Apartment Soundproofing That WORKS! - No Tools Required! 

I just moved into an apartment that if my neighbor just yawns I can hear him. It's ridiculous that you pay so much for rent and have no privacy.

Thank you! The struggle to get some privacy is real 😫

Why can't builders follow building codes? For creaky floors why can't you make the owner fix it? We are living in 2022 not 1902.

As soon as he said “Sound proofing the windows and door because 😬 the wall there’s not much you can do” was just a moment of realization that I’m fucked

isn't it funny how we're all paying way too much for rent on outdated places with nothing that can really be done about it and we just accept it as the way it is

6:59 It's so sweet how the kids immediately follow their dad's cues and start screaming at the top of their lungs, then a few seconds later the elder brother receives the ALL OKAY sign from his dad and immediately tries to stop the younger sibling who's REAAALLY in the zone, so they don't annoy the neighbors for too long! 😂😂 He seems to be a good father, and his sons are smart and well-mannered. Cheers to him!

Yea i will say, everyone talks about how acoustic panels don't do anything for sound proofing, and while technically that's true, they can make a big difference depending on some things. I work at a spa, and the massage rooms share a wall with this hallway, and the hallway is incredibly reverberant. I made a suggestion and they put in these sound panels along the walls, and built a rug into the floor along the hall. The reverberation in the hall was dramatically decreased, lowering the volume of noise in the hall, which meant there was less sound to transfer to the massage rooms. So. If you're in a house and you wanna minimize sound transfer, having absorbtion in not just one room, but the other surrounding areas as well, can actually make a big difference.

The thing that bothers me more than anything is when neighbors turn on a bass/subwoofer. Whether they're listening to music or watching TV, it's the worst. You can't block that out with your own TV noise or headset or fan or other white noise because the vibrations come through the walls & floor and it's more of a feeling + very low sounds. I expect to have to deal with a certain amount of noise while apartment living but the bass is too much.

I live in the first floor and I can hear footsteps and stuff, but I don’t make a big deal out of it because it’s just them walking like regular walking and I also understand the situation... and keep in mind I’m an introvert who values silence and peace... but it is what it is... one day I will own my house where I don’t have to hear footsteps from upstairs 🤞

We have velvet curtains with blackout panels behind, and you can overlap your curtains at night when you go to sleep. You just have to pull them tight against eachother, and then overlap on each side. And make sure you get blackout curtain rods that wrap around. But double paned windows help.

I live in an apartment complex that was built in 2018 (located in Des Plaines IL). Certainly it’s not outdated but I can still hear most of the footsteps from upstairs….

I like the noise because it reminds me that renting is not forever and my goal is to own my own home!

The noise is usually coming from overhead. If you are living below, people, the doors, the windows, and all that aren’t usually the problem in my opinion from experience is the stumpers stomping around upstairs and kids running that have no consideration for the people living below. I don’t think there’s anything that you can do for that that I can think of that’s affordable of that would really work. You also can’t install a lot of things in a place that doesn’t belong to you.

amen! Thank you. The rentals we have been in have hollow or next to nothing in between the walls.

Please talk about how to soundproof and wall. In an apartment that is shared with a noisy neighbour.

My only concern are the sounds coming from above me. The endless dragging of furniture is fucking maddening

This video came just in time,one of my next door neighbor, decided to reply the same song on repeat

Buy a .44 magnum, and ask your neighbors if they feel lucky.

I hear stereo the bathroom sounds and all impact sounds from the apartment below. Yes the apartment below. Any suggestions?

So as a European audience memeber I’d be really interested in a video for how to soundproof an apartment that I actually own and live in and am willing to really renovate to soundproof. Different from apparently normal US homes our floors/walls all usually either concrete or brick and therefore our soundproofing would be quite different from plasterboard wall soundproofing. Would really appreciate a whole video on that, as there is not much on RU-vid on this niche.

is Europe a lot of people put up heavy quilts or tapestries to reduce noise and also insulate outer walls. this also reduces drafts! do those Easy-Off contact insulating paper actually work?

