Introduction
With noise pollution becoming a major issue around the world, finding effective ways to block out unwanted sounds has become increasingly important. Whether you live in a noisy neighbourhood or work in an open office environment, unwanted noise can disrupt your productivity, well-being, and quality of life. While traditional walls and doors provide some sound protection, they are not always sufficient in completely blocking out noises from outside. That’s where Soundproof Sealing Strip come in. These adhesive seals are designed specifically to fill tiny gaps and cracks where noise can enter. When properly installed, they can significantly improve the soundproofing abilities of any wall, door, or window.
Types of Soundproof Sealing Strips
There are a few different types of soundproof sealing strips available on the market:
– Foam Sealing Strips: Foam sealing strips are a basic and affordable option. The closed-cell foam construction is compressed when installed to fill gaps. Foam seals are effective at blocking mid-to-high frequency noises but less so for lower frequencies.
– Weather Stripping: Weather stripping uses flexible brush or pile materials to block air gaps. The bristles conform to uneven surfaces and gaps. It provides decent soundblocking for mid-range frequencies. Some weather stripping contains a foam backing for added sound dampening.
– Bulb Seals: Bulb seals have a continuous silicone or rubber bulb running along the edge that expands to fill gaps when compressed. The dense, bulbous design makes it an excellent choice for blocking out low-frequency sounds that other sealing options may let through. Bulb seals tend to be more expensive than foam or brush strips.
– Compression Seals: Similar to bulb seals, compression seals use a compressible silicone or rubber profile. However, compression seals have hollow chambers rather than a continuous bulb. The chambers collapse to fill gaps. They provide a high level of soundblocking across a wide frequency range.
How They Work
All soundproof sealing strips work on the same basic principle – filling tiny cracks and gaps where sound can enter. When installed properly, they create an airtight barrier that prevents vibrations from transmitting through openings:
– Gaps allowed noise in the form of airborne sound waves and structure-borne vibrations to pass through.
– Sealing strips are compressed to fill these openings, leaving no room for vibrations or sound waves to penetrate.
– The dense, flexible material of the strip absorbs and dampens any vibrations trying to pass through.
– By eliminating these transmission paths, less noise is able to enter the sealed-off area.
Proper Installation is Key
For soundproof sealing strips to be truly effective, they must be precisely installed to fill all cracks and gaps completely. Common tips for proper installation include:
– Clean and dry surfaces completely before applying any adhesive-backed strips.
– Measure strips accurately and cut slightly longer than required to ensure a tight fit when compressed.
– Apply steady pressure along the entire length as you affix the strip to fully bond the adhesive.
– Use a tool like a credit card or squeegee to push the strip tightly into place, filling gaps from the bottom up.
– Inspect for any missed spots and reseal as needed until gaps are filled with no visible light penetrating.
With precision installation, soundproof sealing strips can block noise transmission by 15-25 decibels or more – making a significant difference. Do-it-yourself installation is possible for most basic applications, but large commercial projects may require a professional installer.
Additional Soundproofing Benefits
While sealing strips alone may not completely soundproof a space, they provide valuable support to other soundproofing solutions:
– When used with soundproof drywall or plywood sheeting, sealing strips help prevent any flanking noise transmission paths.
– Installed around doors and windows, they improve the soundblocking of those assemblies which are often the weakest points.
– In multi-unit buildings, well-sealed interfaces between walls, floors, and ceilings help block transfer of impact noises.
– For wood structures especially, they protect against airborne transmission of lower frequency sounds.
With a combination approach using sealing strips along with insulation, absorptive materials, and solid barriers, excellent sound isolation can be achieved even with standard building construction. Their low-cost and easy application make them a crucial weapon against noise infiltration.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it.
