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How to soundproof a Bathroom – Bathrooms are an important part of the house. Keeping it clean and hygienic is important. Nowadays, in most of the houses, bathrooms are attached to other rooms. So it becomes more necessary to keep it clean. But the most irritating part of having the bathroom inside the house is its sound.
When someone is using the bathroom or even when no one is inside, there is a sound coming from the bathroom. It is so irritating and disturbing which no one likes. So here are a few hacks that you can adapt easily to make your bathroom Soundproof. It will help you get rid of the unwanted noise. But at the same time, the hacks are not very expensive.
How to Soundproof a bathroom?
Bathrooms create noise that we don’t want to hear. If you also fade up from this unwanted noise every time, if you don’t want to talk louder or turn on the music when someone is inside, then this is the right place for you.
Here are some quick fixes that you can do to Soundproof your bathroom and get rid of the unwanted noise.
You can apply easy solutions like weather strip, door sweep to avoid noise coming outside.
Control the sound
The first step to make your bathroom Soundproof is to control the sound produced in the bathroom. Because controlling the sound helps in reducing the noise. You can use a door sweep to seal under the door space so that some noise can be controlled without even using any soundproofing method.
Reduce the bathroom noise
You will not need soundproofing your bathroom if you start reducing the bathroom noise. Nothing works a hundred percent, so it is better to reduce the bathroom noise as much as possible.
You can reduce the noise by various means like slowly opening the water taps etc.
What is Sound Transmission Class (STC) – Why is it important?
Sound transmission class is a rating of how building partition lessens the airborne sound. In other countries like the US, it is used to rate ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and even exterior wall configuration.
You can know how well a partition decreases the sound from this rating. The higher the STC rating is, the better is the sound isolation performed by the partition.
Read : How To Stop A Squeaky Shoe – 17 Ways To Stop Shoes Bottoms Noise
Insulating Bathroom walls for sound
Walls are the main partitions between the bathroom and outside. So if we isolate sound from the wall, it will be more easily sound proven. You can use folded and fluffy towels instead of open ones in the towel rack on the walls. You can use padded wall panels as a decorative piece on your wall. That will work as a soundproofing material too.
Waste pipe noise reduction
Waste pipes create much more sound than other materials in the bathroom. To reduce this extra noise, you can cover your waste pipes with any dense material, most preferably vinyl. It helps in blocking the sound and decreases the density of vibration. Wrapping pipes will help reduce the noise, so if you don’t have vinyl materials, you can use any other thing to wrap those pipes to make them quieter.
Soundproofing bathroom floors
Floors also create a lot of extra noise which can be reduced by installing floor mats that can absorb sound. You can also consider installing floor underlayment. Unlike interlocking floors, it is much more effective at noise reduction. These are used as an extra sound-reducing material under the floor mats.
How to Soundproof a bathroom door
Doors are the gateway of sound. You can use door seals to stop the leakage of sound under the door. You can also make blankets that are sound dampening. These are made up of sound-absorbing materials and hence you can use those to soundproof your bathroom door. These are so much easier to install, you don’t have to take help from professionals.
Door replacement
Replacement of doors is an easy and effective way to get rid of extra noise in your bathroom. You can install glass doors instead of other materials. Because glass doors sound more isolated than other materials. Soundproofing doors can be made by using a thick layer of laminated glass door along with PVB layers.
Install a door sweep
The gap between the bottom of the door and the floor can be sealed by using a door sweep. By blocking the path of sound, you can decrease the extra noise coming from your bathroom. This is an easy and less money consuming method to make your bathroom Soundproof. Apart from decreasing the extra noise, this can help you achieve more cleanliness, protect you against dust, insects, etc.
Install Draft stopper
Draft stoppers are otherwise called draft blockers. These are the tubes made up of fabrics and also filled with insulating materials. Using these tubes at the bottom of the doors, windows, etc. helps in reducing the noise leakage. It is the way to stop the leakage of noise and hence decreasing the extra noise you hear outside of your bathroom.
