How To Make a Soundproof Booth in Your Home: 7 Simple Steps
If you are a musician or a sound recorder, then one of the major challenges that you must be facing is getting space to rent out your own recording studio.
Even with space the monthly rent, as well as other expenses, can take a huge toll on your finances.
But what if you could actually build a DIY soundproof booth at home?
It is because of such setbacks, that people find it much easier to build a soundproof booth in your home.
Not only will this help you cut on costs, it will also allow you to work from the comfort of your home.
Besides people who work with music and sound recording, you may also need a quiet place to just work from home.
While some people have a home office for such needs, not everyone has space.
In this case, a soundproof booth would be a great place to get all the work done even when everyone else is home.
Building a soundproof booth in your home does not need much.
And if you don’t have a lot of space – that’s okay. You can still build out a small soundproof booth for personal use.
All you have to ensure is that the sound insulation is properly done so as to reduce the amount of sound that gets in and out of the room.
It will also help in getting rid of echoes so as to ensure that the quality of the sound is very high.
Soundproof studio booth can be pricey – but building your own and doing your own sound isolation can set you at a lot lower price.
In the long run, you’ll be better off by learning how to build an isolation booth.
At this point, you are probably wondering how exactly to go about building a soundproof booth in your home.
Well, if that is the case, then this article is meant for you. So read on to find out why.
How to Make a Soundproof Booth in Your Home
What you will need
If you are thinking of building an entire soundproof booth, then you have a bit more work to do.
Even though building your personal noise cancelling booth is going to be a lot cheaper choice – you will still need to invest in some materials & tools.
Here are some of the materials that you will need:
Once you have assembled all your tools of the trade, it is time to get to work.
Step 1: Find a suitable place
This is perhaps the hardest step. You have to ensure that the place you decide on is hardly used if ever.
However, you have to ensure that there is just enough space to move around so that you do not feel all cramped out while working.
In most cases, the basement, garage, and attic serve as the ideal place to build your soundproof booth.
Depending on the space that you have, make a plan and come up with the ideal measurements for your booth.
Step 2: Frame the walls
Most doors that are used in homes nowadays are usually hollow on the inside.
You can check if the door to your baby’s room is hollow by knocking on it.
If it’s hard and solid like the front door, then you have a solid door.
However, if it feels like a thick cardboard, it is probably hollow on the inside, but it’s one of the most important parts of your DIY isolation booth – and you want to do the best work possible on the walls.
For such doors, getting a sound-absorbing blanket will probably be the best option for you.
You can get those from Amazon and you will be amazed at how much noise they can reduce.
Step 3: Work on the door
With all the wall frames in place, it is now time to fix the door. Ready-made doors are easier to find.
When shopping for a door to use in your booth, be sure to look for a solid door.
Solid doors are much better in terms of soundproofing. However, they are a bit expensive.
If you are working on a shoestring budget, a normal hollow door can do just fine.
You can then work on making it soundproof by using a soundproof blanket or a door draft stopper.
It is important to make sure that the pins and knobs are well screwed to prevent them from falling apart and in order to achieve the most efficient & soundproof cabin.
Step 4: Add in the soundproofing material
At this point, you already have a booth. However, the goal is to make the booth soundproof.
This is the most crucial step of the process.
Deciding on what soundproofing material to use in your booth can be hard, given that there are so many options to choose from.
However, when it comes to a soundproof booth, this will narrow down to just two viable options;
Drywall
A drywall is a panel made of calcium sulfate dihydrate pressed between a facer and a backer.
Drywall is very effective when it comes to soundproofing and is easily found in hardware stores.
The material used to make the drywall is soundproof making it common for use in ceilings and interior walls.
If you decide to use the drywall, you will need to attach it to the outer frame as well as the interior of the booth.
Make sure that it is well attached with no spaces. You can also use some screws to ensure that it stays in place.
It requires a bit of installation, and you might need a bit of help – but it’s definitely worth the reasonable investment and installation efforts.
