One of the most straightforward and inexpensive methods of soundproofing a room is a noise reducing curtains. But the main question is, are they as effective as advertised?
In my personal experience, soundproof curtains are very useful in deadening the sound, but they fail to block the noise completely. I noticed a massive difference in the echoes and noise coming through the windows.
Even though they didn’t completely block all the sounds, they still are very effective at such a low price point.
In this article, I have included a buying guide of different curtains that I tried and have included their pros and cons in detail, but if you are in a hurry, I have summarized the info in the table below.
| Curtain Name | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|
| NICETOWN Blackout Heavy Full Shading | 7.39 pounds | Check Price on Amazon |
| NICETOWN Blackout Curtains Panel | 3.45 pounds | Check Price on Amazon |
| H. Versailtex Heavy Premium Blackout Curtains | 4.06 pounds | Check Price on Amazon |
| Best Home Fashion Thermal Insulated | 4.5 pounds | Check Price on Amazon |
| Deconovo Noise Reducing Blackout Curtains | 3.7 pounds | Check Price on Amazon |
What are noise-canceling curtains and do they work?
These curtains are made of thicker materials usually vinyl, velvet, fiberglass or polyester that help in absorbing noise. So do they work? Yes, they work very well in deadening the sound. Just take the example of playing music on your iPhone in a bathroom or a closed place you will hear the echoes due to the closed space. If you put the phone in your pocket or cover the speaker grill with the hand and you will hear a muffled sound. You can think of curtains as the hand or pocket that will dampen the noise coming in through the window. For more details on how they work and up to how much they can absorb the noise, you can read this article on it.
How to choose the right curtains for noise reduction?
Many companies use “soundproof” as a marketing tactic to describe any thick curtains which to some extent reduce the echoes and sound, but they fail to reduce the significant amount of noise as the excellent quality sound dampening curtain will. When buying the curtains keep below points in your mind.
Size
- Buying sound reducing drapes is different from buying typical decorative ones. You will need to buy four panels instead of two as the more density will prove more effective.
- Buy the curtains 8″ longer than the usual, so they cover the windows adequately to reduce the noise.
Material
Choose a drape made of velvet, vinyl or polyester. The material will be the main factor in absorbing the sound, and the materials mentioned above perform are best for this.
Weight
When purchasing make sure you choose heavier curtains as they tend to absorb more noise because of their density and good quality of the material used.
Washable
You will want to purchase the curtains that are washable even though this doesn’t help with reducing the noise. With the time curtains will become dirty it is recommended to buy washable ones.
Reviews
The most important thing is to check out the reviews from the other customers. Look for the reviews with 4-5 stars. I recommend buying Nicetown soundproof curtains, or Best Home Fashion Insulated curtains as both have over 4000 positive reviews.
Pros and Cons of Soundproof Curtains
Soundproof curtains are not perfect they have their pros and cons. But pros outweigh the cons.
Pros
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- Absorbs the noise and reduces echoes
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- Thermal Insulation (Will keep the house warmer in winter)
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- Inexpensive
- Easy to install
Cons
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- Doesn’t completely block the noise
- Blocks out light
Professional Solution
If you want to stop the noise coming from the windows completely then, you should buy Acoustic soundproof curtains from Amazon. They are a bit expensive as compared to other curtains but still cheaper than 1400-1600$ soundproof windows.
Best curtains detailed review
NICETOWN Blackout Curtains Panel
Nicetown blackout curtain panels are perfect affordable sound dampening curtains. The quality of the fiber is impressive. The material used is polyester and contains three-pass microfiber which will help in absorbing 85-95 percent of the noise and echo. They are available in different colors. To get better results, buy four panels instead of the two. They also have thermal insulation which will help in keeping your room warm in winter.
Pros
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- Inexpensive
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- Three-pass fiber
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- Material(Polyester)
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- Energy Saver
- Variety of Colors
Cons
- Doesn’t completely block sound
NICETOWN Blackout Heavy Full Shading
Another drape on the list from Nicetown. These curtains have better performance than the Nicetown blackout curtain panels. They are better in quality and weighs around 7.4 pounds. The noise reduction is also significant. They look elegant due to the high-quality material used in them. But as compared to the other offering by the same manufacturer, they are a bit expensive, but the quality is totally worth the price. If you are not short on a budget, I will recommend these drapes.
Pros
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- Blocks UV rays
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- Elegant design
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- Weighs 7.39 pounds
- High-Quality Material
Cons
- Bit expensive
H. Versailtex Heavy Premium Blackout
If you are looking for a premium quality noise canceling curtain than H. Versailtex Heavy Premium is for you. These curtains are eco-friendly too. 100% polyester is used in making them. They are 100″ W and 108″ L curtains, which will cover even the big windows and will reduce echoes significantly. If we look at their weight, we will find that they weigh 4.6 pounds, this ticks another one of the criteria of a good sound dampening.
They come with an 8 years quality and 30 days money back guarantee. In case you are not satisfied you can return them. These curtains will also block UV rays from entering your room. They also block 95% of the noise. The reviews from other buyers are also overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
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- Made of 100% polyester
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- Thermal Insulation
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- Washable
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- Block UV rays
- Money back guarantee
Cons
- Blocks light
Best Home Fashion Thermal Insulated
I highly recommend “best home fashion curtains”. They are instrumental in noise reduction. They have over 5000 positive reviews. The material used is high-quality polyester. These drapes insulate heat and cold which will help in reducing your energy bill. These curtains are very easy to install and maintain.
Pros
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- Made of 100% polyester
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- Thermal Insulation
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- Washable
- Block UV rays
Cons
- Blocks light
Deconovo Noise Reducing Curtains
Deconovo curtains are very good at reducing the echoes and noise coming through your window. They use high-quality material like polyester to block out the sound. These drapes also act as an insulator to keep your room warm during winter. These drapes are washable which is a plus point. They are available in a wide range of colors so they will perfectly match your interior.
Pros
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- Made of 100% polyester
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- Thermal Insulation
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- Washable
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- Iron able
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Blocks only 90% sound
Conclusion
Noise reducing curtains may not block the noise on the level of the soundproof windows, or other professional methods do, but they are effective for reducing the sound at the low price. We have updated the guide on the noise dampening curtains with new information and have reviewed even more curtains from the various price ranges. You can read that article here.