Soundproofing is necessary if you live in an apartment with thin walls or if you share your home with roommates, family members, or fellow tenants.
One of the most common places to look for soundproofing is your doors. A door can be a weak point when trying to insulate against noise because they are often made of hollow materials like wood and glass.
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How to Soundproof Door Frame
Fortunately, there are many ways to soundproof a door that won’t break the bank while also keeping noise out.
Whether you have a hollow core door or solid core door, here are some cheap and easy DIY tricks to help you do that!
1. Soften doorways with carpeting (or soundproof blankets)
Carpeting placed on top of a hardwood door frame will make a big difference in sound waves transmission.
A thick, plush indoor/outdoor carpet (or soundproof blanket) can be cut to size and placed over your entry and exit doorways using a tack strip.
The added thickness of the carpet will help dampen and muffle sounds that may otherwise be transmitted through the door.
As a bonus, the extra coverage can help protect a solid wood door from scuffing and wear. You can also look into soundproofing door skirts that attach to the bottom of your door.
This can help minimize vibrations from foot traffic and low-frequency sounds and vibrations from the sound waves of your neighbors’ voices.
Here are the basic steps to soften your doorway with carpeting:
- Measure the height and width of your doorway.
- Cut a piece of carpeting to a size that is at least 1 inch wider and taller than your doorway.
- Place the tack strip around the edge of the door frame, making sure it is secure.
- Place the carpeting over the tack strip and door frame, using a utility knife to trim any excess.
- Attach the skirt around the bottom of the door, ensuring it is snug against the carpeting.
- Test the door to be sure it closes and opens smoothly.
- Enjoy your newfound peace and quiet!
2. Add additional foam insulation
A full-sized door frame is a great place to add additional soundproofing insulation.
Sound absorbing foam panels
Foam insulation is inexpensive, easy to install, and can be cut to fit on either side of the doorframe. Although it might not be the prettiest solution, it’s very effective and relatively inexpensive.
This is an excellent option for renters with access to a door frame saw.
You can also try cutting long strips of polyester batting and tacking them to the backside of the doorframe to help prevent sound waves from transferring.
Another option is to add polyester or acoustic cotton batting behind a wood door to catch and absorb vibrations from sound passing through the door.
Steps to add foam insulation to soundproof your door:
- 1. Measure the width of your doorframe and purchase the appropriate amount of foam insulation.
- Cut the insulation to fit the width of your doorframe and use a staple gun to attach it in place.
- If desired, you can also add additional insulation on the other side of the doorframe.
3. Seal with acoustic caulking or Dampening sealant
Acoustic caulking, such as Quiet-Gel or Silicone Seal, is a surprisingly effective way to help reduce noise.
This is particularly useful to soundproof doors that are close to walls that are often slammed, like those in kitchens and hallways. Acoustic caulking works best when applied to the edge of the door in contact with the wall.
Be sure to apply the caulking to the door frame’s inside and outside.
This will allow the acoustic caulking to act as a vibration damper, stopping noise from being transmitted into the wall and vice versa.
Steps to apply a dampening sealant to your doorway:
- Remove the door off its door hinges and put it flat on a work surface.
- Apply acoustic caulking to the edge of the door in contact with the wall, using a caulking gun. Be sure to apply it to the door frame inside and outside.
- Reattach the door to its hinges and close it.
- Test the door to see if the caulking has improved the soundproofing. If not, you may need to apply additional caulking or try another soundproofing method.
4. Add a door sweep
A soundproof door sweep is a bit of weatherstripping that fits along the bottom edge of a door jamb and helps soundproof a door.
It seals the gap between the floor and the door, preventing noise from escaping through the cracks. A soundproof door sweep is relatively inexpensive and easy to install to soundproof a door. A door sweep can be found at most hardware stores.
A soundproof door sweep is often made of thick metal. This means that the soundproof door will be open without causing any resistance.
During the closing of the door, the noise is not heard. You just need to buy a door sweep and fit it on your door. The majority of soundproof door sweeps are fitted with several screws for locking.
Check that the layout is correct. Otherwise, there’s a problem. Fill in the holes and re-install everything you need.
5. Double-sided tape
Double-sided tape is a surprisingly effective way to help soundproof a door like a door gasket.
The trick is to put the tape on the door frame, not the door itself.
Door gaskets will help muffle sounds resulting from foot traffic and make the door more resistant to slamming.
You can also try tacking fabric strips or felt to the back of the door frame to stop vibrations from transferring.
Double-sided tape door gaskets are an affordable and simple solution to soundproof doors that aren’t attached to a door frame.
You just peel off the backing and adhere it to the back of the door itself. This will help dampen sounds from foot traffic and low-frequency noise to soundproof a door.
Thank you, door gaskets.
6. Combine drywall and foam strips
While this option isn’t the prettiest, it works well and is incredibly cheap to soundproof a door.
Simply cut strips of drywall and attach them to the back of the doorframe.
This will help muffle sound from passing through the door, and quell vibrations from foot traffic and slamming helping to soundproof a door.
You can also try tacking strips of acoustic foam to the back of the doorframe.
This will help stop sound from passing through the door and vibrations from foot traffic.
7. Install an acoustic door panel (interior doors)
An acoustic door panel is a relatively inexpensive soundproofing solution that can be installed inside or outside of your door.
They are typically made of thick steel material with a fabric covering.
Some even come with soundproofing pads that can be attached to the door frame to help minimize vibrations and soundproof a door.
Installing an acoustic door panel will muffle sounds from passing through the door and vibrations.
This is a great solution for folks renting their home who don’t want to make modifications to the door itself.
Alternative: Install a solid core door
Other options include a solid core door with a solid core that prevents noise from entering the home to soundproof a door.
The solid core door is often more insulated than drywall as it is not massive. You can still use wood and metal soundproof doors to reduce noise considerably.
Solid wood doors (or any solid core doors) provide considerable damping and blocking, which can be an excellent way to soundproof a door.
Metal doors are great at bouncing sound waves at opposite angles, but some fire codes restrict heavy metal door use inside.
Consider a new solid core door.
Conclusion
Most interior doors and exterior doors are some of the easiest places to try to soundproof your home.
Many of these solutions can be easily applied to the exterior door (or interior door) itself (like a door sweep), while others are better suited for the door frame (ie. a door gasket). Or even replacing the hollow core door with a solid core door.
If you find that low-frequency noise is getting into your home, look to see where the source is coming from.
Once you’ve found the source, try these tips in order to soundproof your door and keep noise out. You may get the best result by combining two or more of these ideas to soundproof a door.
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