How to Soundproof a SOLID Wall From Noisy Neighbours! (2023)

Introduction

Soundproofing a solid wall can be successfully done by adding mass. When adding more drywall and mass loaded vinyl, that is just one of many options to know how to sound proof a wall.

FULL ARTICLE - wp.me/p9FBmC-1PX

You can soundproof a wall the DIY way because there are soundproofing material that you can use that will work and is also the same type of building material the experts use!

Links to the soundproofing material I USE and recommend in this video! These products are from amazon and Home Depot to give you more buying options.

Here are The best soundproofing material and soundproof products you will need to soundproof the interior of a wall. By using resilient channel, mass loaded vinyl and other material to sound proof the wall, your project will be a success!

I will also talk about the difference between airborne noise and structural noise. These two types of noise uses different types of material to eliminate them so its important to know which type of noise you're trying to get rid of.

Here are some of the soundproofing material I talk about in this video.

Here are the list of products I use and recommend. These links are from Amazon and Home Depot to give you more options.

1. Green Glue Noise Proofing Compound
Amazon - amzn.to/3qIZklR

2. Indoor Carpet Glue 1 Gallon
Amazon - amzn.to/38b6dGf
Home Depot - homedepot.sjv.io/GjYqXB

3. Indoor/Outdoor Carpet Glue 1 QUART
Amazon - amzn.to/3uDksuO

4. Mass Loaded Vinyl
Amazon - amzn.to/36zwZaN
Home Depot - homedepot.sjv.io/yX5OV

5. Putty Pads
Amazon - amzn.to/3R4KTCZ

6. Best Work Gloves - amzn.to/3K0wqpG

7. Small Tool Set - amzn.to/3Aph9f1

8. Short Ladder - amzn.to/3Atb80O

9. Safety Glasses - amzn.to/3AphuhN

10. 3m Reusable Face Mask - amzn.to/3AYjxbQ

Links to the three Playlist to soundproof your doors, windows and walls!

Soundproof Doors - youtube.com/playlist

Soundproof Windows - youtube.com/playlist

Soundproof Walls - youtube.com/playlist

Articles to check out for any soundproofing projects! Especially the DIY!

1. Doors - soundproofguide.com/15-best-ways-on-how-to-soundproof-a-door-that-actually-work/
2. Windows - soundproofguide.com/how-to-soundproof-a-window-diy/
3. Floors - soundproofguide.com/how-to-soundproof-a-floor-cheap-diy-tips/
4. Ceilings - soundproofguide.com/how-to-soundproof-a-ceiling/

Bear in mind that some of the links in this video are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational,​ or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

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Video

All right so in this video I'll be talking about how to soundproof a solid wall, meaning you don't really want to go out and rip out the drywall and add a bunch of stuff inside the wall.

The wall is solid.

You want to keep it that way and the thing is you can't really slap a few acoustic foam panels on the wall and think that it will actually do anything in terms of soundproofing it won't.

It will absorb some of the noise and make the room sound better inside, but it won't really do anything to soundproof the wall.

You'll have to do a little bit more than that to actually block the noise from going through a solid wall.

Now I'll be talking about the different materials that you should use, and also one material that I've always been talking about in the past.

That I will well it's green glue and there's something that you should use.

That is completely different from that and is actually a fraction of the cost of green glue.

We had a few sound tests and it works pretty well the same as green blue and with everything going up these days, it's kind of nice to have something come out.

That is a lot cheaper, so we'll be talking about that in a little bit, but the first thing that you should do when sound proofing a solid wall is to add Mass, yes, I know a lot of people, don't really want to go through the trouble of adding an extra layer of drywall, but really it's a lot easier to add an extra layer of drywall than to go and rip out the drywall.

That's already there and then add a bunch of insulation.

Really if your wall is already solid, you should just add an extra layer of drywall, but the drywall that you should be using is a five and eight inch drywall and not a half inch like you usually see in most modern homes, you could go a step further and buy a more sound proofing.

Drywall link right up there I talk about everything that you'll need to know about soundproofing drywall, but in essence all it is, is two layers of chip rock and a layer of some type of sound deadening material.

But if you go a step further and you go with the five and eight inch drywall, you should be fine, but really by just adding that extra layer of drywall, you will see a considerable difference in noise transmission from one wall to the other.

The one thing that you need to look at is your electrical outlet.

You will, you should go and get some acoustical sealant now usually use acoustical sealants around doors and windows, but it's a good practice to also use them around electrical outlets, because there is quite a gap between the drywall and the electrical outlet box and that Gap will let a lot of noise transfer from one room to the other.

So just by adding an extra layer of drywall and leaving that Gap in there.

You might not think it's that bad, but really they say that just a crack can let about half of the noise back in with that cover on it's not that bad, but by adding just a little bit of acoustic sealant while you're, adding that extra layer of drywall it's a good thing to do, and it will reduce some of the noise transmission coming from the other room.