This was helpful. I’m about to move into an office that had an anointing wall with a bathroom (small private school 🤷🏾‍♀️). The distinction between sound deadening and sound proofing helped answer a nagging question I had about hanging panels with gaps versus covering the full wall. Thank you!

Yes, can be annoying if you have loud neighbors no doubt, but EQUALLY I would like to not have to tip toe around my apartment by keeping my tv so low I can barely hear it myself! (since I work second shift, I watch tv late) Ok...would sound absorbing materiel work as well as sound reflecting material when its just a tv Im concerned about?

I've lived in apartments too many years and it's a mistake, because people are not very nice if you try to ask them to be quieter. They get abusive sometimes to the point of trying to drive you out. So what's the answer? I've spent thousands of dollars on sound insulation which was against my lease agreement but I did it anyway. Long story short, it cut the sound by about 50%, but the labor and cost of various materials including soundboard, foam, padding and several layers of drywall, which made my place get smaller and smaller. Yes the nasty Neighbors From Hell and the toll it took on my Health was humiliating and devastating. I considered suicide many times. Being homeless would have been better then torture. Yes I wanted to kill them. I've moved 7 times since then and there's no getting around it. What I've learned is that if you don't have vast amounts of money there is no place to run. Therefore in hindsight, move out and let the bullies win. Run for the Border and Hope you meet considerate Neighbors. The truth is, people are by Nature not very considerate and there's really no way to talk to them. I finally moved in to a quiet place, but God forbid if my considerate neighbor should move out, because if that happens I'll probably get a bully for my next neighbor. Something to think about, better yet if it's happening to you, run for the Border, and never look back. Thanks for listening and take care. PostScript, look I'm not overly sensitive about sound, people think nothing about loud music, parties and drunken Behavior. And when you consider that most frame Construction apartments are built very poorly, it can be hard to tolerate. If you can find brick or concrete it will be quieter, but it cost more money.

i live in an old rental apartment that has a hollow ceiling. unfortunately, I got the short end of the stick and live downstairs. my upstairs neighbor runs around and walks with heavy feet... it has been my new alarm clock in the mornings. do you think hanging a tapestry on the ceiling with foam sheets behind the tapestry would help reduce that impact noise in my bedroom? i am renting and so I am looking for solutions with minimal damages / anything that can be repaired easily with some spackling when my lease is up lol

My neighbour above has very creaky floorboards so I hear creaks as well as heavy ceiling stomping all day long. I can hear his phone conversations as he has a loud deep voice but basically hear everything from him opening a drawer to pacing to playing his guitar every day and every eve. I hear the light switches which shows the level of noise transmission in a flat with no soundproofing and basically EVERYTHING. It’s super stressful since you can never just relax. I’ve told my landlord and the neighbours landlord knows too but they don’t do anything. Very frustrating when you’re paying a lot of rent for a place that has no soundproofing.

What's the best way to soundproof footsteps coming from upstairs ?

I just need to block sound coming from the other side of the door my neighbors are running a daycare or something and they just moved in.

When my neighbors forget to use their headphones I play them Melanie Oesch "The Queen Of Yodeling" Yodel-Time on repeat for 4 hours - through my two Audiolab 8300 monoblocks, into a pair of JBL L100. They get the message!

I would like to know your thoughts about this soundproof product if this really work because I’m planning to buy this for my studio apartment to absorb all of the noise while I’m playing music or watching tv inside my studio apartment. Thanks a lot!

If only building code requirements mandated this for new construction multifamily buildings. Basically they should be required to have the load baring walls be concrete (not the entire wall but posts and then steel I beams as the header the the floor joists would attach to the I beam), yes it may be more expensive but not by that much more while getting rid of the thumping noise of walking. Then the floor cavity should be filled with rockwool and the celings should be double 1/2 in sheet rock. This would get pretty good results while not having the massive expense of full concrete.

Perhaps it would be beneficial to note that this is suitable for both Americans and individuals residing in less conventional housing.

8:33 - You just described my exact situation. I make the noise, and it echoes like mad inside because of the tall ceilings.