New bathroom door weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is the way to seal the openings such as doors, windows, etc. As mentioned earlier, by using some sealing at the point of leakage, you can easily Soundproof your bathroom. The main goal of weather stripping in rooms is to prevent rainwater from entering inside. But using the same method in your bathroom can help you decrease the extra noise that you don’t want to hear.
Door weatherstripping and sweep cautions
There are some things you should keep in mind while doing all this process of door weatherstripping and sweeping.
You should be aware that the sweep shouldn’t touch the flooring materials, it should remain at the threshold level. Weatherstripping, you use, should be made up of high-quality materials like EPDM rubber and thermoplastic elastomer.
Soundproofing Toilets
Toilets also make a lot of noise. So the simplest solution to this extra noise is to stick a small rubber piece of rubber gel on the underside of the toilet lid and seat as well. This will help in decreasing the noise in your bathroom. Doing this process, the toilet won’t make any sound while the seat is put down or put up.
Soundproofing bathtubs
Bathtubs create a lot of echo because of their cavity which results in so much unwanted noise.
Before installing the bathtub, you can consider lining the cavity as well as the floor with roxul acoustic batts. This process will help you get rid of the echo and extra noise that is being created by the bathtub.
Soundproofing Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are perhaps the noisiest thing. But by doing some basic cleaning process, you will be able to get rid of the unpleasant noise of ceiling fans. Clean the fan regularly, so that dust doesn’t stack up on the fan. Clean the blades as well. Consider tightening up the blades to decrease the noise. These are some basic steps which you can do easily but the results will be much more effective to reduce the extra noise caused by ceiling fans.
Soundproofing vanity fixtures
Vanity fixtures are part of the lighting fixtures of the bathroom which is situated above the bathroom vanity. You can use a layer of glass on the sides of the vanity fixtures to make it Soundproof. Glasses are the materials that absorb the sound and hence decrease the extra noise coming outside.
Wall soundproofing – without removing drywall
There are so many ways to Soundproof your bathroom wall without removing the drywall. You can build a new wall with materials that absorb sound in front of the old wall. You can add some insulating materials to make it Soundproof. Apart from all these, you can also add mass loaded vinyl because vinyl is a sound-absorbing material and available easily. So consider doing any of the above measures to get rid of the extra noise of your bathroom without removing the drywall.
Add a second layer of drywall
Increasing mass in a room helps in soundproofing. So adding a second layer of drywall will help reduce the extra noise. Adding another drywall in front of the existing one increases the mass and hence reduces the noise. You can stick the extra layer of the wall using green glue or any other strong glue so that it gets fixed well.
Sealing the gaps in bathroom walls
As mentioned earlier, gaps help in creating noise. So consider sealing the gaps between bathroom walls. Fill the gaps up to 25%. If your gaps between walls are larger than ⅛ inch, consider using sanded caulk. It is smaller than ⅛ inch, use regular caulks. In case you have tiles ok the wall that adjoins the tub, you can select matching colors to maintain decorum.
Seal all cracks on the wall
Wooden wall cracks can end up creating so much extra noise. So it is better to seal them up with weatherstripping. If your walls are wooden, then you should consider sealing the cracks as soon as possible. Because the air gaps on the wooden wall allow air to pass. So sealing the cracks helps in blocking the air and noise as well.
Add some wall tile
Using wall tiles increases the mass and hence reduces the noise. It also acts as a decorum piece for your bathroom. So if you want to Soundproof your bathroom, consider using wall tiles. It helps reduce the noise easily but in an effective manner. Apart from adding wall tiles, you can also hang some curtains made up of Soundproof fabrics.
Wainscoting or Bathroom wall paneling
To absorb sound waves, acoustic foam panels have been designed in the room in which they are placed. They could help in reducing the noise coming from outside. Likewise, using those panels in your bathroom wall, you can also get rid of the unwanted noise and Soundproof your bathroom easily.
