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How to reduce lift noise in an apartment bedroom?

Hey community,

Recently purchased an apartment and realised (too late 😅) that the noise from the lift shaft behind the main bedroom wall is going to be a bigger problem than we anticipated. We didn't seem to hear anything when inspecting the place but after spending some time there, we can clearly hear the lift ding every time the door opens and some of the mechanical noises from the lift.

Being an apartment, do we have any options to try and reduce the noise?

A bit of info, this is the only wall available for the bed. Other walls have doors, courtyard door and built-in wardrobe. This wall is also where the aircon unit and all our wall outlets are.

Thanks for your help! 🙂

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EricL

Hello @lcvk

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about reducing noise in your bedroom.

I suggest having a quick look at this discussion - How to soundproof a bedroom? by @gc. Any panel you place in front of the wall will help reduce the sound coming from the lift, but I believe it all comes down to what you are willing to spend for sound proofing. If you are planning on staying in this apartment for several years, I suggest seriously thinking about installing a light timber frame in front of your existing wall and using Earthwool R2.7 SHD 90mm x 430mm x 1160mm 5.0m² Insulation SoundShield Wall Batt - Pack of 10. Once the bat is installed you can then cover the frame with Gyprock CSR 3000 x 1200 x 13mm 3.60sqm Soundchek™ Plasterboard RE.

There is no need to move the power points or aircon unit as you can build your wall around it. Your goal is to reduce the ambient noise coming from the operation of the lift. If you wish to know how much noise is coming through you can use an app on your phone to measure the sound being generated by the lift. I would also suggest positioning your bed as far away from where the sound is coming from.

Here is a link to our best advice: How do you soundproof a bedroom?

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @lcvk

Sorry to hear about the noise issue. Our daughter has just moved in to a new flat in London and has a noise issue through the floor under their bedroom, but from snoring if you can believe that.

So, first things first if your effected by a body corporate, you would need to notify them and possibly get approval for any structural build.

@EricL materials are exactly what I would be recommending, but I would replace the current plasterboard. It would require a heating and cooling plumber to remove the head unit and sparky to make the power point safe during the transition.

@EricL plan requires no demolition, just bear in mind you would loose about 120mm in depth for the new wall to be placed in front of the existing, or 100mm if you removed the skirting. Building around the AC unit could interfere with airflow out of the vents. So worth checking that out. The carpet would need to be cut and re-fixed to meet the new wall. Carpet repairers can do this quite cheaply. And I personally would have the PowerPoints relocated to the face of the new wall, rather than be accessed through openings. Not that it's a big deal, just a more aesthetic finish. Being double thickness, would give deliver a quieter result over a replacement wall, but without knowing for sure, it could also solve the issue. The link to soundproofing a bedroom might help make the decision.

Hope this helped.

Nailbag

Dave-1

Evening @lcvk

First up I would like to say "Howdy" and welcome to the community 😀

@EricL's suggestions are bang on as is @Nailbag's, They are very similar to the steps I would take as well.

You could go for a cheaper option but I fear the money you would spend and then even hear a faint "ping" would make you pull out your hair.

Cheaper option would be soundproofing on the surface of the existing wall, such as Prempanel 2700 x 600 x 21mm Oak Timber Acoustic Panel and even Foilboard 10mm x 2400mm x 1200mm Standard 10 Insulation - 10 x 2400 x 1200 first then the prempanels.

I havnt used the prempanels but they do look to be sound absorbing. I would actually go for Eric's and Nailbags suggestion for the interior of the wall and new plaster then add the prempanels vertically. It may be more money then you want but long term it might be worth the peace.

Dave

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