Hi, I live in an old building apartment and the upstairs neighbor walks very loud which I can hear all the time. And it is causing me migraine😫. Please guide me with some tips to reduce that noise

I live in a 2 story condo townhouse. While I do own the condo i am restricted on what I can do since it's connected to another condo that is 3 story. There two things I want to fix. Blocking out the TV noise in the from my neighbors and also blocking out the birds in the morning. My bedroom is on the 2nd story and on one wall is a deck with sliding glass doors. The previous owner said they sound proofed the wall so sound from neighbors wouldn't come through but I don't believe it as the wall sounds hollow and it is easy to hear. I will try adding a sound proof window frame on the sliding glass door side. Don't know how well it will work against loud birds at 5 am in the morning. Also not sure how to solve the shared wall problem. Neighboor's living room with TV is the wall that shares my bedroom.

What about removing industrial velcro from the wall or door trim after you move?

I am sandwiched between two loud neighbors...i.e. loud talking late at night and wee hours of the morning, blaring tvs. Everyone's bedrooms are on the same wall, ugh!

I have a place where the impact noise is horrible from upstairs can literally almost hear every little stomping footstep. Wondering how much would these project cost vs buying something like a 6x6 sound booth 8-10k and leave the structure intact

Yeah' but my problem is the noise is coming from the floor. What do I do about that?

Would foam sheets work for vibrations from the ceiling. Specifically the "ceiling thumper" device?

The worst thing is people s lack of respect.Nobody cares about others. That is our crisis of values.

I'm dealing with the worst neighbors constantly slamming, banging, dragging.

Can you recommend anything that’s potent silent proof item that my neighbors don’t hear 👂🏻, listen to my phone calls and my private life cause they all violate my privacy in my own apartment

Every time someone I know talks about moving in to an apartment I just remind them of how you can hear everything through the walls.

Is sound level of 20db possible if I own the place and want to do professional soundproofing? Is 10db possible?

I’m glad I found your channel. Can you help me? I’m considering moving above a bar. The weekends they play live music indoors. It’s not incredibly loud upstairs above it but you can absolutely feel the vibrations hard core. The owner said they would work w me and if I pay they will sound proof the ceiling. What do you recommend? Or is that totally a lost cause?

I don't mind any noises *except upstairs thudding of feet it makes me very unsettled. I heard that egg cartons could work. I was thinking of tacking some up just below my neighbor's feet path so they don't wake me up. There is a lot of echo in the half of my room where the door is it does not make sense because I have a lot of furniture. Does echo make impact noise worse and is there anything I can do?

Not much can be done for my issue. Auto-closing doors at the entry are required for fire code. Most of my neighbors just let the doors slam and don’t think about it. So annoying! I pay attention to not let my door slam.

What's your solution for loud neighbors below me in an old apartment complex? I can hear them talking and of course I can hear the bass in their music which is horrible and caused me to have to sleep in my living room for past few months. It's driving me crazy that I can't relax in my own apartment of 17 yes. Yes I've complained to management and these people have turned their music down but I can still hear the bass which is the worse for me! It's depressing. I hear a lot through my old steam radiators and can smell whatever they are smoking and it's not cigarettes. I have old wood floors also and thin wall. And in my bedroom the air-conditioner is in the window above the radiator. Months ago I gave up after caulking my whole bedroom - just tired of putting in all the work to be able to rest in my own bedroom. But with a flashlight I noticed openings/slits under the radiator along the baseboard. It's a very tight space but I was able to put steel wool in a couple of openings under the old radiator. It takes a lot of work with a long thin stick, I stopped months ago cause it's tiring and hard to do. What can to l put to close up those openings along the baseboards under my old steam radiator? Caulking? The caulking gun can't fit under the radiator or behind it. What type of heat resistant sealant? And please tell me an easy way to get into these tight spaces under the radiator. Need advice asap cause last night I was upset when I walked into my bedroom and bathroom around 1 am and I could still hear the bass from downstairs. It's not blasting like it used to be several months ago but I can still hear it and hear talking probably through the radiators and those openings underneath. I need to go to hardware store today to buy whatever I can carry to help with my soundproofing issues particularly in my bedroom then I'll focus on bathroom and living room radiators. BTW months ago I did put down several rugs and carpet remnants on the floors in my bedroom and living room that has helped some. I've heard people say fill the rooms with furniture and hang items on the wall to help with sound. I don't have much hanging on my bedroom walls and minimal furniture. Thanks!