It’s definitely one of the recommended materials to rely on when building the sound booth.
Acoustic foam
Another viable option when soundproofing your booth is using acoustic foam panels.
These panels are also made of soundproof materials.
Because they were made for recording studios and booths, they can also work great for your soundproof booth at home.
Acoustic foam panels come in all sizes and shapes. It can, therefore, be a bit hard to decide on what material to go for.
Bear in mind that because of the variety, the panels have different capabilities and structures.
Be sure to scout for the best acoustic foam panels that you can get within your budget.
If you are an artistic person, then you may find these a better option than the drywall.
You can set the panels in a specific pattern to come up with an overall pattern that is appealing.
You can also get to choose from different colors and designs depending on what you like.
Just like the drywall, make sure that the panels are well placed and stay in place.
Step 5: Drill some holes
If you are going to be using the booth for recording, then it is important to drill some holes on the frame.
Through these holes, you will be able to install the signal cables as well as any other cables that you may need.
Step 6: Seal all the gaps
When it comes to transmitting sound, even the smallest gaps and holes can prove to be quite a problem.
Once everything is set in place, you will have to go through the booth making sure that you are sealing all the gaps and holes.
You can do this using the silicone caulk that works great in soundproofing.
Step 7: Install the weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is a great material for soundproofing the door.
With all the gaps sealed, the door could still let some sound and air in and out of the booth.
Weatherstripping allows you to get rid of this problem. We recommend this weatherstripping.
Install the weatherstripping all around the door frame. You can also use the silicone caulk to seal any other gaps.
Another great idea would be to install a door sweep at the bottom of the door.
This will help seal the gap between the door and the floor whenever the door is closed.
You will also need to ensure that the door still works great even with all the extra material.
Extra tip: Soundproof the floor
Although you do not necessarily have to work on the floors, it can be a great idea especially if there is another room located below the booth.
Soundproofing the floor does not take much.
For this, you can easily use a drywall between the floor and the carpet.
If this is too much, thick plush rugs can also get the work done.
Besides preventing sound from downstairs, thick rugs are great for absorbing echoes.
They will, therefore, be a great option if you intend to use the booth for music and sound recording purposes.
Alternate Solution: Turn a closet into a soundproof booth
While you can build a booth entirely from scratch, it can be quite an expensive and engaging task.
You may, therefore, want to consider other options.
You can, for example, turn that unused closet into a soundproof booth. This is a much easier and cheaper option.
Step 1: Make some adjustments
Given that the space was once a closet, you may have to make some little adjustments.
You will have to get rid of the shelves and racks if there were any.
This will help you maximize on the space as well as get flat surfaces that are very important for the next step.
It is also important to ensure that there is lighting in the closet.In most cases, there are no electrical outlets in closets.
These are important especially if you are going to be using the booth for recording purposes.
If there are no outlets, then you will have to contact a licensed electrician to have some installed.
Step 2: Soundproof the booth
Soundproofing the booth is in fact, the most important step. For this, you can easily follow the steps as those above.
Just like in the case of building a booth, it is important to ensure that all the gaps are sealed as well as the extra soundproofing materials such as the weatherstripping have been added.
You can as well soundproof the floors.
On Making Your Own Soundproof Booth
Whether you want to be able to make some music from home or simply want a quiet space to work from, a soundproof booth can be a great option.
The best part about it is that there’s not much that is needed.
Simply follow the steps above to finally get that soundproof booth in your home!
If you didn’t know how to build sound booth before reading this article – chances are you’re fully ready to start working on DIY sound isolation booth that will serve you well for years.
How To Make a Soundproof Booth in Your Home
Do you need your own space for music recording? Or for work? Don't want to disturb others? Here's how to make a soundproof booth in your home.
Instructions
- Find A Suitable Place
- Frame The Walls
- Work On The Door
- Add In The Soundproofing Material
- Drill Some Holes
- Seal All The Gaps
- Install The Weatherstripping