If you live in a noisy apartment or next to a bustling street, I’m sure that your nights are longer than your days.
Loud neighbors or noisy neighborhood could be your worst nightmare. But with the aid of soundproof blinds, you should be able to reduce unwanted noises to a manageable level.
But here is a reminder, it’s important to note that window shades won’t completely soundproof and should be used in a combination of other window soundproofing methods to achieve a considerable sound reduction.
What Are Soundproof Blinds?
Soundproof blinds are an effective, affordable way to reduce noise in your home. They create a barrier between your room and any outside noise, which is perfect for those who suffer from noise sensitivity or sleep deprivation.
A soundproof blind comprises two layers: the first layer covers the window and the second layer creates a sound pocket around the window. The second layer is where sound-absorbing material like wool is typically used to help muffle the noise that comes into your home.
Soundproof blinds can be found online, at builders’ supply stores, lumberyards, and other places that sell home improvement materials.
Roman vs. Honeycomb Soundproof Blinds
There are two types of window shades available on the market today. They share similarities in terms of design, aesthetic appeal, shape but one does a better job in noise reduction than the other.
Honeycomb shades
Honeycomb blinds are modern invention and consist of two layers of fabric or thin paper folded into a honeycomb shape. Because of the size and the number of fabric cells and the honeycomb shape, these shades do a better job in soundproofing compared to roman shades.
The best honeycomb blinds are ones made of blackout fabric or have double cells. These blinds will serve you well if you install them in an entertainment room/ TV room, bedroom because they will block out light and outside noise which is a must when trying to get some sleep or achieve a cinematic atmosphere at home.
· Roman blinds
If you’re looking for a window blind that’s stylish than honeycomb and still does an excellent job in sound deadening, roman blinds are worth the bet. While they’re not as effective as honeycomb shades, their density and thickness make them good in soundproofing. Blackout roman blinds will do a good job in blocking out traffic/outside noise than other normal roman blinds.
Soundproof Blinds Comparison Chart
| Image | Name | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
  | SBARTAR Honeycomb Cellular Shades Cordless | $$ | See Price on Amazon |
  | Calyx Interiors Cordless Honeycomb 9/16-Inch Cellular Shade | $$ | See Price on Amazon |
  | CHICOLOGY Cordless Cellular Shades Privacy Single Cell Window Blind | $$ | See Price on Amazon |
  | SBARTAR Cordless Blinds Cellular Shades Light Filtering Honeycomb Blinds and Shades | $$ | See Price on Amazon |
  | SCHRLING Thermal Insulated Blackout No Drilling Roller Shade | $$ | See Price on Amazon |
  | Windowsandgarden Custom Cordless Single Cell Shades | $$ | See Price on Amazon |
How Soundproof Blinds Work
Soundproofing is an effective way to make your home or office quieter. Whether you are trying to sleep better at night or host a party without waking up the neighbors, soundproof blinds will help.
They come in different styles and materials and can be purchased online or any hardware store. Soundproof blinds are also perfect for working from home because of the noise reduction.
Soundproof blinds can reduce noise levels by 30-50%.
Soundproofing is all about the acoustics of your room. This means that soundproof blinds can do a lot more than just make your room quieter.
The soundproofing helps to reduce reverberation and improve the sound quality. You can also choose to deal with both in one step, which is excellent for those who have noise-sensitive neighbors or are working on a noisy project.
Where To Find Soundproof Blinds
Soundproof blinds are now available in different styles and colors on the market. You can find them in stores like Ikea, Home Depot, Target, or online at Amazon. You can also buy soundproofing for your whole house or apartment from a company like B&D Soundproofing.
If you’re looking for something a little more customized, there are options out there that you can order online.
For example, if you want to cover up an awkward wall in your home with some soundproofing blocks, you can do that and have it shipped directly to your door.
6 Best Soundproof Blinds
Below are carefully selected blinds that do a great job in sound insulation. They are not your ordinary window blinds and not only will they block out sound but have thermal insulation as an added benefit.
1. Cellular Shades Cordless Blackout
They are designed using aluminum foils which can blackout sunlight hence darkening your room for privacy. The best part is that they offer heat insulation and sound absorption thanks to their unique honeycomb cellular design. So while soundproofing your room, they will also keep you cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.
You can install the shades either outside or inside the window frame. So if you will install them inside, it’s recommended to get a piece that ¼ inch smaller than the width of your window for maximum insulation and sound absorption.
