ᐅ Effective soundproofing elements near the property boundary – any recommendations?
Created on: 15 May 2021 13:54
K
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?
kati1337 schrieb:
I don’t know, I’m actually not looking for confrontation.You don’t need to confront anyone actively, just do your outdoor sport with music or clean the windows. It shouldn’t be taken as offensive if people don’t know about it.F
fach1werk16 May 2021 07:19I found the tip about mass to be the most effective.
We once had to quiet an outdoor whirlpool pump. Its specifications were barely acceptable, yet it still disturbed the neighbors noticeably.
Something heavy, like a wall, works well. Soundproofing surfaces that are shaped should not be trapped between two layers; they should be open toward the neighbor’s side.
I would consult a soundproofing specialist. The most reliable advice we received came from the testing department of Bauknecht household appliances. But that was our choice because the pump was a similar unit, and we were testing equipment for them anyway. Additionally, we addressed the noise at its source. You would essentially need to enclose the noise almost airtight, and that is not feasible for you.
Good luck, there is still a way to resolve this.
Gabriele
We once had to quiet an outdoor whirlpool pump. Its specifications were barely acceptable, yet it still disturbed the neighbors noticeably.
Something heavy, like a wall, works well. Soundproofing surfaces that are shaped should not be trapped between two layers; they should be open toward the neighbor’s side.
I would consult a soundproofing specialist. The most reliable advice we received came from the testing department of Bauknecht household appliances. But that was our choice because the pump was a similar unit, and we were testing equipment for them anyway. Additionally, we addressed the noise at its source. You would essentially need to enclose the noise almost airtight, and that is not feasible for you.
Good luck, there is still a way to resolve this.
Gabriele
kati1337 schrieb:
I don’t want any conflict with them, not even passive-aggressive, because I might ruin many other "pros" just because they have one "con."In that case, the best advice would be to address the issue very politely. Building any kind of soundproof barrier towards the neighbor might come across as quite passive-aggressive. Personally, I would feel pretty awkward as the neighbor in that situation.
Schimi179116 May 2021 07:55And what if you ask the neighbors to change the position of the noise source? Would it be possible for the neighbors to shield the bass with a small partition wall?
Paragraph 17 of the Administrative Offenses Act:
'(1) Anyone who, without a justified cause or to an unacceptable or avoidable extent under the circumstances, causes noise that is likely to significantly disturb the public or neighbors or harm the health of others, is acting unlawfully.'
The guideline value is about 40 dB, at least for apartments.
Paragraph 17 of the Administrative Offenses Act:
'(1) Anyone who, without a justified cause or to an unacceptable or avoidable extent under the circumstances, causes noise that is likely to significantly disturb the public or neighbors or harm the health of others, is acting unlawfully.'
The guideline value is about 40 dB, at least for apartments.
H
hampshire16 May 2021 08:30I can fully understand your aversion to music playing without your consent.
When it comes to soundproofing, the first question is: what bothers you the most?
Mass helps against low frequencies. Since these frequencies spread in a spherical way, a heavy wall provides only limited protection—the sound can also travel over it. Take a look at sound barriers along highways to see what they can and cannot do. Their effect against bass in a neighbor’s garden is minimal.
Higher frequencies travel more directionally. Here, you can either absorb the energy (dampen it) or scatter it. A dense hedge can already help with that.
From what I understand about your situation, I think a combination of measures (I wouldn’t try to block bass with a wall, as an effective barrier would have to be very tall) and a conversation or agreement is the most practical approach. Turning the bass down a bit and disabling loudness is cheaper and more effective than building a wall.
For worst-case scenarios, investing in good noise-canceling headphones is certainly worthwhile. You might not be able to communicate with others while using them, but you can definitely enjoy your programs better.
I had the same challenge in our previous row house community. I used to get annoyed when neighbors left their boombox playing on the patio when they weren’t even there. It was a matter of habit, not ill intention, and could be easily reduced through a chat over the fence.
Good luck, Max
When it comes to soundproofing, the first question is: what bothers you the most?
Mass helps against low frequencies. Since these frequencies spread in a spherical way, a heavy wall provides only limited protection—the sound can also travel over it. Take a look at sound barriers along highways to see what they can and cannot do. Their effect against bass in a neighbor’s garden is minimal.
Higher frequencies travel more directionally. Here, you can either absorb the energy (dampen it) or scatter it. A dense hedge can already help with that.
From what I understand about your situation, I think a combination of measures (I wouldn’t try to block bass with a wall, as an effective barrier would have to be very tall) and a conversation or agreement is the most practical approach. Turning the bass down a bit and disabling loudness is cheaper and more effective than building a wall.
For worst-case scenarios, investing in good noise-canceling headphones is certainly worthwhile. You might not be able to communicate with others while using them, but you can definitely enjoy your programs better.
I had the same challenge in our previous row house community. I used to get annoyed when neighbors left their boombox playing on the patio when they weren’t even there. It was a matter of habit, not ill intention, and could be easily reduced through a chat over the fence.
Good luck, Max
aero2016 schrieb:
building some kind of soundproof wall towards the neighbor can under certain circumstances I would also raise eyebrows and view that negatively. It’s like saying, "we don’t want to see you, smell you, hear you, or anything else."
That could cause some serious trouble. But they probably just lack that sensitivity 😎
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