Different Ways to Noiseproof a Home Office

Working from a home office presents a number of benefits, along with some potential challenges. Noise is one of those challenges, and in addition to being frustrating, it can make focusing on work difficult to impossible.  There are some simple solutions to reduce noise, such as thickening walls, filling rooms, and strategic furniture placement. 

Thick Walls

For those who happen to be considering a remodel or new construction, it is a good time to consider spray foam insulation West Virginia to help thicken walls and prevent noise pollution. Most people may benefit from some simple tasks to create thicker walls. Furniture such as wardrobes, bookshelves, cabinets, and others can add dimension and help deter noise when arranged against thin walls. Wall decorations, including curtains and blankets, add bulk to walls and help reduce echos.

Full Rooms

Echos can be fun for all ages, but it usually involves being outside or in a cave. Echos in a home office can be highly distracting. Emptier rooms and those with minimalist decor with little furniture may experience a problem with echos. It can help to add a rug, couch or armchair, and other useful furniture such as tables or an extra desk. Tapestries or quilts on the wall, curtains on the windows, along with stacks of cushions or blankets, and other upholstered surfaces can also help with echo. 

Strategic Placement

Consider placing the desk along the thickest wall, a wall that is not shared with another room, a wall without windows leading to a noisy road, or in the middle of the room. If furniture placement is not flexible, it can be helpful to see what is against the wall in the other room. The kids’ play area, computers, televisions, and speakers against the same wall as the desk can be a problem, and it may help to move them. If moving those items is not possible, then talk with housemates about noise levels or creating a schedule of quiet work time. 

Working from a home office can be a wonderful opportunity, and preventing and controlling noise can help enhance the experience. There are professionals that can help, particularly during remodels and new construction, but there are many things a do-it-yourselfer can accomplish relatively easily. This includes using furniture, blankets, and curtains to add thickness to walls, filling rooms with upholstered surfaces and an extra table or desk, and placing furniture strategically to allow for more noise reduction.