They are ideal for installation in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, movie room, and children’s room or in your office or any other room where you need sound and thermal insulation.
2. Calyx Interiors Cordless Honeycomb Shades
Like I mentioned above, unique honeycomb design offers both thermal insulation and sound dampening. The Calyx interiors shades are made from light blocking material darkening your room for privacy.
Being cordless means that they are safe for your kids and pets and so they are the best choice if you have kids or pets around your house. These blinds are ideal for bathroom, bedroom, TV room, your home office or any other room in your house where you want to block out light.
Additionally, the shades will save you big on summer heating bills and winter bills too because the honeycomb design traps in cold and hot air hence keeping your room warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
3. Chicology Cellular Shades
If you want a modern, stylish, eco-friendly, energy saving, and easy to use window blinds, then Chicology blackout blinds are perfect for all these. They are efficient in performance, style, function, design and saves you energy due to their thermal insulation advantages.
The honeycomb design helps you deal with unwanted noises and help you save on summer bills. These blinds can be installed both inside and outside unlike the Calyx interior shutters above.
4. SBARTAR Cordless Room Darkening Shades
If you have a serious noise problem, I’d advise you to stay away from these blinds. Reason- they are a single cell. However, if you want to muffle some background noise in your home office or some blackout, these shades will work out for you.
They are made from 100% polyester, and the cells are made from durable lace fabric for a stylish modern look. Like all the above blinds, they are also cordless ideal for a home with kids and pets. You can install them either from the inside or outside the window, but to achieve the best sound reduction, I would recommend you fit them inside the window. The blinds are available in the following sizes, 34”x64”, 35″x64″, 27″x64″, 36″x64″, and 29″x64″.
5. SCHRLING Thermal Insulated Blinds
(They are available in ecro, dark grey, and black and navy blue and are an excellent alternative to honeycomb blinds. The key features include easy installation no drilling is required.
The shades guarantee 98% blackout and hence not only will it block light but offer good sound absorption. The shades are easy to clean, unlike honeycomb blinds. Cleaning will take you less than 30 minutes, simple get a wet cloth and wipe out dust from the blinds.
6. Windowsandgarden cordless shades
(Add some style to your interior with windows and garden cordless blinds available in nine trendy colors. The cordless option is not only safe for kids but also provides an easy and effortless way to raise and lower the shades.
Key features include:
- Made here in the USA
- 100% polyester and are fully customizable
- They are available in the antique line, amber, cool silver, bay leaf, ivory beige, espresso, white and leaf gold colors.
Tips To Get The Best Out Of Your Soundproof Blinds
To effectively block out noise road noise in your house using blinds, there are a couple of factors you should take into consideration.
Try double cell blinds
If you want to reduce outside noise coming through your window, it’s important to invest in double cell honeycomb cell blinds. These blinds have two layers of cells back to back.
The double cells will give more sound insulation compared to single cell blinds. They will also give more heat insulation- keeping your room warmer during winter and cooler during summer.
Get blinds that fit the size of your window
You should measure the size of the window you need to install the blinds before placing an order online. Making sure that the blinds fit well inside the window frame is important to reduce the amount of noise that gets in your room.
Again if the blinds are loose, and gaps exist between them and the window frame, then they won’t block out sounds.
If you have troubles finding ones that will fit perfectly on the window frame, you can buy extra large blinds that will hang over the frame to cover your window entirely.
Soundproof Blinds Complements
A blend with curtains
Sounds crazy but pairing your noise reducing blinds with some blackout curtains will go a great length in reducing traffic noise or outside noise inside your room. This combination is perfectly suited for your bedroom.
Using soundproof curtains together with window shades is a good problem when you have a serious problem preventing you from enjoying your precious night sleep. But if you’re on a budget, these curtains can break the bank. Instead, I would recommend you to design your homemade blackout curtains from readily available materials from your home.
Rearranging furniture
Did you know that not only can rearranging furniture reduce noise coming through your window – the technique can also be used to prevent bass noise from neighbors?
Here’s how it works.
Try moving furniture such as closet, bookshelf, fabric sofa next to the wall or where the sound makes its way to your room. If you place a closet next to the window, unwanted sounds coming through the window will be blocked.
Additionally, adding thick rugs or carpets on your tiled or paneled floor with unwanted muffle sound that makes it through the window or the walls.
