Can curtains be used for soundproofing?

Can curtains be used for soundproofing?

Perhaps you struggle to focus on your home office due to traffic noise, or you have just installed a media room in the family home. Whatever your reason, you may be considering sound-absorbing curtains to lessen the sound coming in and going out.  They are easier to install and more cost-effective than other sound-blocking options; but do they really work?

The answer is yes!  Although curtains cannot fully eliminate all sound, block-out curtains can help to noticeably minimise and absorb noise. Noise can still enter the room through the walls and gaps, but curtains can assist in blocking sound at the window space. You may notice curtains in places that don’t actually need light to be blocked or don’t actually have windows, like churches, movie theatres or dining halls. This is because the curtains are there purely for their sound benefits.

The number one thing to consider when contemplating buying curtains for noise reduction is just how much noise you want to block. If you’re the lead guitarist in a rock band, you may want to consider more sophisticated soundproofing options. But, if you are a professional working from home and some outside noise disrupts your workspace, choosing thicker, heavier block-out curtains may be an option for you.

Our two recommendations for blocking out sound using curtains are:

  1. Ensure that your curtains are a heavyweight: The curtain material must be thick and heavy to create more space for the sound to travel through.
  2. Choose curtains that are pleated, rather than flat: Pleated curtains are thicker, meaning the sound has more fabric to travel through and to be absorbed by. They also have a far greater surface area.

Other things to consider are the height, width and material (the microfibres of suede and velvet are especially effective) of your curtains. Your friendly team member at Timms Curtain House can help you to determine the best option.

Another benefit of block-out soundproof curtains is that they can improve the sound quality of your room. Imagine that you are listening to music from your iPhone in an empty room. The sound is probably going to echo, sound distorted and probably not very clear. Now imagine that you are listening to the song inside a cupboard or closet, full of soft clothes and fabrics. The sound is more localised and is certainly easier to listen to. Soundproof curtains work in a very similar way; they don’t lessen the sound, they absorb it, preventing it from reverberating around the room. If you are looking for a way to improve the sound quality of your room, block-out curtains are a low-cost and effective option.  

There are many different ways that can help to soundproof a room, but curtains are arguably the most convenient and cost-effective. They are useful for keeping the noise inside your home, filtering it out and creating a more ambient sound space. Wide, long, thick and heavy curtains are the most effective at sound protecting your home and Timms Curtain House has options to suit all spaces and budgets. Contact our friendly team today!