If you have a 10' x 10' room with a 10' high ceiling and an exterior facing window, this is the cost you are looking at for soundproofing each area of the room:

You will need to invest in different soundproofing materials depending on the type of noise you are dealing with. When soundproofing a room in your home, you are either dealing with airborne noise or impact noise. You must identify the type of noise, because some products are excellent for airborne noise but not impact noise.

Airborne Noise

Airborne noise is heard when sound travels through the air from another space. Examples of airborne noise are people talking, sounds from the television, or a dog barking. Airborne sound travels like water, so it can travel through even the smallest gaps. To reduce the amount of audible airborne noise, add density to your barrier and seal any air gaps where sound could possibly be flanking.

Impact Noise

Impact noise is the sound that is heard when an object makes contact with another surface. The most common example of impact noise you will be dealing with in a house would be footsteps. Other examples include knocking on a door or a ball bouncing on the floor. To reduce impact noise, you will need to soften the surface you are dealing with and/or decouple the barriers from the building’s structure.

Now that you have an idea of the type of noise you are dealing with, it is time to dive into what materials should be used and how much they will cost.

Different Sections of the Room to Soundproof

1. Walls
2. Floor
3. Ceiling
4. Windows
5. Door

In order to make your room as quiet as possible, you will need to soundproof as much of the surface area of the room as possible. This includes each entryway, such as doors and windows, the four walls, the ceiling, and the floor. If you’re dealing with significant noise in the room you’re soundproofing, you must consider all 6 surfaces of the room. Otherwise, sound will flank around your barrier through whichever surface you neglected to soundproof.

When sound is heard on the other side of a wall, nine times out of ten, it is airborne noise. There are two key things to stop airborne noise from transferring through your wall.

• Density - Make sure your wall is physically dense enough to stop sound
• Airtight seal - Make sure there are no gaps or penetrations in the wall that will allow sound to pass through

The cost and the materials you will need slightly differ depending on whether you are soundproofing an existing wall or building a new soundproof wall. Below is a breakdown of the products you will need to increase the STC rating of your wall.

Beast Mode Option: RSIC Clips + 5/8” Drywall + Green Glue + Additional Layer of 5/8” Drywall

This is the most effective method for installing a new soundproof wall. Follow the same steps as the previous option and then install an extra layer of ⅝” drywall using Green Glue.

Here is a cost of soundproofing a wall breakdown of all of the materials you will need for soundproofing your wall.

When soundproofing a floor, you are most likely dealing with impact noise. Older floors, especially hardwood and tile make a lot of noise when objects make contact with them. For existing construction, we most commonly see issues in a building that used to have carpet and then upgraded to hardwood or tile without requiring an underlayment. Even simply walking on the floor can be very loud for those on the floor below.

Use UnderBlock

The best way to reduce impact noise on a floor is to use a rubber floor underlayment. The great thing about UnderBlock is that it not only improves your IIC rating and quiets down impact noise, but it will also help stop airborne noise transfer as well. We recommend our 10mm thick UnderBlock for most soundproofing applications.

If there is a significant amount of airborne noise transferring through your floor, you will need to select the 10mm thick version of UnderBlock, and then be sure to seal any gaps around penetrations with acoustical sealant. A combination of acoustical sealant and 10mm UnderBlock will greatly reduce both airborne noise and impact noise.

Here is a cost of soundproofing a floor breakdown of the materials you will need for soundproofing your floor.

The most effective way to prevent sound from traveling through your ceiling-floor assembly is to treat the floor above you. Unfortunately for many, this is not an option. Here are some ways to soundproof your ceiling for both impact and airborne noise.

Impact Noise: RSIC Clips + ⅝” Drywall

If you are constantly hearing your neighbor stomping around upstairs, the only real option is to use a RSIC clips, 25 gauge hat channel, and 5/8” drywall to stop the impact noise. By installing the RSIC clips and adding an additional layer of drywall, you are decoupling your ceiling from the building’s structure where the floor above is being impacted. Doing so makes it harder for the impact noise to pass through the barrier. The larger air cavity also will help reduce airborne noise. Do not use canned lights, as they are basically big holes you cut in the ceiling.

