How to Soundproof Your Home: Best Practices for Peace and Quiet
April 29, 2025Whether you live by a train, a busy street, or a noisy forest, you likely want to enjoy peace and quiet in your own home. But how do you keep all the outside noise out? Is there a way to have a space of tranquility amidst the noises of urban or suburban life?
There is!
We’ll go over how to soundproof your home through different renovations and decor choices.
Is Complete Soundproofing Possible?
When we talk about soundproofing tactics for your home, a better phrase may be “noise reduction.” Unfortunately, there’s no way to 100% soundproof a home (unless you want to remove all the doors and windows from your home, which is likely not your ideal situation), but there are ways to reduce the amount of noise coming into your home.
If you do require a completely soundproofed space, you can soundproof a single room in your home. Many media creators or people who record their voice may invest in a soundproofed room for better acoustics. You may also want to invest in a soundproof room to create an in-home theater or even just a place to get away from the bustle and noise.
What Causes Noise in Your Home?
Whether you live by a busy street or just have the sounds of nature outside your home, noise may seep into your home through thin windows, walls, or door frames. Even though you have walls around your home, not all of them are rated to keep noise out.
When you’re considering soundproofing your home more or custom-building a home, you’ll want to look at the sound transmission class (STC) rating for your floors, doors, windows, and walls. The higher the rating, the less noise you’ll hear in your home. Look for ratings of 50 or higher for some true privacy and peace and quiet.
8 Ways to Soundproof Your Home
As we mentioned briefly, there are ways to reduce the amount of noise in your home, and there are many fun or unique ways to accomplish this goal. We’ll go over the top 10 home improvement projects or renovations you can do to enjoy a quieter home.
1. Soundproof Doors & Windows
Your doors and windows are going to be the biggest culprits for allowing noise into your home. This is due to the functionality of doors and windows themselves. Because they’re the most direct access to the outside world, they’re going to allow the most noise to slip through any little cracks in their seals.
That being said, some doors and windows have higher STC ratings if you’re looking to replace your current ones. We’d especially recommend upgrading your windows and doors if you live in a more urban area with a lot of car activity—a simple switch can significantly decrease the amount of noise filtering into your home.
2. Seal the Gaps
Cracks or gaps in your home’s walls, floors, ceiling, or near any opening can quickly become a problem for your home. Not only do these gaps increase the risk of pest infestation and water damage, but they also contribute to a noisier home. Using noise-reducing caulking can help solve these issues while also giving you some peace in your home.
3. Change Your Flooring
Your floors can greatly contribute to the noise in your home—and not just by being creaky. Some flooring materials, especially rugs, muffle the sound waves in your home, which can make the space feel less echoey and noisy. Cork has become a popular, new choice for flooring due to its sound-absorbing properties, but certain types of wood and stone flooring can also help keep the noise in your home to a minimum.
4. Decorate the Walls
Did you know that a lack of decor can actually cause your home to feel loud and create a small echo?
You’ve likely experienced this when you walk into an empty new home. There’s a small, annoying echo as you talk, and all outside noise seems amplified. This is because decor, especially canvases and pictures, actually helps to absorb sound waves bouncing off walls. So if your walls are a bit bare, perhaps consider adding a painting or two to add some color to your home and reduce the noise!
There is also special soundproofing padding you can use if you do want to completely soundproof a room. This padding is often not super attractive, so we wouldn’t recommend it outside of special situations where you want a completely silent room.
5. Add Insulation
One of the best ways to soundproof your home is by adding insulation to your walls and ceiling. While this is a much bigger home renovation project, the results are well worth it. Not only will your home be quieter, but it also helps to lower your energy bill and create a more energy-efficient home. This is because insulation helps to keep your home at a stable temperature all year long, reducing the work your HVAC unit has to do, and it creates a stronger barrier between your home’s walls, which will reduce noise.
6. Invest in Wooden Furniture
Certain types of wood do a better job of absorbing noise than others, but if you do invest in sound-absorbing wooden furniture (such as bookshelves, tables, and entertainment centers), it may help to quiet your home. Bookshelves are a particularly good choice because they can be positioned on walls where exterior noise is loudest—not to mention books themselves can act as a barrier against noise!
7. Buy a Curtain
If you don’t want to replace your windows at the moment, a simple way to reduce noise a little bit in your home is to add a curtain to your windows. The thicker the curtain, the better for noise reduction. However, you will want to balance what curtain you buy with how much natural light you want in your home. But if your street is also noisy at night, a curtain may help in reducing some of the late-night traffic sounds.
8. Get into Landscaping
Did you know that trees and bushes act as natural soundproofing materials? If you’ve ever been in a forest, you may notice how quiet it seems compared to an open field. The same goes for your yard. By simply planting some trees or bushes in your yard or along the front of your home, you could create a natural, beautiful barrier against noise. This is perhaps the most attractive way to soundproof your home, and a great way to enjoy some natural beauty!
Enjoy a Peaceful, Quiet Home with McFall Builders
Whether you’re looking for a fully soundproofed renovation or just want a couple of upgrades, McFall Builders is here to help achieve peace and quiet in your home! We’ll determine the best ways to make sure your home has as little noise as possible, from floor to ceiling. If you’re ready to create your dream home, schedule a consultation with us today!