Soundproofing an Apartment in Shanghai: A Lifesaver for a Busy Family

I'm a mother of three. My husband and I were born in the 1980s and are from Anhui Province. My husband works for a company, and I'm a full-time homemaker. We currently have three children: two girls and a boy, ages 13, 10, and 8. To provide them with a good educational environment, we rented an apartment in Xuhui District. Rents here are very high, and for our family of five, we settled on a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment for over 6,000 yuan a month. To ease the burden, we rented out one bedroom and partitioned off a bunk bed in the living room. If all were rented out, we'd probably have over ten people living in this apartment... Yes, it's obvious. While I've provided my children with a quality education, internally, we're struggling. My husband works in securities, and his monthly salary fluctuates. Adding rent, family expenses, and the costs of three children to the mix, his salary simply can't make it through. Anyway, that's the situation. Going back is definitely not an option. My current problem is how to soundproof my current house, even though I have to partition it off.

The general layout of her house is shown below: It used to have a large living room, but they decided it didn't need to be so large, so they simply partitioned off a rectangular single room with light steel and gypsum board. The living room area is currently partitioned off with foldable plastic sheets. After school, the three children just pull out the foldable sheets and let them do their homework inside.

Continued: The single room has three bunk beds, each costing 600 yuan per month. If I rent them all out, I can earn 3,600 yuan per month. Because I only rent to women, it's perfect for college students who have just arrived in Shanghai and don't have much income, so I can usually rent them all out. But what is frustrating is that I have three children, and every night I need to help them with their homework. Each of the three children has a desk. My eldest daughter is well-behaved, so I worry less, but I have to yell at my second daughter and youngest son every time, almost once a day. It has become a habit. I know that this is not entirely the children's problem, but a kind of pressure, an invisible pressure that is slowly crushing me. For example, one time, around 6 o'clock in the evening, I was helping the children with their homework, and several tenants came back one after another. The sound of opening and closing doors often distracted my son. Then they talked and laughed in the room, talking about where they planned to go for May Day. The voices were quite loud, and then I got angry and yelled at my son, scolding him for being so stupid, asking if he wanted to go out and play too, and if he didn't do his homework well, he wouldn't be able to go anywhere for May Day... Then he burst into tears, and the noise in the room gradually subsided. I know no one's at fault, but I just can't control myself. I'm feeling a bit mentally drained, and now my tenants are slowly quitting because of this. Sigh... I just want to ask, are there any better soundproofing methods that can solve my problem?

Image and text are unrelated.
Answer: This netizen's problem is clearly quite unique. First, it's impossible to completely eliminate the noise, and soundproofing this partitioned room isn't easy to fix, unless you tear it down and add some soundproofing panels. Considering the current situation, I don't think that's necessary, so I wouldn't recommend it.

To address noise, we must identify the root cause and prescribe the right solution. