Do any of us really focus on how sound will travel through our living spaces, how noisy or peaceful our house will eventually be? Not really! But the sounds from the daily humdrum of life — utensils being washed in the kitchen, TV blaring out music in the entertainment room, or a child in the apartment above playing with a ball\u00a0— can start causing disturbance and lead to high levels of irritation.<\/p>\n
And how can one miss those sweet noises that we’re increasingly getting used to – that truck driving down the road, those drills and cleaners outside your house, that whirring dryer. They’re unavoidable, aren’t they? Frankly, there’s a lot that can be done before we give up!<\/strong><\/p>\n Sound travels in waves and can easily creep into other spaces where it’s unwelcome! To prevent this, you need noise barriers or absorptive materials. Commonly, people buttress ceilings and walls with glasswool or foam. Nowadays, however, there’s a whole host of things that you can do!<\/p>\n Perforated Tiles<\/p><\/div>\n As much as possible, avoid high ceilings, long windowless hallways, and staircases. Definitely avoid placing them close to your living, entertainment, and bedrooms. As grand as they might look, they cause sound to bounce around. Wouldn’t you much rather get cozier rooms with lower ceilings, or install a false ceiling?<\/p>\n (Read more: 9 False Ceiling Designs for Bedrooms<\/a> You Will Love!)<\/p>\n If you like high ceilings and long hallways, we’ve got you covered as well – just ensure you have enough ‘outlets’ for sound. A couple of windows here or there might just do the trick. Ask your architect<\/a> or interior designer<\/a>, they’ll definitely be able to help!<\/p>\n Avoid high ceilings<\/p><\/div>\n Do you really want the puja room adjacent to the kitchen?\u00a0<\/span>Try meditating or chanting in the puja room while someone is cooking food in the kitchen. Imagine them using the mixer-grinder!<\/p>\n Do you really want your kiddo’s room next to the staircase?\u00a0Every time you go down to the kitchen, he might be losing his concentration when trying to study. Washing machines and dryers also emit sound when in use. We recommend you keep your living and bedrooms away from your puja rooms, kitchens, staircases, etc.<\/p>\n Instead of going for large slider French windows in the balcony, get doors installed that can be tightly shut, especially if that balcony faces the road. Larger the window, more the sound entering your house! If you still want to go for windows, double glaze them to restrict sound as it is one more barrier for the sound waves.<\/p>\n Double glaze the windows<\/p><\/div>\n Also, get rubber seals installed around the edges of the windows and doors to tighten all spaces around. Else, windows could even rattle!<\/p>\n Install rubber seals<\/p><\/div>\n Most doors, especially in apartments or houses handed over by builders, are made of panels which have a hollow core. We recommend you replace them with heavy doors made of wood with a solid core!<\/p>\n Reduce sound-seepage from the overhead apartment by using perforated panels hidden inside your false ceiling. These sheets absorb the sound waves and limit their transmission. Similarly, add a few centimetres of these sheets onto your walls. For a professional finish, you could go in for special acoustics ceiling and wall materials that come with acoustics star ratings. The higher the star-rating, the more silence you can enjoy!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/shutterstock_217231396-720x480.jpg\")
Whether your house is under construction or being renovated or you’re simply doing a makeover, here’s what you can do to ‘sound-proof’ your house and your peace of mind:<\/p>\nIf your house is under construction<\/b><\/h1>\n
Reduce noise in a planned way while your home is getting built from scratch<\/em><\/h6>\n
1. Get your walls and ceilings to absorb or reflect sound!<\/b><\/b><\/b><\/b><\/b><\/b><\/b><\/h3>\n
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\nOf course, you can do one or more of these things depending on the amount of ‘soundproofing’ you want.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Acoustic-tiles-for-absorbing-sound-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-1-736x456.jpg\")
2. Avoid creating large hollow spaces in your house!<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Avoid-high-ceilings-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-1-720x480.jpg\")
3. Think through the placement of your rooms!<\/b><\/h3>\n
If you can only make small changes<\/b><\/h1>\n
Reducing traffic and other<\/strong> types of noise pollution while you are renovating any area of your home<\/em><\/h6>\n
1. Sound-proof your windows and doors.<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Double-Glazing-Windows-for-restricting-sound-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-1-542x480.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Install-rubber-seal-around-window-to-avoid-sound-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-720x480.jpg\")
2. Invest in good-quality heavy doors.<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
3. Retrofit your walls and ceiling with perforated panels.<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Install-False-Ceiling-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-736x450.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Bookcase-against-wall-to-avoid-outside-noise-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-2-734x480.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/de927adv5b23k.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Console-table-for-soundproofing-Guide-to-blocking-sound-making-your-house-quieter-Urbanclap-Homes-720x480.jpg\")