There are lots of cheap ways to soundproof a room for drums.
Unfortunately, all these soundproofing hacks have different effective levels.
If you would like to practice at home or don’t have quiet drums for playing at home and live in a quiet neighborhood, then your best bet would be to soundproof your drum room.
Again, if you have a newborn or baby in your household and an older kid who wants to practice for an upcoming musical event, then you will have no other option than to soundproof either the baby nursery or home.
Cheap Ways to Soundproof a Room for Drums
Below are some of the best and cheap ways to soundproof a room for drums.
These are simple DIY fixes that you can implement without the need of a professional.
1. Seal All the Gaps
The first step to soundproofing a room for Drums without spending too much is by sealing the gaps.
Some of the cheap products that help with sealing cracks and gaps around the room include green glue sealant and weather-stripping tape.
If you can’t get green glue in your local online shop, then I would highly recommend these green glue alternatives.
Besides being an adhesive, green glue is also a soundproofing product that helps minimize noise by blocking it.
To use green glues, you first need to locate all the cracks and gaps in the room since they are the biggest culprit for leaking noise.
Cracks and gaps could be anywhere; the door, walls, and the ceiling.
Start by cleaning the around the cracks by removing dirt and debris.
Also, ensure you remove any nail protruding that may interfere with the application.
2. Use Soundproof Materials for the Window
Another cheap way you can soundproof your room for drums is by covering the windows using affordable soundproof materials.
You can find different soundproof materials in the market that could help soundproof the window.
A good example is fiberglass blankets, which are made of acoustic properties that absorb and deaden both impact noise and reverberation from the drums.
These curtains are easy to hang; all you have to do is screw them in place.
You could also use fiberglass panels as they are much steadier than screws.
Besides soundproofing blankets, you could also use soundproof curtains.
The curtains are also made of acoustic properties that help with noise reduction.
You can get the curtains for both your windows and the doors.
The good thing about these curtains is that they come with rods to make it easier for you to attach them.
Some also come with eyelets, which is a huge plus, especially when attaching them to the curtain rod.
The good thing about the curtains and the blankets is that you can also cover the walls.
3. Using Carpets and Mats
Carpets and mats are among the cheapest products you can use to soundproof your drum room.
You can use mats and carpets can use them anywhere you want.
It would be best to purchase a shaggy carpet because it is much better at noise absorption thanks to the fibers.
You could also place the carpets on each side of the doorway to help with noise absorption.
When you do it this way, the drums’ noise is absorbed and deadened before leaking to the outside carpet, absorbing it and minimizing it.
You could also install the carpets on the floor to prevent reverberations and impact noise.
When installing the carpets, ensure you install the wall to wall for maximum effectiveness.
Wall to wall carpeting noise is dampened by soaking on the sound.
You could also add carpets underlay beneath the carpet and floor to ensure the noise is greatly reduced.
4. Replace the Door
If your door is hollow, then it’s probably letting in more noise than you would imagine.
You have to options, soundproof the hollow door or replace it with a solid core.
The best solution is to replace the door with a solid core door.
A solid core door is better positioned to absorb and minimize drum noise because they are made of more mass.
The door is pretty easy to install if you have the right materials and a friend’s help.
However, if the work seems too much for you, you can hire a professional to do it for a fee.
Keep in mind that a professional is in a better position of doing the job perfectly.
5. Soundproof the Door
You should also soundproof the door by adding mass to it, especially if the door is hollow.
Insulating the door is a good idea if you don’t have the budget for putting in a solid door.
One way to add mass to the door is by installing mass loaded vinyl or medium density fiberboard.
Medium-density fiberboard is good because it is thick enough to prevent sound waves from penetrating through the door.
Installing the MDF is easy, and you won’t even need a professional’s help to do it.
- Start by cleaning the door by removing dirt and debris and then using isopropyl alcohol to clean it properly.
- Ensure you also remove any nail protrusion that may interfere with the installation process.
- Allow the door to dry.
- Apply the green glue on the back of the MDF, then attach it to the door.
- You could also screw the MDF in place.
- Install dummy handles on the MDF because drilling them will interfere with the soundproofing properties.
Keep in mind that green glue is also a soundproofing product.
You can also use mass loaded vinyl instead of MDF.
Once installed, you should now focus on the gap between the door and the frame and the gap between the floor and the door.
If you fail to seal these gaps, then the work you put in on the door will be for nothing.
You can use weather-stripping tape to cover the gap on the door and the frame.
For the gap between the door and the floor, you can use interior door sweeps.
6. Soundproof the Walls
Don’t forget the walls when soundproofing your drum room because they also leak noise.
You can soundproof the walls by either installing the materials on or inside the walls.
You can hang acoustic foam panels inside the walls though it will be challenging since you will have to remove the drywall first.
Alternatively, other cheaper methods includes hanging mass loaded vinyl or simply applying soundproofing paint.
If the construction project doesn’t worry you, then you should go ahead and begin the work.
It would help if you also used resilient channels inside the walls as they help reduce vibrations.
For a total wall soundproofing, I would recommend you to use double drywall.
7. Soundproof the Ceiling/ use Drum Rug
There are different ways to soundproof the ceiling.
One of the best method would be installing acoustic tiles or adding a layer of drywall ceiling.
Another great and effective method would involve using a drum rug to soundproof the room.
Place the drum rugs beneath the drum set to help minimize the echo.
It is best to install the rugs on top of the carpet for effectiveness.
The drum rug and the carpet prevent the drums from interacting with the floor, causing more noise.
The rug also protects the floor from damage.
Cheap Ways to Soundproof a Room for Drums
Above are some of the best and cheap ways to soundproof a room for drums.
These are perfect for any DIY enthusiast or anyone who’s on a budget.
For best results, combine two or more methods to help reduce noise leaked in and out of the drum room.