Soundproofing sliding doors and windows...

[tomster]

I need to sound proof a couple of sliding doors in a shop house:

 

 

There are two of these measuring 180cm wide and 210cm high, plus a window of the same design that measures 150cm wide by 110cm high.

 

I am not allowed by the landlord to change them, I need to find a solution that does not alter their appearance from the outside.

 

There is a balcony outside that I can grow some big plants on which will probably help a bit, but really is very noisy so looking to do as much as possible.

 

Anybody had any joy with doing something like this before?

 

Many thanks in advance.

[VocalNeal]

Really thick curtains????

[tomster]

Just now, VocalNeal said:

Really thick curtains????

Yeah, tried that before, did nothing. 

[OneMoreFarang]

Part of the question is which noise (frequencies) you need to suppress.

High frequencies are a lot easier to handle than low frequencies like bass in music.

[degrub]

What is the noise source ?

Noise will pass through the seals between the movable frame and the static frame. The glass itself will act as a diaphragm and retransmit the noise from outside to in. 
you can try some painters tape on the seal edge to see if that cuts down on sound leakage. For the retransmission, your idea of outside or inside dense plants could help. Heavy curtains, if allowed, can help some..

 

 

[tomster]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

Part of the question is which noise (frequencies) you need to suppress.

High frequencies are a lot easier to handle than low frequencies like bass in music.

Traffic noise, sorry I should have put that in my original post. 

[degrub]

Heavy, laminated safety glass in a separate frame sealed to the existing interior is about your only option .  But you have to look at other door windows, building openings before you invest in just these to make sure there is no other sound pressure leakage.

 

noise canceling headphones/ear buds ?

 

there may also be ground transmitted noise from the roadway if this is that close.

 

 

 

Edited September 16 by degrub

[Hummin]

19 minutes ago, tomster said:

Traffic noise, sorry I should have put that in my original post. 

There is door and window makers in every city and villages who build and design sulutions for you as you want. Talk with some construction companies who might know.

[Jelli]

Put up a temporary wall that deadens the sound. Curtains. Insulate any part of window that you would not typically look out or want open.

 

 

Moving is best answer

[metisdead]

An unhelpful post in violation of our Community Standards has been removed.

[Jelli]

22 minutes ago, degrub said:

noise canceling headphones/ear buds ?

This is a great solution!

 

When the lease is up move

[tomster]

1 hour ago, degrub said:

Heavy, laminated safety glass in a separate frame sealed to the existing interior is about your only option .  But you have to look at other door windows, building openings before you invest in just these to make sure there is no other sound pressure leakage.

 

noise canceling headphones/ear buds ?

 

there may also be ground transmitted noise from the roadway if this is that close.

 

 

 

There is definitely ground noise going on as well.

 

Can't believe nobody here sells self install secondary double glazing, there must be a market for it for windows at least.

[tomster]

Moving is not an option.

[brianthainess]

6 minutes ago, tomster said:

There is definitely ground noise going on as well.

 

Can't believe nobody here sells self install secondary double glazing, there must be a market for it for windows at least.

You could try; Double sided tape, & Thick clear plastic, we used it in the UK one time for insulation. Cheap to buy and try.

[tomster]

5 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

You could try; Double sided tape, & Thick clear plastic, we used it in the UK one time for insulation. Cheap to buy and try.

Yeah that's a good idea, I will see what I can find plastic wise. Thanks.

[sungod]

Just interested why cant you replace them with identical looking, but double glazed windows?

[tomster]

1 minute ago, sungod said:

Just interested why cant you replace them with identical looking, but double glazed windows?

Landlord said no.

[tomster]

Just now, tomster said:

Landlord said no.

Also cost would be quite high, we are only there for a year or two max

[sungod]

1 minute ago, tomster said:

Landlord said no.

Strange, you would be improving his/her property. Oh well ????

[tomster]

Just now, sungod said:

Strange, you would be improving his/her property. Oh well ????

