Whether you’re interested in blocking the sound coming through a shared wall in your condo or apartment, or looking to ways to reduce the noise coming from a home recording studio or hone theater, you might have heard of acoustic wallpaper and wonder if it meets your needs.
Considering soundproof wallpaper as a solution means that you probably don’t want unsightly solutions like acoustic foam panels on the wall. Instead, you want something that matches the decor of the home, while still being functional for reducing noise.
We’ll let you know how this product is designed to lower noise levels and if it actually works.
How Does Soundproof Wallpaper Reduce Noise?
Though acoustic wallpaper looks like your normal run of mill wall covering, it’s actually a bit different than your normal roll of wallpaper.
While it is still relatively thin in thickness level, it is made with extra layers that are designed to damped sounds that bounce off the walls of your home.
One of the layers will either be a latex mix or foam, which also means that the surface will have a softer feel than what you are used to with traditional wallpapers.
So, when sound hits the top layer of the wallpaper, it has to travel through those other layers before the sound is bounced back at you. And as that happens, the volume level of the sound is dampened a bit because those layers absorb a little of it as it passes through them.
And don’t worry, those extra layers won’t cause any installation issues. You hang acoustic wallpaper the same way that you do the regular stuff.
Does Soundproof Wallpaper Really Work?
Since layers of pretty much anything are effective as reducing noise, then it’s safe for you to assume that this special type of wallpaper will do the same. It really does work – but does it work the way you hope it does?
Acoustical wallpaper does not completely deaden or eliminate the sounds.
But it does work to reduce the noise levels.
So while it does work on mid-level sound frequencies, it won’t solve really loud noise problems. For those, it is best used in combination with other solutions.
Reasons To Use Soundproof Wallpaper
As you might expect, any noises that intrude upon the peaceful oasis of your home are good reasons to consider putting this stuff on your walls.
Here are some reasons that you might consider adding this to your walls:
- You have shared walls with a neighbor
- You have a home studio or instrument practice room
- You want to reduce the noise coming from the laundry room
- You wan to reduce the noise coming from the kitchen
- You have a kids playroom that is noisy
- Your neighborhood is noisy and you want to make your home quieter
Keep in mind that these are just some of the reasons to consider adding this to the walls of your home.
Final Thoughts
Overall soundproof wallpapers do work at reducing some of the noise pollution in a home, but they are not the best choice for loud noises.
Typically acoustic wallpaper, when used for soundproofing, excels at reducing what I would call background noises – traffic outside the home, neighbors chatting in the hallway, the sound of the TV from the other room, etc.
If that’s the sort of noise reduction that you’re looking for, then it’s perfect for you. But if you have more dominant sounds that you’re dealing with, then you’ll want to use this in conjunction with other solutions, like acoustic paints and foam acoustic panels.