Complete Apartment Soundproofing Guide

If you're reading this, you're probably tired. Tired of hearing your neighbor's TV, their dog, their arguments, or the constant rumble of traffic outside your window. Living with unwanted noise is exhausting, and the idea of "soundproofing" your apartment might seem overwhelming or even impossible.

Here's the reality: you can significantly reduce the noise in your apartment, but true soundproofing—the kind that blocks all sound completely—requires construction that most renters can't do. What you can do is make meaningful improvements that help you sleep better, work from home more effectively, and generally enjoy your space more.

This guide focuses on practical, renter-friendly solutions. Things you can actually do without losing your security deposit or getting into trouble with your landlord.

Understanding Apartment Noise

Before spending money on solutions, it helps to understand what you're dealing with. Sound travels in two main ways:

Airborne Noise

This is sound that travels through the air and enters through gaps, thin walls, windows, and doors. Examples include:

• Voices and conversation
• TV and music
• Traffic sounds
• Barking dogs

Airborne noise is generally easier to address because sealing gaps and adding mass to surfaces can help block it.

Impact Noise

This is sound created when something physically contacts a surface, sending vibrations through the building structure. Examples include:

• Footsteps from upstairs
• Doors slamming
• Furniture being moved
• Dropped objects

Impact noise is harder to deal with because it travels through the building itself, not just through the air. Solutions often require addressing the source or adding cushioning between surfaces.

Understanding which type of noise is your main problem will help you choose the right solutions. Often, it's a combination of both.

Assessing Your Situation

Take some time to identify where noise is coming from and how it's entering your space:

Walk Around and Listen

On a day when the noise is present, move around your apartment and notice where it's loudest. Get close to walls, windows, and doors. You might discover that most of the noise is coming through one specific spot.

Check for Gaps

Look for visible gaps around doors, windows, electrical outlets, and where pipes enter walls. Sound travels surprisingly well through small openings. If you can see light around a door, sound is definitely getting through.

Identify the Source

Is the noise coming from above, below, through shared walls, or from outside? This determines which surfaces you need to address.

Quick Fixes That Actually Help

Before investing in major solutions, try these often-overlooked basics:

Seal Door Gaps

The gap under your door is likely letting in significant noise. A door sweep or draft stopper can reduce this immediately. Weatherstripping around the door frame addresses gaps on the sides and top.

Rearrange Furniture

Move your bed or desk away from the noisiest wall. Place a bookshelf filled with books against a shared wall—the mass helps absorb sound. This costs nothing and can make a real difference.

Add Soft Surfaces

Hard surfaces reflect sound, making rooms echo and amplifying noise. Rugs, curtains, upholstered furniture, and even tapestries on walls help absorb sound within your space, making it feel quieter even if the same amount of noise is entering.

Use White Noise

Sometimes the best approach is masking noise you can't block. A white noise machine, fan, or app can help your brain ignore intermittent sounds like voices or traffic. This is especially useful for sleep.

Solutions by Location

Doors

Interior doors, especially hollow-core ones common in apartments, are weak points for sound. Beyond sealing gaps, you can:

• Hang a heavy blanket or sound-absorbing panel behind the door
• Add weatherstripping if the door doesn't seal tightly
• Consider a door sweep for the bottom gap

See our door soundproofing guide for detailed instructions.

Windows

Windows are often the main entry point for outside noise. Options include:

• Heavy curtains (they help, but don't expect miracles)
• Cellular shades (some sound absorption)
• Window inserts (more effective, but pricier)
• Sealing gaps around the frame

Our window soundproofing guide covers these in detail.

Walls

For noise through shared walls, renter-friendly options are limited but exist:

• Mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) panels that lean against or hang on walls
• Bookcases filled with books along the shared wall
• Acoustic panels (mainly help with echo, limited blocking)
• Heavy tapestries or quilts

Read more in our wall soundproofing guide.

Floors and Ceilings

If you're bothered by noise from above, your options without structural work are:

• Communicate with your neighbor (seriously, sometimes they don't realize)
• Add rugs with thick padding to absorb some vibration
• Use white noise to mask footsteps
• Drop-ceiling panels if you have high ceilings (significant project)

If you're trying to reduce noise traveling downward, rugs with dense pads help significantly. See our guides on floors and ceilings.

Setting Realistic Expectations

Let's be honest about what you can achieve:

If noise is severely impacting your quality of life despite reasonable efforts, it may be worth discussing with your landlord (they might be willing to address structural issues) or considering whether the apartment is right for you long-term. That's not the answer anyone wants, but sometimes it's the realistic one.

Frequently Asked Questions