Good Questions: Awful Firedoor Insulation?

Hello AT,

We have a metal front door that opens to the building lobby. Is there any way to sound proof it from the interior of the apartment (we are stuck with the metal fire proof door). It's an ugly door and when there are loud people in the lobby it sounds like there in our apartment.

Thank you for any advice. KDG

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Dear KDG,

Absolutely. It takes a little bit of work to do it attractively, but we've seen folks attach a sandwich of soundboard to their front door to prevent just this type of noise. You need something to dampen the sound, because your firedoor is probably hollow and simply conducting the sound right through.

You may want to speak to your building first about beefing up the front door, as they may have already done it elsewhere. After that we'd speak to your local hardware stoor or locksmith to get a reference.

Anyone else??

Comments (7)

I have a partiality for those padded memo boards with the criss-crossed ribbons for hanging mementos. This may not fit with your inner decor at all, but what about making one of those and attaching it to the inside. It could cover all but the knob and locks and might be a good place to put things you don't want to forget as you depart - mail, the chinese take-out money, concert tickets, etc...the foundation board, as well as the batting will provide a nice sound damper. I have done this on an thin interior wall that was slapped up to close off a doorway to the next building. Thankfully, neither of us can hear the other performing our morning bathroom routine anymore!

posted by One Eyed Daruma on 2007-02-22 10:55:21

You can try installing a curtain track on the ceiling across the front door and hanging a heavy velvet curtain on it. Pull it closed when you are in the apartment. It is likely the sound is coming through the cracks around the door as well as through the door. Seal all around the door jamb with foam strip and at the bottom with a rubber strip. I did this with my door - not for noise from neighbors, but because air was blowing in and making a whistling noise.

posted by Amy on 2007-02-22 11:15:50

I feel your pain -- I also live off the lobby near the elevator and there is a great deal of noise that echoes of the walls. I second the foam weatherstripping idea - it cut the sound from the lobby 50 - 60%! I almost don't even notice the sounds anymore..

posted by Chris on 2007-02-22 13:02:08

I second Amy's suggestion for the velvet curtain. I have a small house and noise from the living room is a problem in the bedrooms. A simple rod and velvet (or other thick) curtain does the trick.

posted by Jen (SLC) on 2007-02-22 13:17:54

We have a hollow metal door and here's what we did:

1)Sealed all gaps around the perimiter

2)Adhered a big sheet of Mass Loaded Vinyl on the inside of the door (it's ugly)

3)Put cork over the ugly Mass Loaded Vinyl

Cut down noise AND gave us a bulletin board.

-Bobby

posted by Bobby Jones on 2007-02-22 13:54:35

What did you use to adhere the vinyl to the metal?

posted by 2T on 2007-02-22 14:25:18

One word: Dynamat. Not cheap but it is for indoor use and then can be covered with anything you choose. Cheap soundboard is useless unless you can seal the air penetrations. Dynamat Extreme is really sticky and needs a roller to install.

You will notice a HUGE difference.

posted by John on 2007-02-23 10:11:00