apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I admit that I didn't look into the sizing of these vs. your windows Gina, but it sounds like these swing arms curtains from west elm might work:

http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODr380&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1RUGWIN&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1RUGWIN

I also think they look awesome.

you're facing the grove street path station in Jersey city! you'll also have sun beating down a lot as those face south-west. I've read they're going to plant more trees in that square, so that my cut down on noise a little on your level.

i don't have any help for soundproofing solutions. I think the sound is kind of one of the things you have to deal with living in the city.

what about a white-noise machine?

A 2nd floor apartment on a busy road? Oy. Can you move somewhere else?

How about buying a fan for white noise and some of this (or better) adhesive film for the bottom half of the windows?

http://2jane.com/detail.aspx?ID=135

For light control and privacy, you could get those shades that open from the top down, like cellular shades something or other....

For privacy you might also want to try some of that window "frosting" film which still lets in the light. I believe its come up in comments before and I've seen it on street level windows in my neighborhood. Also consider shorter curtains that do not go so low as to block your A/C-heater unit.

if you do get soundproof windows, DON'T USE CITIQUIET - they have no concern for your situation and just want to sell the most expensive windows possible. their customer service is a joke. asked for a refund and they never bothered to return my calls.

for blinds, i recommend hunter douglas silhouette shades. i live on the 2nd floor w/ my windows facing a busy street and the shades let in lots of light and you can't see in during the day thru the layers. they are pricey though:

http://www.hunterdouglas.com/hdg_product_detail.jsp?id=1

if this is too pricey, home depot has their own less expensive model. or try cellular shades.

good luck

I lived directly (physically level with) the lower level GWB for six years. If the rent is cheap enough, you will not notice the noise and get used to not hearing the television.

I think your best bet would be some nice roman shades--they work like lanterns letting in a lot of diffused radiant light (almost as much closed as open if you get the right ones), the white material deflects heat, and they look very architecturally attractive. The height is also easily adjustable to many lengths so when the heat/ac is on nothing will cover up the wall unit, but the others can easily adjust to your liking without looking strangely bunched up.

yeah, topdown bottomup shades are what i'd recommend, though i dunno what with the soundproof windows there...

i have a similar problem though i'm on the 6th floor...the street is a busy avenue, and the drivers in my neighborhood are SO bad that it's constant honking...buses, trucks, MACK TRUCKS, omg it's so horrible. to have a phone conversation for work, i have to go into the bathroom and close the door :(

i'll definitely be looking back at this thread for ideas!!

can you link me to that window soundproofing?

I would avoid a second window installation - the very idea makes my skin crawl. Prior to spending this kind of money I would seriously study window treatment options.
First - layers will help. Hotels typically have multiple layers of window treatments for privacy and sound control - there are plenty of styles that can work with layers (from traditional to modern) if you pay attention the details.
Regarding the layers to consider --- First, You can and should install curtains. I would install them from the ceiling, sitting beyond the window inset to end about 2-4" below the wood sill (so that it clears the AC units with no puddle). The curtains should be lined with at least on layer of thick flannel designed to keep heat out. I would recommend a very full curtain - something like a pencil pleat or french pleat that requires fabric of about 3-4x the width of the window.
Behind this add a shear. This will give you privacy when the curtains are open. IMHO, a curtain that ends at the sill line is a very 'modern' detail - you see lots of them in old black and white photos from the 30s - 60s in great spaces.
Between the window and the shear add a blind of some kind - a cellular shade or a roman would work. If it is really noisy, you could add a lining to a roman as well. Avoid metal blinds at they conduct vibrations (i.e. sound).
This solution is also great for south facing apartments that suffer from 'sunburn'

Oh, and a white noise machine of some kind would be very helpful. I swear by my little black fan!!

i guess the insides of all JC high-rises look the same. i thought it was going to be my old building until i saw the Grove Street entrance across the street.

if your windows are the same as mine were, they provide almost zero noise insulation and are next to impossible to open and close (invest in some silicone spray or WD40).

as for blocking out some light and peeping toms....
i tinted all but one of my windows with some cling film i bought a Lowes. the building supplied mini-blinds, but it was TOO bright in my studio. i did this, instead of curtains, because trying to install curtain rods without a molding around the top was proving impossible (without drilling into the concrete ceilings).

