Whether you’re building a new home, setting up a home studio, or just trying to drown out the “delightful” sounds of city life, soundproofing is key.

But not all materials are created equal. Today, we’re diving into the world of acustic efficiency and putting three popular contenders to the test: Fiberglass, Mineral Wool, and Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV). So, let the showdown begin!

The Contenders: Meet the Materials

1. Fiberglass Insulation

Fiberglass is like the vanilla ice cream of the insulation world—classic, dependable, and widely used. Made from fine glass fibers, it’s commonly found in pink or yellow fluffy batts that look deceptively like cotton candy (please, don’t eat it).

• Pros: Affordable, easy to install, decent thermal insulation as a bonus.
• Cons: Can irritate skin and lungs if you’re not careful. Plus, it’s not the best at blocking low-frequency sounds.

2. Mineral Wool (Rock Wool)

Think of Mineral Wool as Fiberglass’s tougher, cooler cousin. Made from volcanic rock or industrial slag, it’s denser and offers better soundproofing. It’s also fire-resistant, which is great if your neighbor’s “culinary experiments” tend to get out of hand.

• Pros: Excellent sound absorption, better thermal resistance, and fireproof.
• Cons: Slightly pricier than fiberglass, heavier, and can be a bit trickier to cut.

3. Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV)

MLV is the new kid on the block, and it’s here to flex. This flexible, heavy sheet is designed specifically for soundproofing, adding mass without the bulk of traditional materials. Picture it as the heavyweight champion of the acoustic world—compact but powerful.

• Pros: Exceptional at blocking sound, flexible, and easy to install in awkward spaces.
• Cons: Expensive, and not as readily available at your local hardware store.

The Science of Silence: How Do They Work?

Before we start slapping materials on walls like we’re decorating for a garage band’s first gig, let’s talk science. Two key concepts come into play:

• NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient): Measures how much sound a material absorbs. Higher numbers = better absorption.
• STC (Sound Transmission Class): Measures how well a material blocks sound from passing through. Higher STC = better sound blocking.

Now, let’s see how our contenders stack up!

Round 1: Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)

• Fiberglass: NRC of around 0.9. Pretty solid for absorbing mid-to-high frequencies, like voices or your neighbor’s Taylor Swift karaoke sessions.
• Mineral Wool: NRC of 1.0 or even higher. It’s like a black hole for sound—especially good at soaking up both high and low frequencies.
• MLV: NRC is around 0.15-0.2. Wait, what? Yep, MLV isn’t great at absorbing sound. Its strength lies elsewhere…

Winner: Mineral Wool takes the crown here. If you want to deaden echoes and soak up sound inside a room, it’s your go-to.

Round 2: Sound Transmission Class (STC)

• Fiberglass: STC rating of 39-45 when used in a typical wall assembly. Decent, but you might still hear that bass thumping  through.
• Mineral Wool: STC of 45-50. A step up from fiberglass, especially in blocking lower frequencies.
• MLV: STC can reach 26-33 per layer, but here’s the trick—MLV shines when combined with other materials. Adding MLV to a standard wall assembly can boost STC ratings to 50-60+.

Winner: Mass Loaded Vinyl steals the spotlight here. On its own, it’s decent, but when paired with drywall or insulation, it’s like adding turbo to a race car.

Round 3: Installation & Practicality

• Fiberglass: Easy to handle if you don’t mind wearing gloves and a mask. Fits snugly between studs and is widely available.
• Mineral Wool: A bit heavier and can be messier to cut, but it fits tightly, which is great for both sound and thermal insulation.
• MLV: Super flexible—you can hang it on walls, wrap pipes, or even lay it under flooring. But beware, it’s heavy for its size. Wrestling with a roll of MLV feels like grappling with a stubborn octopus.

Winner: Fiberglass wins for ease and availability, but MLV scores points for versatility.

The Cost Factor: Bang for Your Buck

• Fiberglass: $0.40 to $1.00 per square foot. Cheap and cheerful.
• Mineral Wool: $0.80 to $1.50 per square foot. You get what you pay for.
• MLV: $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot. Oof. But remember, you’re paying for performance.

If you’re on a budget, fiberglass will do the job. But if you’re serious about soundproofing—like “recording studio” serious—MLV is worth the investment.

Real-World Scenarios: Which Should You Choose?

1. Building a Home Theater?
   Go for Mineral Wool in the walls and ceiling for absorption, and add MLV behind the drywall to block sound from escaping.
2. Trying to Drown Out Street Noise?
   Mass Loaded Vinyl combined with double drywall is your best bet. Toss in some Mineral Wool for good measure.
3. On a Tight Budget?
   Fiberglass will still get you decent results, especially if you layer up with thick curtains or acoustic panels.

