″ thick will suffice. Cut it a bit oversize to cover the seam of the door at the frame to help seal it. You can use the mat with the adhesive backing if you want to re-use it or remove it later.  (Difficult).

A typical door 3′ X 8′ is 36 sq. ft. so 8′ of the 4′ 6″ wide MLV will cover it. 9′ of the 4′X1″ foam will be needed. If there’s a lot of sound still coming through, consider hanging a “Mass Loaded Curtain” (barrier) or a acoustical curtain over the door and frame.

You could use gaskets that are ordinary thermal sealing gasketing foam strips from the hardware store, but far better results can be had if you use our “Super Soundproofing 1/8″ Thick Self-Adhesive Tape” , because it is a closed cell material, will seal better and is much more durable. It is a gray tape in widths of 1/4″, 3/8″ & 1/2″ for door sealing.  Apply strips on top of each other to build up and close wide gaps.

Think you can’t replace the door with your door, Landlord problem? You can always put his door aside and rehang it when you leave. Better, create an “Airlock door system” by leaving his door in place and adding another door to the frame, opening the opposite way. (Solid core, of course!)

TIP: Remove the molding from around (use care to not split it!), the door and check the gap between the frame of the door and the rough framing.  Usually you’ll find there is nothing there!  Many times this empty space of the door frame has no insulation at all,  just covered by two pieces of wood molding. Pack the area with our Super Soundproofing Mat (you can order just a few feet, we have no minimums), or use our caulk, and cover the gap with our lead tape, then replace the molding. This tip applies to windows too! (Do not use expandable foam as for thermal insulation. It will be worse than the airgap, establishing a soundpath).

Sliding doors have little or no acoustical qualities at all and are best replaced with one that has, or if not possible, covered with a hanging sound barrier such as curtains, etc. If it’s a glass patio door, you could cover part of it with soundproofing mat and make a holding panel with mat attached to it to cover the door that moves when it’s shut.

Another option is to add another patio door with a new frame. This double door will block a lot of sound by trapping air between the door panels. Commercially available soundproofing sliding glass doors can be had here.  But you can do-it-yourself!

Open doorways? Curtains hung across open doorframes usually don’t perform well acoustically, but do some sound blocking if they are heavy and fitted well to the frame. If made of clear plastic and cut into strips for egress, the strips need to be overlapped about 50%. When using clear plastic, use the heaviest you can, we have it in up to .160 thicknesses. Acoustical curtains perform about the same. If possible, consider hanging curtains on BOTH sides of the doorway for greatly improved sound reduction. This is because the dead air trapped there works for you. Such curtain installations should touch the floor. Use double-sided tape to attach the curtains to the wall at the edges to help seal the curtain.

Garage doors are another problem, especially bad if they are segmented doors. (Panels that are hinged). Such doors may prove difficult to deal with because of the gaps created by the hinging. However, our “Super Soundproofing Mat” glued to the inside may flex enough to work O.K. Use as thick of material as you can. It will also help to use a barrier like “Super Soundproofing Flooring” (MLV) to cover the entire door area including the walls to outside. (More on this on the web page about soundproofing a garage).

A seal is essential to properly soundproof a door. Our soundproofing seal is a rubber loop, carefully cut to your door width size, modified by us with sealed ends for added performance in creating a dead air space within the loop. We’ll cut this to an exact fit for the width of your door if you’ll give us the measurement of the width of the door. You will also receive the proper screws to mount it to your door, depending on whether it’s metal or wood. Only a screwdriver and a few minutes is needed to install this very much needed attachment to block sound from coming underneath your door.

Some notes about our “Soundproof Door Sweep”: (The part that should seal the door bottom against sound and that fits on the edge of the bottom of the door). Since our doorsweep only seals up to a 3/4′ gap, a transom seal should be used from the hardware store that fits on the floor across the bottom of the doorway.  Use this kind if you have a huge gap. Try to get one with a rubber flap. (Mechanical ones are expensive and will eventually fail).

Note, the illustration above would tend to make some believe the seal fits somewhat under the bottom of the door- not so- it just hangs down and does not slide under the door!  Remember- it won’t close the bottom door gap over 3/4″ if more, use a the above mentioned threshold to take up some of the gap or build down the bottom of the door with a wood strip.

Question?  Use our form (below) for a quick answer!

[Buy]  Quantity users?  We give discounts!

What’s New at The SUPER SOUNDPROOFING WEB SITE!

