Does soundproof foam work?
The simple answer is No and Yes.
Hanging soundproof foam on the walls won’t soundproof your room but instead will improve the room’s acoustics qualities.
Foam is simply a sound absorber but not a soundproofing material.
Sound-absorbing materials are used to improve the quality of sound in a room and are often installed on ceilings and walls as a finished surface.
On the other hand, the products that block sounds are used inside the ceiling or walls and form part of the construction material.
They are often dense, heavy, and often reflect sound back to the room rather than allowing it to travel through the walls.
How Does Soundproof Foam Work?
To help you better understand how this material works, let’s have a look at this simple analogy.
Let’s make two boxes- one made of sponge material and the other one glass panels.
Add water to each box and observe what happens next.
The sponge box will absorb water, but the glass box will hold water.
This simple physics applies when it comes to sounds, and that’s why we have sound blocking materials and sound-absorbing materials.
Foam is spongy like material that should only be used to absorb echoes and reverberations in a room.
If you’re looking for sound blocking materials, then there are a number of them, including green glue sealant, resilient sound isolation clips, mass loaded vinyl, Quietrock Drywall Boards.
Does Soundproof Foam Work Both Ways?
The answer is No.
Soundproof foam doesn’t work both ways, and here is why.
Soundproof foam mainly absorbs echoes and high-frequency sounds.
For this reason, it will only absorb sounds inside the room where they are installed.
Therefore, if you have a neighbor playing bass music next door, you won’t be able to soundproof against this type of sound with just soundproof foam.
This is because bass noise is transmitted through walls in a foam of vibrations and different frequencies than high-pitched sounds.
So, in summary, soundproof foam only works one way.
If you’ve a neighbor playing bass music next door, I would highly suggest that you check out my previous article on how to block low-frequency sounds.
Soundproof Foam, Is It Required on All Walls of a Room to Work?
To find the perfect placement for your soundproof foam, here is what you should do.
If you’re a gamer, Youtuber, or a podcaster, you should mainly target the reflective areas between your speakers and your seat in order for the foam to absorb maximum echoes as possible.
To get an idea of what I’m referring to, kindly click the link here to watch a detailed video on how to install acoustic foam panels.
You’ll be surprised to learn that you even don’t have to cover the entire walls for the product to effectively absorb the noise.
You will also require to install what’s known as corner bass traps.
A perfect example that I recommend is the DEKIRU Acoustic Panels Bass Traps Corner Studio Foam.
They will significantly help trap bass noise allowing for the best audio qualities in the room.
Does Soundproof Foam Work on Doors?
Yes, the soundproof foam does work on doors just as it works on walls.
But still, you shouldn’t expect it to magically make outside noise disappear.
When used on the doors, it will help reduce echoes in a room and not soundproof against outside noise.
If you’re looking for ways to make your existing door capable of blocking noise, then I would highly recommend you to check out my article on how to soundproof a door.
Recommended Acoustic Foam Products on the Market
There are different brands of acoustic foam materials on the market. While they’re all designed for sound absorption, they all have different efficiency levels.
Below are some of my recommended foam products.
Fstop Acoustic Foam Panels
The Fstop Acoustic Foam Panel is a 3D acoustically designed foam that helps absorb echoes on ceilings and walls.
At 50/pound cubic yard, this product effectively absorbs any unwanted echoes and reverbs.
They are made from non-toxic materials.
The panels come highly compressed, and they recover to their normal sizes in about 24-48 hours when placed in a well-ventilated room.
They are ideal for treating walls in your recording studio, home studio, office, home entertainment theaters, and control rooms.
JBER Studio Soundproofing Foam Wedges
These are great for treating sound on ceilings, walls in your office, studio, or for soundproofing home entertainment theaters.
A single pack contains 12 pieces, with each piece covering 1sq.ft.
The foam is 1 inch thick and helps reduce flutter echoes, reverb, unwanted noises, and annoying acoustic reflections.
Dekiru Corner Bass Traps
Acoustic corner bass traps help remove sound reflections and reverberations and provide sound insulation for domestic and industrial applications.
This product is environmentally friendly and doesn’t pose any health risks, unlike fiberglass, polyurethane foam, and rock wool materials.
Additionally, the bass trap can be used for ceilings, walls, doors, and in places such as recording studio, drum practice rooms, crowded places- such as gyms, subways- it can also be used to soundproof a dorm room.
Does Soundproof Foam Work? – Final Thoughts
Soundproof foam does work but in different ways than you thought.
While most people have dubbed it “soundproof foam,” I would refer to this product as an acoustical treatment foam.
The reason?
It doesn’t soundproof against noise- it won’t block out noise from leaving or entering a room.
Instead, it will effectively eliminate echoes and reverbs in a room.
Also, check out my myth debunking regarding egg carton soundproofing.