Soundproofing?

[obliquegeek]

We've got a converted garage that is currently my son's bedroom, then across the hallway we have a reception room with a big open arch (approx 2.5m wide) instead of a door. I've tried to illustrate this in the image attached. All are brick walls.

Does anyone have any simple (ish) suggestions on how to dampen the sound from my sons room?

Maybe something I can line the walls with on either side that won't take up too much space?

My son's door is also pretty lightweight. Would replacing that and making sure it's a good fit help?

I'm not expecting miracles, just a little reduction for now would help. We're planning on reconfiguring the house in the future, so that living and sleeping spaces aren't mixed.

 

[Deluks]

Fix the door problem first.
A couple of fire doors, one for the garage and one for the arch.
No point in lining walls whilst you have a gaping hole for sound to pass through.

 

[obliquegeek]

Ideally want to keep the arch for now, but a fire door on the garage/bedroom makes a lot of sense.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Is the garage single skin between the house?
When you converted, was it just thermal insulation?

 

[obliquegeek]

Single skin and no insulation at all. It was converted before we moved in.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Single skin brick walls are pretty good at soundproofing, vastly better than plasterboard and fresh air.

Get a fire door. Then give him a clip round the ear.

 

[Tigercubrider]

If the garage has room, using rockwool and plasterboard would help make it more soundproof.
You could just do the hall wall and do area.
As said, a fire door well fitted with no holes helps.
You could get magnetic seals routed into the door and frame.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You can get fire door seals that double up as acoustic seals, whether they make much difference I don't know but I suspect they're little more (costly) than standard fire seals so probably worth a punt.

 

[Tigercubrider]

They do work, we used them on all our doors at a place I worked in.

 

[obliquegeek]

Sounds like a fire door with decent seals all the way around is the first step. Cheers all!

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I have a home office right next to a noisy heat pump tumble dryer. I fitted a fire door with a matching frame that has brush seals around it.

It does a pretty good job of reducing the sound. It's definitely not sound-proof, but it quietens it a lot. Intuitively I'd say it makes it half as noisy if that helps.

You don't need a spring on a fire door if it's not necessary for fire regulations. But you do need fire door hinges, just so they're strong enough for the weight.

It takes a bit more effort to shut, due to the brush seals. Especially at first, until they get squashed to fit.