• See Soundproofing videos at the new SuperSoundproofingTube video site! Get some fame! Upload your soundproofing remodel videos!
• Green Glue comes to the Super Soundproofing Co!
• Now available from us: Natural Cotton Fibers for sound control within walls and ceilings. A simple sound insulator with both thermal and soundproofing qualities!,
• A really economical Sound Control Booth you can make yourself!
• We’ve added info on the “Poor Man’s Sound Isolation Window” to the site. Here’s a way to get some reasonable sound control through your window without spending a fortune!
• West Coast customers: A place you can go to see, handle and feel soundproofing materials and personally talk with experts about your individual sound control problems! Our “Brick and Mortar” store is located at 455 E. Carmel St. in San Marcos, California. Open weekdays 8-5 and ’till noon on Saturday! See our noise abatement products on display! Pick out what you need! All our web-site products are available on-site for immediate delivery! We were the very first on-line resource for sound control products and now we’ve opened the very first walk-in store!
• A new kind of Furring Track! Plastic! Yes, Truly new and adding many STC points to your Sound Clip install. And see our Insul-Trax.
• A material to place under hardwood floors and tile to reduce impact noise! Now in stock! Call and ask about our “Super-Sound-Seal”. 760 752 3030
• We’ve added a new kind of “Sound Clip” replacing the old expensive kinds. See “Your Options” and comparisons!
• We now have “Hangers” for your speaker cabinets! Float them from the ceiling on a chain to perfectly isolate them from the walls and floor!
• New! A brand new product! “Double-sided Foam” We apply our adhesive to both sides of our closed cell 1/8″ PVC foam, then cover it with protective film. The first peel off backing is pulled from the foam and it’s then easy to stick it to walls, ceiling, etc. The other backing is then removed so you can paste on more thicker foam, MLV, wallboard, ceiling tiles, even wallpaper! Use it to sandwich together two panels of drywall! (Sheetrock). Use this anywhere liquid gluing is unsatisfactory because of difficult access, the odor, mess, etc. Use it for blocking sound. Quickly dampen sound vibrations on joists inside ceilings and on studs. Available in 2′ and 4.5′ (Yes, that’s feet!) widths in 50′ and 100′ rolls. (Inquire!)
• Need a electrician? Go Here!
• Tips for builders.
• We’ve added a scanning service (Scan-Alert- see the sidebar), to scan our site for hacker vulnerability. They scan every day to be sure your private info is not at risk while surfing our site..
• Just Added! Closed cell padding tape for studding, joists, etc. This 1/8″ closed cell foam tape is self adhesive and applies easily. Use it to increase sound attenuation in walls, floors, ceilings by padding ceiling, wall and floor panels. Use it on resilient channel and furring track! Stops floor squeaks! The simplest, cheapest soundproofing technique available. Even if you don’t do anything else, this will increase sound loss as much as 10 db or more right in the speech range.
• We now have a good, economical Spray Adhesive. for attaching foam to walls, ceiling, etc. One coat allows removal. two coats makes it permanent.
• Added: Thermal Insulation with great acoustical properties.
• Acoustical “Lead” is getting harder to get. We still have it in tape and sheet!
• Major price increases in the mass loaded vinyl and lead sheeting (Hit the “Prices” bar at the left) But thanks to our customers loyalty and due to re-negotiation of our contracts, we’ve become a high volume supplier of these materials and are holding the line for you!
• Used acoustical curtains are in stock but we are getting very low. Get yours now before we run out!
• At Last! A contractor/consultant who knows our acoustical foam systems and materials and can evaluate your situation for the lucky folks in the San Francisco Bay Area. We also link with Granahan, a real good consultant and contractor for San Diego / Southern California. Want to see a soundproofing job? See his installation pix. We have a list of other contractors, check for one in your area by calling us.
• Resilient Sound Isolation Sound Clip! Doubles the sound resistance of a typical wall. These little rubber and metal fixtures are easy to use and are twice as effective as just metal strips (resilient channel). Screws to the stud with 2 fasteners!
• Noise cancellation for aircraft? Not just headsets, but cabin quieting! We also have headsets so you can get a good nights sleep!
• Adding noise to reduce noise? Masking sound. Some have reported that the electronic devices made by Marpac mask out sound very well. (So do fans, water fountains and fish tanks).
• Sound-proofing Doors! How to do it! For real!
• Our message center: (The Forum- left sidebar) Very popular! Ask your questions of the experts and let everyone have at ‘em! Or search the database for answers.
• A portable sound control room has been added to our list of products. Available now!.
• A acoustical foam sample kit of materials is now available. $10 gets you one sound control kit and a coupon good for $10 off your next order! And you can now download the EPA sound control book in Adobe format, ($10) still preserving the illustrations.
• Due to popular demand, we now have available VINYL SEE-THRU/WALK-THRU Doorway kits. This vinyl material is also useful for windows!
• We’ve added Complete Products database pages so you can see at a glance everything we have to offer. If you don’t see it, ask! We probably have it.
• We’ve added information on INTERIOR WINDOWS to the site! Yes, now you can reduce sound coming through your existing window by up to 80% over your present window installation with or without any modification to it or the frame. Custom installations or “Snap-ins” are now available from a us, or do-it -yourself!
• Now a new page dedicated to actual sound proofing SOLUTIONS to specific noise problems.
• You need a copy of the EPA’s out-of-print book on Sound proofing. “Quieting in the Home”. (Over a hundred pages). Read this and you won’t need a consultant! Just $15 PP More info about this book and others, too! You can download it too!
• Check out the new “Sitemap” and take a walking tour of our soundproofed house! Musician? Some new features , the newest is about thoroughly sound proofing a garage!
• If you like what we’re doing, please help us stay in business by buying sound proofing materials from us. Imitators selling inferior materials are really cutting into our business. Their unhappy customers then call us for help! Check them out first with the Better Business Bureau! There may be a reason they are not a member and don’t take credit cards! We won’t just tell you what you want to hear just to make a sale, but they will!
• We’re been a real company since 1988, not a “Dot-Com”. We manufacture and stock these materials and know how to use them. We’re not a “drop shipper” like many of our competitors working out of their garage, bedroom, etc.. We quote prices right on this web site and you can order and get delivery right now! (Most items shipped same day!)