I'm not sure they fully understood the whole double glazing concept, just easier to say no. Plus don't really want to drop that kind of money on them.

[Jelli]

Many years back when I was living in a very dodgy little city I found a cozy, cheap flat with a pool.

 

Weekend rolled around and the canteen near the entrance dead during the week came alive and I was treated to 48 hours of drunken karaoke. I just picked up and left.

 

You'll never get rid of low level noise assuming you have any. It's actually been weaponized. Random noise maybe. Loud exhaust doubtful imo

 

White noise?

Edited September 16 by Jelli

[Don Chance]

Stack some bricks or patio tiles behind the window. Or giant pane of glass. or Wood. A 2" foam sheet would the last choice.

[circa02]

Would some low cost bamboo blinds on the exterior help, attached directly over the sliding door on the outside.  They won't last long though but since you're only renting and they are only a few k, even 2 years would be good.

 

Sometimes like this but you would need taller version https://www.lazada.co.th/products/130-bamboo-curtain-bamboo-blind-i4057585247-s18333341196.html

 

With the caveat of nearly anything you do would change the appearance, you would need two or three screws inset into the concrete to attach the wooden top bar, but you could easily polyfill them at the end of the tenure and touch up with some tiny bit of paint so it would only be visible if hunting for the detail.  If landlord asks in meantime tell him you used no-nails glue.  Alternative if you get the right width would be some form of tensioner on the left and right balcony walls which would leave only a tiny mark

Edited September 17 by circa02

[Rimmer]

I fitted a new 6mm tinted glass sheet over an existing sliding window to cut down occasional music noise, cost around B2500 It has cut noise by probably 75%.  They made a very neat job of it.

 

Not sure if you can do that over a sliding door though and the cost might be quite high.

[arick]

Move to a quieter place. What seems the problem I can't see anything outside of your window that would be causing noise. 

[brianthainess]

On 9/16/2023 at 5:35 PM, tomster said:

Yeah that's a good idea, I will see what I can find plastic wise. Thanks.

I also meant to add a bit more expensive, that plastic honeycombed roof sheeting could work and comes in clear, blue, green, black. let us all know if any suggestions work please.

 

Edited September 20 by brianthainess

[The Theory]

If the noise is from particular direction you can make an easy wall outside to reflect noise from that direction by 1 or 2" insulated metal sheet roof. At this moment I'm building a fence on the top of wall between my house and the neighbor. It is about 5 meter long and 1.5m high. It needs some still work that I do by myself. 
insulated sheets come in 1" & 2" .

1" is about ฿220 per mete (about 80cm wide.). 

Edited September 20 by The Theory

[jesimps]

On 9/17/2023 at 11:15 AM, Rimmer said:

I fitted a new 6mm tinted glass sheet over an existing sliding window to cut down occasional music noise, cost around B2500 It has cut noise by probably 75%.  They made a very neat job of it.

 

Not sure if you can do that over a sliding door though and the cost might be quite high.

Interesting. Did you fit the plastic sheet to the inside or outside? 

Did you get it from a popular hardware chain?

Edited September 20 by jesimps

[Rimmer]

29 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Interesting. Did you fit the plastic sheet to the inside or outside? 

Did you get it from a popular hardware chain?

 

It is a 6mm tinted GLASS sheet fitted onto the outside of the window with a 1" space between it and the original sliding glass window.

 

We had one of the many glass window shops measure it up, cut it  and fit it.

 

I don't think it required a frame just fitted on top of the original window frame and fixed with an alu strip round it and screwed to the original frame to hold it, and finished with some white polyurethane seal

[jesimps]

3 hours ago, Rimmer said:

 

It is a 6mm tinted GLASS sheet fitted onto the outside of the window with a 1" space between it and the original sliding glass window.

 

We had one of the many glass window shops measure it up, cut it  and fit it.

 

I don't think it required a frame just fitted on top of the original window frame and fixed with an alu strip round it and screwed to the original frame to hold it, and finished with some white polyurethane seal

Sounds a good idea. I'll investigate locally.