Having a noisy office is no fun. You lose concentration and are exposed to some issues among them blood pressure, hearing loss, lost productivity, stress related diseases, speech interference, sleep disruption and many others. This can be at work, home or other place you have set up an office from.
One of the most reliable solutions to this issue is installing soundproof curtains in the office. These are curtains meant specially to drown out sound from coming in or going out of the room. They’re a great solution as they are temporary and can be moved when the need arises.
Best Soundproof Curtains
In our reviews, we came up with the following seven soundproofing curtains for your office:
1. NICETOWN Soundproof Curtains
First on the list are the Nicetown 100% Blackout Curtains. NICETOWN are known for their great curtains in various categories. They were among the very first curtain companies to go beyond simple curtains to adding features that improve their quality and roles in the home and workplace.
Although more sizes are available, the ones we tried measure in at 52” by 84” (for a total width of 104”) and are quite easy to install and may look like other typical curtains. They offer a 100% blackout by blocking out any sunlight and UV rays from the outside. In our tests, we couldn’t tell the difference between night and day when the curtains were drawn.
They’re made of polyester and have two layers which make them soundproof. The soundproofing effect is at least twice what you get with normal curtains. They’re so good you can have your peace indoors close to a busy street.
The double layering also helps regulate the temperature of the room as it helps keep it cool during the summer and warm during the winter. This is thanks to the triple weave blackout fabric. They’re also safe to the home as they have no formaldehyde or other chemical coatings.
Pros
- Soundproof to keep out the noise.
- Provide a 100% blackout even during the day.
- Double layered polyester that absorbs sound better than single-layered curtains.
- Balance the temperatures indoors.
- Measure 52” by 84” with a total width of 104”. More sizes are available.
- Come as 2 panels for ease of use.
- Available in various colors including black, biscotti beige, brown, burgundy red, cappuccino, coral, gray, hunter green, lavender pink, navy, navy blue, pure white, royal purple, sea teal, teal blue and yellow.
- Eco-friendly without chemicals such as formaldehyde or chemical coating.
- Easy care as it’s machine washable.
Cons
- None.
As long as you’ve found the right size for your window or other area you’ll be using them, these curtains will drown out the noise and the light from reaching you. This holds true whether it’s an office or a house.
2. NICETOWN Blackout Curtains
Our second entrant is also from NICETOWN. This time, it’s the Blackout series which boasts of features quite similar to those of the previous entrant from the same company. From its look, this set of curtains is elegant given the many colors it comes in, the silver grommet at the top and material which is high quality fabric.
The curtains are soundproof as they muffle out any stray sounds both from within the room and from outside. Beyond that, they block up to 99% of light and are wrinkle-free, energy-efficient, fade resistant, and thermal insulated. The thermal insulation helps save on your power bills as they keep the indoors warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Pros
- Soundproof to keep out unwanted sound.
- Up to 99% light blocking.
- Provide thermal insulation for the indoors.
- High quality fade-resistant material that also lasts for long.
- Available in sizes from 52” by 45” to 52” by 120”.
- Top finish is a silver grommet with a 1.6-inch inner diameter.
- Available in baby pink, biscotti beige, black, blue, burgundy red, cappuccino, coral salmon, fresh green, gray, grayish white, hunter green, navy, navy blue, olive, pure white, royal purple, sea teal, teal blue, yellow and toffee brown colors.
Cons
- None
This pair of curtains blocks out the light and sound making your office area a haven of calm and focus. We love the fact that they serve more than one purpose and keep the area inside comfortable through their thermal insulation.
3. Best Home Fashion Basic Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtains
Best Home Fashion is another well-known firm specializing in the indoors and their Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtains are among the very best when it comes to sound, heat and light control. They’re made of high-quality polyester which ensures that they serve you for long.
These thermal insulated curtains block up to 99% of the light from the outdoors. They block both heat and light on either side thus keeping the indoors warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Most importantly, they keep out any sounds from going through them. This is all thanks to the Triple Weave Technology which ensures that the curtains form a thick and solid barrier.
It has a header size of 0.5 inches and hem size of 2 inches.
Pros
- Soundproof to keep out unwanted sounds.
- Blocks out 99% of light from outdoors hence the Blackout name.
- Block heat and cold from outdoors.
- Made of high-quality polyester.
- Available in sizes from 52” by 63” to 52” to 96” (L x W).
- Available in 27 colors to suit any room or office (black, burgundy, chocolate, sky blue, beige, cardinal red, dark grey, grey, lavender, light pink, royal blue, purple, pink, olive, navy, turquoise, violet, wheat, baby pink, cardinal red, royal blue, moss, mint, mauve, lilac, so pink, and dusty pink).
- Easy to care for since it’s machine washable.
Cons
- None
We didn’t find fault with this one either.