Different areas of your home require different treatment to attenuate noise. Some noise is annoying when it comes in, such as through the windows or attic.  Other noise may be annoying to others both inside and out of the home. (Playing musical instruments, neighbors, street noise, etc).  For these   reasons, differing noise control treatments of the house are needed, using a variety of sound control materials and special acoustical construction techniques.  While it is far better to make the investment in soundproofing (architectural acoustical noise control), when the home is being built, rather than doing a soundproofing retrofit, it’s not impossible, just a bit more difficult.

• Soundproofing the Attic

• The soundproof apartment Add-on

• Sound-proofing a Garage

• The sound proof Music room

• Acoustical control of The basement

• Noise control through Doors

• Soundproofing Windows

• Using Interior windows

• Reducing noise from Appliances

The investment in soundproofing should be considered in the long term, over the period of years where continuous relief from noise will pay off in less stress and in getting a good nights sleep.  The costs of acoustical investment and upgrade made in this situation can be fully amortized and  thus means only  a few dollars a year. These initial costs can usually be fully recouped when the house is eventually sold and will make it much easier to sell!

Soundproofing Windows with a “Plug”

Windows are the most common sources of admitting noise into (or out of), a room. Glass panes and wood window frames seem to be almost invisible to sound. An alternative to replacing the window with double pane glass, (a noise reduction of about 20%) or vinyl frames, (noise reduction of about 30-50%), is to make a removable “plug” to block the sound coming through the window. While this will also block light, it won’t matter if the window is a bedroom and the noise is keeping you from sleeping. If light is wanted for day use, make the plug removable. It can then be taken out to allow light to enter the room. Here’s how:

Measure your window frame to see how much depth there is to the sill. This will determine the thickness of the material you can use. The mat is cut from rolls that are 4′ wide and is sold by the running (linear), foot. So if your window was 4′X4″, you’d need 4 running (Lineal) feet of it. If you window is an odd size, like 4′X4’5″, order to the next largest half foot size: 4′X4’6″

Usually, one thickness of 2″ “Super Soundproofing Mat” will do. The mat is relatively stiff, but windows over about 3′X3′ may need a “backing board”. This is simply some lightweight wood or fiber board to attach the mat to. Use contact cement. Cut a few holes in the back for your fingers to fit while handling the plug.

The plug should fit the window opening very tightly without cracks which will permit sound to enter the room. It probably won’t matter which way it is inserted, but if you place the soundproofing side out and the carrier board side in, you could add more soundproofing mat to the room side, if needed. If you put some on the outside, make sure it’s cut an inch or two oversize to help block the sound that may come through the edges of the plug and the window frame. A space here helps the soundproofing effort! Make sure your window panes and frame are well sealed, no air gaps!

