Most of the houses today have sliding barn doors. But these doors or for the matter any kind of door lets a significant amount of noise to pass through it. The main reason for this is the gap present between the door and the wall or floor.
So, one of the simplest ways of soundproofing a bran door is to fill all the gaps. If there is no gap or crack, then the noise has no way of passing through the door. If the noise still enters your room or living area, then it’s due to the build of the barn door.
Here we are going to look at some of the best methods that will make sure that door dampens the sound, either by covering the spaces or covering barn doors with some thick materials making sure that the door dampens the sound. So let’s get started with those methods.
Table of Contents
Hang Soundproof Curtains
Soundproof curtains are one of the most straightforward methods for reducing the noise passing through the barn door. There are many curtains available in the market for this purpose.
There are some factors which help in choosing an excellent sound-absorbing curtain. Below are the three factors that you should look out for getting the best out of the curtain.
1- Thickness, the thicker the curtain, the more noise it will absorb.
2- The material used in the curtain. Velvet, vinyl, and polyester are good at dampening the sound.
3- Weight, heavier curtains are more likely to reduce echo and low-frequency noises as compared to lightweight drapes.
NICETOWN blackout curtain and H. Versailtex Heavy Premium Blackout are the two best drapes available in the market. They have many great reviews, which speaks volume of their performance. For a detailed article, check out my guide on best soundproofing curtains.
Use Moving Blankets
Moving blankets like the supreme mover are going to absorb a lot of noise. Due to its thickness and the material used, it is capable of reducing echo and dampening the sound. You can hang these blankets from the curtain rods to cover the whole door. You can also tack the quilts around the door if you are looking for a temporary solution.
If you want better results, use two moving blankets instead of one. This method is going to reduce around 70-85 percent of the noise coming through the barn door. If you want an in-depth review and process of using moving blankets for soundproofing, then check this awesome guide.
Apply Weatherstrip
Most of the noise passes through the gaps between the door. One the best and economical way of sealing those gaps is using a weatherstrip. First of all, identify all the spaces and then use this soundproof weatherstrip door kit to conceal all those gaps. You can choose any other weatherstrip too. It doesn’t matter; the most important thing is to close any space which could allow the sound to pass through. It would be better if you can find a weatherstrip matching the color of your door, this way the door and weatherstrip will blend in and won’t be noticeable as some cheap fix.
Install Acoustic Panels
If your barn door is thin, then they won’t be able to dampen the noise themselves, you can use acoustic panels to help them absorb the sound. Fiberglass acoustic panels are capable of absorbing echoes and deadening the noise. This fiberglass panel is an excellent product, and there are four different colors available to choose from.
You can use these strips to hang the panels, or you can use glue to stick the panels to the door. Whichever method you chose to hang them the result would be identical. After installing the acoustic panels, you will be able to observe a significant decrease in the noise. Fiberglass acoustic panels are a bit expensive. You can choose any other method if these are out of your budget.
Attaching a Board or Door Sweep on the Bottom
If there is a gap at the bottom of the door, you can fix that by screwing a board. This will stop any sound passing below the door. You can either nail board of glue it. It will be easier if you remove the door first. You can either glue or nail a flat molding on the bottom of the door.
Another economical way is to use a door sweep. Using a brush style door sweep will make it easier to seal the gaps at the bottom. Both of the methods, as mentioned earlier, will work, choose the one that you find most suited.
Think About Hiring a Carpenter
This method is for those who are thinking of installing a barn door but haven’t done so yet. If you have little to no experience in building a barn door, then you should hire a carpenter to do it for you. There is nothing wrong with DIY projects, but a hobbyist is bound to make more mistakes as compared to a professional. You will probably leave some gaps on either side or bottom of the door if your measurements aren’t perfect. It is going to raise the costs of barn door installation, but it is worth at the end.
Install an Oversized Door
This method is again for those who haven’t installed the door. If you are unwilling to hire a carpenter, then using an oversized door will make sure that no sound will be able to pass through it.
If you are on a budget and can’t go for an oversized door or you already have bought/made the door, then you can use a piece of wood and attach it to the door and paint that part with the same color as the door.
Final Thoughts
Soundproofing a sliding barn door isn’t that much difficult. If you are experiencing any noise passing through the door, it is probably due to gaps between the door and the floor or wall. You can fill these gaps through various methods like using weatherstrip or using a board or door sweep.
In case of no gaps, then the reason is the material used in those doors, you can remedy that by hanging soundproof curtains, acoustic panels, or just tacking the blankets. Any of the above methods will help in dampening the noise significantly.
If you haven’t bought a door or started your project, then it will be better if you hire a carpenter to do this job. Another solid option would be to buy a good sliding door made of solid wood (solid core door). Most of the barn doors use hollow wood and in some cases glass. As compared to those a solid core barn door is going to deaden noise more effectively. You can check this solid core barn door. They are quite expensive and not that effective as compared using curtains and acoustic panels. So, if you aren’t looking to spend that much money and want better results than go for any of the above-mentioned solutions.