How To Soundproof Walls From Noisy Neighbours
- Introduction
- Why Are My Neighbours So Noisy? An Introduction To Why Sound Travels
- Is It Possible To Completely Soundproof A Room?
- Why Bother Soundproofing A Wall In Your Home?
- 5 Things to Consider Before Soundproofing Internal Walls
- How To Soundproofing Walls
- How To Install Acoustic Wall Panels
- Step 1) Measure the wall(s) and order your panelling materials
- Step 2) Prepare the wall surface(s) and cut panels to size
- Step 3) Apply the first panel with your chosen bonding agent
- Step 4) Slide the next panel into place
- Step 5) Repeat the process until complete
- Step 6) Finish off the acoustic wall panel installation with end pieces
- Step 7) Allow the bonding to set and admire your new, peaceful home
- Conclusion
- Why Tile Merchant?
Introduction
In our busy, fast-paced world, we are almost constantly surrounded by some noise or other. But when we’re at home—safely tucked up in bed, hosting a dinner party or relaxing on the sofa—we’re supposed to be able to relax and detox from all the noises of our day.
Unfortunately, for many folks across Ireland, the peace and tranquillity of their home is being regularly shattered by intrusive sounds—such as loud parties from noisy neighbours or the rush of passing traffic. The good news is that you don’t have to live with all this noise.
This step-by-step guide to acoustic soundproofing for indoor walls walks you through all the considerations you should make, and steps you can take, to reduce external noises and make your home a happier, quieter place to be. Let’s get started!

Why Are My Neighbours So Noisy? An Introduction To Why Sound Travels
Sound is a funny thing. Like light, sound moves in invisible waves which our ears interpret as noise. But those waves are crafty, capable of travelling long distances, through objects (including walls) and sneaking past even the smallest gaps in our defences.
High-pitched soundwaves (like those emitted by yapping dogs and screaming children) sound louder to us than low-pitched waves (like heavy bass or traffic), but travel shorter distances.
All in all, the reason your neighbours are so noisy probably has less to do with your neighbours than it does the types and placement of materials used to build your house.
A window facing a busy street, for example, will let in far more noise than you would hear if the street was faced by a solid wall.
Thus, when it comes to soundproofing interior walls, there’s a lot you can do to block out the outside world and welcome instead an air of tranquillity, even in the middle of a rave!
Is It Possible To Completely Soundproof A Room?
It is not possible to completely soundproof any room, in the sense that there are always soundwaves bouncing around us creating background noise—even in a Zen Buddhist’s garden or in a padded cell!
Microsoft got closest to building a completely soundless room, but only for research purposes—typically people can’t stand being in the room because the utter silence is too uncanny.
What this tells us is that we don’t want to aim for a noiseless room, when soundproofing our homes, but instead for a less noisy room—one which has the most comfortable volume level for you..
Why Bother Soundproofing A Wall In Your Home?
Noisy neighbours are annoying, there’s no denying that, but is it really worth the hassle going to all the effort of soundproofing your bedroom, living room or kitchen, for example? Well, the science would suggest... yes!
Numerous scientific studies have focused on the effects of noise on the human brain and body, and have concluded that excess noise negatively affects our mood and mental health, contributing to stress, anxiety, anger and the like—not to mention the adverse effects on our sleep which noisy nights can have.
In addition to soundproof walls helping to improve your mental health, there are a number of additional benefits to installing noise-reducing panels at home—including aesthetically, and in terms of improving our productivity and sound quality (useful for musicians and music lovers, for example).
5 Things to Consider Before Soundproofing Internal Walls
If you’ve decided soundproofing walls from noisy neighbours has become a necessity, then there are a few things we recommend considering first before you dive in.
Consideration 1) Where is the noise coming from? What are its entry points?
First things first, where is the noise actually coming from? It pays to spend time thinking about and measuring this, because if you fail to soundproof all the noise’s entry points, then those tricksy soundwaves are sure to still find a way through.
It’s also worth thinking about where those soundwaves are echoing—is there a bare wall on the other side of the room from the offending neighbour? Sound may be bouncing back off that wall and doubling the noise!.
Consideration 2) How much noise needs to be reduced?
Another key consideration when soundproofing your interior walls is asking yourself how much the sound needs reduced by.
After all, most Irish homeowners won’t want to completely block out the sounds of the outside world, but rather just reduce the unwanted ones. If your noise problem is really severe, however, you will need a more heavy-duty solution.
Consideration 3) Have you tried rearranging the room’s furniture?
Furniture like sofas, wardrobes and bookcases—as well as fittings like curtains and blinds—actively act like natural noise absorbers for the home. A room with little in it will struggle to absorb unwanted noises and instead echo them around and around.
A quick fix for minor noise complaints can simply be to rearrange and add to the furniture in the problem room—try different combinations and arrangements until the offending noises are quashed.
Pro tip: A bookcase full of books or a big plush sofa placed up against the wall adjoining your noisy neighbours can go a long way to solving the issue.
Consideration 4) How much space have you got?
As you’ll soon discover, some of the most effective noise-reducing strategies require a lot of space—for example, doubling the thickness of a room’s interior walls. It’s worthwhile considering how much space you have to play with.
In many of the noisy-neighbour situations our customers have come to us to help solve, the problem is in smaller apartments or semi-detached homes where families are living side-by-side other people.
In these circumstances, we’d tend to recommend a soundproofing solution which takes up less space—such as rearranging furniture and installing acoustic wall panels. Just take a look, for example, at how acoustic panelling helped to transform this Dublin home interior!
Consideration 5) What’s your soundproofing budget?
Last but not least, you must of course consider how much you’re willing to spend to deal with your noise issue.
You’ll need to know for one how much it can cost to soundproof a wall, though the answer to this can vary depending on the methods used. For those on a tighter budget, acoustic wall panelling is almost always your very best option.


