Noise-Reducing Techniques

Floor Mats

• Block sound from traveling between floors. Lay mats on the upper floors of a building to quiet footsteps or floor speakers. Padded matting can be added under carpets. Rubber or cork mats can be placed under speakers or other noisy equipment such as treadmills. Padded flooring will absorb sound. It will dull the pounding of footsteps or moving furniture better than wood, tile or thinly-carpeted flooring.

Ceiling Tiles

• Prevent noise from moving through ceilings within a building. Adhere acoustic tiling over an existing plaster ceiling. Lay fiberglass insulation on top of drop-ceiling tiles. These layers will absorb sound and can even provide better acoustics to a room by absorbing echoes. By contrast, plaster or drywall ceilings do not absorb sound, are thin and allow noise to pass through.

Insulation

• Insert blown-in insulation behind drywall or plaster walls. The added layer of insulation will absorb sound and prevent it from passing through the wall. Holes can be drilled at the top of each wall and insulation can be blown through the holes. The holes can then be easily patched as they do not have to be very large.

Window Treatments

• Hang heavy, noise-reducing drapery over windows. This will block loud exterior noises caused by traffic, construction, city crowds and other disruptions from entering your building. Single-pane glass windows will allow the most noise through, while double-pane and triple-pane windows may be better. However, depending on the quality of the glass and price per window, this may not be the most cost-effective option. The additional layer of curtains will prevent noise more efficiently than the glass alone. It also offers a more affordable option.