How to Soundproof Sliding Glass Doors

Let’s face it, a sliding glass door just looks nice.

It’s got a sort of elegance to it that appeals to anyone who likes to make their home as lovely as possible.

I know me and my family enjoy ours since it gives us a lovely view of the outside and our porch.

Since it's not always prudent to go outside, the door at least allows for a kind of second-hand enjoyment.

However, let’s not kid ourselves. These doors have a few problems.

Unlike most other doors, they’re much harder to soundproof and they’re definitely going to need it sometimes.

After all, even interior doors are much sturdier and thicker than them, which means sound can pass through easily.

This isn’t normally a huge issue, but what if you have one of these problems crop up:

You suddenly have very noisy neighbors move in and they’re right in the direction of your sliding doors. You’re going to be treated to noise, more noise and then some noise for dessert.
Construction work starts up and while most of the noise can at least be muffled, the glass doors let it all in. Definitely not an ideal situation, nor one you want to find yourself in.
You get a spell of bad weather. It happens, all too frequently these days, that bad weather hits us unexpectedly and you can bet on it being loud as well as unpleasant.

While there are many more, let’s not dwell on them.

Let’s try, instead, to both hone in on the problem and then solve it.

best ways to soundproof sliding glass doors

Firstly, let’s discuss the major issues with glass doors and why soundproofing them tends to be tricky business.

They’re noticeably thinner than doors made from other materials, like wood. Thus they require a lot more to even manage proper soundproofing and even then you’re not guaranteed success.
They’re sliding doors, so even placing materials for soundproofing on them is not advisable. Not only are they hindered by something like that, but it ruins the point of them and the overall look.
As is the danger any time you work with glass, there is always a chance of them breaking, no matter how slight. Apart from laminated glass, glass doors do tend to be fragile.

However, there are ways around all of these issues.

Here are my personal favorites, in order from least expensive and/or complicated, to most.

1. Use a Thick Winter Blanket

Of course, the benefits of this method are crystal clear:

Extremely low cost.
Convenience.
Ease of use.

However, what you need to keep in mind is that while this will produce some results, they won’t be fantastic.

Any and all noise made by impacts will basically pass through unimpeded as well.

Essentially, what you’re doing is taking advantage of the fact that a winter blanket is thick, so it will muffle noise.

Keep in mind, this is a stopgap measure at best.

You don't want it hanging up near the sliding doors and ruining the décor nor do you want the dust that comes with it.

It's cumbersome and unwieldy, but if the problem is dire, a good fix for a brief period.

If you wish to stick to this solution, I recommend buying something like these mover blankets.

That way, you at least get the best possible variant of the blanket to hang up.

2. Seal all of the Gaps Found

There are several upsides to consider here as well:

You’re going after the source of the problem, at least partially.
It’s not going to be at all costly to do.
It’s a relatively quick fix.

On the other hand, this does not solve your issue of having glass doors, which will inevitably let more noise through.

There is only so much sealing and ensure everything is airtight that you can do.

If you want to do this to make sure, do as follows:

Check for any gaps when the door is closed. If you do find any, you should apply this kind of weather stripping tape to them.
Cover the door frame carefully and slowly. You should make sure to have a complete seal, by the time you close the door to check if it’s worked. Another handy tip is to look down. Or rather, beneath the doors.
A door sweep is very effective and handy. It adds to the seal you’re making and is quite easy to apply, while not being expensive to purchase.

Once you’re done applying this to the bottom of your door, you should be all sealed up.

The noise will definitely be lessened.

3. Hang some Curtains up to Block the Noise

Obviously, curtains seem like a given. Some of the upsides are:

They’re not going to break the bank. Even the highest quality curtains won’t cost that much.
Easy to install and pick out.
You can even make the décor better with the right selection.
You can go for double curtains, which is more soundproofing.

Keep in mind that not even this approach is ideal. You do need to hunt for curtains that are in the size you need.

Furthermore, there is an additional cost in time and money. You need to find and purchase a curtain rod for them, as well.

Despite this, I recommend this method.

Not only do you get soundproofing, but you also get insulation as well, with the right type of curtains.

On top of all that, you can easily coordinate the color scheme. I hate it when something sticks out in my house, so I love this feature a lot.

The installation is easy, just like with any other curtain. Just be wary of making sure the sizes fit.

4. Hang up a Fiberglass Blanket

This might seem like it’s just a repeat, but trust me, the benefits here are very different:

It’s one of the best options you have for soundproofing.
Fairly inexpensive, considering the effectiveness.
Amazing at dealing with impact noise as well.

I have to warn you, right away, that this option is ugly. There is no other way to say it, fiberglass blankets do not look good.

Despite this, I still recommend them because they do their job well.

Even nightclubs sometimes use them for noise reduction.

Additionally, as stated before, they’re amazing at blocking impact noise, which not many methods can really give you.

Any sort of impact noise is reduced significantly with them.

Something like this blanket will do wonders. Just ignore how it looks.

As for installation and use, it’s quite easy. You can hang it on a curtain rod, same as the curtains.

You can even go for hooks that have anchors in order to install it and take it down more easily.

Convenient if you wish to remove the blanket whenever there are people visiting.

5. Just go for the Laminated Door Instead

I figure this needs to be said, even if the option is clearly very different from the previous ones.

You can always replace your regular glass doors with laminated ones, because:

They’re far more elegant.
They’re strong.
They reduce noise quite well.

But this is by far the most time consuming and expensive option.

The cheapest you’re going to find them is roughly $500 and installation will cost up to half that, taking a couple of hours at least.

If you can get over the price tag, this is an amazing option.

It will definitely reduce both impact and airborne noise drastically.

Conclusion: On Soundproofing Sliding Glass Doors

Hope you found an option that works for you, among all of these.

Best of luck with reducing your noise problems and finding a way to do that you feel good about.

How to Soundproof Sliding Glass Doors

Sliding glass doors look good, no doubt, but they are harder to prevent noise from entering a house. Here's how to soundproof sliding glass doors.

Active Time 50 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Instructions

Use a Thick Winter Blanket
Seal all of the Gaps Found
Hang some Curtains up to Block the Noise
Hang up a Fiberglass Blanket
Just go for the Laminated Door Instead