Can You Soundproof Using Cardboard?

 

Can You Soundproof Using Cardboard?

 

Building or remodelling a new location can be a thrilling prospect. It can, however, be rather intimidating. One of the numerous decisions you'll have to make is what kind of soundproofing materials to utilise. Cardboard is a low-cost and convenient choice, but is it worth your time and effort?

Cardboard soundproofing has a Noise Reduction Coefficient of 0.05-0.15 for high frequencies and 0.04-0.09 for low frequencies, according to Wikipedia.

That means a cardboard wall will only lower low-frequency noise by 20% to 50%.

An old but still efficient remedy is cardboard. It is commonly used to soundproof studios and stages. However, it can be difficult to utilise it for interior walls because they must be held vertically, which means the weak material cannot sustain itself.

So, should you utilise it as the greatest soundproofing material? Is it worthwhile to invest your time and effort? Is there any alternative soundproofing material available? That is why you should read this post.

Section I: Table of Contents
What Exactly Is Cardboard Soundproofing, and How Does It Work?
There are numerous myths around cardboard soundproofing. Actually, sound affects every material used to construct a wall.

In this case, the wall will attenuate or amplify certain frequencies. For example, if you want to build a home theatre and need to make it feel as if the actors were right there with you, you’ll have to use special panels that will absorb low frequencies.

If you wish to block sound from leaving your home, you might consider employing specialist materials that reflect high frequencies.

Cardboard is essentially a large sheet of paper with flaps. It is not designed for long-term use or stability.

However, if used appropriately and reinforced with additional materials such as plywood. You might have found the ideal answer for your soundproofing requirements.

Projects for Soundproofing using Cardboard
Here are a few examples of cardboard soundproofing projects. That you can use as a source of inspiration.
1. Acoustic Panels Made of Cardboard
Cardboard Acoustic Panels are the most practical application of cardboard for soundproofing. Cardboard soundproofing panels are quite common among musicians, especially guitar players.

Cardboard acoustic panels will help to decrease the reverb time in your home and your guitar sound will be much more clear.

The Wall of Sound studio is a modest music studio housed in the basement of an ancient house. The building itself is fairly robust but there was one huge problem with it: the concrete walls bounce every noise back so when you play something loud enough, all the neighbours can hear it.

If you’re playing drums or recording vocals, this can be really frustrating. They turned to Cardboard Acoustic Panels to remedy their concerns.

2. Soundproof Cardboard Box (School Project) (School Project)
Soundproofing cardboard box is a typical middle and high school assignment. Usually, students use this material to soundproof other items. So that they can achieve the optimal sound quality.
This is an excellent activity if you like to learn about the basics of acoustics and soundproofing materials. While there are a few variants to the design, this is roughly what you’ll need: a big cardboard box, several egg cartons, and a hot glue gun.

Students utilise egg cartons because they’re light yet very good at dampening sound waves. You might not think of it when building or decorating your home but simply adding some egg cartons inside the cardboard box would improve the acoustics.

3. Cardboard Soundproof Room
Reading, studying, or performing musical instruments can be disrupted by the noise coming from other rooms in your house. If you are attempting to keep the noise down, it’s time to try making a cardboard soundproof room.
However, there are several things you need to consider while trying to make a soundproof cardboard room. For example, cardboard isn’t particularly robust and it will be readily ruined if people bump into it or drag heavy goods over the walls.

You’ll also need to keep in mind that cardboard itself has no noise-blocking characteristics so you’ll have to use other materials like egg cartons (which are also a fantastic soundproofing material) or acoustic foam.

Tips For DIY Cardboard Soundproofing Projects
Here are some recommendations for the DIY Cardboard Soundproofing Projects you need to consider:

Choose Thickness Wisely: This is not the place to save money. If you go with thinner cardboard, you aren’t going to receive as much sound attenuation as thicker cardboard will provide. Thicker = Better
Use Hot Glue: Glue is an underused tool in house renovations and if utilised appropriately, it can have a very substantial impact on how well your project works. For example, if you’re trying to construct acoustic panels and want the greatest results, use hot glue. It’s not pricey and it will hold your cardboard together like nothing else.
Reinforce Corners: The corners of your cardboard pieces (if you’re using several) generate some severe weak points that need reinforcing with some extra glue or with duct tape.
Cut Out Holes For Speaker Ports: If you are trying to soundproof your room with cardboard boxes, don’t forget to construct a speaker hole too! You can add some foam or egg cartons inside the box.
Use Egg Cartons Or Foam To Soundproof The Room: Cardboard alone is not enough. You need to use egg cartons or acoustic foam if you want to soundproof the space.
How To Install Soundproof Cardboard In Your Home
Here is the step-by-step technique to install soundproof cardboard in your house. Follow the process and you will receive the finest outcomes.

Step 1st: Measure And Cut Your Cardboard Pieces
The first thing you need to do is measure and cut your cardboard pieces. If you’re trying to soundproof a room, utilise egg cartons as the primary sound insulator.
They consist of thousands of tiny foam cells that absorb sound waves very well. You can easily adhere them to the walls and ceiling with hot glue.
Step 2nd: Apply Damping Material
Do you know what a sound wave is? A sound wave is just a pressure that goes from one point to another through the air or some other medium.

The speed of this movement depends on numerous parameters such the type of material, its stiffness, density, etc.
In drywall, sound waves flow easily through the microscopic gaps between the panels. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to add some dampening material that will fill up the spaces and make them more stiff.

Step 3rd: Glue Your Pieces Together
This may not be as simple as it sounds. While a glue gun is a wonderful alternative, hot-gluing your parts together will have a much better effect on soundproofing.

