ᐅ Effective soundproofing elements near the property boundary – any recommendations?
Created on: 15 May 2021 13:54
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kati1337
Hello everyone!
We talked again with the neighbors (about the metal shed issue, some of you might remember) and have easily agreed that we want to build a privacy screen on our side so we don’t have to deal with the shed view from the terrace.
Now, this property boundary is longer than just the length of the shed. The original idea was to enclose the rest with a hedge.
That is no longer what we want, but the neighbor will plant their hedge right on the boundary, which is fine. We will also put something along the boundary on our side, but we are still unsure what.
The neighbors on this side like it a bit louder in the garden, mostly music. They have this speaker box with heavy bass on their porch that somewhat ruined our Father’s Day. Just to be clear upfront: No, I don’t want to and shouldn’t complain to the neighbors – I’m sensitive to noise and get annoyed quickly.
Our problem is that this is a new development area and everything is still very open. The bass from the speaker hits directly against our house wall, and even with closed blinds (and who wants to keep the blinds closed all day), it pounds noticeably in the living room. I don’t want to have to keep the TV on constantly to “compete with the noise,” and it’s really hard for me to just “not listen” to it; I’d simply prefer not to have that in my living room.
Now we are considering what we could build or plant in the garden along the boundary that would absorb sound effectively.
A nice brick wall came to mind, but even a rough calculation makes it quite expensive (even if I try to build it myself): 22m x 1.80m at 50€/m² (around $54/ft²) adds up to about €2000.
Cheaper would be wooden privacy fence panels, which I also find very attractive visually, but do they absorb sound well? Or panels covered with plants?
Do you have any other ideas?
We talked again with the neighbors (about the metal shed issue, some of you might remember) and have easily agreed that we want to build a privacy screen on our side so we don’t have to deal with the shed view from the terrace.
Now, this property boundary is longer than just the length of the shed. The original idea was to enclose the rest with a hedge.
That is no longer what we want, but the neighbor will plant their hedge right on the boundary, which is fine. We will also put something along the boundary on our side, but we are still unsure what.
The neighbors on this side like it a bit louder in the garden, mostly music. They have this speaker box with heavy bass on their porch that somewhat ruined our Father’s Day. Just to be clear upfront: No, I don’t want to and shouldn’t complain to the neighbors – I’m sensitive to noise and get annoyed quickly.
Our problem is that this is a new development area and everything is still very open. The bass from the speaker hits directly against our house wall, and even with closed blinds (and who wants to keep the blinds closed all day), it pounds noticeably in the living room. I don’t want to have to keep the TV on constantly to “compete with the noise,” and it’s really hard for me to just “not listen” to it; I’d simply prefer not to have that in my living room.
Now we are considering what we could build or plant in the garden along the boundary that would absorb sound effectively.
A nice brick wall came to mind, but even a rough calculation makes it quite expensive (even if I try to build it myself): 22m x 1.80m at 50€/m² (around $54/ft²) adds up to about €2000.
Cheaper would be wooden privacy fence panels, which I also find very attractive visually, but do they absorb sound well? Or panels covered with plants?
Do you have any other ideas?
hanghaus2000 schrieb:
Because it’s the truth. But you don’t want to hear it. If noise bothers you even inside the house, what help would there be outside? I don’t want to accept that because it’s not true. Sound consists of waves that can be absorbed or reflected.
My question was not “whether it’s possible,” but rather what materials or methods work best for that purpose. If you don’t have knowledge about this, it’s better to advise others on topics you understand well instead of claiming here that “it can’t be done.” There is no such thing as “can’t be done.”
To contribute constructively: First, have all the glass in the windows replaced—we did the same. It’s obviously not great for the environment and expensive to do afterward, but there’s no avoiding it. This makes a big difference because standard triple-glazed windows are disastrous. You should generally only buy soundproof windows from now on.
Outside, I would build a 2-meter (6.5 feet) high wall made of larch wood toward the neighbor and fill it with suitable soundproofing material. Alternatively, gabions could be used.
