Sound is a very important component in the gaming experience if you’re a gamer.
So whether you’re building your soundproof room from scratch, redoing it, or remedying it to make it soundproof, we’ve compiled all the best methods for you!
You no longer have to worry about the loud noises your setup produces while playing, your neighbors complaining, or even the outside noise interrupting your streaming!
Ready? Let’s begin!
18 Ways How to Do Gaming Room Soundproofing
Here are the many different ways how to soundproof a gaming room!
There are many ways to achieve a soundproof gaming room, and you’ll have to work on the entire room’s different parts, from the walls, the floor and ceiling, the windows, and the door.
For more information, you can click here to learn how to soundproof a room!
For Apartment Dwellers
Let’s start with the easiest and cheapest way to soundproof a gaming room, perfect for apartment dwellers who don’t want to invest too much time and money:
1. Acoustic Panels
Acoustic foam panels (soundproof tiles) come in different forms for hard surfaces.
They work very well in blocking various types of noise, and they’re usually used in music rooms.
There are acoustic panels that are designed for doors and acoustic foam that are for walls. You can even get them custom-made!
There are also different kinds of acoustic foam, sound deadening, and soundproofing material.
For this project, go for the soundproof kind. The only downside of acoustic foam panels is that they are quite expensive.
But foam panels are a great option to get soundproof walls if you live in an apartment since they are easy to install and won’t require any tools.
You can also take them with you when you move!
2. Bottom Door Sweeps
A door sweep is usually installed to keep cold air from entering a heated room since it prevents airflow through the small gap between the door and the floor.
For this reason, it’s also great for reducing airborne noise and keeping sound from leaking into your gaming room.
To install a door sweep, you will need to drill a few holes at the very bottom of your door, attach the door sweep, and then cover the drill holes with some putty.
3. Soundproofing Blankets
Soundproof blankets are a good solution if you want to put something against your door or the walls to reduce sound.
Sound blankets are easy to install and remove and great for apartment dwellers since they are not permanent fixtures.
The only downside of a soundproof blanket is that they hang on doors instead of sticking to them, allowing some gap for air to flow.
Airflow isn’t good for airborne noise, so to make your moving blankets effective against noise, you must install multiple moving blankets, sew them together, and attach some velcro to make a makeshift door panel.
Soundproofing blankets can be quite heavy, so make sure you use industrial velcro that’s strong enough to carry all that weight.
4. Acoustic Sealant
If you live in an old or somehow worn-out building and there are cracks around the window or door frame, going through all around those frames with an acoustic sealant will make a huge difference.
Alternatively, you can also use an adhesive sealing strip for the same purpose.
It’s super easy, with no need for tools or too much effort!
5. Soundproofing Curtains
If others tell you that soundproof curtains don’t contribute to soundproofing your gaming room, they’re probably doing it wrong.
Soundproofing curtains are not installed the same way regular curtains are.
First, you must make sure you hang them at least 4 to 8 inches from the TOP of the window and another 4 to 8 inches from both sides to make them effective in a soundproof gaming room.
Additionally, you should only use one big piece of soundproof curtain instead of several small ones. This way, there’s no gap for the airborne noise to pass through.
However, do note that soundproof curtains are more for sound deadening than soundproofing.
To boost their effectiveness, stick them to your walls or window frames using industrial-level velcro to seal all the noise and prevent sound from escaping.
6. Thick Carpet or Heavy Rugs
Working on your soundproof gaming booth floors is quite expensive, but one way to do it cheaply is to place some carpets and rugs on the floor.
Carpets and rugs add mass to your soundproof gaming room, absorbing sound and vibrations.
So the thicker your carpets and rugs are, the more soundproofing treatment there is.
You could also add some carpet padding or even rubber floor mats under the carpet to boost its effectiveness!
Carpets also reduce impact noise, from footsteps, to when someone drops something to moving your furniture around.
It also absorbs noise from the room below it so that your neighbors’ noise is reduced before it even reaches you.
7. Soundproof Box
Another cheap way to create a soundproof game room is not to soundproof your entire room but to build a small soundproof gaming booth.
Basically, you will make a little soundproof box out of plywood panels that fit your entire gaming setup, plus your chair and enough space to sit and play comfortably.
When your little soundproof gaming booth box is finished being constructed, cover up the entire inside wall and ceiling area with acoustic tiles to reduce noise.
And remember to keep one side of your soundproof gaming booth open, preferably the back of the computer’s side, for the air vent from your computer.
Making a soundproof box will require a lot of time and effort, but it’s worth all the hard work as you get all the benefits of perfectly soundproof gaming rooms without having to treat your whole room!
8. Stack Furniture Against a Wall
Adding mass is one of the principles of making a room soundproof. One way to do this is to add mass to a shared wall to prevent sound from going through it.
You could place a big bookshelf on one wall and fill it up with books, or place a big bulky sofa with lots of pillows on one wall, then add a soundproofing curtain or tapestry.
For Homeowners
Now, let’s move on to the more permanent fixtures you can make to create a soundproof gaming booth.
These methods will require more time, effort, and money, but they will pay off since they are a long-term solution to block sound!
9. fiberglass insulation
This method is not just for soundproofing room walls, and it’s also great for temperature control!
If you’re still in construction, you can easily add fiberglass insulation.
If the walls are already finished, you will need to remove the drywall to install the fiberglass.
10. Replace your existing windows
If your current windows are terrible at blocking unwanted noises and you have the time and resources to spare, consider replacing your windows entirely.
And while you’re at it, get some double-glazed units for soundproofing and insulation.
Double-glazed window panes greatly reduce unwanted noise, especially medium to high-frequency noises.
If you live near an airport, double-glazed windows also help reduce the noise produced by aircraft, as those are high-frequency noises.