Best apartment sound proof if to move.

Hello, liking your videos. Any suggestions for soundproofing for a drummer? For a room with a window and door. Will heavy curtains all around work? Looking for an idea that isn’t too expensive and not requiring heavy renovations. I understand that real proper soundproofing will require room in a room but that’s not an option at this time.

Please help?🙏Do you have videos to keep noise from going outside? You briefly mentioned here your acoustic panels & all I see on your channel is the term Soundproofing in titles like this one. I've tried searching various terms in RU-vid & all videos seem to just talk about blocking outside noise. My bf started getting noise complaints from his neighbor this year, which we're unsure why after he's been living there almost 2 years. It seems my bfs dog cries by the door when he's gone & the neighbor has his work desk on the other side of the wall. Solutions tried: blocking the doorway with a gate didn't work, got a petcam to see how much his dog really cries, & started keeping her in his room with the door closed when he's gone. But the bedroom door sometimes doesn't close right & this week his dog got out to the livingroom to howl, to which the neighbor said he'll speak to the landlord if it happens again.

By the time you have soundproofed walls how much space is taken thickness from existing to added soundproofing. Also how much depth of ceiling is required thanks. I have viewed loads of RU-vidrs videos and no one tells you this information

I’ve watched about 30 videos and you always always always give the same suggestion for apartments and soundproofing - the door. Well, what if the door isn’t the problem? And what if it’s a condo, where I DO have more freedom to apply materials and make changes? I have no shared walls with my neighbors in the room I’m trying to soundproof, except one - the ceiling. There are three or four walls separating the door from my neighbors, but my ceiling is shared. I want to decrease the noise from power tools (palm sander and miter saw specifically) my neighbors will be exposed to. Of all your videos none have provided a sufficient answer because you either assume I can’t make changes, or that it’s the door that’s the problem. I wish you’d expand your advice to incorporate people in my situation. But I totally get why you haven’t (that I’ve seen, yet). Most people wouldn’t think of doors and windows. I’m thinking of getting small amount of MLV and use it between wood when building my workbench, and between bench and wall when stabilizing it. Also using MLV under smoke detector mount, around fixtures like outlets. I’ll put cork up around top half of room and ceiling, over a layer of moving blankets, with foam panels on top, exposed to the room (mostly because I have them and need to use them somehow). Would you think this would work?

Any other info on sound proofing apartment & bathrooms

Unfortunately I have disrespectful neighbors and a bed that has to be set specifically against the wall their living room tv is on for space. It also doesn’t help the walls are so thin I can hear them sneeze 😬

0:00 Intro 0:56 Link to Soundproofing walls with construction changes Doors: 1:13 Door panels 2:29 Door sweep 3:27 Moving blanket over the door Windows: 4:24 Sealing cracks around windows 5:14 Acoustical/sound deadening curtains 6:39 Window panel from Indow Window 8:13 Acoustic panels do not work for soundproofing!

I have a small duplex. The people downstairs are hearing a lot of noise from the children and people upstairs. What can I do? Is there something to put on the ceiling downstairs? Help

I'm curious to know if it's a good idea to add MLV to my apartment wall then add a layer acoustic panel decor on top.

I’m tryna do this for the basement in my house cuz my parents are upstairs and they talk a lot of crap about me don’t think they know I can hear everything or don’t care and I don’t want them in my business until I move out lol

What’s a renter friendly fix for that loud pop from the sliding door closet due to temperature changes at night? Speak to me like I’m a slow child.

My Condominium complex has 400+ units built in 1957. Please please please all Soundproofing companies you need to target communities like us with advertisements every week. You will become billionaires I promise you.

Sound proof or sound absorption?

Indow's website claims 50% reduction in noise with double pane windows with their acoustic version. Is that true?

Moving to Japan, and I am concerned about bothering the neighbors when gaming as I tend to forget about my surroundings and get really loud... Would I want Soundproofing or deadening???

What's rhe best and cheapest way to not hear liud talking and tv from downstairs neighbors below (who were told to be less loud but refuse to be considerate and I'm not moving, moving is expensive).

