"Just make sure you get decent seals around the edges—otherwise you're basically just installing fancy-looking windows without much benefit..."
Haha, yeah, sealing is definitely key. I've seen people spend a ton on glazing but skimp on seals—total waste. Did you try acoustic sealant or just regular weatherstripping?
Acoustic sealant definitely helps, but honestly, even regular weatherstripping can do wonders if you apply it right. I once saw a guy who layered on acoustic caulk like frosting on a cake—messy as heck and didn't really improve things much. Have you checked if your window frames themselves are solid? Sometimes the frames vibrate and let noise in, no matter how good your seals are...
Good point about the frames vibrating... I had a similar issue in my old apartment. Thought I'd sealed everything perfectly, but turns out the frames themselves were pretty flimsy. Ended up reinforcing them with some wood strips and screws—made a noticeable difference. If you're comfortable with a bit of DIY, here's what worked for me:
First, gently tap around your window frames to see if they feel hollow or loose. If they do, you might consider adding some internal bracing. I cut thin wooden strips to size, slid them into the gaps behind the frame, and secured them with small screws. Afterward, I applied weatherstripping again, just to be safe. It wasn't a miracle cure, but it definitely reduced vibrations and street noise noticeably.
Have you thought about checking the glass itself too? Sometimes older windows have thinner panes that let sound through easily, no matter how well-sealed they are...
That's a really solid suggestion about reinforcing the frames—I had a similar experience myself. My old place had these ancient windows that rattled every time a bus drove by. At first, I thought heavy curtains would solve everything, but nope... still noisy. Eventually, I realized the frames themselves were part of the problem. They were hollow aluminum and super flimsy, so vibrations just traveled right through them.
I ended up doing something pretty similar to what you described—added some wooden strips behind the frames and secured them with screws. It wasn't exactly a fun weekend project, but it was definitely worth the effort. The difference was noticeable right away. I also went ahead and added some acoustic caulk around the edges, which seemed to help seal things up even better.
About the glass thickness, that's a good point too. My windows were single-pane, and honestly, no amount of sealing or bracing was going to completely fix that. Eventually, I bit the bullet and installed some secondary glazing panels (basically a second layer of acrylic or glass that fits inside your existing window frame). It wasn't cheap, but it made a huge difference in cutting down street noise. If you're renting or don't want to spend too much, even those DIY window film kits can help a bit—they won't block everything, but they do dampen some of the higher-pitched sounds.
Anyway, sounds like you're already on the right track. DIY can be a bit trial-and-error sometimes, but it's satisfying when you finally get it right. Good luck!
You're definitely onto something with addressing frame vibrations. I had the same issue in my apartment—old aluminum frames rattling like crazy whenever traffic picked up. I tried window films first and they did help a bit, especially with higher frequencies, but the real breakthrough came when I sealed up gaps around the edges with acoustic sealant. Honestly, it's impressive how much difference sealing tiny cracks and gaps can make. Sounds like you're already making solid progress though... keep at it, it's worth the hassle in the end.
You're spot on about sealing those gaps—it's crazy how much noise sneaks through tiny cracks. Window film and curtains help, but sealing is the real MVP. Keep tinkering, you'll get there... quieter nights ahead for sure.
"Window film and curtains help, but sealing is the real MVP."
True, sealing gaps makes a huge difference. A couple years back, I went through something similar—busy street, constant traffic noise. I started with thick curtains, which definitely helped soften things a bit, but it wasn't until I sealed around the window frames with weatherstripping that I noticed a real drop in noise. It surprised me how much quieter the room got just by blocking those tiny gaps... totally worth the extra effort.
Sealing definitely helps, but I wouldn't discount the windows themselves. A few years ago, I had a client dealing with constant street noise—tried curtains, films, sealing gaps, the whole nine yards. Each step helped a bit, but it wasn't until we swapped out their old single-pane windows for double-pane laminated glass that they finally got some peace and quiet. Laminated glass has a thin plastic layer sandwiched between panes, specifically designed to dampen sound vibrations. It's pricier than weatherstripping or curtains, sure, but if you're really fed up with noise, it's worth considering. Just something to keep in mind if sealing alone doesn't quite cut it...
Totally agree on laminated glass—made a huge difference for us too. But another thing people overlook is storm windows. We put them up over our old windows a few years back, and they cut down street noise noticeably. Not as quiet as double-pane laminated, but definitely cheaper and easier if you're not ready for a full window swap yet. Worth looking into before going all-in on curtains or film...