They are also excellent in regulating temperature during the winter and summer months, saving you money on those electricity bills!
11. Additional Window Pane
If your current windows let too much noise travel in and out of your gaming room, you can add a layer of acrylic over the existing glass.
To do this, you first need to install a metal frame around the existing window and attach magnets to connect it to the acrylic layer.
This method is much cheaper and easier than replacing the existing window entirely. However, it is only good for sound absorption of minor noise problem issues and not the very loud, defeating noises.
12. Drywall
Soundproofing a gaming room ceiling is one of the most expensive fixes to work on, together with the floors.
One of the cheapest ways to do it is by installing layers of drywall to create a sound barrier.
You can start with 2 layers of soundproof drywall, which is usually sufficient to soundproof a gaming room.
Please ensure you get drywall with a thickness of at least 5/8 inch for it to block more noise, especially the second layer, effectively.
Then, use sound-dampening materials between the drywalls to make the most of it.
13. Green glue compound
Green glue is best used when installing your 2 layers of drywall for the ceiling. It’s a noise-dampening compound that is sandwiched between 2 layers of drywall.
It works by converting sound waves into heat energy, effectively dampening the vibration of impact noise and reducing low-frequency sounds.
You can also use the same drywall and green glue compound combination to soundproof gaming room walls!
14. Resilient Channels
If you have an unfinished ceiling, you can start by attaching a channel directly to the stud work to separate the studs from the drywall.
But if your ceiling is finished, you can attach the metal channel directly to your existing game room ceiling, then attach the second layer of drywall.
For Minimizing Sound
Now, what if you prefer to eliminate the loud sounds your gaming station makes to avoid having to soundproof your space first?
Here are the best methods!
15. Gaming Headset
Sometimes, getting a good gaming headset is the easiest way to improve your gaming experience.
You’ll hear the excellent surround sound quality without worrying about the volume and if it will disturb your family members and neighbors.
There are even noise-canceling options to block all the noises from outside.
Gaming headsets are also equipped with both a microphone and headphone peripheral so that you can communicate with other players or record a voiceover while you play.
There are many different kinds of gaming headset options in the market to enhance your gaming experience.
There are headsets custom-tailored to console gaming, like your Nintendo Switch, for PC, or generalist ones that are compatible with both.
16. Silent Keyboard and Mouse
Audio from your playing may be the major noise source, but gaming headsets aren’t the only way to reduce the noise produced in your gaming station.
Your gaming keyboard and mouse can also be pretty loud, especially when caught up in the game’s intensity.
This is where silent keyboards come in. There are mechanical gaming keyboards available in the market that are silent while still retaining their RGB backlighting, wrist rests, and anti-ghosting keys!
17. Quiet Fan Cases
Anyone who loves playing video games knows that PC fans can get quite loud when the computer does its best to keep up with their playing.
And when that happens, the fan cases contribute greatly to the gaming station noise because of their vibration.
Anti-vibration fan mouths exist for this reason.
They eliminate the vibration that causes the noise, effectively reducing your computer fans’ overall noise, no matter how hard you play.
18. Compressed Air
If you’ve been using your computer for a long time, the culprit to its noises might be the dirt and dust it has accumulated in the fans and other components.
In this case, cleaning it with compressed air might help. You will first need to turn off your computer, unplug all the cables and wires, then use compressed air to spray out all the dirt.
Keeping your PC clean doesn’t only help with the noises; it will also help it work better for longer, improving your gaming experience!
Soundproof Gaming Room: Why Should You Do It?
Soundproofing a gaming room is very beneficial for PC gamers, especially for streamers.
It improves the audio quality your viewers will hear while watching, improving their experience!
If your viewers enjoy their experience watching your high-quality streams, they will keep watching and even attract more viewers.
Additionally, you can play and stream all you want in peace since you won’t disturb your roommates.
It’s a polite thing to do and a way to be considerate to your housemates and neighbors.
What Are the Benefits When You Soundproof a Gaming Room?
Aside from the obvious improvement of your gaming experience and your audience’s enhanced watching experience, a soundproof gaming booth will give you peace of mind.
You will no longer have to worry about being too loud in the wee hours of the morning and disturbing your neighbors. You can play all you want!
Additionally, soundproofing does more than reduce the noises inside the room. You also won’t be disturbed by noisy neighbors or traffic sounds from the road!
Lastly, most soundproofing methods include adding mass and more layers to your walls, floors, and ceiling.
All these are also part of soundproof insulation and will help keep the temperature regulated in your home!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
More questions? We’ve got answers!
How Can I Soundproof a Room Cheaply?
You can soundproof a room cheaply by simply adding more mass. You don’t have to redo your walls and floors to make them soundproof!
Placing a rug on the floor, a big bookshelf filled with books on one side of the wall, or a large sofa with pillows will help absorb sound.
Can You Soundproof a Room to Keep Out Traffic Noise?
Yes!
To keep out traffic noise, you’ll need to target soundproofing the room from noise coming from the outside.
To do this, you could:
1. Check the outside windows for sound leak areas and seal those
2. Change your windows into soundproof ones.
3. Check your doors for sound leaks and seal them, install a second door, or replace your thin door.
4. Soundproof your existing walls (For more information on how to soundproof existing walls, click here to learn more!).
5. Install acoustic fences, foam mats, or a noise wall.
6. Install soundproof curtains inside the room for additional noise reduction.
Conclusion
And that’s all we have for soundproofing a gaming room!
Whether you’re a homeowner, on a lease, or want to reduce the noises produced by your gaming setup, we hope we were able to help you find a solution.
Remember, soundproofing can be cheap and sometimes can take little effort. There are many ways to do it that will fit your current situation!
