How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room?

Now, the most important question that drives us to some specific methods of soundproofing is: how much does it cost to soundproof a room?

In this article, we will try to give you some insights of the soundproofing prices, soundproofing materials, and what each particular method will roughly cost for your soundproofing project.

Of course, prices differ, and therefore, we will give you an average price needed for soundproofing a room with different methods to seal all those pesky sound leaks.

All of the methods that we are about to mention are quite affordable and you will not have to spend a fortune on material costs.

After reading, hopefully, you will have a better insight on how to soundproof your room effectively and not spend too much cash on it.

Let’s start with some of the most popular methods of soundproofing a room.

What is Soundproofing?

There are different soundproofing materials for different types of noise.

First off, let's talk about noise. Noise comes from sound that travels through space and bounces off different surfaces creating vibrations.

These acoustic vibrations can reach the human ear or a microphone. This is how sound waves are audible.

Airborne Noise vs. Impact Noise

But not all sound waves are the same. This is due to the fact that different surfaces produce different sonic effects. Thus, the noise we hear can be divided into two types: airborne and impact noise.

In order to better understand how soundproofing works it is good to make a clear distinction between the two as they require different materials and solutions.

What Is Airborne Noise?

Airborne noise is any noise that travels by air such as speech, music, nature sounds, TV, animals etc. In essence it is everything you hear around you.

What Is Impact Noise?

Impact noise is a type of sound where there is an impact of two objects in space. When more than one object hits each other they create a vibration. Examples include: a ball bouncing on the floor, hands clapping, a hammer hitting a nail or the AC running.

Impact noise can travel through doors, floors, walls, windows. These types of sounds are usually low frequencies. You can describe them as a low "thud" or "muffled" noise where high frequencies are inaudible. The intensity of the noise becomes greater with each bounce of a surface of a structure.

If sound enters a space with flat surfaces it will bounce many times until it dies off. This also raises the total volume that is very difficult to control.

Mechanical devices with moving parts generate a lot of impact noise. Their operation causes collisions with different components in the machine.

Soundproofing Cost Per Square Foot

The cost to soundproof a room varies greatly and depends on its size. If you want to know how much soundproofing costs per square foot here is the breakdown.

The average cost per square foot for an existing room:

• $10 to $30

The average cost per square foot for a new room:

• $12 to $25

Average Cost To Soundproof An New Room (With Labor)

70 sq.ft: $840 - $1,750

130 sq.ft: $1,560 - $3,250

216 sq.ft: $2,592 - $5,400

300 sq.ft: $3,600 - $7,500

Average Cost To Soundproof An Existing Room (With Labor)

70 sq.ft: $700 - $2,100

130 sq.ft: $1,300 - $3,900

216 sq.ft: $2,160 - $6,480

300 sq.ft: $3,000 - $9,000

Soundproofing A New Room

When soundproofing a new room the labor costs are included in the initial build.

Soundproof insulation can be easily integrated into the design of your new walls. You can also go with soundproof windows with double-layered glass to absorb sound even better.

Most designs have built-in soundproofing materials so you don't have additional labor costs associated with extra work.

You will always save time and money if you try to soundproof a room when it's built rather than after.

Soundproofing An Existing Room

If you have a hollow core door you can replace it with a solid core door. Solid core doors are basically solid slabs of wood which are quite dense and can prevent sound waves from passing through.

That being said, adding foam insulation into existing walls will require more labor to get inside and can add up to the total soundproof room cost.

If you do not wish to demolish your walls you have other cheap alternatives to soundproof a room.

Room Type

Before starting any soundproofing project you must consider the type of the room you will be working on. The most common types of rooms are:

• bedrooms

• garages

• home recording studios

• living rooms

• home theaters

• baby rooms

If you want soundproof a garage you will spend anywhere between $450 to over $1000 for soundproof insulation. One of our favorites is Rockwool Sound Insulation. You can get it here.

You will also want to install soundproof doors which will cost around $350 to over $1000 as well. This premium soundproof door costs over $3000.

If you have a home theatre you will need to spend a minimum of $1000 for basic soundproofing materials. That being said, your soundproofing room cost can easily go up to over $10000 if you are a serious audiophile wanting to reduce sound transmission in the entire room.

The Cost of Wall Soundproofing

When it comes to the wall soundproofing, there are several effective methods.

The wall is the hardest area to soundproof so this one should be definitely elaborated first.

Mass loaded vinyl

Mass loaded vinyl is a well-known sound blocking material.

No matter if there is airborne noise or the impact one- this one will block the whole spectrum of it.

Since it can deal with almost every noise - vibrating, buzzing, or airborne, this is pretty much what you need.

Other methods might require a combination of a few in order to block both impact and airborne noise, while mass loaded vinyl will do the job just fine all by itself.

Basically, you can find mass loaded vinyl at an affordable price.

It goes around $100 - $200. For example, this mass loaded vinyl can cover up to 36 sq feet for only $144.

There are different ways to put mass loaded vinyl. You can put it on the wall’s surface or inside the walls.

Either way, it will prevent the noise effectively since its thickness is admirable and the materials used for its construction are specially designed for soundproofing purposes.

