Have you been doing live streams while gaming, or simply working in your home office, but notice that there’s too much background noise ruining your audio quality?
Here’s how you soundproof your streaming room or home office for optimum audio quality:Â
- Make sure your floors in your streaming room are covered with sound absorbing carpet from wall to wall.Â
- If you have windows in your streaming room then make sure you cover them with thick curtains
- Place acoustic soundproofing panels on your walls in your home office or streaming room
- Cover your ceiling in acoustic panels for even more sound absorption as needed.
The first thing that comes to mind when we think about soundproofing our home or office is the walls.
In fact, most of us will start with the wall before anything else.
Of course we want to make sure that the walls are thick enough so that we’re not getting noise from other rooms and no one can hear what is going on in your streaming room.
Odds are they aren’t, so that’s why we need soundproofing material in place to eliminate that extra unwanted sound.
But there are many more parts of a room that need to be considered when trying to make sure that your streaming room has good soundproofing in place. This includes the floor, ceiling, doors, and any furniture that might be in the room.
Let’s take a look at each part of your streaming room, or your home office, and see if it has an impact on the way people hear what is happening inside your space.
Real quick: before we get too far along here, if you want to get more great ideas for your gaming room or home office and connect with other home office hackers to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Home Office Hacks here.
What Is The Best Way To Soundproof A Room?
Soundproofing is an important part of any content creation project.
If you don’t soundproof your room, then you run the risk of having a lot more opportunities for frustration that will slow you down.
That could cause problems if you are working on something sensitive like music production. So, you should always consider soundproofing your room.
But, where do you start? How much soundproofing do you really need? What kind of material should you use? And, how do you go about doing it? These questions are answered below.
Soundproof Your Floor
Make sure your floors in your streaming room are covered with sound absorbing carpet from wall to wall.
Floors are easily forgotten when it comes to thinking through the soundproofing materials you’re going to need, but it’s a simple problem to solve.
If the floors in your streaming room or home office are solid surface, like tile, hardwood, or vinyl plank, you will need something to absorb sound waves that will reflect off those surfaces.
Adding a big rug will often do the trick. Another option is to install carpeting. Both rugs and carpets work well at absorbing sound waves. They also help keep the room cooler during summer months.
You can find a variety of different types of carpeting available in stores today. Some are made specifically for this purpose.
You can also look into installing soundproofing mats under your desk or table.
Soundproof Rug for Piano, Piano Carpet Protector/Sound Dampening Carpet/Acoustic Pads/Sound Proof Floor Mat/Soundproofing Blankets/Sound-Absorbing Sponge, with 3 Piano Pedal CoverD
- Soundproof carpet specially used for electronic piano, the size is 160*70CM, placing it on the floor where the electronic piano is installed can reduce vibration. Delivery list: 1 X piano soundproof carpet + 3 X piano pedal covers
- This soundproof carpet can be used in washing machines, treadmills, sewing machines, subwoofers and any place where sound insulation is required.
Soundproof The Windows
If you have windows in your streaming room then make sure you cover them with thick curtains.
Who wants cars, emergency vehicles, trains, or other outside noises making their way into their streams? No one!
While it’s great that most newer windows are double-paned that doesn’t mean that they’re completely sound proof. They do a great job of reducing the sound waves with the extra layer of glass, but there could be a chance that there could still be some sounds bleeding through.
Plus, not every place has these newer types of windows, and replacing windows is NOT cheap.
So when you’re streaming and recording cover up your windows with a dense material that will absorb sound.
You can use soundproof blankets or thick curtains that you can close when you’re recording or streaming.
Audimute Sound Absorption Sheet – Sound Dampening Blanket – Soundproofing Sheet (Bone)
- Purchase more than 1 for Free Shipping.
- Measures 96″ x 48″ (8′ x 4′), contains (3) metal grommets on the top for easy hanging, and includes hanging hardware.
Moondream 3-in-1 Sound Insulation Curtain with Noise-Blackout-Thermal Insulation, Patented Technology, 55″ Width x 95″ Length, Grey (Stone MC17), Grommet, 1 Panel
- 3in1 solution: Soundproof, Blackout and Thermal insulation – Patented Technology
- According to test laboratories, the sound energy is folded by 4, reaching a drop of up to 7 decibels*
Soundproof Your Walls
Place acoustic soundproofing panels on your walls in your home office or streaming room.
You can easily add acoustic foam panels that will do the trick.