4. MIUCO Darkening Solid Grommet Blackout Curtains
The next set of curtains we loved from our reviews is from MIUCO. They’re made of a combination of polyester and polyester blend which makes them very soft to the touch. They have a triple weaving which ensures that they keep out the noise, heat and the cold quite impressively.
These MIUCO curtains block up to 98% of sunlight and 100% of UV rays with the darker colors having higher percentages than the lighter ones. They also block out up to 60% of the sound from outside making them very handy in soundproofing your office or home. Their triple-weaving technology can help reduce your electricity bill by as much as 30% as they keep out the heat and the cold as needed.
Pros
- Absorb up to 98% of light from outside.
- Absorb up to 60% of the sound from outside.
- Help save on energy use by regulating the temperatures indoors.
- Available in 18 colors (aubergine, beige, black, burgundy, grayish white, grey, dark gray, chocolate, navy blue, pink, purple, rust, taupe, sky blue, silver, sage, teal, and turquoise).
- Made of high-quality polyester and polyester blend.
- Grommets with 1.6-inch diameter, bottom hem 3’ wide and side hem 1” wide.
- Sizes from 52’ by 63” to 52” by 95” (L x W).
Cons
- None
When it comes to keeping out sound and light, we found no fault in this one either.
5. H.VERSAILTEX Thermal Insulated Room Darkening Panels Large Window Curtains
When it comes to curtains, a majority are sold as double panels moved to either side when drawing them open. With the H.VERSAILTEX, they are sold as large single panels which can cover a whole wall or window. With this type of curtain, you get large curtains from 100” by 84” to 100” by 108” (L x W) per panel.
Their designs aside, they’re made of the highest quality polyester and polyester blend for longevity. They block out up to 99% of the light from outside (or from one side) and 100% of the UV rays from the sun. They also keep out as much as 100% of the sound from one side to the other. They’re also thermal insulators in the home and will help keep a constant temperature inside.
Each panel has 16 metal grommets with an inner and outer diameter of 1.6”2.4 “ respectively. As such, you can hang the panels from both basic and decorative grommets.
Pros
- Block up to 100% of the sound from one side to the other.
- Keeps out up to 99% of light and 100% of UV rays.
- Thermal regulation as it reflects light, heat and cold from either side.
- Available as single panels from 100” by 84” to 100” by 108” (L x W).
- 8-year quality warranty.
- Easy to live with as it’s machine washable and is without any harmful chemicals.
- Available in 12 colors (black, burgundy, charcoal, gray, cream, crepe, dove gray, navy blue, plum purple, sage, orange ochre, stone blue, and pure white).
Cons
- Large single panels might not be ideal for all windows or partitions.
This set of curtain panels is the best especially when you want a quiet office or other room where even light from outside doesn’t disturb you.
6. NICETOWN Three Pass Microfiber Noise Reduction Curtains
The third entry from NICETOWN is their 3 Pass Microfiber Noise Reduction Curtain. Made of high quality polyester and comes without a liner for a softer and heavier result. The triple weave technology enables the curtain block up to 99% of the light from outside and makes the curtains soundproof.
The triple weaving also makes the curtains thermoregulators as they keep out excessive heat of cold from getting into the room. They block all the UV rays from the sun thus saving your furniture and other items from fading and general wearing down. You still get the standard grommet diameter of 1.6 inches thus eliminating the need for a new grommet.
Pros
- Blocks up to 99% of light from outside and 100% UV rays.
- Soundproof for a peaceful time.
- Regulates the temperatures indoors by reflecting any excessive heat and cold.
- Available in sizes from 29” by 45” to 42” by 90” (L x W).
- Available in 21 colors (baby pink, biscotti beige, black, blue, burgundy red, cappuccino, coral, fresh green, gray, greyish white, hunter green, navy, navy blue, olive, royal purple, sea teal, teal blue, toffee brown, white, yellow, and navy royal blue).
- Standard 1.6-inch diameter grommet.
Cons
- None.
This curtain has no blemish as it does what it does quite well.
7. H.VERSAILTEX Classical Grommet Curtain
Another one from H.VERSAILTEX, this entrant also boasts some of the best specifications when it comes to keeping your office or house free of noises for your peace and productivity. You get the same quality of soundproofing besides keeping out the light and UV rays from the sun as other premium curtains.
Made of faux linen fabric, this curtain blocks out up to 85% of the light from outside making for a private room. It blocks 100% of the UV from the sun. It’s also a thermal regulator as it keeps out the excess cold and heat accordingly. You’ll thus incur less in electricity bills with this curtain than before. Like all H.VERSAILTEX curtains, you get an 8-year quality warranty with a 30-day money back guarantee.
Pros
- Blocks 85% of light and 100% of UV rays.
- Soundproof to keep the indoors and cubicles free of noises.