To make the plug easy to handle, if you intend to remove it, attach some cabinet handles to it so you can easily grip it will be lightweight enough for a woman to handle if you use thin boards and plywood and the window frame isn’t very large. An added bonus of such a soundproofing plug is the thermal insulation property of the window goes way up, keeping you warmer in winter and cooler in summer! A 1″ layer of our Super Sound Proofing Mat” is about R-5.5 so it wouldn’t take too many layers to equal a very high “R” number. (The R number refers to the heat insulation quality of a material).

If the window is exposed to full sunlight all day, it may be prudent to help limit heat buildup between the glass and the soundproofing mat by first lining the window and mat with aluminum foil as a reflector.  The mat can withstand temperatures of over 200*F so don’t worry about it, but what you leave in the airspace  might suffer- (plants, shades, blinds, etc)!  You can get an idea of the heat buildup in the airspace by sliding a oven meat thermometer thru the mat and into the airspace.  While not totally accurate, it will give you an idea of the heated air in the space.

If large amounts of sound are being passed by a window, either way, (playing the drums?), more drastic measures may be needed. This could entail lining your plug with a limpid material to give it more mass.  If a plug as described accomplishes the purpose, it may make sense to leave it in place rather than to make it removable.  In that case it can be sealed by caulking it around the edges, which will help the soundproofing sealing job. A better material for this is our “Super Soundproofing Floor Mat”, a “loaded” vinyl with a foam backing.

We have the mat in 1 1/2″ and 2″ thicknesses, which are firm enough to push into place in the smaller window frames without a backing board. A dab of cement like household “Goop” will hold the mat in place, if needed. If you intend to leave it in place, caulk around the edges.

You might also consider a shutter for the outside of the window if it’s practical. 3/8″ Plexiglas will work, but must fit well! Many times this works quite well.

Alternatives/additions to this is a “Interior Window“, (we now can supply acrylic panels and magnetic edging so you can make your own or we’ll make it for you), one that fits inside your existing frame and window or “Acoustical Curtains” either vinyl or fabric to hang over the window opening. Remember, optimally, a dead air spacing between glass is needed for a real meaningful reduction of sound in a framed window.

SPECIFIC SOUND PROOFING / NOISE CONTROL SOLUTIONS!

Here we present acoustical information gleaned from the EPA’s book, Quieting: A Practical Guide to Noise Control”. ($15 PP) More info on this book.

We have slightly updated the noise control solutions to reflect more current thinking and to point to more modern sound proofing materials than were available then when the book was first printed.

We’ve added even more information taken from actual case histories found in Noise Control FAQ’s and our sound proofing discussion group (The “FORUM”)  situations as well.

Using SUPER Soundproofing as Plugs for Windows

Obviously, you deserve relief from outside noises!  Whether it is sleeping or just enjoying quiet, windows are one of the most common entries of noise into or out of a room.  Glass and wood framed windows seem to be almost invisible to sound.

An  alternative to replacing the existing window with a double or triple pane glass acoustical window,  (a noise reduction of about 30%-70%), or to add another interior window, (90%) is to make a removable soundproofing “plug” to to fill the frame and to block the sound coming through the window. (Also 90%)  While this will also block light, it won’t matter if the window is a bedroom and  noise is keeping you from using your room or sleeping.  If light is wanted for day use, make the plug removable. It can then be removed to allow light to enter the room.

Making the “Plug”.

Measure your window frame to see how much depth there is to the sill. This will determine the thickness of the (Super Soundproofing Mat), you can use.  If your frame depth is 4″ a thickness of 2″ is recommended.  The dead air space will work for you.  Leave a dead air space if possible, the foam should not be pressed against the window.  The soundproofing mat is cut from rolls that are 4′ wide and is sold by the running (linear), foot. So if your window was 4′X4″, you’d need 4 running feet of it. If you window is an odd size, like 4′X4’5″, order the next largest foot size: 4′X5″  If an odd size ( Like 6.25′X5.75″)  you’ll need to piece it together.

