Easy Ways To Reduce Backyard Noise in Utah

Too Much Backyard Noise 

If you live by a major roadway that creates a lot of traffic noise, or if you are near an industrial area, or maybe your neighbor’s dog constantly barks and the guy next door always starts up his leaf blower at 6 a.m. on Saturdays, you may want to investigate a soundproof wall. There are different options available that will dampen sound waves and cut the noise in half or more. 

Sound is measured in decibels, so a busy road usually makes 60 decibels of traffic noise. If you can lower that by 10 to 50 decibels, it will cut the noise in your yard by half. This can be accomplished by building a high wall that the sound must travel over, or you can place sound absorbing material on the wall that will suck in the sound waves. 

A wood or vinyl fence isn’t very effective as sound waves get through the gaps. A brick wall does better as it is thicker with air between that helps dampen the sound. For even more sound reduction, an absorbing material can be added to the fence. 

Mass Loaded Vinyl is used in houses to dampen noise. It is thin, has a foam like layer that absorbs sound and is easy to install at it is supple and can easily bend to fit. It is also reasonably priced. On Amazon a roll that will cover 4 ft. by 25 ft. costs $239.  

This vinyl can be added to the exterior of a wall where it will absorb sound and lower the decibel levels, but it isn’t beautiful. Picture black dusty vinyl screwed to the fence. It might be an improvement over a chain link look, but not by much. 

If you were to apply this, you may want to cover it with wood or more vinyl or even bamboo for an island look. To create a quiet backyard may cost you a bit, but it may be worth it for some peace of mind.