- Sold as single panels from 52” by 63” to 52” to 108” (L x W).
- Regulates the temperature indoors by reflecting back any excessive heat and cold.
- Usable with normal grommets with 1 5/8 inch and 1 ½ inch diameters.
- 8 year quality warranty and 30-day money back guarantee.
- Available in 12 colors (Aegean blue, beige, burgundy, charcoal gray, cocoa brown, eggshell blue, ivory, mauve, navy, pure white, taupe and taupe gray).
Cons
- Doesn’t block out all the light.
Although it doesn’t give you 100% light reflection, you will still get a good uninterrupted sleep during the day even when the sun is directly shining on the window.
Grab any one of these curtains to keep your office cubicle, living room, bedroom or other room free of noises and unwanted light. You might have noted that for all the curtains, the darker colors have a better light and sound control than the lighter ones.
Do I Need Soundproof Curtains?
You need soundproof curtains if you are one of the following people:
1. You work in a noisy office with cubicles
If your office has any type of noise that you find distracting to your work, you can do with soundproof curtains. They work well especially when you work in cubicles where you can shut out the noise.
2. You live or work near a freeway
The reasons there are barriers on freeways is both for safety and to keep out the noise generated by speeding vehicles. Living or working close to a freeway or just any other type of road can be quite annoying due to the noise from the car engines. A soundproof curtain can certainly do the trick for you.
3. Music producers
Whether you’re setting up a professional studio or one in your spare room, having the right sound goes a long way in making your next hit. With soundproof curtains, you can have the accurate sounds captured in the right way.
4. You live or work in a busy area
Noise from cars, pedestrians, planes and other sources can be quite hectic when it comes to working or even staying at home in peace. Soundproof curtains have a way of keeping out the extra noise to focus on your work.
5. You work or live in construction areas
Construction can either be in the neighborhood or on a part of your office. You’ll end up dealing with lots of noise from the machines and construction workers. Soundproof curtains can help you deal with that.
Soundproof Curtains: Buyers Guide
When looking for soundproof curtains, you should consider the following aspects:
1. Sound transmission class (STC)
The sound transmission class refers to the ability of a material to deaden airborne sound. Basically, the higher the rating, the better the curtain will be in trapping or reflecting sound. While the main determinant of the STC rating of a material is the thickness, other factors such as the material, types of weaving and number of layers used also play a major role in this.
2. Noise reduction coefficient (NRC)
The sound transmission class refers to the ability of a material to absorb sound projected at it. It’s based on the fact that sound projected at an object is either reflected back or absorbed. On a scale of 0.0 to 1.0, a material with a higher NRC will absorb more sound than it reflects.
For example, a material with an BRC of 0.0 will not absorb any sound while that with 1.0 will absorb 100% of the sound.
3. Ease of installation
A majority of the curtains on the market and those reviewed here use a grommet style for ease of installation and use. The standard grommet diameter is about 1.6 inches. When going for a curtain, ensure it can either fit into the grommet you already have or you get a new grommet with it.
You might find it hard installing these curtains are they’re usually quite heavy and will require more than a pair of hands to install. They’re, however, worth the effort as compared to thin curtains that are easy to install.
4. Materials used
The actual type of material doesn’t matter much but how the curtains are made does. For example, the best curtains for soundproofing use technologies such as triple weaving, thermaweave and therm layers to show that they were created with temperature and sound regulation in mind. Having a layer or lining also increases the effectiveness of the curtains in regulating sound, light and heat. You’ll find that most curtains use various versions of polyester, suede and velvet.
5. Ease of use
The ease of use comes in the form of how easy it is to clean the curtains when they get dirty. We focused on curtains that are machine washable to eliminate the need for specialized cleaning. If you bought curtains that require taking to them to a dry cleaner or other specialist, they’ll be quite a task living with.
6. Level of noise around you
Generally, thicker curtains are better at soundproofing your room or office compared to the thinner ones. They’re also costlier than their thinner counterparts. For this reason, you should only get curtains whose thickness matches that of the level of noise around you. It may be an unnecessary cost getting the thickest of soundproofing curtains when the only noise you’re worried about is the occasional sound of footsteps in the corridor.
7. Size
When it comes to size for soundproof curtains, the larger they are, the better they will be at soundproofing the house. Unlike other types of curtains that can be just enough to fit the window or cubicle wall, soundproof curtains need to cover as much of the wall or window as possible. In fact, they should cover the designated areas and some more space for the best soundproofing effect. You can have them as close to the floor as possible for the best results.
Do soundproof curtains work?
Yes. Soundproof curtains do work as advertised. However, don’t expect them to kill out all the noise especially if it’s on a high level. For the best soundproofing of your home or office, consider adding several other methods of sound control such as acoustic panels and carpets on the floor.
