If you’re soundproofing on a budget, you might be tempted to use a few everyday items around the house for soundproofing instead of using specially designed soundproofing equipment. This could potentially be fraught with danger. The materials we use instead of the actual materials are often unwieldy, short-lived, and almost as expensive. Here are some common materials that people will try to use for soundproofing, but really shouldn’t.
- egg cartons – This is probably the most common “soundproofing” material that people will try to use. They will go to great lengths to get large amounts of this material, but unfortunately it doesn’t squat. Egg cartons do not have the ability to block out sound. They may have some sound-absorbing activity, so the sound in the room may sound better, but they won’t prevent any sound from disturbing the neighbors. Being made of cardboard, they are also not very durable. If there is moisture, they will start to get moldy, smelly and become inefficient.
- mattresses – Nailing mattresses to the wall is another inexpensive option commonly recommended for soundproofing. Oddly enough, this might work in some circumstances: if you’ve covered the entire wall and acoustically sealed between the mattresses, they’ll have some sound-blocking ability. The downside, of course, is that they are bulky, ugly, and relatively expensive.
- regular foam – Again, this may provide some sound reduction benefit. But it is better to use the specially designed acoustic foam. Regular foam is more likely to break down and perish, even though it may not be as effective as the right materials. The amount of money you would save by using this product would be lost in the additional soundproofing required and the need to replace it as the material perishes.
- Rug – Nailing rugs to the walls is another way to accomplish little with great effort and considerable expense. The rug has no soundproofing capabilities at all. It provides some acoustic enhancement by absorbing reflections, but you will not gain soundproofing from the use of this product.
- cellulose foam – Filling your walls with this foam will have negligible benefit. It may seem like filling your walls with insulation is a guaranteed improvement in soundproofing, but this is not necessarily the case. An empty (ie well sealed) “dead” air mass is actually a very effective sound blocker. Stuffing it with foam probably won’t improve the results at all, and could make it difficult at worst. If you want to use insulation on your walls, a specially designed product like Rockwool will give you the best results.
When it comes down to it, it’s much smarter to use proper soundproofing materials rather than reuse materials that just aren’t up to scratch. You’ll get better results, it’s easier to do, and your efforts will last longer. Unless you’re really strapped for cash, have access to a very cheap supply of one of the above materials, and don’t mind things going wrong, you should stick to the right materials. It will save you money and headaches in the long run. The best cheap soundproofing is the one you only have to do once.