Average cost: An average cost of mass loaded vinyl is around $100-200 and can cover up to 50 sq feet.

Mineral Wool Batts

Mineral wool bats are also known as Rockwool batts.

It works similarly to any other soundproofing material.

The effectiveness is based on its thickness and the density of the material.

Wool batts have found a great purpose in construction.

They are most likely inserted between the joists, adding an extra thickness to your walls.

When it comes to affordability and effectiveness, this one is highly ranked among soundproofing materials.

For example, this one would be my choice. It costs around $55. When we do the math, it’s a bit pricier than mass loaded vinyl. 

Acoustic Panels

Acoustic panels are another great way of soundproofing.

I mean, what can we say more- they are used for soundproofing studio purposes.

Now, there are two different types of acoustic panels.

First ones are great for an echo reduction. Those are foam panels.

They are, as its name says, thick foam panels commonly used in the music industry.

When it comes to price, they are quite cheap. 12 pack of panels 1" X 12" X 12” are something less than $20.

The other kind is a fiberglass panel. These panels are great for dealing with a really loud noise.

They are quite easy to install and will cut the noise much more drastically than foam panels.

Surely, they are quite expensive, but you will definitely solve your noise problems.

Pack of 12 with the size of 1” X 12” X 12” will cost roughly around $68 which is 3x pricier than the foam panel pack.

Soundproofing Drywall price

Now, drywall can be an effective way of dealing with noise.

There are two main types of drywall- regular drywall and soundproof drywall.

As regular drywall is an additional layer of defense, it will easily block the incoming noise.

As we know- the thicker the better, additional layer to your walls will just ensure more peace.

When it comes to a regular drywall, we’ve done some math for you and calculated that installing soundproof drywall in the room 12x12 sq feet might cost around $600 on average.

Regular drywall can block the noise, but not as effective as the soundproof drywall.

Soundproofing drywall is particularly built for that matter- to block some noise. You can also replace existing drywall with a new one.

Therefore, additional materials are added to its construction. That results in almost doubling the price of a drywall.

So, the cost to soundproof a 12x12 sq feet room, you might need to invest around $1000- $1200.

Double Soundproof Drywall

A single layer of drywall costs between $40 and $60.

As we've previously mentioned, thick is the name of the game. If you want to soundproof a room so that there is nothing coming out you can opt for a double soundproof drywall solution. Since drywall is already an effective way to absorb sound, why not double down?

Many people choose to add a second layer of drywall in recording studios. The added layer can block almost all sounds if executed properly and make the room dead silent. This environment is perfect for recording as there is no added noise.

The Cost of Ceiling Soundproofing 

Due to gravity, you can’t use all of the aforementioned methods. Of course, you can go with mass loaded vinyl and acoustic panels.

The price does not differ from soundproofing the walls. The only problem is the process of installation.

These materials (except foam panels) are quite heavy, and you might need a hand of a friend, or a professional to install them on your ceiling.

Of course, there is the cheapest method that can insulate the noise if the level of it isn’t that high.

You can ask your neighbor to add some carpet to the floor (if there is anyone living above your room).

We all know that neighbors can be a pain in the neck, and most of the time this won’t work very well for you, but it’s definitely worth trying.

See here for soundproofing ceiling without construction.

The Cost of Windows Soundproofing 

When it comes to the windows soundproofing, there are several different methods to do so.

They are specially designed for the windows soundproofing, and most of them won’t take much investment.

Soundproofing curtains

Soundproofing curtains are quite effective in soundproofing your window.

They are thick and specially designed to block airborne noise.

There is a small pro tip for you when buying a soundproofing curtain.

You should probably look for those that have eyelets. They are quite easy to install.

True, they might be a bit pricier, but that difference in price is not worth the effort of making your own eyelets.

As you can see, this one is around $25 which is really the cheap price for peace.

Along with the curtain, you will need a curtain rod to hang that curtain on it.

Depending on the size, the price varies. Anyway, it should not be more expensive than $20.

Window Plug

This method can be done within not more than $50.

Of course, it depends on your window size, but let’s say that you have some standard window size 2m X 1m.

The window plug you can make by yourself, there are no plugs that you can buy, because the size of the window differs.

Therefore, you can make your own with acoustic foam, a wooden panel, and a handle.

When it comes to this one, you will probably lose a lot of sunlight as well.

That’s the only downfall.

Anyway, it’s quite easy to make this plug and it will be effective. You won’t need huge investments.

We’ve already seen that foam panels are somewhat cheap, and the frame can’t be more expensive than a few bucks.

Therefore, you can have your panel in less than $20 if you do it correctly.

Seal the gaps

The most common problems, for which the solution is the cheapest one as well, are the gaps on your windows.

Sometimes, even the smallest gaps can make a difference and release a ton of noise to your room.

Therefore, you can seal the gaps easily with a sealant such as green glue.

You can also use the weatherstrip tape that is a well-known sound deadener and thermal leak reducer.

For not more than $15 you will have your room thermal insulated and soundproofed.

The Cost of Door Soundproofing 

Soundproofing a door isn’t that hard job. You won’t need many investments in it, also.

