Bedroom door leaks sounds.

[Leroy Mowry]

The 40-year old bedroom door easily passes sound. The door is practically made up of thin plywood sandwiched to 1" x 2" studs separated vertically by half a foot or so. The door closes tight, but just enough to slip a credit card thru. Eventually, sounds of laughter go into my R.E.M. sleep and create nightmares. I then go to work at the grave yard shift like a Zombie. I'd tried and gave up using earplugs since they keep falling off, create sores or just got tired of disinfecting them to reduce ear infections. What are some ways I can reduce sound on this rental unit?

Thanks

[John Harlow]

The best solution is to mask it.

Get a loud air cleaner or white noise generator and run it all night in your room. You'll sleep very well.

[John Davies]

Yep, I agree: Here's some more info:

Voices are hard to block because the volume and frequency varies so much. Even a $300 set of Bose noise-cancelling headphones won't stop voices, tho they are terrific for constant sounds like engines and wind roar.

This is one BIG reason people buy their own homes. I always _hated_ hearing strangers talking all around me.... Or consider moving into a duplex. Most have the utilities located between the two halves, which effectively masks noises from the other residents. But be sure to check out the degree of seperation before signing!

John

John Davies TLCA 14732

'96 Lexus LX450 '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro Spokane WA USA

[Charles H. Buchholtz]

What are some ways I can reduce sound on this rental unit?

The best solution is to mask it.

Get a loud air cleaner or white noise generator and run it all night in your room. You'll sleep very well.

I like the air cleaner idea - solves two problems in one.

Another simple partial solution would be to buy a heavy "oriental" rug and hang it inside the door. This only works if the door opens outwards. The heavier the rug, the better. You should need to use screws or nails to hold it up. As much overlap as you can manage on the sides and top, and it should rest firmly on the floor.

Maybe two heavy rugs, back to back, for added mass, and so you don't have to look at the back of the rug when you are coming through the door.

You'll have to push the rug to the side whenever you enter or leave the room, which can be a pain if you are carrying a bowl of soup. And it will make your room look you are a big Rudolph Valentino fan. But it should absorb some of the noise coming through the door.

You may be able to rig up some cords to roll the rug up like a bamboo window shade, and let it down when you are going to sleep.

Here's another idea: Take the old door off it's hinges, and store it under your bed. Install a thick, heavy door with "weather stripping" around all four sides. When you move out, take off the new door and put back the original. Don't know about your lease, but this has worked in the past for me.

But, try the white noise approach first. It's simple, cheap, and you don't have to worry about the terms of your lease!

--- Chip

[v]

Is sound also coming UNDER or around the door in any way? Lots of doors that "close tight" where the knob is, have a big gap at the bottom. Aren't you the same guy that was posting about the "outhouse" (really outbuilding, appaently) with the seven smoke detectors in a pillowcase? Kick that "drifter" out, and sleep there!

Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

[newsgroups01REMOVEME]

Weather stripping around the door, a more solid door, and a door sweep might help reduce the noise.

Might want to put a white noise generator in your room to help drown out their noise. Use a fan.

Ear plugs you were inside your ears manage to stay 'in' longer.

hth,

Tom @

[Clark W. Griswold, Jr.]

Both are a pain around here. The neighbor has a Ford F-250 with a monster deisel engine. Has to be able to tow his Quadrunner around on weekends, don't cha know. For reasons that aren't clear, he thinks he needs to let the engine warm up at least five minutes during the summer and 20 minutes or more during the winter. So it sits in his drive banging away every morning.

[frank-in-toronto]

i used to do the same thing when i had a diesel. it's not a matter of "needs to", it's wants to. it'll pull better. in winter soime heat will be coming out (diesel takes longer). all in all, a good idea if you can afford the gas. ...thehick

[effi]

dunno if it works or any potential problems but remember someone saying to fill such a door with sand (will the hinges hold?) and to make sure plenty insulation in attic around door area and in walls around door, noting insulation can be blown in existing walls

maybe a rubber type gasket all the way around the door so when you close it, it seals, and maybe a rug on the floor to slide over any crack at the bottom

might also be able to add hardie panel (made of mixture of cement and wood) to your room walls for sound deadening

if you go all out and put hardie panel on the wall inside your room and outside it (i.e. attached to different sides of the same 2 x 4 studs) use different thicknesses on inside vs. outside, that way they won't pass the same frequencies through them, enhancing the the ability of the dead space inside them to deaden sound

or maybe just tack a big thick blanket over the door once you're in your room

[wayne]

Heavy drape covering the door will help as will a white noise generator or one of those boxes that does sound soft running water etc...

You want low density stuff that is soft to absorb the sound

Wayne

[Buck Turgidson]

Drill holes in the door, and fill it with spray foam called "GreatStuff".

[D. Gerasimatos]

Reading the subject of this post all I could think about was how this guy and his wife must keep the kids up all night with their cavorting.

Dimitri

[William W. Plummer]

I don't have a good picture of your situation. Often times sound transmission is due to walls, floors and doors acting like drum heads. This is very different than the sound finding its way through openings. To cure the direct transmission you have to damp it out -- in a secure lab, we used lead curtain to good effect. Or you can stagger 2x3 studs on 2x4 plates and weave pink stuff between them.

[Hound Dog]

Move!

Living in a rented apartment that causes you discomfort is silly.

If you can afford it and are able to relocate, give notice and get out.

Or complain to the landlord and let him know you intend to move if the door and soundproofing aren't improved immediately.

[Rescate]

"Clark W. Griswold, Jr." wrote in news: [e-mail]:

You should have my neighbor with a flat bed tow truck that he has running in his driveway for 2 or 3 hours at a clip - winter or summer. Rescate

[effi]

not a good idea, the foam will span the inside of the door, leaving no empty dead space, and the door will transmit sound

[BJ Nash]

Noise generators add to the level of noise and that is normally not acceptable, but if it works for you, BAM! (By All Means).

Several other solutions are described on the website:

specifically at: You can also try headsets at no obligation to keep them.

BJ Nash

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BJ Nash Super Soundproofing Senior Technical Advisor Super Soundproofing Co.

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[Harry K]

Everyone already has a white noise generator. Just reach for a cheap (or expensive) AM radio an tune to find just hash. That is white noise and will do everything a noise generator will.

Harry K