The problem with rearranging the furniture is that- you might distort the aesthetic beauty of your room and can also block light. But if that’s none of your worries, then this method suits you better and the best part you won’t spend a dollar.
Install Acrylic Panels
One of the effective window soundproofing methods is Acrylic Panels. Well, you need to measure the size of the window you need to soundproof taking into account an inch of the frame.
The next step would be to visit your local hardware store and get these panels cut into sizes. Alternatively, you can order Acrylic panels online. Check the ones I recommend here.
The last step would be to install them by securely fixing them onto the window frame. You can use a strong acoustic sealant for this purpose. This creates what’s known as an air pocket that helps in muffling unwanted sound from making its way into your house through the window.
Weatherstripping
A Weatherstrip is one of my cheap and effective sound deadening materials you can use for any DIY soundproofing project. It’s efficient, and one roll will cost you less than ten bucks, and you’ll get the job done within minutes due to its simplistic installation.
You can use this product to seal all the gaps and cracks that exist in your old window and that way; no sound will pass through these gaps and cracks.
Replace your doors and upgrade your windows
Most of the modern interior doors are hollow and do very little in terms of sound absorption. Replacing your existing doors with a composite core, particleboard-core, and solid wood doors will help in noise reduction because more mass dampens unwanted sound.
Besides from filling gaps and cracks on the window here is another expensive option but worth the shot, replacing the existing window glass with a triple pane glass.
Triple pane window together with noise reducing blinds will go a long way to preventing external sound from making its way through the windows.
Soundproofing paint and wall hangings
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about soundproofing paint. If not check it out here. This type of paint is designed to absorb and reflect noise and has been proven to reduce up to 30% of unwanted sounds. Wallpapers are another option to keep off unwanted sounds through walls.
Other Benefits of Soundproof Blinds
Other than noise reduction, below are five benefits you will get when you have window shades installed.
a) Light Control
Blinds, especially slated types are an efficient window treatment for light control because you can tilt the slates up and down. While curtains can be open and closed, light coming through the window will only come in through a very small part leading to light that isn’t well diffused leaving the corners of your room dim. Shades or blinds don’t have this issue.
They are also ideal for privacy. I know that we’ve all peeked through blinds to know who’s at the door, but with window blinds, you can tilt them upward without letting anyone see inside.
b) Aesthetics
As homeowners become more aesthetically conscious, so have the manufacturers updated the design of their products. Most of the blinds on the market are made from wood or synthetic materials furnished to look like wood.
Wood blinds give your window an elegant and classic look, unlike metals blinds that have an edgy and industrial look. They are also eco-friendlier.
c) Easy to maintain
One of the best things about window shades is that they are easy to maintain. Because all blinds require dusting and cleaning, they are the cleanest form of window treatment. You don’t have to remove them to wash or dust them with wet cloth, unlike curtains that will need regular cleaning every other week.
Additionally, they are durable especially ones made from aluminum or wood, and you won’t have to replace them unless when you decide, it’s time to replace.
d) Different styles and colors
These products are available in an endless variety of colors, styles, and patterns allowing you to create the perfect look for your living room, home office, kitchen or bathroom.
Additionally, you can choose from different styling, from mini blinds, roman blinds, honeycomb blinds to cordless ones that are safer for children and kids.
e) Variety of materials
Blinds are available in a variety of materials, and this will allow you to choose from the material that complements the styling in your room. For example, if your home office contains all wooden furniture, you can complement the styling by getting some wooden blinds.
However, if the wooden options are too expensive, you can opt for synthetic blinds with a wooden finish or aluminum blinds that complement your styling.
Soundproof Blinds Alternatives
If still, you’re not convinced that soundproof blinds are for you, there are some simple alternatives you could try.
Gliding panels are alternatives similar to vertical blinds. The only difference is that they are larger but look more elegant than blinds. They are best for large windows or porch doors that require unique treatment. You can use gliding panels as elegant and minimalistic room dividers.
Final Thoughts on Soundproof Blinds
It’s evident that blinds act as good sound absorption materials and besides this, they also offer added benefits including insulation and blackout. However it’s important to note that they won’t completely soundproof your room, but instead, they’ll dampen sound to manageable levels.
To obtain maximum benefits, it’s recommended you integrate them with other noise proofing treatments. Interested in more DIY soundproofing articles from my website- why not learn how to sound deaden airvents or how to reduce noise in your bathroom?