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Are Basements Soundproof?

Are Basements Soundproof?

Do you want to watch a late-night movie or listen to loud music but aren’t sure if your basement is soundproof? Then allow us to investigate.

Basements aren’t inherently soundproof unless you install the correct materials, but since basements lie underground, they are at an advantage in this regard. This is especially true if the walls are made of concrete.

These materials excel at reducing noise transmission. Also, their floors and exteriors are not shared with others, which makes them soundproof.

However, if the sound still escapes through the concrete walls, you can make your basement soundproof using the methods listed below.

Before that, you need to gain some understanding of the types of noises you must block.

What Are The Different Kinds Of Sound?

Before you start looking for ways to soundproof, one needs to know what types of sound one needs to eradicate.

The most common types of sound that can travel through your basement are as follows:

Airborne Noise

The noise that passes through the air from one location to another is referred to as airborne noise.

Airborne noise includes things like loud voices, sounds from television, and someone honking their horn. 

The sound waves for airborne noise are created when something generates noise and then a medium takes up these soundwaves.

The medium for these soundwaves can be walls, floors, ceilings, or any solid object.

They travel from one room to another and as soon as they are hit by any solid object they bounce back.

Impact Noise

Impact noise develops at the moment the force of one object collides with another surface.

Unlike airborne noise in which sound travels through air, impact noise travels through hard material. 

Examples of impact noise include footsteps, pots banging, balls hitting the ground, and doors closing. The soundwaves of impact noise generate when an object collides with another structure, then sound bounces off the surface and travels to adjacent rooms. 

You can also determine the kind of noise coming from the basement. To do so, you need to touch the surface where the sound is being emitted from.

If any vibrations are felt, then the sound is impacted. If you don’t feel any vibration, then it is airborne noise.

Ways To Soundproof Your Basement

You can use various soundproofing tactics to transform your basement for those quiet, serene, and tranquil moments.

We will go through a few of the numerous methods to prevent sound waves from moving out of your basements in the section below. 

Drywall

Using Drywall

Drywall can be used to soundproof your rooms and basements. It adds poundage, which helps to minimise the transmission of sound through walls and roofs.

So noises find it more difficult to pass through the layers when more mass is added. Drywall lessens the sound transmission by around only three decibels.

So it is recommended to utilize sound deadening drywall and apply Green Glue soundproofing compound to the back of the drywall for the greatest effects.

However, the denser the drywall will be, the better will be the soundproofing properties.

Installing Mass Loaded Vinyl

Another option for soundproofing your basement is to install Mass Loaded Vinyl.

It is a dense, malleable substance impregnated with small particles to boost the material’s bulk.

As stated earlier, mass is significant in soundproofing as it serves to deaden sound waves, preventing them from bouncing back. 

You can secure the MLV with nails, tacks, or screws once it has been placed. Applying Green Glue to the surface before installing your MLV will boost the soundproofing qualities to many folds.

As a result, Mass Loaded Vinyl serves as a powerful tool for reducing both structure-borne and airborne noise.

Adding Insulation

Using insulation for soundproofing is one of the simplest, fastest, and least expensive methods.

This sort of insulation is simple to install and can be completed before the drywall is installed.

It can dilute the transmission of soundwaves from one floor to the next.

Moreover, it can also reduce the amount of noise that can be heard from the floor above or next to the basement. 

When you are finishing your basement, make sure to use insulation batts between the drywall to make the most of it. 

Employing Sound-Absorbing Foam Tiles

Sound absorbing tiles are the best way to get rid of those unwanted sounds and make your basements soundproof.

These tiles reduce echoes by minimizing vibrations, therefore they assist to decrease the volume of noise that exits as well as refining the sound quality within the room.

You can also use these tiles to decorate the ceilings and the walls of the basement. Similarly, before placing these tiles, you should apply Green Glue to boost its effects.

By doing this, you can also transform your basement into a music studio or theatre space without worrying about the escaping of sound.

Put In Carpets Or Rugs

Carpets and rugs are other excellent options to make your basement soundproof.

Install carpets on the flooring of the space above your basement ceiling to reduce the amount of noise that goes through them.

Rugs and carpets add mass to the floor and absorb soundwaves, making you hear less noise through the ceiling and the floors. 

To add the maximum benefit you can also put soundproof underlayment as the thicker the carpeting, the better it will be.

Seal Up The Gaps

Seal the holes in your basement’s walls, ceilings, and windows to fill up the gaps from where the noise is escaping.

Soundwaves travel through gaps, therefore closing them helps to limit the flow of undesirable noise. 

You can put Green Glue to fill the gaps. The polymers decrease vibrations induced by sound waves, reducing the transfer of noise.

Another option for this is weather stripping. Cut weather stripping according to your desired size after measuring the area where it will be used.

Remove the adhesive back cover and then place it wherever you desire to fill up the gaps.

Sound absorbing

Using Sound Absorbing Blankets And Curtains

Lastly, to reduce noise transfer in your basement, sound absorbing blankets or curtains can be a great choice.

They both are constructed of dense material that absorbs and deflect sound.

Just mount the rods of curtains above your windows to hang these curtains to dampen the sound in your basement.

The advantage of this method is that you can change the curtains as needed if you have used curtain rods in the first place.

You can also open curtains to allow fresh air and light to enter the basement or close them to reduce the sound. 

Conclusion to Basements Being Soundproof

Hopefully, with our soundproofing methods, you can prevent the soundwaves from escaping your basement.

These methods not only assist you in improving the sound quality of your basement but will also improve the quality of the life in your basement.

Lindsay Reed

Hi, I'm the founder of ProjectPerfectHome.com! I created this website to be a resource for everyone who wants to make the best home possible.