Simple ways to reduce noise between neighbors

If you share walls, you probably share noise.

If you get a lot of unwanted noise from your neighbors, they’re probably getting some of your noise, too. Ask if they’re bothered by anything and let them know what you hear, if you haven’t already. They might be getting annoyed, just like you.

Try negotiating — this could be a win-win. You can both use some products to reduce everyday noise. Most of them aren’t expensive, and you can give them to your neighbor as a gift. (Hear what an acoustician has to say about noisy wood-framed buildings.)

Kitchen cabinets and drawers

Put felt bumper pads on the back of cabinet doors and drawers to mute the impact when you close them. What sounds like an insignificant “smack” in your home might sound as dramatic as gunfire or a drumbeat to your neighbor.

This short video demonstrates the difference between no door bumpers versus cork bumpers or felt pads. Felt was the winner!

Use padded shelf liners on the bottoms of drawers and cabinet shelves, like this example from The Container Store. It might not seem loud when you put your dishes onto a bare wood shelf, but once again, that impact noise transfers through the building frame.

Furniture

If you have furniture sitting on an uncarpeted floor (and we’ll get to carpeting next), be sure to put furniture pads under the legs. Again, really simple activities like moving a chair or opening a dresser drawer can transfer noise into the floor and the joists. And it’s louder and deeper when it travels to your neighbor’s home than it is to your own ears.

Flooring

If you live in an apartment or condo, you probably already have guidelines for carpeting. A typical homeowner’s association might require that you carpet 75% of the floor surface. And very few people do it.

Sure, you might think your floors look beautiful. But for the sake of your neighbors, carpet your walking paths with a thick felt-and-rubber carpet pad underneath. Put area rugs in strategic locations. If you’re a minimalist — or you like DIY projects — carpet tiles like FLOR might work for small, less-trafficked areas. If you have pets, I recommend FLOR carpet tiles because pets have accidents sometimes. These carpet tiles can be easily picked up and washed in the tub or sink.

Recommended for FLOR tiles: Buy a few extra tiles in case they discontinue the pattern and you need to completely replace a tile later.

BUT if you have toddlers running through the house, please use carpet pads. Carpet tiles don’t have enough padding to absorb pounding little feet. And when your adjacent neighbors tell you that they’re bathed by the sound of your child’s feet, believe them.

Fans

When it gets hot, you might run a fan. Whether you have a tower fan on the floor or a desk fan, the vibration and oscillation might send a loud droning vibration into your neighbor’s apartment. It might not sound loud to you, but after it travels through the joists and walls, it sounds like heavy machinery.

You can buy anti-vibration pads from Amazon or Home Depot in different sizes to put under fans or other appliances. A good vibration pad is typically made like a sandwich by alternating different materials like rubber and cork.

BETTER DEAL (October, 2020): A viewer on Soundproofist’s YouTube channel notified us about a lower price on these anti-vibration pads from SupplyHouse. (Thanks, Eric!) You can buy each pad separately or buy a whole box, often under $1.00 per pad before shipping and tax. (They only ship to customers in the USA.) These pads are less expensive than on Amazon or from Home Depot.

NOTE (January, 2022): For many years, I recommended a company called Super Soundproofing, a family-run business, but their website seems to be gone completely. They may no longer be in business.

Here’s a demo I made about using anti-vibration pads (4.5 minutes):

And an updated version, with frequency-range info:

And a quick test to see which type of anti-vibration material might block more noise from going into the building frame.

Laundry machines

Washing machines also create a lot of vibration and noise. And it sounds worse in your neighbor’s home (picking up bass as it travels through the flooring) than it does in your own home.

Laundry machines definitely need anti-vibration pads under them. One brand that’s been around for awhile is the Kellett (KE) Shake Away pad, which you can find at Lowe’s and other stores. You should also consider getting a set of pads with a rim around them to prevent “walking.” Over time, your heavy-duty washer might slowly inch its way off a flat pad, so an anti-walk pad option might help. Try reading some product reviews before you make your choice.

Sewing machines

Have a sewist in your home? Sewing machines create a lot of vibration, and that droning sound can impact your neighbors. Put one of these inexpensive rubber anti-vibration pads under your sewing machine. These pads are also helpful under table fans and floor fans.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers have smaller feet than laundry machines, but those little feet transfer noise into the flooring. You should consider either an anti-vibration mat under the whole dishwasher or anti-vibration feet, like this example.

Music or home theatre systems

Putting anti-vibration pads under your speakers can reduce the amount of bass that goes through your furniture, walls, and floors. Bass is often a significant source of conflict with neighbors. If you’re on a tight budget, try using the same kind of rubber-cork pads that work for appliances, or spend more for something that audio pros use.

Be kind to your neighbors — don’t put a subwoofer right on the floor, whether you live upstairs or downstairs. Put it on an anti-vibration pad like the Auralex Subdude. Likewise, don’t lean your speakers against the wall.

If you or your neighbor have a mounted TV or in-wall speakers, you might have other sound issues that require additional modifications to keep the noise from traveling through the building frame.

These suggestions are just a few low-cost techniques you can apply without remodeling. Try them with your neighbor and see if they make a difference.