Airborne Noise: Mass Loaded Vinyl Or Green Glue + ⅝” Drywall

If you are soundproofing your ceiling due to airborne noise, there are a few more options. Similar to a wall, you can use mass loaded vinyl and ⅝” drywall, a second layer of 5/8” drywall with Green Glue, or a combination of these to soundproof the ceiling. Again, no canned lights.

Here is a cost of soundproofing a ceiling breakdown of the materials you will need to soundproof your ceiling.

Windows are a common weak point in the room when soundproofing. When you’re hearing exterior noises inside the room, there is going to be a lot of airborne noise traveling through your window. There are a few options to improve your window, either by adding a soundproof window insert, sealing up the window, or replacing the window unit entirely.

Option One: Fantastic Frame Window Inserts

The best option to reduce noise from an existing window is to upgrade it with our Fantastic Frame Window Inserts. They are very simple to install and will reduce airborne noise through the window by up to 80 percent.

Option Two: Tru Acoustics Soundproof Window

If you are planning to install a soundproof interior window, the Tru Acoustics Soundproof Window is the best possible performing option and often used in professional settings or when high STC structures are required. This window comes in several different versions with a top end highest STC rating of 56! Our Tru Acoustics window line is the best combination of performance and ease of installation for any windows out there.

Options People do but really shouldn’t: Mass Loaded Vinyl or Curtains

Mass loaded vinyl can be used to seal off a window and modestly reduce noise if it’s well sealed against the window. You will cut a couple decibels, but turn your window into a wall at the same time. If it is more important to you to soundproof your room on a budget than have a functioning window, you can go with this option.

Everywhere we look it seems like someone is telling you to soundproof your windows with curtains. My goodness, if only there were curtains out there that were good for soundproofing! Maybe we should develop some… Anyways, installing heavy curtains over your window will have minimal impact on airborne noise reduction. Heavy curtains are simply not dense enough or well sealed enough to block noise. Your best bet would be to ensure that the curtains are extending a good amount past the window unit and as heavy as you can buy them. But in any case, you would only be looking at a few decibels of noise reduction.

The cost to soundproof a window depends on how much sound reduction you need and the desired aesthetic.

Our Fantastic Frame™ Soundproof Window Inserts are a great budget friendly option and will significant reduce noise while also reducing heat transfer.

Similar to windows, doors are weak points in a room that are a problem for airborne noise, typically from inside the building. The best way to soundproof a door is to add density to the door assembly. Replacing a hollow core door with a solid core door alone can increase your STC rating by 5-10 points.

The next step up would be to install a Sound Lock Door Seal Kit. This kit will seal all of the gaps around the perimeter of the door, and includes a drop down bottom seal that closes up the gap underneath the door when closed.

The most effective solution is to invest in a specialized soundproof door such as our Sound Lock Soundproof Door. This beefy door unit has an STC rating of up to 56 and can be built with an optional soundproof view window!

Here is a cost breakdown for door soundproofing options.

The Sound Lock™ Soundproof Door is customizable for any project. Here's a video overviewing some of those options:

Another important cost to consider when taking on a home soundproofing project is the installation cost. Installation and labor costs will vary depending on a few factors.

• Location - Different regions of the country have varying costs for labor.
• Size of the project - The size of the project affects the cost of labor both directly and indirectly. Large projects take more hours and so cost more. But depending on the current environment, small projects can be very expensive because busy contractors don’t want small jobs. For very small jobs, we’d recommend a handyman or to DIY.

You can certainly do a lot of soundproofing work yourself to cut back on costs. Check out our DIY installation guides for all of the products we sell. We are here to help you save money!

Now that you have a good idea of how much money you will need to start on your soundproofing endeavor, it is time to get the project moving! Check out our helpful guides on how to soundproof a room for more helpful information.

If you have any questions or would like a quote for larger projects, feel free to reach out to one of the soundproofing experts here at Second Skin Audio!