Final Verdict: The Ultimate Soundproofing Combo

If you’re looking for a winner… well, it’s not that simple (because, of course, it isn’t). The best soundproofing setups often use a combination of these materials:

• Use Mineral Wool for absorption inside walls.
• Layer MLV between drywall sheets to block transmission
• Add Fiberglass in less critical areas where cost matters more than performance

Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget the Gaps!

Even the best materials won’t help if you leave gaps around doors windows, or outlets. Seal  everything up tighter than your grandma’s Tupperware lid collection.

Wrapping It Up

So there you have it—the ultimate smackdown between Fiberglass, Mineral Wool, and Mass Loaded Vinyl. Whether you’re trying to block out noisy neighbors, build the perfect home studio, or just enjoy a little peace and quiet, understanding the strengths of these materials is key.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about slapping some insulation on the wall and hoping for the best. It’s about layering, sealing, and combining these materials to create a fortress of silence. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll finally get a good night’s sleep without a barking dog serenade.

Happy soundproofing!

Have you ever wanted to soundproof a room or even a house, but you didn’t have much money? I know I have been there. And what did I do?

Probably like you, I started to do my research about cheap methods to soundproof space. After a while, I stumbled across the newspaper.

Yes, you heard that right. Some people are saying that this is a decent material to work with for soundproofing.

That’s why, in this article, I’m going to answer this very unusual question: does soundproofing with newspaper really work?

The short answer

Unfortunately, I do have some bad news. This method is not efficient at all. I am not saying that it doesn’t work at all. If you are going to glue a lot of layers of newspapers and stick them to the walls, you will feel a little difference. It also is also a big time-consuming procedure that simply is not worth trying.

Don’t worry though. I will still help you by giving other alternatives for soundproofing that may suit your needs, so don’t quit now.

Why it doesn’t work

Before getting to my recommendations, you probably want to hear why the newspaper doesn’t act as a soundproof material. As you know, newspapers are made from exactly what their name says, and that is paper.

A very important factor that makes a material soundproof is its density. Paper is not too dense, and layering it doesn’t help much either.

You don’t need to buy a whole stack of this and take 2 days off work in order to glue them together. Time is money, so don’t make that mistake.

If you want to execute a serious project, my advice is to save up some money and be patient. Once you have the necessary funds for this, you can try one of the next options.

Other alternatives: Green Glue

After you’ve convinced yourself that newspapers aren’t a good time and money investment, you need to move on. Instead of doing more research and losing more time, you can follow my advice, and you will not regret it.

The first option I am going to recommend is Green Glue. It is a very popular compound that made a lot of people happy according to reviews.

Although this method may seem simple and very inexpensive, you shouldn’t get too enthusiastic.

Keep in mind you that have to apply this compound to your room’s drywall. Depending on the room’s size, that will require little to a lot of time.

You can buy this product from a lot of distributors, but you can also find it on Amazon here. This is most likely the best deal on the market right now with 6 tubes for only about 100$.

It is rated 4 out of 5 by the customers who seem to be very impressed by it. So, what are you waiting for? Order it while it is still available. If you feel this option isn’t for you, don’t panic. I will tell you about another option shortly.

But first, you probably want to know how to install this as well. It is really easy, but a tiny mistake can screw everything up. So, let’s get to work.

How to install Green Glue

First off, we need to talk about the materials we need for installation. Another advantage of the Green Glue is that it doesn’t require too many of these.

You can apply this differently, but the most common method is from 28-ounce tubes. You are going to need: 28-ounce tubes, the nozzle that comes in the package, a utility knife, and a caulk gun.

Step 1.

Prepare the compound. Tap the 28-ounce tube on a hard surface, so the substance doesn’t drip when you open it.

Step 2.

Using the utility knife, cut a little hole in the tip of the tube, then screw the nozzle over it. Using the knife again, cut the same hole in the tip of the nozzle.

Step 3.

Make sure you can fit your prepared tube into the caulk gun and leave it there.

Step 4.

Get the drywall and place it with the face on the ground. Pull the trigger of the caulk gun and dispense the product evenly across the drywall. Remember to leave a little border around the panel in order to handle it easy when finished.

Step 5.

It is recommended to apply 2 28 ounce tubes for each 4×8 foot panel. Once the first tube is empty, repeat the first 3 steps for the second tube. While dispensing the second tube, try to cover up the empty spaces from earlier.

Step 6.

After you applied the second layer, you have 15 minutes to fasten the drywall with screws. Repeat for every 4×8 foot panel of drywall, until you have installed all of them. You will notice a small difference right away, but it takes up to 30 days to get the full benefits of Green Glue.

Other alternatives: MLV

If I couldn’t convince you with the previous product, I am going to present you another one. Mass loaded vinyl (MLV) is another popular and multifunctional product, used in a lot of industries. It is flexible and very dense, things making it the perfect soundproofing material.