52 Pack Acoustic Panels 1 X 12 X 12 Inches – Acoustic Foam – Studio Foam Wedges – High Density Panels – Soundproof Wedges – Charcoal
- Professional Sound Absorbing Properties – Acoustic foams are installed to reduce noise pollution as they remove echoes and background sounds not by blocking the sound but by absorbing it. Acoustic foams are used to control the reverberation sounds make and this is quite different from soundproofing. Use our acoustic foam to treat any sized areas including acoustic studio, recording booths, control rooms and radio studios. They effectively delete standing waves and flutter.
- Quality – Our Acoustic Foam Panels are made with flexible, professional grade acoustic foam, made for quality sound absorption in a variety of soundproofing projects. The foam is dense and consistent in firmness, so acoustic absorption performance will also be consistent.
These acoustic foam tiles are easily applied by using double-sided tape, strips, or spray-on glue adhesive.
BUBOS 24 Pack Acoustic Panels Soundproof Wall Panels,12“x12“x0.4″ Sound Absorbing Panels Acoustical Wall Panels Padding,Acoustic Treatment for Recording Studio,Office,Home Studio,White
- Made of 230kg/m3 high density and eco-friendly polyester fiber, our soundproofing foam have an great advantage of reducing and absorbing noise, it is both safe to breathe in and touch, too. Besides, the sound proof foam panels do well on the test of noise reduction, achieving a grade of NRC 0.95 which is better than all of the sound panels on the market.
- No special tools or materials are needed for installation! You won’t have to wrestle with to get it where they need to go, attaching the acoustic foam panels with nails, spray adhesive or 3M double sided tape (not included) easily. Our sound absorbing panel will stay on a variety of surfaces tightly because they are lightweight and bendable. Easy to shape and cut to size, altering won’t affect performance.
You can also use acoustic wall panels that are made from different material than foam for a different look.
These polyester panels will do a great job of reducing the background sound in your streaming room or office, and look fantastic at the same time.
You can also use acoustic sound panels placed strategically in your streaming room or home office.
ATS Acoustics Panel 24x48x2 Inches, Beveled Edge, in Ivory
- Provides clearer, more enjoyable sound by effectively controlling unwanted reverb and echo.
- Superior sound absorption: NRC 1.0 out of 1.
They’ll effectively control unwanted sound and reduce the reverb and echo of any kind of room.
Soundproof The Ceiling
Cover your ceiling in acoustic panels for even more sound absorption as needed.
One of the other things that’s easy to forget about is applying a sound treatment to your ceiling.
You might not realize this until you’re done with your project and you notice that you still have some noise coming through. This is because the sound treatment doesn’t work well unless it absorbs all the unwanted ambient sounds in the entire area.
So, if you’re looking at soundproofing your streaming space, you’ll want to look into getting acoustic panels installed over your ceiling.
ATS Acoustics Panel 24x48x2 Inches, Beveled Edge, in Ivory
- Provides clearer, more enjoyable sound by effectively controlling unwanted reverb and echo.
- Superior sound absorption: NRC 1.0 out of 1.
They’re available in all kinds of different sizes and shapes and you can choose between using them as a full-coverage solution or just covering a partial area. Either way works but the full coverage option is usually better since it also helps to absorb sound waves.
ATS Acoustics Panel 24x48x2 Inches, Beveled Edge, in Ivory
- Provides clearer, more enjoyable sound by effectively controlling unwanted reverb and echo.
- Superior sound absorption: NRC 1.0 out of 1.
How Much Soundproofing Should I Use?
When it comes to figuring out how much soundproofing you should use, think first about the area you need to cover.
A good place to begin is to start with a strip on your walls of your streaming room roughly 2 feet off the ground, and 3-4 feet thick. Depending on the size of your streaming room, this could be roughly 30-40 square feet per wall.
On your floor start with a good area mat, like the one mentioned before, if you don’t have carpeting.
Make sure that you test your set up thoroughly to see if you need to expand your coverage.
If you’ve got windows, and you live in a high-traffic area, nothing worse than police car or emergency services with sirens wailing, so make sure that you use a soundproof blanket, or soundproof curtains, or some other dense material to soak up as much of that ambient noise as possible.
If you’re still bouncing sound on walls in your home office or streaming room, you need to increase your coverage until you get rid of it, or to a level that it’s easier to catch by your filters in post production.
Which Materials Are Best For Soundproofing?
When it comes to soundproofing, the main kinds of materials used by streamers and content creators of all kinds are primarily soft materials like carpet, foam, acoustic panels, and blankets.
There are two main types of soundproofing material:
Sound reduction: sound reduction materials aim to stop sound waves from entering into an area. For example, this would be stuff like stormy weather, traffic and outdoor noises, and other external noise.
Sound absorption: sound absorbing materials seek to minimize and eliminate sound already in an area and keep it from bouncing off of surfaces in that area, or reverberating through the space.
