How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Room?
Soundproofing a room costs under $100 in materials to seal its gaps, $528 per window insert, roughly $830 to $2,400 to add damped or decoupled drywall to a 10 by 12 foot room, and several thousand dollars for a room within a room. The window and booth figures are manufacturer list prices. The rest are our estimates from material quantities, so check local prices first.
Cost by method and room size
Room figures assume a 10 by 12 foot room with an 8 foot ceiling: 472 square feet of wall and ceiling, or 15 sheets of 4 by 8 foot drywall per layer.
| Method | What it achieves | One wall, door or window | Whole 10 x 12 room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acoustical sealant at gaps and outlets | STC 34 unsealed to 63 sealed, same Hilti lab wall | Under $100 per room (estimate) | Under $100 (estimate) |
| Door gasket plus sweep | STC 21 basic seals to 33 full seals, same TruStile door | Under $100 per door (estimate) | Same, one door |
| Window insert | STC 42 to 45 over double pane | $528 MSRP, 3 x 4 ft (Indow) | $1,056 for two windows |
| Second drywall layer with damping compound | Up to +12 STC (maker's claim) | $170 to $260 (estimate) | $830 to $1,280 (estimate) |
| Resilient channel or clips, 2 damped layers on the room side | STC 51 with channel before damping, from 36 for an insulated single stud wall | $270 to $480 (estimate) | $1,350 to $2,400 (estimate) |
| Room within a room | STC 66 with 2 layers per side (57 with 1) | Not applicable | $2,500 to $5,500 (estimate) |
The channel and room within a room ratings are lab values from Table 9.10.3.1.-A of the BC Building Code for 2x4 studs, insulated cavities, and 5/8 inch Type X drywall. The +12 is Green Glue's claim for one added layer.
Material prices behind the estimates
None of these makers publish a retail price, so every price below is our estimate.
| Material | Estimated unit price | Quantity rule |
|---|---|---|
| 5/8 in Type X drywall, 4 x 8 ft | $15 to $25 a sheet | 15 sheets per layer for this room |
| Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound | $20 to $30 a tube | 2 tubes per sheet |
| Isolation clip | $3 to $8 each | 1 per 8 sq ft at PAC's 24 x 48 inch spacing |
| Furring channel, 10 ft | $5 to $10 a length | Rows 24 in apart |
Spend in the order from how to soundproof a home studio: seal, then doors and windows, then walls. Cheap fixes are ranked in how to soundproof a room cheaply.
Related questions
How much will it cost to soundproof a room myself?
Sealing gaps and the door costs under $200 in materials. A damped second drywall layer on the walls and ceiling of a 10 by 12 foot room is about $830 to $1,280 in materials, our estimate.
How much does soundproofing a room cost with a contractor?
Add labor to the material figures here. No manufacturer publishes labor rates, so get two or three local quotes for the same wall build.
Is a vocal booth cheaper than soundproofing a room?
For echo, yes. The Snap Studio fabric booth lists at $549.99. A sealed WhisperRoom MDL 4242 S lists at $5,595, about what a room within a room costs in materials alone. See the vocal booth cost breakdown.
More answers: Home recording FAQ