Now before adding your extra layer of drywall, you can go a step further and either add a layer of mass loaded, vinyl or a layer of acoustical compound now what you could use instead of an acoustical compound like let's say green glue, is something like carpet glue now.

I'll have links in description below of everything.

I talk about in this video so just go and click that link to find out exactly what I'm talking about in this video now you'll have to use a type of carpet glue that is not too liquid, but also not too thick now, just make sure to add this type of carpet glue all over the layer of drywall.

Don't leave any gaps, and since it's a lot cheaper than acoustical compound, then you can afford to add a little bit more, and by doing this there might be a little bit more noise that is locked from going through that solid wall.

Now you could go a step further and use Mass loaded, vinyl now Mass loaded vinyl is well, it's basically loaded mass in vinyl yeah, the thing with mass loaded, vinyl, the more you buy, the cheaper it is, but if you buy too much the roll ends up being hundreds of pounds it can be so it makes insulation a lot harder.

So just keep that in mind.

If you don't have any help, then maybe buy smaller amounts, it will cost a little bit more money, but at least you won't have quite a surprise when the 300 pound roll arrives at your door, and you can't really do much with it.

Just make sure you have help and that you don't order too much.

You can get it in one pound per square foot or two pounds per square foot.

Now.

What makes this product a little bit different is that it works as a sound blocker and also as a sound absorber.

So the rubbery material will absorb some of the noise and also since it's loaded with mass, then it will act as a sound blocker.

So having one layer of two pound, Mass loaded, vinyl, two pounds per square foot of mass loaded vinyl across the wall.

Without leaving any gaps, you will hear quite a difference in noise reduction from one room to the other.

The best, basically, the best way to soundproof a solid wall would be to add one layer of mass loaded, vinyl slap, some carpet glue across the mass loaded, vinyl or directly on the layer of drywall and then add a one or two layers of five and eight inch drywall.

Now you don't need to add two, but if you do add a second layer, you will have more noise block from one room to the other.

It just depends how much noise they're making, because in a lot of the times when we talk about noise reduction, we talk about in terms of measurements in terms of measuring it through decibels.

Now just reducing the Noise by three decibels: you're, essentially reducing the Noise by half of what a human ear can hear.

So you don't have to reduce that much in terms of decibels to make quite a difference in noise transmission from one room to the other.

So just remember that sometimes you don't need to go Overkill with your soundproofing.

If the noise isn't that bad.

But if the noise is really bad, then yes adding a second layer of drywall and even more mass loaded vinyl, then not much.

Noise is going to go through that wall.

That is, if the wall is solid and you don't want to go and rip out the drywall and start from the studs.

Now, if this solid wall is an exterior wall, that has a window just make sure that most of the noise is not coming from the window and you go around and soundproof the wall just make sure to take care of the window even before taking care of the wall, because if you soundproof the window you will know it is a considerable difference.

Unless your window is already let's say a double or triple pane window, then it might already be good.

But if it's only a single pane window, then there are methods to go about and soundproof that window either.

You should just go and replace the window entirely.

If it is a single pane, then if you have an exterior window- and there is a lot of noise coming from outside, if there's a lot of noise coming from your neighbors, then changing out the window.

If you are going to go ahead and add a bunch of drywall to soundproof the wall, then it would be smart to go ahead and change the window, but it really, if you already have really good Windows, updated windows and the noise isn't really coming through the windows.

But there are Cracks around the windows, then just seal all those Cracks around the window and around the window frame with acoustical sealant.

Then that should do the trick for what you would need to do with the window.

If you want to go a step further, then of course you can go and add some sound deadening curtains.

Now, usually, people say that sound deadening, curtains, don't really work, but it does give you a little bit of a sound deadening of some noise that would be coming from outside and even make the room inside sound a little bit better, but just make sure to buy a three layer at least sound deadening curtain, because usually these are also called blackout.

Curtains and what it is is that there's two curtains, basically two material fabrics and there's one black felt in the middle, that's mostly to block the Sun, but it also helps in blocking a little bit of the noise.

So, with these three layers of material, you will get a little bit more sound dampening and a little bit of sound blocking from the noise coming from outside.

But just make sure if you are going to be using sound deadening, curtains just make sure to have the curtains be bigger than what the window frame is by at least six inches from each side top and bottom, but also as a tip just buy one panel of acoustic curtains.

Because if you buy two panels, then you'll have that Gap in the middle, which will let a lot of noise through so it kind of defeats.

The purpose really so just buy one window curtain and that's big enough to Encompass the whole window, and that should be good to take care of the window.

If you already have a good thick window, leave me a comment: I love to read and answer your questions, and sometimes I use your questions for future videos.

So let me know any of your questions regarding a solid walls or anything regarding soundproofing and sound deadening and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Thank you very much for watching until next time.