Step 4th: Add Egg Cartons Or Foam
This is where egg cartons come in handy as you can attach them to cardboard panels or any other form of building material for that matter. They are not expensive and they’re easy to install – just peel off the paper, apply glue to your selected position, and set them in place.

Step 5th: Apply An Acoustic Sealant Over The Egg Cartons
This will prohibit the sound waves from travelling through any seams between different pieces of cardboard and egg cartons. Better better, you can utilise acoustic foam for this purpose also.
Step 6th: Paint Over The Cardboard Panels
Painting over the panels will make them appear attractive and also hide up any seams that may diminish the soundproofing effect.

Step 7th: Apply Two Coats Of Paint
Don’t be cheap, use two coatings to cover up any indications of the seams since once the tape loses its stickiness, there’s not much you can do about it.
Step 8th: Add Hooks To Hang Curtains
If you want to make your cardboard room functional also, why not attach hooks to hang curtains? That way, you may either close the curtain or remove it altogether if needed.

Step 9th: Install A Door Seal To Soundproof The Entrance
If you’re trying to soundproof a room, don’t forget the door! Installing an entry seal will make sure that any sound waves that may get in won’t be able to enter easily.

This may sound hard but you can easily do this in your own garage or backyard if you have a little of spare time and a desire to learn. Compared to other types of soundproof building materials, cardboard is comparatively cheap and straightforward to utilise.

Downsides Of Cardboard Soundproofing
As an inexpensive approach to soundproof a room, you can’t really go wrong with cardboard. But it still has some severe negatives that you should examine before choosing if it’s the correct decision for your area.

As an inexpensive approach to soundproof a room, you can’t really go wrong with cardboard. But it still has some severe negatives that you should examine before choosing if it’s the correct decision for your area.
Inconvenient: It is inconvenient to build your boxes. You have to cut them into the proper size then attach them together with a hot-glue gun or tape.
Noise Reduction: It may not give the noise reduction you are searching for. The Egg Carton technique will decrease some noise. But \sPorous: It is porous so it will allow some noise in, especially when the weather changes. Some of this noise may come through your heating system or chimney.
Sound Absorption: Cardboard is not a very absorbent material. While egg cartons and acoustic foam can make things significantly better, you should really investigate different soundproofing materials if you want to do the job right.
Environmental: Your cardboard panels may be damaging to the environment as they may contain toxic chemicals utilised in their creation.
Additional Soundproofing Materials
Here are some other soundproofing materials you can use in your house. These materials also potentially replace the cardboard.

1. Soundproof Panels
Soundproof panels are the usual choice for house soundproofing. They are extremely similar to drywall, except they have a specially built core which provides them their great noise reduction capabilities.
While not appropriate for DIY projects, you can get various ready-made acoustic panel systems online or at your local hardware store.

2. Acoustic Curtains
If you choose uPVC windows in your house, it is recommended to put acoustic curtains as the soundproof material on them. This will provide you optimal noise suppression and also allow some light through while keeping your privacy protected.

3. Soundproof Tiles
Soundproof tiles are a sound-absorbing substance often used in the house. They are available as adhesive panels or can be tiled directly into your room’s walls or ceiling.

You can use them separately to cover up any sound leaks or apply them over other soundproofing materials like acoustic curtains and insulation for optimal noise reduction.

4. Soundproof Blanket
Soundproof blanket is the sound suppressing covering. That is composed of acoustically transparent cloth. The absorption performance can achieve NRC 0.85 in the frequency range of 500 to 4000 Hz, even more than 700Hz.

It may be used for various kinds of doors, including the sliding door and so forth. At the same time, it has good airtightness performance.

5. Foam Sheets
It is the standard soundproof material for windows. It can be used immediately to cover up windows or doors, especially when you don’t want to remove them permanently or only need a temporary solution.
You can also locate various foam sheets with outstanding noise reduction characteristics that are expressly created for this purpose.

Wrap Up On Is Cardboard Soundproofing Worth Of Your Efforts
To sum it up, it is far easier to install cardboard in your room instead of undertaking other soundproofing chores.

It can be used in numerous ways; therefore, you may find it extremely handy in your house. But take into account the negatives before you start working with it so you don’t face any unpleasant surprises later on.

If you want to improve the soundproofing in your property, cardboard is not your best solution. You need to add other soundproofing material to it in order to get the optimum benefits.

Here are some things you can use instead of cardboard in your house: soundproof panels, acoustic drapes, soundproof tiles, and foam sheets.

Please feel free to discuss here how cardboard could assist with Soundproofing? Did I overlook something important? Let me know if there’s anything more you’d like to know.
FAQ: Is Cardboard Soundproofing Worth Of Your Efforts
Here are some often asked questions that you should know if you are encountering the same difficulty.
Q1. Can Cardboard Absorb Sound Waves?
Ans: Sound waves can’t be absorbed by a single material. According to acoustic specialists, it is the mix of several materials that helps absorb sound. Cardboard panels are thin and cannot stop all sorts of noise from coming into your room.

Q2. What Kind Of Noise Reduction Can You Expect From Using Cardboard?
Ans: Cardboard panels are a DIY soundproofing material. They will help minimise noise. But when it comes to offering complete soundproofing they are not as useful.

Q3. What Are Some Of The Biggest Challenges People Face When Trying To Soundproof A Room With Cardboard?
Ans: Some of the most difficult issues that people confront when attempting to soundproof their room with cardboard are as follows:
1. Cardboard has no real value in terms of reducing noise.
2. Cardboard is likewise lightweight and not appropriate for long-term use.
3. Cardboard panels are weak and easily fall off if moved regularly.