Usually, one thickness of 2″ “Super Soundproofing Mat” will do.  This thicker mat is relatively stiff, but windows over about 4′X4′ may need a “backing board”.  This is simply some lightweight wood or fiber board to attach (glue) the mat to.  (Luaan, very lightweight and cheap, is one type to ask for at the hardware store).  For an even better soundproofing effect, use “Homasote” or other fibrous board.  “MDF” (Medium Density Fiberboard), is also recommended but is quite heavy.  Don’t use particle board or plywood.  Use contact cement to cement the mat onto the backing board.  (We have some with a peel off backing). Cut a few holes in the back for your fingers to fit while handling the plug, if planning to remove it on a regular basis. The backing board should be large enough to go over and cover the inside frame molding right over and to it’s edges.

The plug should fit the window opening very securely without gaps which could allow  sound to enter. It probably doesn’t matter much  which way it is inserted, but if you place the soundproofing on one side of the board, you could add another layer of soundproofing mat to the room side of the backing board for even more sound reduction, if needed later.  Make sure the mat is cut an inch or so oversize to make it fit tightly into the frame to help block the sound that may come through the edges of the plug right at the window frame.

An added bonus of such a soundproofing plug is the thermal insulation property of the window goes way up, keeping you warmer in winter and cooler in summer! A 1″ layer of our Super Sound Proofing Mat” alone is about R-5.5 so it wouldn’t take too many layers to equal a very high “R” number. (The R number refers to the insulation quality of a material).

If the window is exposed to full sunlight all day, it may be prudent to help limit heat buildup between the glass and the soundproofing mat by first lining the window with aluminum foil as a reflector.  The mat can withstand temperatures of over 200*F so don’t worry about it!

If a plug as described accomplishes the purpose, or if the window is very large, it may make  sense to leave part or all of it in place rather than to make it removable. In that case it can be sealed by caulking it around the edges, which will help the soundproofing effect. Add a string to the caulked in seam to facilitate later removal as in an emergency.  More layers of mat can be added to the backing board on the room side if needed.

If large amounts of sound are being passed by a window, either way, (in or out),  more drastic measures may be needed. This could entail lining your window with a limpid material to give it more mass, such as our “mass loaded vinyl” (mlv)  we call “flooring”.

We  have the mat in up to 1 1/2″ and 2″ thicknesses  and it is plenty firm enough to  push into place inside the window frame if the window is not over about 4′X4″ in size  and you cut it a bit oversize of the opening.   A dab of cement like household “Goop” or even “Duct” tape will hold the mat in place if needed.  Caulking the edges is better.  The mat is made of a vinyl material which may, if brand new,  have a “shower curtain” odor when first opened.  This is harmless and will quickly go away.

Remember, somewhat of a dead air spacing between glass and the plug is needed for best reduction of sound in a  framed window  so don’t push it in all the way up against the glass.

Sometimes a heavy curtain or drape will help to additionally reduce loud sound to a more tolerable level.

You might also consider adding a shutter (Noise Barrier), to the outside of the window if it’s practical.   3/8″ clear acrylic plastic,  will even work, but must fit well!  (Use caulk!).

If you need light, use our clear plastic curtain material.

If you decide you’d like to get a interior window, you have some choices.  On the West coast go to  here!    Or do it yourself:  “Poor Man’s Interior Window”

Go to Robbys   Apartment or  the  Basement   [BUY] Foam Mat.

Please support us if you like the services we provide!

Super Soundproofing LINKS to other Resources.

Here’s a list of links and resources of interest for those of you with noise control and soundproofing issues, not in any order of importance.  This is by no means all the links on this subject on our site, but just the ones we’ve taken the time to catalog and place here for your convenience. The most recent are listed at the top.

See Soundproofing videos at the new SuperSoundproofingTube video site! Get some fame!  Upload your soundproofing, remodel videos!

The right stuff to put in your floor for airborne sound and impact noise!>[GO]

We have now combined all our books and info about soundproofing on our Books page.  Go here for a quick look-see of the material we recommend.  Some are hardcopies, some can be downloaded instantly and some are FREE!

A couple of the most popular books located there is on sound control for buildings:  Building Sound Control Try it!  Another important book is Noise Control Manual For Residential Buildings Both of these books are highly recommended as far more comprehensive than our EPA reprint.

Used acoustical curtains are back! We sold over 400 sets of similar curtains with excellent results before we ran out.  Get yours now because we don’t know when we can ever get more, when we run out this time!  (Sorry, we’re out and won’t have any more!).