How do u sound proof a window when you have a window ac unit ?

Any advice for footstep impact sound from upstairs neighbor coming through ceiling/walls? Sounds like foot stomping... I have tried earplugs, music, etc.....?

has anyone tired acoustic ceiling panels? they seem to have really good sound absorption qualities

I have a town home and the wall that is connected to my stairs, is their hallway on the other side of their place.. I hear running up-and-down the hallway and stomping it's kind of annoying and I don't know how to sound proof that wall.. I don't even think their parents care because they smoke weed all day . I even knock on the walls to let them know to shut up and they knock right back🤔🤦‍♀️

i Live in a HOA Condo, my next wall neighbor wakes me up almost everyday at 3:00 am, i feel very frustrated and neighbor is not doing anything to reduce noise and HOA don't care. I am trying to find the best solution without spending too much money. My windows are about new 7 Years old but also i hear all noises from parking too early in the morning. thank you

unfortunately, these days, so much noise transmitted from floor to apartment below seems to come from newer vinyl flooring installed where carpet was during new construction. The carpet, when it was in place, absorbed a lot of the noise between units, particularly when transmitted from floor to unit below. Nothing you can do in these apartments except...not move in. So, make sure to view the apartment in evenings when neighbors are around and you can hear what noise cold be like. Check out what the sun/light would be like with google maps and astro apps which show sun directions at various times of year so you don't need to visit during day.

Do the foam acoustic squares work for sound proofing yourselves and your kid who screams often? I’m trying not to inconvenience neighbors

would mounting a moving blanket on a shared apartment wall help with soundproofing? also, do the acoustic panels make sense if you're trying to keep your own noise from leaving your apartment?

I have 2 noise little dogs , I wonder what should I buy for the best soundproof? Thank you

Does the white foam ( polyethylene ) works for something ....???

Awesomeness 😊

We had been having complaint about our dog barking when we weren’t home. The moving blanket over the door along with some other things was a BIG help. Out door was partially made of Jaluosie windows 💀

There is a big hole between the door knobs, yet I have never seen anyone mention a gasket or deadening material in that space.

What about the cieling?

Does a weighted blanket stop sound?

How would you soundproof ac/heat or air intake vents that are connected to a downstairs apartment? Can hear a fart or sneeze in the other apartment right now :/

What about ceiling ? Cause my neighbors upstairs sound like they in a war match with hulk

the biggest issue for me are the ceilings, as above me dinosaurs walking, booom booom, weigh like 700 lbs, insane 'people'

Any suggestions for sound proofing large single pane sliding doors from traffic noise? It’s an older unit with metal frames and lots of outside traffic noise

Can you use this on the ceilings?

Own about feltright? Does it help? thank you/

I have street noise and street light at nite coming in from window, I wonder if a weighted blanket we got free at the casino would do anything, lol. Will report back. Haha, I am cheap.

My neighbor makes so much dang noise with cabinets and dishes on their counter, wtf no self awareness

How do you stop the door latch from snapping so loudly on closing. Have teenagers that open and close doors a lot. However the door latch clacks loudly and it wakes me up in the middle of the night.

Just moved omg my neighbors they be turning up i just put on headphones and block them out and meditate.

If you put two fans up against the wall where the noise is coming from that’ll block the noise I always where noise canceling headphones also

looking for options to not hear the loud base from the neighbour. Seems lots of people trying to figure out the same thing.

you child screaming with all his might was just as awesome as these tips :)

I’m renting a house and the room next door can even hear me talk low or mention my coughing is clearly heard on the other side, trying to find a fix for the lack of soundproofing without being able to get into the wall is really a hassle 😓

Can someone tell me why low frequency sounds are still coming out of my window???? Even though I tried blocking all sounds

4:27 - window frame 5:13 - window curtains

Do the acoustic panels help to mitigate sound through the wall if they’re backed with MLV?

thank you.

This person states in his video that it's not about 'sound deadening,' but I'd like to point out I found this video by searching "Cheap apartment echo cancellation." If the uploader hearts this comment, I'll know he's aware so he can please the RU-vid Algorithm gods. Currently, the top result's NOT about what I searched. c: