Best way to soundproof a door on the cheap? Expanding Foam?

[Gorguruga]

Got a very thin door so housemates are heard pretty loudly from my ground-floor room when they're downstairs. Even with my door closed, you can sometimes hear the faintest of nose sniffs if someone is in the kitchen or living room. I recently changed the lock on this door and during the drilling I realised it seemed to be filled with mainly paper and foil!

Before taking the plunge and investing in a soundproof door (not sure which one though?) I was wondering if there might be a way to try soundproofing my existing door. Thought I might as well give it a try beforehand just in case it works, and might save a few quid in the process.

Happened to run across a message on a since-forgotten forum some time ago where someone described how they used expanding foam in their thin door as a way to soundproof it. I'll try to find the message and quote it here later. Apparently it worked amazingly well.

Does anyone have any experience with that or any other economical soundproofing techniques? At the moment I'm thinking I should drill about 20 holes at different points on the face of the door and fill each hole with expanding foam?

 

[footprints]

If it is rented you could well be in trouble with the landlord if you start drilling holes and pumping foam. As an experiment how about a rug pinned to the inside of the door or the old stand by for draughts a heavy curtain across the door?

 

[cAtLeYx]

Hi - Could you confirm if you all simply rent a house and split the rent or if you are paying rent based on your room with shared communal areas. If the second, HMO regulations would apply and therefore your bedroom door should be at least 30 minutes fire rated if accessible from a hallway, corridor or protected escape route. This would have a solid core and therefore have better acoustic property?

 

[Gorguruga]

If it is rented you could well be in trouble with the landlord if you start drilling holes and pumping foam. As an experiment how about a rug pinned to the inside of the door or the old stand by for draughts a heavy curtain across the door?

Ah, it's my house so I've got the all clear to experiment from the landlord.

I tried something similar to a rug but it didn't unfortunately reduce sound to any noticeable level, although I didn't actually try attaching it to the door properly, it was just heaped up at the base of the door where there's is an inch gap between the door and floor. I thought by trying to seal the gap it'd reduce sound but it had no effect.

I'm hoping for something more permanent than a rug or curtain and something that wouldn't get in the way much if possible. Although I if I spent time to attach a rug or carpet properly they could fit snugly against the door without much overflow. I also came across soundproofing exterior foam sheets, which I think could be attached to the door, maybe a few layers thick. Not sure how effective though.

 

[Gorguruga]

Hi - Could you confirm if you all simply rent a house and split the rent or if you are paying rent based on your room with shared communal areas. If the second, HMO regulations would apply and therefore your bedroom door should be at least 30 minutes fire rated if accessible from a hallway, corridor or protected escape route. This would have a solid core and therefore have better acoustic property?

Hi, I own the house, thanks for info about the fire door, wasn't aware of that. I started renting out the other rooms only a few months ago. I do have smoke alarms fitted in both hallways but will have to look into the regulations about the fire door.

 

[Newboy]

https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence

 

[Gorguruga]

https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence

Thanks newboy, only 2 tenants so this doesn't apply:

A house in multiple occupation is a property rented out by at least 3 people who are not from 1 ‘household’ (eg a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. It’s sometimes called a ‘house share’.

In the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation in England A guide for landlords and managers:
2.2 Which buildings are exempt from the HMO definition? Certain buildings exempt from the HMO definition include: • those occupied by the resident landlord and a maximum of two other persons who are not part of his or her household; and • https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...t_data/file/15652/HMO_Lic_landlords_guide.pdf

 

[Gorguruga]

Since it's not an HMO by definition and therefore is removed from HMO regulations about mandatory fire doors, this brings me back to the question about the expanding foam?

 

[TonyW2]

Probably a honeycomb/egg box centre so unlikely to work.
Sound will get through any gaps around door, so door construction is not the only consideration.

 

[Gorguruga]

Probably a honeycomb/egg box centre so unlikely to work.
Sound will get through any gaps around door, so door construction is not the only consideration.

I think it is a honeycomb centre. When drilling the fairly big hole for the lock I removed bits of foil and paper which seemed to be wedged into a pocket so I'm guessing the door has lots of these pockets inside (like a honeycomb core).

 

[^woody^]

someone described how they used expanding foam in their thin door as a way to soundproof it. Apparently it worked amazingly well.

That was probably an expanding foam salesman. Foam's acoustic insulation properties are worse than your existing door.

You need a dense door and rubber seals around the lining.

 

[Gorguruga]

someone described how they used expanding foam in their thin door as a way to soundproof it. Apparently it worked amazingly well.

That was probably an expanding foam salesman. Foam's acoustic insulation properties are worse than your existing door.

You need a dense door and rubber seals around the lining.

Maybe he was an expanding foam salesman.. lol.. he did mention the product itself. Searched my history and found the original message here:

Darryl August 16, 2014 at 5:11 am


I soundproofed my bedroom door in the following manner.

My bedroom door was hollow. I drilled some 1/4 inch holes in the top of the door. Then I took some “Great Stuff Door Insulation” and sprayed it into the holes I drilled into the top. The stuff fell to the bottom and began to expand. I waited a few minutes to give the stuff time to fully expand. Then I sprayed some more into the holes and again waited to allow for foam expansion. This continued until the foam came out of the holes indicating the door was full of foam. The excess foam oozed out of the holes in the top of the door. Be sure to drill more than just one hole to allow the air to escape at a faster rate than the foam is expanding. And the holes are on the top of the door so they cannot be seen. The weight of the foam was not enough to affect the weight placed on the hinges. The door was still aligned with the latch bolt going into the cavity properly.

It sure did cut down on the noise.

Reply



Read More: http://removeandreplace.com/2013/12/13/how-to-soundproof-a-door/#ixzz3qFbtonb1

 

[Nige F]

Great Stuff Door Insulation sounds like it came from Home Deepot

 

[^woody^]

Home Despot more like.

That great stuff is so great it only expands upwards, so as not to leave the door looking like a banana.

 

[Gorguruga]

Well after reading that guys post about the foam I popped down to B&Q a few weeks ago and picked up some Soudal Gap Filling Exapanding Foam which I'm yet to use for this but have used it for other filling jobs.

On the back of the canister it says: "the foam is an excellent thermal and acoustic insulator that sticks to practically all building materials."