Outside, I would build a 2-meter (6.5 feet) high wall made of larch wood toward the neighbor and fill it with suitable soundproofing material. Alternatively, gabions could be used.
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pagoni202015 May 2021 18:54I can roughly imagine it, and once you get it in your head, it’s hard to get it out again...
My experience/idea on this:
Depending on your relationship with the neighbors, I would actually try to approach them first—maybe everyone can do something good for each other. The moment just has to be right; perhaps something comes up during a friendly chat by the fence... That would at least reduce the cause. I think they might not even be aware of it. Maybe they have a similar issue with something on your side... who knows? And if you sit down together once, you can bring it up and ask if there’s something you can do for them in return.
I don’t know your relationship with them, but in my opinion, that would be the most reasonable, although perhaps the most uncomfortable, way.
Since you can even hear it inside the house with the blinds closed, soundproofing measures in the garden probably won’t help much. So I would first try a mobile or lightweight solution (boards with sound insulation between them, plants, or similar) before investing in something expensive that might not help at all in the end.
We had a really tall and thick, densely grown arborvitae hedge for years; even though arborvitaes weren’t exactly a dream for my sleepless nights, they were really dense. In front of that, I had the sauna/garden shed, and that already helped a bit; however, you will probably still hear those bass frequencies.
My experience/idea on this:
Depending on your relationship with the neighbors, I would actually try to approach them first—maybe everyone can do something good for each other. The moment just has to be right; perhaps something comes up during a friendly chat by the fence... That would at least reduce the cause. I think they might not even be aware of it. Maybe they have a similar issue with something on your side... who knows? And if you sit down together once, you can bring it up and ask if there’s something you can do for them in return.
I don’t know your relationship with them, but in my opinion, that would be the most reasonable, although perhaps the most uncomfortable, way.
Since you can even hear it inside the house with the blinds closed, soundproofing measures in the garden probably won’t help much. So I would first try a mobile or lightweight solution (boards with sound insulation between them, plants, or similar) before investing in something expensive that might not help at all in the end.
We had a really tall and thick, densely grown arborvitae hedge for years; even though arborvitaes weren’t exactly a dream for my sleepless nights, they were really dense. In front of that, I had the sauna/garden shed, and that already helped a bit; however, you will probably still hear those bass frequencies.
H
hanghaus200015 May 2021 19:29kati1337 schrieb:
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.I really like psychoacoustics. Great idea.
Try searching for active noise cancellation systems (sometimes with the option to build your own, or look for Muzo if interested). It works like noise-canceling headphones but on a larger scale. These systems have also been tested for railway lines close to residential areas. However, such a system is usually targeted at a specific point where the person seeking quiet is located.
If the above option is not feasible, the wall shared with the neighbor should include sound-absorbing (dampening) elements. These could be in the form of egg cartons or pyramid foam. With some creativity and effort, it might also be possible to build something weatherproof for outdoor use.
If the above option is not feasible, the wall shared with the neighbor should include sound-absorbing (dampening) elements. These could be in the form of egg cartons or pyramid foam. With some creativity and effort, it might also be possible to build something weatherproof for outdoor use.
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hanghaus200015 May 2021 19:52Please remember that LSW may be considered a structure and could require a building permit / planning permission. Additionally, in some cases, structural engineering reports might be necessary.
I live behind a noise barrier. Even so, if you are sensitive, you can still hear every car. However, I don’t focus on hearing the cars, and then you hardly notice them anymore. What you mainly hear are the idiots who treat mufflers as if the regulations were just a joke.
The same applies to your neighbor. Mutual consideration often seems to be missing for outsiders.
I live behind a noise barrier. Even so, if you are sensitive, you can still hear every car. However, I don’t focus on hearing the cars, and then you hardly notice them anymore. What you mainly hear are the idiots who treat mufflers as if the regulations were just a joke.
The same applies to your neighbor. Mutual consideration often seems to be missing for outsiders.
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