There is nothing worse than hearing the noise of every car that drives past your home, or listening to the neighbours stereo when you are trying to read, or hearing “The Wiggles” from the children’s playroom when you want to watch the news.
So here are 10 ways to reduce noise when planning a new home:
1. Keep windows on the noisy side of the house as small as possible to reduce the noise.
2. Make the exterior of the home from thick materials like stone or brick veneer. They work more effectively at reducing noise than flat, rigid materials like plaster, fibre cement board or steel cladding.
3. Similar theory applies to the roofing materials. Lightweight steel or metal tiles allow more noise to enter the home- especially rain- than more dense and heavy concrete tiles.
4. To reduce neighbour noise, fences are a must. The more solid or dense the better. Brick, concrete or thick heavy density foliage hedges work well.
5. Use laminated glass to reduce high frequency sound. For low frequency sound, tempered glass is the most effective.
6. Use heavy lined drapery to cover windows. Ensure that they cover the entire width of the window and go straight to the floor.
7. Carpet absorbs a great deal of internal noise- especially in high thoroughfare areas like hallways. Alternatively, use area rugs or carpet runners.
8. Insulate internal wall cavities where you want to reduce sound transfer with a noise control blanket.
9. If using gypsum wallboard linings refer to the manufacturers instructions for noise control. There are ways of installing different wallboard thicknesses to reduce sound transference and they can vary depending on the brand and manufacturer.
10. Use upholstered furniture in your living room and bedrooms or wherever you want to reduce noise. Solid timber or plastic furniture simply reflects sound, unlike the upholstered furniture which absorbs a great deal of noise.
To conclude, the only way to totally eliminate noise in your home is to move to the country and leave the kids in the city! No really, by thinking ahead before you build a new home you can reduce the noise in your new home and make it a more relaxing and comfortable environment.
Lee Brown is a professional designer with 14 years experience and co founder of interiordezine.com, a website dedicated to providing free interior design and decorating information.
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