Add some padding to the seat
More the mass in the room, less the echoing and also noise coming outside. So you can consider using some padding to the seat of toilets or bathtubs etc. to reduce the extra noise. It also acts as a decorum for your bathroom. It will not block the noise completely, but it can help reduce the sound coming from the bathrooms.
Reduce air vent noise in Bathroom
Air vents are the small openings to escape air from a closed space. These are used on the walls of bathrooms and act as a gateway of noise. If you have to have such air vents, you can consider having large radius air vents. It ensures that the air is not forcefully escaping, and hence the sound will be reduced drastically.
Soundproof the bathroom window
Windows are also a huge opening for the noise to come out. So it is better to use some sound-absorbing materials around the window to reduce the extra noise. Apart from this, you can make the window perimeter with Soundproof materials like glass. This ensures the reduction of noise to a great extent.
Soundproofing the toilet flush
Using silicone pads on the toilet seat will help in reducing the extra noise. You have to place the pads exactly at the touching point of the cover of the toilet seat and the flush tank. This will help in reducing the noise produced by flush along with the toilet seats. Also reducing the amount of water in the tank helps in reducing the sound produced.
Soundproofing bathroom plumbing
You can Soundproof the pipes in your bathroom in two ways. You have the option of filling the pipe cavities to some extent or you can wrap the pipes with some sound-absorbing materials. As mentioned earlier, the more the mass, the less the noise. So consider wrapping the pipes. While choosing the material for the wrapping, chose the materials that can be wrapped around your pipe like PVC.
Install a quiet bathroom exhaust fan
Bathroom exhaust fans are necessary to clean up the smell and heats produced. But to reduce the noise, you have to consider choosing a quiet bathroom exhaust fan. Because this is one of the highest noise-producing materials in the bathroom. So while choosing this fan, be a little more careful.
White noise the other sounds produced in the environment. So this can be one of the most effective methods to Soundproof your bathroom. You can use white noise and mask the noise produced in the bathroom. It can help you block the extra noise completely. So consider having white noise for your bathroom too.
Apply sound-deadening materials
There are various materials like fiberglass, acoustic hangers, acoustic membrane, Soundproof drywall, etc., that you can use to deaden the sounds produced in your bathroom. So applying any of these materials inside your Bathroom will help you get rid of extra noise. You can use these materials inside your toilet seat, bathtub, or in the walls, etc.
Cool DIY Bathroom Hack – Soundproofing Your Toilet Seat – Drain Help
Final Through
Soundproofing a bathroom is much easier during the building process or when remodeling; but hopefully you’ll be able to effectively soundproof a bathroom using a few of these soundproofing tips.
Let us know if you have any other bathroom soundproofing ideas that work for you. This list can always expand with new information. We know a lot about soundproofing, but we can learn something every day from each other. Thank you for visiting our website and while you’re at it, visit our YouTube channel for some informative DIY soundproofing videos.
#FAQs
Q1. How do you Soundproof a toilet bowl?
Using sound-absorbing materials underside the toilet bowl will help you get rid of the noise produced by it. Apart from it, you can consider padding the toilet seats too. You can use any sound-absorbing materials like fiberglass acoustic membrane etc.
Q2. What materials can block sound?
Materials like fibers, glasses, acoustic hangers, resilient channels, acoustic mineral wools, etc. can help you out in blocking the sound. You can use these materials wherever you want to Soundproof it.
Q3. What fabric is good for Soundproofing?
Mass loaded vinyl is the best fabric for Soundproofing any room including your bathroom. Though it is a bit expensive, the quality of absorbing the sound is much better than others.
Q4. Why aren’t bathrooms Soundproof?
Mostly we don’t build our house with this idea in our mind. Apart from it, many people are not aware of these ideas to Soundproof the bathroom. That’s why bathrooms are not Soundproof. But using these ideas, you can do it.