You can find it under a lot of brand names, for example, Acoustiblok. Very few people know this is actually MLV.

Advantages

The main advantage of it is that you don’t have to tear anything apart to use it. You can just install it directly on the surface; although, I don’t advise you to do that.

However, if there isn’t a second option, go for it. Why is that? Because MLV only comes in black, and not too many people sacrifice design for effectiveness.

Design

The design of basements and garages doesn’t really matter, but if you want to soundproof your dining room, that is where this problem comes in. You need to install it during the construction phase to eliminate that problem.

You can also avoid this design issue by painting the MLV. Trust me, no one will notice it.

Costs

Although it is a little bit more expensive than Green Glue, it is a great option as well. You can find this pretty much in any specialized constructions shop, packed as big rolls. Don’t be afraid of this little detail.

You can easily cut it with a normal knife. You can find those rolls for about $100-200, depending on the size. You can also find this online on Amazon, with a 3.9 out of 5-star rating. The link to it is here.

It is also really easy to install. I’m going to present a guide on how to do that right now:

How to install MLV

There are 2 ways to install MLV onto the wall. You can either go for a spray adhesive or typical nails or screws. Both have advantages and disadvantages. I will list those, and then you can choose your favored option.

The spray is very effective, in fact, maybe too effective. If you are ever going to decide to remove the MLV, it will be a very difficult job. If you somehow manage to do it, there will be huge marks on the wall.

Screws are the better alternative in this case, as they are effective, and they are easy to remove. Unfortunately, they will leave small holes, but you can make them vanish in a couple of minutes by caulking them. If I made that clear, we can start installing it:

You are going to need the MLV roll, a tape measure, a razor knife, nails or screws, foil tape, and maybe the help of another person.

Step 1.

Measure the distance of the wall you are going to soundproof. Use the tape measure and make sure to subtract about half an inch.

Step 2.

Roll out the MLV and cut it with the razor knife, according to the measurements from step 1.

Step 3.

If the resulted MLV piece is too big, ask for help to position the MLV onto the wall. Make sure it is straight.

Step 4.

Place the nails or screws in the key points and fasten them.

Step 5.

After you installed every piece of MLV, combine them with the foil tape.

Step 6.

Cut around the switches and electrical outlets to make sure you don’t forget about them.

That was it! You’ve managed to soundproof your room!

Conclusion

Overall, you can’t soundproof a room with newspapers, but there are a lot of effective and inexpensive methods out there! Don’t be stingy with the money, as this is a long time investment that may change your life in some way.

Consider my bits of advice and choose the best option for your case, and let me know which one was helpful. Do you know another soundproofing material that is better than those two?

Have you ever wanted to create a soundproof room and you didn’t know what material you needed to use? I know I have been in that situation. After a little research, you probably stumbled across a specific material: concrete.

I was very confused at first as well because I didn’t know anything about it. That is why in this article I’m going to explain to you if this material is effective for those situations.

Is concrete a good sound insulator?

Unfortunately, I can’t give you a positive or negative answer. It really depends on what sounds you want to block. The truth is, concrete is a very good material for acoustic insulations but only blocks airborne noises. It is a hard material, and that is why it reduces acoustic performance in terms of impact noises.

If I confused you even more with that explanation, I will make everything clear by telling you what are both airborne and impact noises. You can figure those out only by reading their names. They are very important terms, so, if you are interested in soundproofing your house, pay attention.

Most noise that surrounds us is airborne, meaning that it is relayed through the atmosphere. Some examples of this kind of noise are real life conversations, the sound coming from television or radio, etc.

On the other hand, impact noise is a sudden burst of high-intensity sounds. It is caused by the impact of two solids hitting one another. Some examples of it are the sound of an explosion, a hammer strike, footsteps, etc.

Definition, characteristics & specs

Concrete is a composite material made from aggregate, water, and cement. It has different uses and needs time to achieve proper strength after it is mixed. It also is called normal weight concrete or normal strength concrete, as there are many types of it which we are going to discuss later.

Some of its proprieties are:

• Its density varies from 140 to 175 pcf (the unit of material density)
• Its slump varies from 1 to 4 inches
• While compressed, concrete is really strong. On the other hand, it is kind of weak while in tension
• Its air content ranges from 1 to 2%
• Unfortunately, normal concrete is not durable against severe conditions like thawing and freezing

Types of concrete

As I told you earlier, concrete comes in a lot of types with different uses. Also, they don’t share the same proprieties as normal concrete. I’m going to list those now and talk about their proprieties.

High-strength concrete

The first one I am going to cover is high-strength concrete. It is one of the most popular types, as it is typically used in the construction of high-rise structures. It is used in that industry because it has a high compression strength.