The most popular soft materials for soundproofing include:
| Carpet & Rugs | Carpets are a good choice for soundproofing because they do such great job of absorbing sound waves. |
| Acoustic Foam Panels | Acoustic panels are another option for sound proofing because they are flexible and can be placed anywhere. Plus, they are fairly affordable. |
| Acoustic Panels | different from their foam counterparts, these can be made from polyester with no off-gassing and are safe for your space and do a great job enhancing your sound quality. |
| Soundproof Spray Foam | This is a sound proof material that you use to fill spaces in walls and is sprayed into the space. |
| Blankets & Soundproof Curtains | Blankets are yet another option for soundproofed rooms because they are light-weight and can be placed almost anywhere. And soundproof curtains are a great solution for knocking down sound waves in your office. |
Why Should You Soundproof Your Streaming Room?
Doing live streaming but room noise is bleeding through your audio?
Have a podcast, but ambient noise is creeping in because of echo in your room?
If you have background noise problems in your audio you should consider soundproofing your space.
There are several reasons why you should soundproof your streaming room.
First off, if you don’t soundproof your room, people may not enjoy listening to your content. There is no shortage of audio snobs out there who take delight in pointing out the slightest flaw in your audio quality.
You might even end up losing listeners and followers because there is too much going on in the background. If this happens, you could lose potential listeners who may never come back.
Second, you may find that you are unable to focus due to all the noise. Being distracted during your live stream can throw you off and make for an awkward experience for your followers.
Third, you may find that your voice gets lost in the mix. You may find that some people cannot understand what you are saying. Dealing with extra noise can pull attention away from you, which is not what you want.
Fourth, you may find that the ambient noise is getting into your recordings. Sure, you can do a lot to remove background noise in post production, but it gets old, especially when you can prevent it from being there in the first place.
How Can I Soundproof Without Spending Too Much Money?
If you’ve on a budget you can still get some outstanding sound proofing in place without breaking the bank!
Here, you can grab 48 square feet of acoustic foam panels for under $40. (check this link for price on Amazon).
48 Pack Acoustic Foam Panel Wedge Studio Soundproofing Wall Tiles 12″ X 12″ X 1″
- The sound-absorbing foam brick has beautiful appearance and good sound-absorbing performance. Its biggest feature is: because the wavy triangle shape spreads very little, it makes your voice more dynamic.
- Made of environmentally friendly polyurethane foam. In order to improve the opening step and specific acoustic characteristics, it not only has effective sound absorption characteristics, but also does not cause any harm to the human body. Used to absorb mid to high range frequencies and diminish echoes. Overall Noise Reduction Coefficien
Here is full set of soundproof curtains for under $30 ( check this link for price on Amazon).
LORDTEX Dark Grey Room Divider Curtains – Total Privacy Wall Room Divider Screens Sound Proof Wide Blackout Curtain for Living Room Bedroom Patio Sliding Door, 1 Panel, 8.3ft Wide x 7ft Tall
- WHAT’S IN THE PACKAGE? Each set includes 1 dark grey curtain panel, and each window drape measures 100-inch width by 84-inch length. 12 elegant silver metal grommets with 1.6-inch inner diameter, fit well with standard or decorative curtain rods, which makes the curtains easy to install and slide.
- PREMIUM BLACKOUT MATERIAL: Our room darkening curtain is made of 100% polyester fabric and have the same color with the front and back. Crafted in a certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO‑TEX factory from a durable soft and thick triple weave blackout fabric which block out 90% above sunlight and UV rays. Darker colors work better.
Here is a fantastic set of acoustic panels that are perfect for making your own custom soundproofed panel system.
ZHERMAO 12 Pack Hexagon Acoustic Panels Beveled Edge Sound Proof Foam Panels, 14″X13″X 0.4″ High Density Sound Proofing Padding for Wall, Acoustic Treatment for Studio, Home and Office (Grey Blue)
- ZHERMAO 12 Pack Hexagon Acoustic Panels Beveled Edge Sound Proof Foam Panels, 14″X13″X 0.4″ High Density Sound Proofing Padding for Wall, Acoustic Treatment for Studio, Home and Office (Grey Blue)
- SOLID COLOR&MIXED COLOR: Our special solid and mixed color acoustic panels are the best choice to decorate your room, door, wall, office and studio. The professional sound dampening panels are also great for spot treating sound in your recording studios, control rooms, offices home studios, home theaters, and home offices.
ZHERMAO 12 Pack Hexagon Acoustic Panels Beveled Edge Sound Proof Foam Panels
Next Steps
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