Earplugs.......and black-out shades

Hi. Boy do I sympathize as I have the same problems and have not found an affordable solution. The soundproof windows are the best but so pricey; you have to be sure you'll be staying in your place for a very long time to invest that kind of money.

Here's what I did:
In the living room I gave in to the noise. I used cheapo blinds: they let in enough light. You can go with other solutions because the height of your windows is more normal and there ought to be various solutions. Also, if your windows do face SW, you will be getting plenty of light; I wouldn't worry so much.

In the bedroom, I recommend Alex in DC's solution. I found the curtains for my place at a thrift store for $100 and they're worth tons of $$$$. True, they're not the fabric I would have chosen and adored, but they're good enough.

The curtains block more sound than you can imagine. Also, if you want to nap during the day, they block light super well.

Best thrift stores for lined, interlined, super-heavy and well-made curtains are in the UES along Third and Second Avenues.

hi gina - linen curtains will be the nicest considering how many windows you have... you don't want the space to look heavy. linen allows plenty of light to come thru. as far as the noise, i live on a 2nd floor with the living room facing 3rd avenue and i am getting used to it.

You are going to have to come to terms with how you want to compromise. Truly light-friendly options have no sound insulation properties, and vice-versa.

Go for the "quiet window" alternative in the bedroom.

Since you can't do to-the-floor panels (that actually draw closed) on any of these windows because of the AC units, use bottom-up Roman shades in a hefty material with black-out lining. To-the-sill sheers (or curtains) will just look plain silly and very frumpy.

Have you also considered plantation shutters?

And do you work from home? If not, how often will "weekday rush hour" noise actually be an issue?

If your existing window can accomodate it, you may consider changing one of your glass lites within each 'double glazed' unit to laminated glass which will cut down on noise transmission. Not all windows can accomodate this, but if yours can, you'll get some noise reduction, it takes up no room, and is signficantly cheaper than the so called soundproofing windows. In essence, they're the retro fit solution to not having triple glazed windows to begin with.

Thanks to Maxwell and everyone for your comments. I will look into the ideas suggested here. The sound proofing company I am considering is this one (to answer one of your questions): http://www.soundproofwindows.com/index.html , and they so far has the cheapest quote (but still over $6K for all windows).

I am thinking maybe I can use the frosty window film to cover 3/4 of each window and just leave the top 1/4 clear. This way I don't have to spend money on shades (which after the sound window, there won't be any window sill room left) and it will look very modern (plan to paint the window frame to white). I am just curious it those frosty film could be see through at night?

Have you considers wood shutters? I don't have personal experience with them myself, but Smith and Noble has several options:

http://www.smithandnoble.com/sn/product_category.jsp?nav_cat=-18004&sch_cat=Wood%20Shutters

They will give you lots of lighting flexibility and the wood should add some soundproofing. Not sure what your style is, but if it's anything in the "structured" vein, these could work. Also, as referenced in Apartment Therapy book, if you add these hardwood shutters you might want to make sure your place is balanced with "soft" things as well.

AnnaA:

How do I find out whether my window lites is "changable" or not?

You don't necessarily have to "inside mount" Roman shades, so chances are good, even with the double-windows, you still have window dressing options (just not maybe "bottom up" installation).

I think frosting your main windows, even partially, will drive you crazy when privacy is not an issue.

And *do* you work from home? I'd live in the space to see how bad the noise actually is once you get your furniture and rugs and running refrigerator and TV in the space. Chances are it won't be as bad as an empty apartment sounds.

You may end up saving yourself 6K.

And if those are metal frame windows, DON'T paint them.

Wood shutters wont block out the noise. I lived next door to a busy and popular auto body collision shop, and had white wooden shutters, the only thing that blocked out the sound of glass shattering, and their morning horn was my trusty earplugs.

for privacy, i am in the same situation now, living next to BART train in Oakland. I got black out shades at IKEA as a cheap fix for now.

