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Soundproofing An Exterior Door Article
19. Soundproofing an Exterior Door
from:Singing neighbours, mobile phone talkers, and kids playing outside the door are all reasons to make your front door soundproof. The instructions below will help you in doing that.
The first step is to purchase some M-D Rolled Packaged Door and Window Weather-stripping and a door sweep or door threshold that seals. After installation, you will want to make sure your door is airtight. Turn off the lights and have someone stand on the outside and shine a light at all the sealed areas. If you see light on the other side, then your door is not airtight and sound will enter through these spaces.
Sealing the door with weather-stripping can be a big improvement and result in a lot of noise reduction. Now, the QuietCoat is not meant for wood, but you can try applying it to the entire interior surface of the door – even if it is wood. There can still be a slight reduction in sound. You can also use acoustic foam to fill in the thin area of the door panels.
The MLV/Mass Loaded Vinyl can also help block sound. Lay it out on the floor and trim it to the size of the door; then attach it to the interior of the door, covering the whole surface. Use some small nails to further secure the sheet to the door. Also, the MLV is rather heavy, so you may want a friend to help. This further reduces the noise from the outside.
Some things to consider: Make sure that your door hinges can handle the extra weight of the MLV. Also, you can be left with a really ugly door. To improve the appearance of the door, you can use tin tiles, even though they are meant for the ceiling and will require some modification. Trim some of the tin pieces with tin snips, and then secure them with Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive. You should wear gloves, otherwise you can cut yourself. Started at the top and centre the first uncut 24X24 tile on the top of the door. The part of the tile that is usually used to secure it to the ceiling should be bent on the edge at the top of the door. You can the secure the tile with small nails.
On either side of the full 24X24 tile, trim and secure the cut ceiling tiles. It works best if you trim each piece so that they protrude slightly over the edge of the door. This way you can bend the edges to create a smooth edge. As you work your way down the door, use small nails to help secure the tiles, while the glue dries. Be sure to glue the backs and back connecting edges of the tiles.
The tricky part is cutting around the door hardware, be sure to measure and take extra care so it will look flush with the door. It helps to remove the door hardware.
Once the door is completely tiled, it is time to take care of those sharp edges. Bend the edges down towards the door, and then fill in this area with Aluminium and Metal Silicone Sealant. You can also use the sealant around the edge of the door hardware. If you had a peep hole, be sure to drill out the hole for that and re-install.
You’re almost done, clean up the door with some window cleaner and you will be left with a fabulous door.