Depending on the method that you choose, you will most likely need around $100.

Let’s check out each one of the methods for the more precise cost.

Moving blankets

Moving blankets are great sound absorbers.

With the thickness they offer, you will have an additional layer of defense against the unwanted noise.

The more layers you have- the better sound reduction.

For example, the size of 72" X 80" will cost roughly around $40. I have bought this one for myself, and it did a phenomenal job.

They are quite heavy, so you might need an additional rod to hang them on.

When we sum it, this solution should not cost more than $60 for one door.

Acoustic panels 

If you decide to put acoustic panels on your doors, you already know the price.

This is just a reminder that acoustic panels can literally be put anywhere you have the noise problems in order to effectively decrease it.

Remember that the fiberglass panels are almost 3x pricier than the foam panels, but keep in mind that the price comes with the quality as well.

Weatherstrip and Door Sweep

Sealing the gaps might be the easiest solution for you if the noise is coming through them.

The most problematic part is on the bottom of the door, between the door and the floor.

For the rest of your doors, you can use weatherstrip tape, which we already discussed.

However, for the bottom of your doors, the solution can differ. You can go with the silicone door sweep.

The price of this particular one is just $10. That is quite a valuable product, which can reduce the noise, thermal leak, and prevent some bugs from infesting the room.

Sound Dampening Rug

Also called a soundproof carpet pad, a sound dampening rug is a great sound absorber. This soundproof carpet pad from RUGPADUSA is our favorite.

We really liked the non-slip feature which made it stay securely in place.

It remains crease-free for a long time and is quite comfortable.

To our surprise it had a really luxurious feel! We also noticed less sound waves bouncing off the floor and the overall volume became lower with significant noise reduction.

Although being quite thick it is not too heavy to move around.

If it got stolen we would definitely buy it again.

The Cost of Floor soundproofing

The floor soundproofing is somewhat easy.

Since it’s most unlikely to hear the noise coming from beneath, floor soundproofing is commonly used to reduce the echo noise that you create just being in the room.

For this purpose, you can go with some thick carpeting that will reduce the echo.

Carpets can be expensive but they offer numerous benefits.

All in all, you can find some for less than $100.

The Cost of Soundproofing your Chimney

Chimney soundproofing is not that hard as it sounds. Nevertheless, it won’t take too much of your funds either.

For example, you can go with the most common method of soundproofing a chimney- the chimney balloon.

Simply, put it into your chimney and do as with any other balloon.

It will block the noise from the wind coming down through your chimney.

It’s not that expensive, and can last for a really long time. You can find chimney balloons at an affordable price of around $50.

The STC standard

The Sound Transmission Class (STC) measures the noise reduction achieved by a sound blocker or absorber, such as drywall.

Many business and residential buildings must meet certain STC requirements for wall panels, soundproof floor underlayment, drywall sheets in order to reduce the overall noise pollution inside the building as well as its surroundings.

Most modern business buildings have an STC rating of 50. To give you a frame of reference, a 50 STC rating means that you will still be able to hear muffled sounds coming through walls. If you go to STC 60 you will notice significant reductions in noise transfer.

For best results we recommend hiring soundproofing contractors as the experience they have is unmatched and can save you a lot of time, money and headaches in the long run.

If you choose to soundproof a room using this method will also save a lot on material cost.

A good soundproofing crew usually includes all common materials in the final cost of their soundproofing projects.

Is Soundproofing A Room Worth It?

If you are someone who values a peaceful environment not only for himself but also for his neighbors, you will both greatly benefit from soundproofing your place of living.

Better Music Experience

Not only will you clear out unwanted noises, but you will also improve the overall sound quality of all your sound sources.

This is because the sound quality will always be significantly lower if there is echo or any added noise, for example coming from sound leaks in your room.

Thus, with lower noise levels you will notice a significant improvement in the clarity of the sounds.

If you have a home recording studio, and decide to go ahead with a soundproofing project you will immediately be able to tell that music sounds "cleaner".

With soundproof walls, the sound waves cannot travel so freely anymore. The sound absorbing materials make it hard for them to bounce from wall to wall endlessly. This in turn results in substantial noise reduction and an increase in sound quality.

No Noisy Neighbors

If you undergo a soundproofing project it will also fix the sound pollution coming from your neighbors and all the street noise with it. Your neighbors will love you and you can't put a price tag on that. A quiet mind is priceless.

A Good Night's Sleep

Soundproofing walls in your entire house/room can cut out so much noise that there is a high chance that you will simply sleep better. Who knows, maybe you could fix a lot of your sleeping problems with a simple soundproofing solution? We definitely recommend trying it.

So, How Much Does It Cost To Soundproof A Room?

Hopefully, this article gave you some better insight into expenses that you need to make in order to achieve a bit quieter environment in your room.

As we may conclude, the biggest problem is the thickness of your walls.

So, the most of the resources you will need to put in this area.

If we set aside the soundproofing of walls, all of the other methods will take $100 tops each.

Soundproofing a room is not that expensive, and you can get some peace for yourself that you truly deserve.

Here are some cheap soundproofing ideas to help you even more.