Who Might Need a Sound Barrier Fence?

We've seen it all from residential fences to pickleball courts to construction site barriers! Even in the most private neighborhoods, noises can come from all over, and sometimes you're the culprit! Here are some of the sound barrier fence projects we've seen:

• • • Traffic and Road Noise
    • Cookouts and Parties
    • Construction Sites
    • Pickleball Court Noise
    • Power Tools and Lawn Equipment
    • Loud HVAC Units
    • Noisy Pool Pump
    • Many more!

The Four Keys to an Effective Noise Reduction Fence System

There are four key concepts when it comes to fence soundproofing that you'll need to know to build an effective barrier. Fence height, fence placement, fence density, and fence construction.

Key #1: Fence Height

As a rule of thumb, if you can see it, you can hear it. This is the acoustical line of sight. Step one is removing the line of sight to the source of the noise. The higher you go, the easier it is to keep sound out. Now, because sound waves don’t travel in a straight line, sometimes you can still hear it, even if you can't see it. This is known as the diffracted path, which is the path sound waves take after encountering an obstacle.

People often overlook the importance of fence height for creating an exterior sound barrier. As a general rule, once the barrier breaks line of sight with the noise source, you’ll get a 5 dB noise reduction. And then you’ll add an additional 0.5 dB of noise reduction for each foot above the line of sight. For your typical street, you should be thinking about a barrier to be at least 8 feet high to even start to block out traffic noise, and the higher the better. Be sure to double check your local regulations as they often include a fence height restriction.

Sometimes it’s easiest just to see a picture:

Key #2: Fence Placement

You may think that where you build your fence doesn’t make a difference; after all, a barrier is a barrier. But actually, if you place your sound barrier as close to the noise source as you can, the soundproofing can prove far more effective. Alternatively, you can also place the barrier as close as possible to where you hang out, to keep that area quieter. Both of these strategies take the most advantage of the line of sight rule.

The diagram shows how height and placement of your fence can drastically change how well it keeps out noise. Think of noise as smelly leftovers in your fridge. You can either seal the leftovers in Tupperware (blocking the source) or cover your nose (blocking the receiver), both are effective at stopping the smell. What wouldn’t be helpful is simply putting the open leftovers in the back of the fridge behind some other stuff...trust me.

Key #3: Fence Density

The denser something is, the better it is at blocking noise. As described in the Mass Law Curve, increasing density results in a higher STC rating (and more sound blocked). So the heavier your barrier it is, the more soundproof it will be. Keep that in mind when choosing your fence materials.

Key #4: Fence Construction

Sound moves like water (or smells), as it can move through the smallest of gaps. For the best sound blocking, you want as airtight of a barrier as possible. This means NO GAPS. Ensure your fence goes all the way to the ground. It works just like wall soundproofing. If you can fully seal up your barrier, it will make a world of difference in decreasing the outside noise you hear.

The other key for construction is length. Very short barriers can have what’s called end diffraction. Which just means the noise is going around your barrier. A general rule is that a fence should be 4 times as long as the distance between the barrier and the source OR the barrier and the receiver.

Pro Tip

If you have two barriers facing each other (for example on either side of a highway), cover them with sound absorbing materials or tilt them. A vertical, sound-reflective barrier on opposite sides of a road can be more than 10 dB more effective if you treat it with sound absorbing materials.

In soundproofing, the best place to be in a project is the start. Soundproofing existing structures is certainly doable, but it's always easier, more efficient, and significantly more cost effective to soundproof before anything has been built.

For fences, the same applies. You have the luxury of building a fence with soundproofing in mind. Building the fence itself is the first step, making sure it is tall enough and close enough to the noise source to make a difference, then comes deciding on the right soundproof material and installing those materials. Here are the numbered steps we recommend.

Need help soundproofing an existing fence?

STEPS to build a NEW sound barrier fence

1. 1.  Build the fence structure (height and placement are important!)
   2.  Selecting fence soundproofing material (typically sound blankets or mass loaded vinyl)
   3.  Install materials without any gaps

Step One: Building the fence Structure

In case you missed it, check out our section on principles to building a fence for soundproofing for some more in-depth recommendations on building a fence properly. The main focus is building a fence that is high enough, wide enough, dense enough (next step), close enough (to noise source OR to you), and fully airtight.

Pro Tip

Before constructing a fence be sure to check your local regulations and HOA guidelines. Depending on the size of your property, the type of material, and the perimeter you’re constructing, the job can be very complex and it may be necessary to seek the help of a contractor.

What Fence Materials Work Best for Noise Reduction?

When building a new fence, you should consider the type of material you use. Generally speaking, heavier or denser materials block out more sound. That's why materials like wood and brick will perform better from the start than a chain link fence. However, when adding soundproofing materials to the fence to increase the density, there are ways to get the best bang for your buck! We'll walk you through the comparisons to help you make the best decision.

