Soundproofing access door between owner's duplex and rental apartment

Hi there, my townhouse has an inside access door between the owner’s duplex and the rental apartment situated on the garden level. I’ve sealed all around the door to prevent drafts, odors, and noise but I’m trying to improve the soundproofing even more.
Have you encountered this situation? I am debating between sticking acoustic foam panels on the door and hanging a thick felt blanket in front of the door. Would you have any other suggestion?
Thanks!

arditopeter

in General Discussion 5 years and 2 months ago

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stevecym | 5 years and 1 month ago

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i just repaired a non rolling pair of pocket doors in an apt that really needed them to work because the divided the parents bedroom from the child’s. what they parent’s had been doing was closing a properly lined curtain across the opening. the landlord said, “well now we can take this down” and i suggested leaving it up as with the doors and the curtain,, it would really offer privacy.

you can find proper and pricey drapes that are designed to keep out noise. mount them on a rod and while i am sure you do not want to close them every time you enter the apt., in the evening when you want quiet and are in for good, you can pull them over. people did a lot of this sort of thing to keep the cold out years ago and if you look at old pictures of NYC brownstones, a lot of them had long drapes handing behind big doors and door ways.

steve

JohnHancock | 5 years and 1 month ago

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arditopeter | 5 years and 1 month ago

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Thanks @hellobedstuy. Yes I’ve installed a sweep on the bottom and the door frame has a kerf door seal on all sides. I’m pretty sure the door is solid wood given its weight. I’ve been researching and came upon this product called an AcoustiDoor. It’s a heavy curtain that hangs over the door with velcro on the sides. It prices at ~$300 and I’m thinking of trying it.

Guest User | 5 years and 2 months ago

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Just to confirm, the door is solid wood (or something else high mass) and not hollow core, right? Have you already installed a sweep on the bottom? Is there anything in the vestibule that help disrupt the sound in the space (like a wall hanging and rug)

While a door definitely can be the weak point, no amount of soundproofing will solve your problem if the sound has a path around the frame or through the wall. You could look at better insulating inside the wall with acoustic bat and hanging quiet rock on hat channels to add more mass and decouple the wall. The amount of space and your budget would really determine whether it’s worth a try. Might improve it a little, might a lot. But maybe you’ve already tried this.

Either way as @no-permitz suggests, you’ll make yourself crazy trying to get rid of it entirely and good to start learning how to tune it out too.

stevecym | 5 years and 2 months ago

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ok, i have been through this. keep in mind, the sound will travel through the wood and solid members of the building, not just the door.

if you go to a company called mcmaster carr, they have all sorts of sound deadening blankets and matts and materials. some of this stuff can get pricey. and it works with limited success. i’d tried something from them on a door leading to an HVAC equipment room and it really did little. the problem is, the noise will travel through the frame as well.

JohnHancock | 5 years and 2 months ago

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Recording studios have soundproof doors. Heave thick doors with a heavy duty rubber gasket around all sides. Also the doorjamb is off a similar heavy quality. But if the rest of the hallway isn’t sounproofed it will only do so much

yudashasom | 5 years and 2 months ago

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Its a common problem and you won’t solve it unless you do a 1mm gut reno and have an acoustic person come in. Don’t make yourself crazy – live with the noises.