How Much Does It Cost To Soundproof A Garage? [Cost Breakdown]

Garage revamps are a common practice, or a common thought, among budding musical bands. It’s the perfect place to practice! The only issue is that you need to rigorously soundproof it.

There are certain areas of a garage that absolutely need to be covered. Soundproofing a garage with acoustic panels on these areas would cost somewhere around $240 to $500. Installing a completely soundproof garage door costs an additional $2000 to $4000.

There are two main concerns when soundproofing a garage,                      

• First, block noise from escaping the garage.
• Second, maintain a balanced sonic environment if using the garage for recording or everyday use.

Both of these are addressed by a combination of sound blocking and sound-absorbing solutions!

Cost Of Soundproofing A Garage

Unless you need to buy a new garage door, soundproofing a garage would cost you $250 to $500 in total. However, if you need to buy a new door, the total cost will rise up to $2500-4000.

If you want a perfect forecast of how much it costs to soundproof a garage, here’s a little breakdown for you.

For Walls

The most appropriate soundproofing product for walls is acoustic panels. If they are covering average-sized three walls and a ceiling of your garage, the whole process is going to cost you $150 to $350. We recommend avoiding cheap acoustic foams and going with the Audimute soundproofing panels instead. Check them out here on Amazon.

Other than acoustic panels, we also recommend using soundproofing curtains on any windows in your garage to block all traffic noise from breaking in. For that, NICETOWN soundproofing curtains work best. Check them out here on Amazon.

For Doors

Door sweeps for your garage door will cost you no more than $20 or $25. Another solution is a door bottom seal. Under a regular-sized garage door, a seal would cost $40. Whereas, installing a new door costs $2000 to $4000.

For Floors

The garage’s floor area can vary from garage to garage and area to area. Rugs, rug pads, and acoustic foams laid under carpets can fall in the range of $40-$110.

For Windows

One window will take just 30 minutes to be soundproofed with a soundproof window cover. Soundproof window covers will cost you $40.

How To Soundproof A Garage?

Why spend $20,000 on a professional studio for music when you can do it all in-house at lesser costs? A garage offers you the ideal space to fit your speakers and instruments and much more.  There are many ways to cheaply soundproof a garage instead of hefty investments when you’re just starting out.

Soundproofing is basically blocking the transmission of sound waves into or out of a space by absorbing them. It is quite simple if you understand two things that you need to do:

• To block the waves, you need to add mass and close any and every possible gap in the garage.
• To absorb sound waves (for reducing echoes and reverberations), you need to reduce the number of reflective and hard surfaces in the garage by adding sound-absorbing material such as foam.

So, how can you soundproof a garage taking care of the above two pointers? How much would it cost? Let’s find out! Here’s a list of possible approaches for soundproofing your garage with their estimated costs.

Acoustic Panels

Our recommendation: Audimute acoustic panels — the absolute best when it comes to acoustic panels. Check them out on Amazon.

If you are planning to transform your garage into a recording or music studio, adding acoustic panels is a must. They work on the principle of absorption to reduce echoes and reverberations from a space. They are composed of gypsum or mineral fiber and wrapped into a fabric or vinyl decorative cover.

These wall panels are either hung/stuck from the wall and ceiling or used as stand-alone partitions. These panels are capable of absorbing up to 95% of all the sound waves coming their way in all of these positions. 

The soft, pliable and porous surface aids easy absorption by converting the motion energy of the sound waves into heat energy. You can use foam panels, polyester fiber, or gypsum panels. Gypsum wall panels are especially popular for being an effective way of blocking the transmission of sound waves through walls.

Soundproof Curtains

Editor’s recommendation: NICETOWN Soundproof Curtains. They are the best option for soundproofing and blocking sunlight. Find them here on Amazon.

You can cover the garage’s walls, doors, and windows with soundproof curtains. This is especially a very good solution for garage doors that are opened regularly. Since you can’t block the door opening completely, you can simply install a curtain rod over it and hang soundproof curtains.

Soundproofing curtains are usually made of either Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) or an acoustic quilt. This is rather an inexpensive way of soundproofing any space. They work to the point and like any other method of soundproofing, the more layers you add the better sound blockage you get! Soundproof curtains are not as good as acoustic tiles or acoustic panels because they are not exactly attached to the wall.

Soundproof curtains not only prevent echoes but are also very effective at preventing noise from the street from coming inside!

PVC Plastic Panels

Starting off with the most aesthetically appealing option, these sheets or panels are made of PVC plastic and are highly durable. These panels give an interesting 3D effect to the wall and also come in multiple shapes and sizes to choose from.

Garage walls are usually uninsulated as they are built for nothing more than house cars. These panels add a layer of mass to trap sound waves that are escaping. PVC panels and sheets can alone block almost 70% of the high-frequency noise from escaping the garage.

However, PVC panels or sheets are not cheap! For a regular 8 foot by 5-foot soundproofing sheet, you’d need to pay approximately $170. Despite the cost, this is one of the most preferred methods of soundproofing a space because of the ease of installation.

You don’t have to spend too much time and effort hanging these panels as they are designed to be installed with little or no help at all.

Drywall Layering

The more layers a wall has, the more the mass, higher the soundproofing. This is usually done either by building a “room within a room”. That’s when you cover the ceiling, floor, and all the walls, or by just adding more layers of drywall on the walls.

All you need is some wooden pallets and drywall. Drywall is a renowned material for effectively trapping in high-frequency and mid-frequency sounds, making it almost impossible for sound to escape. You can also add a layer of fiberglass, preferably of four-inch thickness, between two drywall layers to enhance sound-absorbing ability.