You can make high strength concrete by lowering the water-cement ratio to 0.35 or lower. An example where it is used is in the construction of highway bridges.

High-performance concrete

The next type is high-performance concrete. Compared to conventional concrete, it possesses high durability and strength. It contains one or more cementitious materials such as silica fume, fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and usually a superplasticizer.

This mix has a variety of proprieties such as high strength, workability, and durability. It has early age strength and long-term mechanical proprieties, and it is tough and permeable. Its strength ranges from 10,000 psi to 15,000 psi. It is also used in the construction industry.

Air entrained concrete

Next, we’ve got the air entrained concrete which contains billions of microscopic air cells per cubic foot. Unlike the previous types, this mix is used where the concrete is vulnerable to freezing and thawing action.

The air inside it lowers the surface tension of water, resulting in bubbles. After that, the air prevents coalescing. Those bubbles’ diameter can vary between 10 micrometers and 1000 micrometers.

However, this all comes with a drawback. Compared to the normal concrete, this type has less strength.

Lightweight concrete

Another type of concrete is lightweight concrete. This mix has a density of about 105 pcf, compared to normal concrete, with a density of 150 pcf.

Sometimes you can combine this with some air entrained admixtures, which we’ve talked earlier about, in order to give it resistance to freezing and thawing and improve its strength. It is used where the extra load is not applied or to reduce the dead load.

Self-compacting concrete

The fifth type of concrete on our list is self-compacting concrete. It is a highly flowable type of concrete that spreads into the form without the need for mechanical vibration. It is compacted because of its own weight and is made from the same ingredients as the high-performance concrete but has increased workability.

It has extreme fluidity as measured by flow, usually between 650-750 mm. Also, another characteristic it has is that it doesn’t bleed water. It is typically used in a location where vibrations can’t reach like a deep sea.

Shotcrete

The next interesting type is shotcrete. This type can’t be touched or held in hand, as it is just the process of placing concrete to achieve high strengths and low permeability. It is very frequently used against vertical soil or rock surfaces because it eliminates the need for teamwork.

It is popular in many industries, and it can be used for building pools, theme parks, and underground tunneling. There are a lot of products made from it, but few people notice that. Fun fact: shotcrete was actually used to form some rocks in Walt Disney World.

Pervious Concrete

The following type which we are going to talk about is pervious concrete. Compared to the normal type, it has high porosity: that’s why water can pass through it. One of the main advantages is that most pervious concrete pavements don’t need much maintenance.

It provides first-flush pollution control and stormwater management. This mix allows property owners to develop a large area of available property at a low cost.

Roller Compacted Concrete

The last type of concrete I am going to talk about is roller compacted concrete. What makes it different from normal concrete is the increased durability by reducing temperature rise. It is also cheaper to transport and install.

When and why it’s used

I’ve already told you the uses of concrete in the previous section, but if you don’t want to go back to it, I’m going to make a short recap. You can use different types of concrete to build driveways, sidewalks, homes, streets, parking areas, swimming pools, etc. Although being a really good building material, it is also a good sound insulator.

My recommendation for someone who wants to build a basement will always be concrete. You have to watch out because again, it doesn’t block impact noises. So, unfortunately, you are going to hear your family’s footsteps there.

Alternatives

On the other hand, if you want to stop some noises from getting in a room, you can’t just destroy it and rebuild it with concrete, unless, of course, you have a lot of money to spend. If you still want to soundproof your room, you can many different materials that can be installed without breaking anything.

My number one recommendation for an alternative must be Rockwool. It is a non-combustible and lightweight product that definitely will improve the acoustics in your room. It has a lot of interesting characteristics for a pretty low price. Some of them include:

• It has high thermal efficiency. It will save you money because it will make your room warmer, acting as a second layer for your walls.
• It offers noise insulation, even for frequencies lower than 1kHz.
• It is both fire resistant and breathable material, so it will make you feel safer in your own house.

Another option would be acoustic foam. Although it isn’t as effective as Rockwool, it has some advantages over it. It can come in different colors and shapes that will surely improve your room’s design. Also, many famous studios use this material.

In a lot of cases, you will just have to unstick the thing that comes with it on the back and put in on the wall. That was it, you installed it.

Conclusion

Overall, concrete is a very interesting option to choose if you want to build a quiet and relaxing room or house. Before getting to work, I advise you to consult a specialist so he or she can recommend the best type.

However, you should not choose this if you don’t want to. Don’t get me wrong, I myself find it a really useful soundproofing material, but sometimes you may find better options.

The ones that I’ve listed are the most popular alternatives, and you should think of them as well when starting such an important project.

What material did you choose and why? Are you satisfied with the results in terms of noise cancelation and durability? Answer these questions and help out the whole community.