I’ve always wondered if people underestimate how much noise actually travels through walls themselves, not just the gaps. We talk a lot about sealing doors and windows, but some of these old plaster walls are basically echo chambers. Has anyone tried adding mass-loaded vinyl or extra drywall layers to tackle that? I’m skeptical it’s worth the hassle unless you’re already renovating…
Definitely hear you on the old plaster walls—mine are from the 1940s and, honestly, I was shocked how much sound they let through even after I’d weatherstripped every window and door. I always figured the gaps were the main culprit, but turns out, some of these walls are just thin and hollow.
I did look into mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) when I was redoing my living room, but I’ll admit, it’s a bit of a project if you’re not already tearing things apart. Here’s what I found after way too many hours of research and a couple chats with contractors:
1. **Adding MLV**: You’ve got to take off the old drywall or plaster, tack up the MLV (it’s heavy and awkward), then put new drywall on top. It works best when you can seal around the edges, too. The improvement is real, but it’s not night-and-day unless you do the whole wall.
2. **Extra Drywall (Double Layering)**: This is a bit easier and cheaper than MLV. Just screw a second layer of drywall right over the first one with some Green Glue in between (acts as a dampener). It does help, especially for voices and TV noise, but again, it’s a big hassle if you’re not already renovating.
3. **Bang for the Buck**: If you’re just trying to cut down general street noise and not building a home studio, honestly, I’d focus on windows first—especially if yours are single-pane or old wood frames. Heavy curtains help some too. The wall upgrades are more like “while you’re at it” jobs.
I get being skeptical. I went all-in on one room and left the others alone, and it’s definitely quieter, but not silent. Worth it if you’re gutting anyway, but I wouldn’t tear into perfectly good walls just for that unless the noise is driving you nuts.
Good point about echo chambers, though—sometimes just filling cavities with insulation (like mineral wool) can help a surprising amount. Not a miracle fix, but less invasive than full-on drywall surgery.
Curious if anyone’s tried those “soundproof” paint products? Seemed gimmicky to me, but maybe I’m missing something...
I actually tried that “soundproof” paint in my old apartment—honestly, it was about as effective as painting the walls with yogurt. Maybe a tiny difference for high-pitched sounds, but street noise and bass still came right through. Heavy curtains made more impact for me.
“honestly, it was about as effective as painting the walls with yogurt.”
That cracked me up. I had a similar letdown with “soundproof” window film—looked promising online but didn’t do much for actual noise. Heavy curtains, like you mentioned, made the biggest difference for me too. I live near a busy road and tried layering blackout curtains over regular ones. It’s not total silence, but way better than before.
I also noticed a lot of noise sneaks in through little gaps around the window frames. I used some weatherstripping tape (the cheap kind from the hardware store) and it helped more than I expected. Not perfect, but every bit counts. Still, low bass from trucks is just relentless… haven’t found anything that really stops that except maybe moving to the woods.
Anyone else try those double-pane window inserts? Heard mixed things, but haven’t taken the plunge yet.
Still, low bass from trucks is just relentless… haven’t found anything that really stops that except maybe moving to the woods.
Low-frequency stuff is brutal—physics just isn’t on our side there. I did try those acrylic double-pane inserts in my last place (old 1950s windows), and they helped with general street noise, but honestly, the bass still rumbled through. They’re decent for mid-high frequencies, though, and they cut drafts too. Not a miracle fix, but better than films or just curtains alone. If you’re fighting trucks, it’s more about mass than layers... which gets pricey fast.
Totally get this—my house is right on a bus route and those low rumbles just sneak in no matter what. I tried adding heavy blackout curtains and even stacked up bookshelves along the wall (not pretty, but hey…), and it barely made a dent in the bass.
If you’re fighting trucks, it’s more about mass than layers... which gets pricey fast.
Couldn’t agree more. I looked into adding a second layer of drywall with Green Glue, but the cost and hassle stopped me. For now, I just use a white noise machine at night—it helps a bit, but not magic. Drafts are gone, though, so there’s that small win.
Yeah, those low rumbles are relentless. I’ve tried weatherstripping and caulking every gap, which helped with drafts (and my energy bill), but didn’t do much for the bass either. Mass really is king, but man, it’s not cheap or easy. Sometimes I wonder if triple-pane windows would actually help, but I’m not convinced they’d be worth the cost for just noise.
Man, I totally get you on the bass—those low frequencies just go right through everything. I swapped out my old single panes for double-pane a few years back, and honestly, it made a difference for regular noise but not much for the deep rumbles from trucks. I looked into triple-pane too, but the price tag made me wince. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the walls and not the windows at all…
Yeah, I’ve been down that rabbit hole too. Upgraded to double-pane thinking it’d be a magic fix, but those low-frequency truck rumbles just laughed at my investment. Turns out, bass loves to travel through solid walls and even floors—my buddy joked my drywall might as well be tissue paper. I read somewhere that mass-loaded vinyl helps, but honestly, who wants to line their living room with that? At this point, I’m convinced unless you live in a concrete bunker, bass will always find you…
Funny you mention the “concrete bunker” thing—my neighbor actually redid his entire basement with extra drywall layers and green glue, thinking it’d fix the rumble from the street. Helped a bit, but those low frequencies still sneak in. I sometimes wonder if the weak point is actually the window frames or maybe even the gaps around them, not just the glass itself. Has anyone tried sealing up those little cracks or using heavier curtains? Curious if that made any real-world difference.