The independent guide to soundproofing and acoustic treatment.
What is wrong with your room?
Pick the one that sounds like yours. We show you what to learn, what to do and what to buy, in that order.
Your path: Soundproofing, in four steps
Understand
How soundproofing works
Sound gets through gaps first, then through thin doors and walls: seal before you add mass. Panels and foam will not block it.
Read this firstDo
Which part of the room lets it in?
Not sure? Start with the door: it is the usual first job.
Buy
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. How we earnWhat a door job needs
Every pick: Best Door Sweep for Soundproofing
Best Seal for the Gap Under a DoorPemko's 411APKL36 automatic door bottom- Drop bar seal that a plunger lowers against the floor or threshold as the door closes, per Pemko
Best Gasket for the Head and JambsPemko's S88 SiliconSeal gasket- Adhesive-backed silicone gasket, 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch high
Best Sealant for Trim and Frame JointsTube of Green Glue noiseproofing sealant- An acoustical sealant from the Green Glue Company, per the listing
What a window job needs
Every pick: Best Soundproof Curtains for Bedrooms
Best for Trim and Frame JointsTMS's acoustical caulk- Sold to seal sound leaks at perimeters, holes, gaps and spaces, per the listing
Best for Sliding SashesRoll of gray brush pile weatherstrip- A self-adhesive brush pile strip for doors and windows, 33 feet long, per the listing
Best Heavy CurtainRYB HOME's three-layer soundproof curtains- Three layers with a felt liner between two fabric layers, per the listing
What a wall job needs
Every pick: Best Soundproofing Panels for Blocking NoiseBest for Sealing Wall EdgesTMS Acoustical Soundproofing Caulk- Sold to seal sound leaks at perimeters, holes, gaps and spaces, per the listing
Best for Damping a Second LayerGreen Glue Noiseproofing Compound- Goes between an existing wall and an added layer of drywall, per the listing
Best for Decoupling One FaceRSIC-1 resilient sound clips- Isolation clips with mounting screws, 10 per pack
What a ceiling job needs
Every pick: Best Soundproofing Material for Ceiling Noise and FootstepsBest for DecouplingPAC RSIC-1 clips- For ceilings with one or two layers of 5/8-inch board
Best Between Two Drywall LayersGreen Glue Noiseproofing Compound- Goes over an existing ceiling under another layer of material
Best Thin BarrierSoundsulate 1 lb mass loaded vinyl- STC 27 on its own
What a floor job needs
Every pick: Best Soundproof Underlayment for Hardwood Floors
Best Overall and for Nail-Down FloorsFloorMuffler UltraSeal Underlayment 300SF- For floating, nail-down and double glue-down installs
Best for Floating Engineered WoodQuietWalk Underlayment 360 sq ft- 3 mm recycled fiber with a built-in vapor barrier
Best Cork UnderlaymentQEP 72000Q Natural Cork Underlayment (6 mm)- IIC 74 and STC 70 with ceramic tile on a 6 in. cement slab, delta 22
What a whole room needs first
Every pick: Best Soundproofing MaterialBest for Sealing GapsTMS Acoustical Soundproofing Caulk- Made to seal sound leaks at perimeters, holes, gaps and spaces, per the listing
Best for the Gap Under a DoorHomeProtect's under-door draft stopper- A 36-inch draft blocker for the bottom of a door, per the listing
Best for Door Jambs and SashesRoll of gray brush pile weatherstrip- 33 feet of self-adhesive strip for doors and windows, per the listing
Check your numbers
Your path: Acoustic treatment, in four steps
Understand
What acoustic treatment does
Panels and foam fix echo inside a room. They do not block noise from next door.
Read this firstDo
Where does it sound hollow?
Read: How to treat a home studio, in orderRead: Panels for a home office, for callsRead: Panels in a home theater: where they goIn any room: Where to place panelsMake your own panelsStop echo with foam
Buy
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. How we earnPanels for a home office
Every pick: Best Acoustic Panels for a Home Office
Best OverallUMIACOUSTICS 4-Pack with Hanging Hardware- Hanging hardware included
Best for Video BackdropTONOR Dual-Layer Panels- Large 47-inch panels create seamless Zoom backdrop
Best Small-Panel Pack18 Pack Black Acoustic Panels- 18 panels cover your entire video backdrop
Panels for a living room or home theater
Every pick: Best Acoustic Panels for Home TheaterBest OverallUMIACOUSTICS 4 PCS Acoustic Panels with Hanging Bracket- High-quality fiberglass core
Best Budget18 Pack Black Acoustic Panels- Most affordable option
Best for Large RoomsUMIACOUSTICS 2 PCS Large Acoustic Panels- Extra-large panels for maximum coverage
Check your numbers
Your path: Bass traps, in four steps
Understand
What bass traps do
Low notes pile up in the corners, so traps go there first. They tame the boom inside the room; they do not stop bass reaching the neighbours.
Read this firstDo
Trap the corners
Read: How to bass trap a roomBuy
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. How we earnCorner traps
The bass trap buying guide
Best Overall8 Pack Bass Traps Acoustic Foam Corner- Covers all four vertical corners
Best for Wall Corners12-Pack Foam Corner Bass Traps (12 x 7 x 7 in)- 12 pieces to spread across several corners
Best CoverageJBER 16-Pack Column Corner Bass Traps- 16 column pieces to spread across four corners
Check your numbers
Already know the job?
Go straight to a guide.
Soundproof a roomFrom the leaks to the walls.
Soundproof a doorClose the gaps, then add mass.
Soundproof a wallIncluding the wall you already have.
Soundproof windowsWith or without replacing them.
Soundproof an apartmentWalls, door, windows and floors.
Soundproof a room cheaplyStarting with the gaps.
Soundproof a ceilingWhat works, and what doesn't.
Soundproof a floorFor footsteps and noise to the room below.
Where to place acoustic panelsWall by wall and room by room.
Make your own acoustic panelsA step-by-step build.
Soundproofing materialsFrom sealing gaps to damping walls.
Soundproofing panelsFor blocking noise, not just echo.
Soundproof curtainsFor bedrooms, street noise and sliding doors.
Door sweeps and sealsPicks by gap, door and floor.
Acoustic ceiling panelsPanels and clouds that cut reverb.
Acoustic foam panelsPicks by thickness and NRC.
Bass trapsCorner traps for low-end control.
Sound diffusersPanels that scatter sound, not just decorate.
Check your numbers before you buy
Five free calculators, each answering one question.
Who is behind it
Burton Acoustix began as an acoustic panel maker selling on Amazon and Etsy. Independent, with no sponsored posts.
More audio guides
Choosing, connecting and fixing the gear in the room.