I have never received as many calls about acoustically treating the bedroom as I have over the last few years. When trying to put my finger on it, I think the most plausible answer is the rise of podcasts and work-from-home careers. Suddenly the bedroom isn’t just a place to sleep in anymore, or a room for guests to stay in every now and then. The home office/studio has never been more important!
Bedroom office setup
Because of this, customers come to me because they need their office and/or studio in their bedroom properly soundproofed. Most of the time it’s because they need professional audio quality to match their professional career that is now taking place at home instead of an office. They also inquire because they’re starting a podcast, or recording vocals and making music. The tools to craft truly professional audio products, as well as a high-powered career, are packaged nicely in small computers that can be powered by a home internet connection. All that’s missing is a soundproofed room to put it all together!
In this article, I will discuss the best wall panels to install in bedrooms to add soundproofing qualities. We will also discuss soundproofing in general, and other products that could be employed with a bit more effort. Whether you want to turn a bedroom into a professional-sounding space, or just want better acoustics for sleeping and relaxing, let’s discover the right products.
What is Soundproofing Again?
It’s always helpful to remind customers what exactly soundproofing is in order to make sure that their needs are being properly met. When it comes to acoustically treating a room, there are two different components – soundproofing and sound control.
Soundproofing is how we block sounds from entering and escaping the room. This is so when you’re on an important call or recording a podcast, your dog barking in the next room or your kids playing cannot be heard. Likewise, if your meeting is high energy and you’ve got to do some shouting, no one outside of the room will hear you.
The other component is sound control, where acoustic panels and bass traps are used to “purify” the sound from your voice or speakers in order to make it sound better without unwanted reverb and echo.
The combination of the two is how we craft an ideal acoustic environment, but great sound control will also be hampered by sounds out of your control, so let’s start with soundproofing and the kinds of acoustic products available to get the job done.
Soundproofing the Bedroom – The Best Wall Panels
When thinking about soundproofing, it’s important to think about the sounds as they exist physically, as waves. When they leave your mouth or a speaker, they travel outward and depending on their energy, will penetrate material to be heard beyond it. This is why if you whisper in a bedroom no one can hear it in the living room adjacent, but if you yell, it can be clearly heard.
AlphaSorb® Barrier Acoustic Panels
With that in mind, what we need to do is “block” the sound. A fantastic option is to install AlphaSorb® Barrier Acoustic Panels. The AlphaSorb® Barrier Fabric Wrapped Wall Panels allow you to add a sound-blocking material without having to reconstruct your wall assembly, and they also provide an aesthetic edge and sound control capabilities to make the sound within the bedroom better.
PrivacyShield® Soundproofing Composite Foam 2’x4′ x 1-3/8″ in White Noise
Another effective way to do this in a bedroom is to employ PrivacyShield® Soundproofing Composite Foam. Sound waves are tricky and they will find their way through any open path, so PrivacyShield® Soundproofing Composite Foam will need to be added along the entire wall where soundproofing is desired.
Going Above and Beyond – Renovating Walls for Total Soundproofing
The above panel products are very effective at blocking sounds, but it’s advised for full soundproofing to add treatment behind the drywall. The combination of AudioSeal® Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) Soundproofing Barrier, Resilient Sound Isolation Clips (RSIC-1), and Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound will achieve full soundproofing without having to apply anything on the walls, although the drywall will need to be removed for the products to be installed. In this way, you can fully soundproof a bedroom and then use the wall space to add acoustic panels to treat the sound and make it sound better and more precise.
Once the Walls Are Complete, Don’t Forget the Door and Windows!
The PrivacyShield® Window Seal Kit is easy to install and remove.
Adding a PrivacyShield® Window Seal Kit to the window and installing a PrivacyShield® Soundproofing Door Kit with Acoustic Threshold to add jamb seals, a threshold seal, and an automatic door bottom for the door will complete the soundproofing for the bedroom. It’s important to not forget about these two components as a lot of sound leaks in and out from doors, and may even be a bigger issue than the walls!
Soundproof Your Bedroom with Wall Panels from Acoustical Solutions
I love to help customers transform their bedrooms into high-functioning, useful spaces by providing proper guidance with soundproofing and sound control. We can help you achieve your goals with wall panels or more permanent renovation to help you soundproof your bedroom.
Contact me today and we can discuss your unique situation and the best way to solve it!
To learn more about how Acoustical Solutions can solve your noise control problems, use our contact form, call one of our Acoustical Sales Consultants at (800) 782-5742, or visit us on the web at acousticalsolutions.com.