How To Soundproofing Walls
Now you’ve considered everything you need to, it’s time to choose which of the 3 most popular and effective wall sound proofing methods to use to solve your unique situation.
The first two methods mentioned can be super effective, but often require a lot of heavy-duty work, time, space, and resources. Oftentimes, these are the best methods to use if you’re building a home or business unit from scratch, or are already planning a building refurb. The final option—acoustic panel installation—is best suited to everyday noise complaints which need a quick fix without disrupting your life or breaking the bank.
Method 1) Cavity wall with insulation
One of the most effective methods for sound proofing walls in a house is simply to double-up on the walls themselves. Build the wall(s) using two separate brick layers with a cavity between them, then fill this cavity with insulation before sealing and plastering the wall(s).
As soundwaves travel through the first layer of the wall, they should be absorbed by the insulation before reaching the second layer, and therefore should no longer reach your ears inside the room.

Method 2) Stud wall with insulation
A similar method to the above is to reinforce an existing brick wall with a soundproof stud wall. A stud wall is a partition wall built of wood or metal which you can attach to your existing brick wall, leaving a cavity in the middle. As above, you would then fill this cavity with insulation to create a soundproof layer. This method is useful in severe noise-reduction cases.

Method 3) Install acoustic noise-reducing wall panels
The most popular method for soundproofing walls, however, is of course to install acoustic wall panels directly on top of existing walls.
Not only do these panels look great—elevating the overall interior design of the room—they are also specially designed to absorb unwanted excess noise from outside, whilst promoting the warmer, rounder tones of your indoors.
Acoustic wall panels are made from recycled wood and eco-friendly plastics with a sound-absorbent foam backboard and strong vertical grooves to help trap unwanted soundwaves (a bit like in the room Microsoft built!)

How To Install Acoustic Wall Panels
Methods one and two outlined above tend to require professional installation by a team of bricklayers, insulation experts and plasterers. On the other hand, installing acoustic panelling in your home can be done DIY. For this reason, we’ll close this guide to soundproofing for interior walls with some step-by-step installation instructions for acoustic wall panels (the same steps can be used for pretty much any type of wall panel available at Tile Merchant!)
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Step 1) Measure the wall(s) and order your panelling materials
It’s crucial to make sure that you have enough wall panels to cover the entire surface area you’ve selected—be that for a soundproof feature wall or in soundproofing an entire room. Leaving gaps in the soundproofing will allow soundwaves to penetrate the room and undo all your hard work!
Remember to order matching end pieces, edge pieces and/or dado rails too, to give your wall panel installation a smooth, finished look. You’ll also need a strong adhesive like Bostik Turbo Bond to stick your panels to the wall, and may need timber to construct a frame as well, if you choose to go down that route.
Step 2) Prepare the wall surface(s) and cut panels to size
Once your acoustic wall panels have arrived, it’s time to prep the wall(s) for installation. Remove any wall hangings like picture frames and the like, as well as any protruding hooks or nails. Give your walls a good clean and allow them to dry entirely before proceeding.
At this stage, you can also choose whether you’re going to install the acoustic panelling directly atop the existing wall (quickest and easiest) or onto a wooden frame between the wall and panels (requires more time and skill but can improve overall noise reduction in the long-run).
Lastly, make sure to lay out your panels to double-check how they’ll fit, cutting any which need it down to size.
Step 3) Apply the first panel with your chosen bonding agent
To begin with the installation, position the first panel against the wall or frame and secure it into place with a layer of bonding agent on the back of the panel.
Step 4) Slide the next panel into place
Acoustic wall panels from Tile Merchant are constructed with a super handy slide-and-click locking system. Slide your next panel (with bonding agent applied to the back) into place. Ensure it clicks into the previous panel to create a seamless finish.
Step 5) Repeat the process until complete
Continue installing your acoustic wall panels like so until the entire problem surface has been covered.
Step 6) Finish off the acoustic wall panel installation with end pieces
Finish your acoustic wall panel installation by securing edges and end pieces to your newly panelled walls, covering up any exposed MDF and giving your gorgeous panelling a little extra je ne sais quoi.
Step 7) Allow the bonding to set and admire your new, peaceful home
Finally, step back, let the bonding set (see instructions on your chosen bond for set times), and admire your newly panelled room. You should notice an immediate reduction in unwanted noise from neighbouring rooms, buildings and streets, as well as a generally warmer, rounder and fuller quality to the sounds created inside the room. Enjoy!




Conclusion
Noisy neighbours and the rush of traffic are more than just inconveniences—they can actively damage our mental health, reduce our productivity, worsen our sleep and make our homes unnecessarily anxious places to be.
No one should have to live with the stress and discomfort of excess noise, which is why we put together this guide to soundproofing interior walls in Ireland in 2025.
The most popular and effective methods for soundproofing your walls—unless you’re prepared to get heavy duty with your noise-reduction tactics—is to play around with furniture arrangements, install heavy curtains across noisy windows, and install acoustic wall panels against the offending wall(s).
Discover your dream slice of peace and quiet by browsing the Tile Merchant range of acoustic wall panels. Take back control: embrace domestic tranquillity today.
Why Tile Merchant?
We offer extremely competitive pricing on our entire range of tiles and likewise. We stock a huge range of wall and floor tiles and our prices are competitive for retail and trade. Our stock is widely available in our tile stores in Ireland which are open 7 days a week.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to shop our tiles online, we can supply you with samples delivered for free.

Article written by Calum
Cal Bannerman is a freelance writer, editor, podcaster and voice actor from the Scottish Borders. He runs the storytelling podcast "Stories from the Hearth" and lives in a wee Glasgow Flat with his partner and their cat".