You can continue to add one or more insulating layers upon this as per your soundproofing requirements and finish off by framing with wooden pallets.

Using 10 foot by 10-foot walls to cover the garage walls will cost you around $200 to $210. If you incorporate the cost of insulation (fiberglass/foam/sheep’s wool and wooden pallets), it would cost somewhere around $1000 or more.

Resilient Channels

Another great way of keeping noise inside a garage is to prevent the sound waves from hitting the wooden studs. This is done by adding resilient channels which will also support the frame of the garage.

If your garage has drywall finish, chances are that the sound waves are passing straight through them and hit the support to the wooden frame. This problem can be solved by adding multiple layers to the wall, as mentioned before, but adding resilient channels is a more effective solution.

Resilient channels are metal beams that are parallel to the floor and loaded with springs that work to hold the sheetrock and the wooden studs intact. They can attach to the drywall without making contact with it so the drywall can absorb sound without transmitting it to the wall frame of the garage.

Resilient channels serve the same purpose as adding multiple walls to the garage. To achieve this level of soundproofing you will have to place the resilient channels approximately 3 feet from the garage’s floor. Ideally, 24 packs of 8-foot channels will do the job. This will cost you around $200, and  $700 including installation.   

Areas To Cover

Now that you know what material options you have when you’re about to soundproof a garage, take a look at the areas that you must cover for optimal results!

Doors

As discussed earlier, doors are one of the most vulnerable areas of a garage. If the door of your garage opens to a busy street, you need to pay special attention to it. Door sweeps are a great way of keeping inside noise in and outside noise out.

This will also shield the inner environment from weather changes (rain, storms, dust, snow, etc.) outside. Another way is to install a threshold seal strip that will line the garage floor where the door closes. This seal is ideally used to waterproof garages. Just as it keeps water from entering the garage, in a similar manner, the seal blocks out the sound from entering in, thus soundproofing the garage.

If you’re willing to invest a little extra, you can also install a new soundproof garage door. These doors are insulated with soundproofing material such as foam on the inside. They are thick and usually made of plywood, vinyl, aluminum, or steel on the outside to reflect sound waves. 

The idea is to add mass and make the door as heavy as possible. Just make sure that there are no air gaps between the frame and the door by adding a tight seal or excluding material there.  

You can also line the door with a soundproof blanket or use spray adhesive or adhesive soundproofing strips. The installation process is straightforward as well.   

Floor And The Ceiling

Soundproofing floors and the ceiling is just as important as any other part of the garage. These are the largest prime reflective, hard surfaces in your garage. For floors, lay down heavy carpets or rugs. Another option is flooring soundproof material that will address and improve the sound quality of the garage.

If you have enough funds, you can always go for complete soundproofing of the floor, which involves adding an underlayment between the final floorboard and the base. You can also add a layer of foam or felt under the carpet to make it thicker and more sound-absorbing.

Windows

Some garages are free of any windows, others may have one or even two of them. Windows have small gaps and cracks that can let out noise from your garage. Use materials like acoustical sound sealants, soundproofing tape, noise-blocking curtains, or acoustic plugs/foam to seal such small areas.

Another option is to simply seal the window space up with bricks and cement (if you don’t need natural light). Acoustic plugs can fit right onto the window while creating an air seal that traps sound inside.

Factors To Consider When Soundproofing A Garage

Before you get started on your master garage project, you’ll want to consider some things, like the size of your garage, the most appropriate soundproofing material, and the budget you’re willing to allocate. Here are a few factors to consider before soundproofing a garage:

Proposed Usage Of The Garage

You need to be sure of what you will use your garage for. Will you be using it as a home office? A recording studio? Or a place to create, test and practice all your music?

Having a clear idea and plan in vision will help you choose the right soundproofing material and equipment. You can better decide whether you only need to block sound or improve the quality of sound in your garage. You may sometimes want to do both. This is why knowing exactly what you’ll be using the garage for can make your soundproofing process easier.

Construction Of The Garage

How the garage was made can influence the amount of soundproofing it needs. Garages are made of concrete or metal, either partially soundproof or not at all.

The materials used in the garage’s construction will affect the soundproofing materials that you’ll need. For instance, if the garage is not insulated and the walls are made of concrete, you’ll probably want to add sound-absorbing material to them to mitigate reverberations.

Garage Features

Simply take a look around the space. Count the number of windows and doors your garage has. To completely soundproof the garage, you need to block every space that could “leak” sound out of it.

Doors and windows are typically considered as the weak spots of a room or space.  This is because sound waves can easily seep in and out of small cracks and gaps. Thus, know how many vulnerable areas are there in the garage to address them properly.

Type Of Garage Door

Your garage door could be made of steel, aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass. You will need to soundproof the garage door according to the material it’s made of, how it opens and how it’s used most of the time.

For example, if you never open the garage door, you can freely block it up with the soundproofing product. On the other hand, if you open the garage door daily, you’ll have to pick a soundproofing material and method that can accommodate that.

FAQs About The Cost Of Soundproofing A Garage

Some frequently asked questions about soundproofing a garage are:

Soundproofing a garage is a huge investment. Those who are planning to convert their garages into home studios and music practice sessions should pick the simplest of solutions. Here’s how you go about it:

• Plan, compare prices (overall costs are no more than $500) and gather the required material according to your budget.
• Take professional help if needed. And if you’re completely inexperienced, hire someone to install the soundproofing equipment for you.
• Maintain the products you use, adapt with time and need.

Costs of soundproofing your garage will go up with the quality and quantity of the products you use. All you need to do is to sufficiently cover the “weak” areas of a garage and you are good to go!