Net curtains people!! (or sheers in American) - this is what they are for - no-one can see in but they block none of the light

For sound proofing I'd try and live with it first before spending big bucks on sound-proofing - its amazing what you get used to in just a short space of time

I use the frosty film on a window in my kitchen (right outside the bathroom, and it's such a dark kitchen that I like to leave it open) and in the bathroom and you can't see through them at night. BF went out and checked (we have a big window in our shower - all up in there and the previous tenant and installed a window shower curtain and it was DISGUSTING) at night with all the lights on in there and you can't even see a silhouette - just a shadow.

I was recently in Amsterdam and the most prevalent form of street level window shading was frosted glass... or film. Imagine hordes of tourists walking by DIRECTLY outside your living room every day! You could not see through the glass.

I had another thought of buying blurred glass (or plexiglass) that you could just lean up in the window.... in addition to curtains of some kind.

My vote is if you are thinking of spending 6K on soundproof windows, you could probably put that money towards living somewhere less noisy. $500/mo less noisy for one year or $250/mo less noisy for two years.

too late. bought the place already. That is why i need to figure out a way to deal with the noise not only for the time I am there, but also resell value.

My mom has these awesome windows that let light in, but even if you're standing directly in front of them while outside, you can't see into her house.

I'm not sure what the material is, but I think there's also a swanky Japanese restaurant somewhere that has these one-way-mirror type glass panels on their bathrooms - so you can see everyone outside while you do your business.

The only downside is they don't work at night when her lights are on inside. However, her neighborhood is very dark at night and I think that affects how easily you can see in either direction.

And I hope noise will get better once they finish Grove Pointe, though there will still be sirens from the police station.

re: laminated glass

any glass can be replaced, it's just a question of putting back the same thickness of glass as you had before for various technical reasons which I won't go into; and laminated glass generally comes in fewer thicknesses than regular glass. Any proficient glazer should be able pull out the glass unit, measure it, and replace with a new one.

the really cheapo fix is to put vinyl film on your existing glass which will dampen the sound a little, but it's hard to install well (speaking from experience) and won't be as good for sound.

they use to be called shutters and before that they use to be hinged green spaces, see you use to be able to swing the window doors from the inside out and on the window door was shelves with plants that could enjoy the sunlght durring the day and give you comfort at night.

from the image shown, my suggestion, sliding shelves that slide into place from left and right in front of the window endurring the day full of plants and books, the plants will love the sunlight and the books will age well durring the day, then at night slide the shelves open and read a book... such is the life.

AnnaA:

you mean instead of paying sound proof window company, I can find someone just to replace the glass within the windows I have (to laminated glass)?

Where should I go about to find someone or company that can provide this type of service? thanks

you mean instead of paying sound proof window company, I can find someone just to replace the glass within the windows I have (to laminated glass)?


that's correct. But bear in mind, it's sound dampening, not sound proof.

Where should I go about to find someone or company that can provide this type of service? thanks

why don't you ask your super who replaces the broken glass units in the building or look in the phone book under glazing?

Try wooden or vinyl blinds on the inside mount of the window and roman shades with a lining on the outside mount of the window. During the day you can adjust your blinds and at night just pull the roman shade down. P.S. The vinyl blinds will probably be better at eliminating noise because plastic is not something noise/electricty can go through very well.

We ran into a similar problem. I read that windows were the main cause of noise transmission into a home, so we switched our bedroom from one that had 6 windows to one that only had one. That room was a lot easier to soundproof. If that is not practical for you, you will have to spend the money to soundproof all of the windows in your bedroom. It is definitely worth it! What price can you put on a decent night's sleep?, and it will add to your resale value. We went w/ a standard and cheap double pane window, and put one in the usual location and one inside that one in the window sill about 4" from that one. Low tech and low cost. Make sure everything is caulked 100%. No air gaps, as noise comes in thru even the smallest openings. You could also simply cut out a solid window from 1/2" or 3/4" plexiglass and easily seal it in yourself, assuming you will have the windows closed most of the time w/ the a/c or heat on. If the noise is coming thru the walls as well, add 2 layers of 5/8" sheetrock w/ insulation between that wall and your existing one. Sheetrock sells for only $10 for a 4x8 piece. You will not believe the difference these inexpensive changes will make in the interior noise level. Go for it! We did and it made a huge difference. Steve.