How to soundproof your shed - 5 ways!

There are many reasons as to why you may want to soundproof your shed. Maybe your child has a new noisy drum kit and you can’t bear to listen to it in the house anymore, maybe your home office needs to be relocated to create more room inside your home, or maybe you want to create a space for guests to stay. Whatever your reasoning, we’re here to help with this handy guide!

There are two ways of soundproofing your shed’s roof; from the inside and the outside. You have probably thought about adding insulation to the walls of your shed (more on this later) but have you thought about adding it to the inside of your roof? No? Do it! Before you do though, prep the outside of your shed roof.

Felt is the most commonly used roofing material for sheds but it isn’t the best for keeping sound in or out, nor is it the best for waterproofing - another important thing to think about if you will be storing equipment in your shed. Our bitumen roofing sheets such as our CLASSIC or ONDUVILLA styles are great for sound insulation and they are super watertight too. Easy-to-install and lightweight, they’re also both guaranteed for 15 years.

Take your roof soundproofing and waterproofing to the next level with our ONDUTISS AIR roof membrane. Made up of three-layers, it can be installed underneath any of our roofing sheets to create an added layer of sound insulation and water tightness. It is highly durable and resistant to tears, BBA certified, light and easy-to-install too.

As we mentioned above, you have probably thought about adding insulation to the walls of your shed to create soundproofing and, good job too! This is one of the places where sound can easily escape or get in so you will most definitely want to seal up any gaps in your shed walls. There are a few different types of wall insulation and this will depend on the use of your shed and, of course, your budget. If it is going to house those noisy drums, for instance, you may want to invest in acoustic foam rather than traditional insulation, as this more specialist material is better at keeping those musical sounds in.

Traditional shed insulation will still help to soundproof your shed though so don’t rule this out completely. If you do use traditional shed insulation you will also want to purchase plasterboard to install over the top of this and create your finished look. For the inside of your roof, you will want to use a lighter material such as plywood to cover the insulation.

We imagine you may have thought about your flooring from an aesthetic perspective but have you thought about it from a soundproofing perspective? If you are thinking about wooden flooring, for instance, you may want to reconsider as carpet will be a much better material for absorbing sounds and reducing vibrations. If drum practice is your shed's sole purpose, why not save yourself some money by using a cheaper offcut? For extra soundproofing, underlay isn’t just for in the home and a cheaper alternative you could use is those interlocking rubber mats you often see in gyms or in children’s play areas.

This is another one of the main areas where sound can escape from or get in. Check to see the condition of the seal where the door meets your door frame if there is one at all. If the existing one is in poor condition or there isn’t one at all, you can easily purchase rubber seals from your local DIY store and install these to your shed door. It is also worth checking your window seals too (if your shed has windows) as sound can easily escape in and out of gaps around your windows too. This process will also be good for keeping the warmth in your shed and cold air out.

We have covered adding or replacing the window seals but what about the windows themselves? In most sheds, the glass will be single pane and very thin. One way to soundproof them is to create another layer using an acrylic sheet on top of the existing pane. Or, you could replace the windows completely depending on what the use of your shed is and how much budget you have to spend.

We hope these tips help you to soundproof your shed. If you’re ready to get started, don’t forget our lightweight and easy-to-install roofing can be purchased via our eShop. Select ranges are also available via The Range, Amazon, and Wickes. Also, if you have any questions about our roofing, our team will be happy to help and you can contact us by calling 0207 727 0533 or emailing [email protected].

Discover the full range at onduline.co.uk.

Discover all of our installation guides here.