We constantly get questions about where to get someone to do an acoustical evaluation or install material.  Check with your State building contractors license board.  Mostly, people doing this type of thing need to be licensed by the state they are in.  But, if you are willing to educate them and don’t want to do-it-yourself, almost any handyman can do the soundproofing type of insulation installation, not-with-standing many states requirements for licensing.  Some of the Builders, Internet usegroups such as alt.home.repair and other Do-It-Yourself forums are invaluable sources of information!  Another resource is IMPROVENET! a unified contractors listing for contractors in various parts of the country. (USA)  To see a cost estimate of the work, check in with get-A-Quote! One of the most asked questions is answered here! How to hire a contractor. Or How To Select Soundproofing Suppliers!

A noted reliable contractor and sound control is Granahan,   one proven reliable that uses our methods and materials  who is located in Southern California.

Discussion community for home remodeling, renovation and repair. Also general discussion on topics such as insurance, buying/selling and more.

Located in the UK? Here’s a site with similar products to ours, but you’ll still need our “Books”!   (and the sample kit may allow you to match up with something similar, obtainable locally!).

Another interesting link for those who want Music Rooms or you have a need to quiet your  piano?   This other site shows how to quiet the keys!

Home repair and upgrading: Best site we’ve seen so far is Jim Evans effort.  Check out the  “Computer and Office Desks” Page – the have additional resources for home improvement, too.   See www.abuildnet.com/

We get lots of requests for info about noise-canceling, or Active Noise Reduction.  (ANR)  In Desert Storm, the enemy were astounded and dismayed when they couldn’t hear the American tanks drive right up into their camps!  That’s a link to a site on that subject.

Some of our customers have had good results by “Masking” annoying, intolerable noise with white noise generators made by MARPAC or SCAMPMASK.  Hard to see that adding more noise will relieve the noise, but to see if this will work for you, use a FM receiver tuned to between stations to see if this will tend to mask your noise source. A running fan will sometimes work, too.  A better inexpensive solution is headsets/earplugs: (Earmuffs).

Sound, noise,  legal problems?  Need help?  Try the NO-NONSENSE national clearinghouse to reduce noise pollution; http://www.nonoise.org They have impressive resources! Another site of interest is: The noise enforcement and code compliance experts, offering a full range of noise-related services. A link to a reading of annoyance and comparative zoning regulations is at BKL Consultants Ltd.

Our own FAQ page covers info gleaned from the old forums on the old (months ago) web site.  The other archived forums can be accessed from the Navigation sidebar. This is still very good info, just like our own current Forum.

For wet blow-in insulation, though it’s been found that it doesn’t have much sound insulation qualities, check the Nu-wool company for a dealer near you.  Don’t bother with common loose cellulose filling, it has even less  in acoustical properties!  (About the same as fiberglass insulation!) Another possibility is “Icynene”.  (They say it has “Noise reduction” but don’t say how much).  Cotton batting does!

Building a Sound Studio? Another “Gotta Have It” of interest to sound studio builders is “Acoustics 101″ It also has similar info we provide here, but in a more condensed manner.    Practical info from another one of our competitors who’ve been there, done that!  (We provide links to our competitors in the interest of promoting your knowledge.  You’re in the drivers seat on where to buy the products!).  Don’t forget to bookmark us to be sure to return here!

Looking for HARD DATA about soundproofing measurements and comparisons of ratings?  Well, we don’t go into it much here on this site because it’s all relative and lab figures can be very misleading!  Materials behave differently depending on their care in installation and the surroundings. Annoyance levels are subjective and so is the materials to control them!  But if you need a noise control primer and want to look at some graphs and charts, here’s the site!

Churches usually have limited budgets, so the sound control in them may be badly handled.  Here’s some links to those specializing in this:

Church Myth: Wires for soundproofing!?

The Church Sound Discussion Group part of The Church Sound Network. Listing of appropriate books on sound systems.

Our own sound control Solutions to everyday noisy sound-proofing problems.

[BUY] Products List

Glass or Acrylic Interior Windows for MAXIMUM SOUND CONTROL!

Soundproof windows!

I f you need REAL sound reduction, interior secondary soundproof windows may be the solution. An 80% sound reduction and more can be had over the performance of the prime window!

These windows are made to fit inside the frame of your existing window, inside the living area, providing a large airspace between the existing window and the new one. This DEAD AIRSPACE increases noise reduction dramatically. Windows can be made to open or not, be flush or not and you can have a selection of frame, glass, tempered, tinted, etc.

If you can install a shower door, you can install one of these windows. The hardest part is taking fairly close measurements! You won’t find these  inside storm windows at Lowes or Home Depot!  [ BUY ]