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Design Dilemma Bedroom DIY

How can I soundproof a room at the top of a spiral staircase?

2 years ago

I'm looking for ideas on putting something across the top of a spiral staircase so that no one will hear me in my bedroom at the top. I am currently working from home and some of my meetings are private and I don't want my roommates to hear me. I cannot put a door at the bottom. Is there something I can make that will be soundproof and can easily slide across the opening when I am up there? Thanks!

Featured Answer

PRO

Wall Deco

2 years ago

You may use 3d Gypsum wall panels as they are eco-friendly, fire resistant and SOUNDPROOFING!

Besides, they look very beautiful !

For more info, check our Website: https://walldeco.am/products/

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Comments (8)

Molly D. Zone4B
2 years ago
A picture of the space might generate more suggestions.
L.D. Johnson
2 years ago
If the stairs lead up to a horizontal opening in the floor, consider a sheet of foam board insulation from a hardware store; not pretty, but easy enough to slide on and off. We used it for our daughter's room at the top of a spiral staircase in a rental years ago. It wouldn't be soundproof, but might be enough of a barrier to help. A double layer with something on top to weight it would likely be more effective. I would not leave it in place at night while sleeping though. A white noise machine at the stairs might help as well. If you block the opening you'll affect your air circulation, so hopefully you're somewhere with functional windows and/or a room AC unit.
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I have no knowledge about building of spiral staircases, but I do know something about their history, and that might interest you. Mike mentioned that being right-handed makes a difference in the "feel" of walking up a spiral staircase -- he's on the right track. Back in the middle ages, castle owners designed spiral staircases to benefit a right-handed swordsman. The stairs'd be built so that a swordsman could stand on the wider portion of the step and have full use of his right arm. In contrast, his opponent would be forced to fight while standing on the narrow end of the step, and use of his right arm would be impeded by the staircase itself. His chances of winning his way up the steps was greatly impeded by the design. Wanna know about murder holes? Arrow loops? Crenelated battlements? Parapets? One of my degrees is in history. In more practical terms, do you have any experience with spiral staircases? I thought they were super cool until I stayed in a beach house in which the second floor was ONLY accessed by a single spiral stair. Getting a suitcase up those stairs was a pain. I wouldn't want to move a bed upstairs or carry laundry on a regular basis. I think a spiral staircase is cool as a second staircase ... but not as an only staircase.
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Besides all the techniques noted in the above thread, there are a number of speciality products for floors and particularly intersecting building planes, i.e., walls, floors, ceilings. (Co. link is for illustration only.) As leading researchers have noted, flanking pathways defeat the best laid plans. In one home I built, the heating ducts were like a speaker phone between the kid's basement play room and a second-floor bedroom. Separate HVAC systems by floor was a design that would have cured that. A designer friend gave me a tour of a Swiss bank headquarters under construction in a downtown high rise. The board room was entirely lead-lined. If you're prepared to spend serious money on sound-deadening, consider hiring an acoustical consultant.
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I’m not an absolutist curmudgeon against all remodeling. Do No Harm isn’t applicable to the 00’s McMansion. Or some of the 70’s tract ranches. All of the harm inflicted on those was done in the beginning, and they have no place to go but up. But you just know that some Philistine somewhere sees Falling Water as just some pile of leaky concrete and stone and would propose bulldozing it in favor of a Mini Mart and 24 hour bait shop. Not every home needs to be preserved. Just the well designed ones. This is a well designed home. So much so that any changes should be approached only by ensuring that they are in harmony with the original intent of the design. It’s physically painful to think of anyone putting up shiplap and painting any of it gray. 10 minutes fads are usually bad ones. Wait 5 years If its good design, it will still be good design. If it’s bad design, you’ll wonder what you were thinking.
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Go to Home Depot or Lowes and purchase this type of carpet by the foot. It will be about 6 - 8 ft. wide on a big roller. It is super easy to cut. Then get double sided carpet tape to attach it. Or buy this and cut it. Make a pattern out of cardboard and you will be able to draw it on the rug and cut it with utility scissors or other strong snips, something like this. There are lots of options of carpet by the foot at Home Depot.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
Set a boom box facing outward.
3onthetree
2 years ago
"meetings" lol

Surely there is the center post and handrail extending up, so it will be difficult to place something over it. If you can though, use rigid foam insulation (the pink board) so it's light enough to move constantly and cuts easily. It will become to represent a tie on the doorknob.

I don't know how the walls are layed out, but maybe a heavy fabric curtain and liner surrounding it upstairs.
Diane Ton
Original Author
2 years ago
Please clarify ”It will become to represent a tie on the doorknob.”

Thanks!
3onthetree
2 years ago
When the roomies see the cover in place, it's "meeting" time.
Molly D. Zone4B
2 years ago
Nice.

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