Step Two: Selecting the right soundproofing material

If you’re building your own fence, you'll get the best results if you combine the fence with materials that are proven to work. There will usually be two approaches – adding mass to a light barrier (also making the barrier more airtight than it was) and adding absorption to the noise source side of a fence when the fence is close to the noise source.

There are different approaches for different size fences and different fence types.

Residential Fence Soundproofing Material

For residential applications, you're either the noisy one – trying to keep neighbors from complaining about a loud pet or music – or you have a neighbor with a loud pet or music, or perhaps there's unwanted traffic noise coming into your yard. Regardless of what you're dealing with, you need to add mass to your new fence so it can be more efficient at blocking direct line sound. Creating a mass loaded vinyl sound barrier will increase the mass of a wood, vinyl, chain link or metal fence so it can be just as effective as brick or concrete.

We recommend one of our reinforced mass loaded vinyl rolls for the job: Luxury Liner™ Reinforced Mass Loaded Vinyl and Luxury Liner™ E84 White Mass Loaded Vinyl. Both of these rolls are UV stable and have a high tensile strength to resist tearing while hanging. Measure out the height and width of your barrier to determine how many square feet of MLV you'd need. These can be installed using grommets and mechanical fastners. These rolls are off-white and grey respectively, but for those who don't like the look of these (they are an industrial product, after all) you can hang these between two layers of fencing. If doing so, you do limit your options a bit for fencing material.

If you did go with brick, concrete or even a heavy metal, make sure to add some absorption to the fence to control echoes with an absorptive facing like a Quiet Quilt™ Outdoor Acoustic Blanket or Charcoal BlocknZorbe™ Sound Panels.

Step Three: Install Materials without gaps

We often say sound performs like water, and your fence is the walls of the pool. If you have a hole that sound can go through, then all the sound is going to start flowing through those weak points. That’s why you want to make sure you get enough material for your full fence build, even overlapping the edges (2-3") of the blankets or mass loaded vinyl you are using to ensure you are getting 100% coverage.

When you have a noise issue on the other side of your fence or have received complaints about your own noise, fret not! There is still a lot you can do in putting the same new construction principles in place with your existing fence.

1. Adding density to block airborne noise
2. Adding sound absorption to help soften to barrier's reflective surfaces
3. Make sure the fence is well sealed so no sound is leaking through

Is Your Fence Tall Enough? Wide Enough? Is it Well-Placed for Soundproofing?

soundproofing lighter fences: Wood and Chain Link Fences

soundproofing dense fences: brick, concrete, and metal fences

• • • Option 1 - 2" Charcoal BlocknZorbe™ panels: These sound panels are rated to both block AND absorb sound (STC and NRC), so it's a 2-for-1 addition. The charcoal version of BlocknZorbe is UV stable and will outlive you at your house.
    • Option 2 - Quiet Quilt™ Outdoor Acoustic Blanket: These acoustic blankets are extremely absorptive and built for long-lasting outdoor use. Often used on construction sites in combination with a fence to reduce sound reflected and sound transmission through the fence.

Fence Soundproofing Around HVAC Units, Pool Pumps, and Others

If you have some stationary machinery on your property that generates a lot of noise, you can create a soundproof fence enclosure much the same way you would create a soundproof fence. This is extremely effective around HVAC units, pool pumps, or as a soundproof generator box.

With smaller, more targetted projects like a soundproof generator box, pool pump soundproofing, or AC unit soundproofing, you can create a soundproof fence enclosure to control some of the noise they generate. Place the barrier as close to the machinery as possible while still leaving enough room for maintenance and access. If you're barrier is going to be open on the top, just be sure to build your barrier 50% higher than the structure itself to effectively block the noise.

We recommend the use of Quiet Quilt™ Acoustic Blankets or Soundproof Blankets, or 2" Charcoal BlocknZorbe™ sound panels as a mass loaded vinyl alternative.

Be sure to check out our case study below for an example of how this helped with a neighbor's generator.

Finish Up with some Decorating

If you’ve ever been inside an empty house with no furniture or decor, you know how sound can carry, echo, and reverberate inside blank walls. Similarly, a fence alone, although great at sound blocking, can be improved with a few extras.

The additions of trees, shrubbery, gardens, and other landscaping and lawn decor can help absorb and deflect sound to help your patio hangouts feel more private. You can place items on either side of the fence to help with sound blocking as well.

In addition you can create “white noise” to mask the less desirable noises from the outside world. Consider things like water features or wind chimes that are pleasant to the ear. I’ll take a babbling fountain over the noise of highway trucks any day.

There’s something serene about hanging out in our own backyard, listening to the wind whistling and the birds chirping. But that serenity can quickly be interrupted by the sounds of traffic and neighbors yelling. Although it’s impossible to keep out all unwanted noise, with some careful planning and a bit of time, you can create an effective sound barrier for your humble abode and make your backyard your favorite room in the house. If you have more backyard soundproofing projects, then you should check out our soundproof shed article!

Second Skin prides itself on offering this best quality products for any home or automotive soundproofing project. Take a look at our full line and feel free to call us any time you have a project where you'd like some help!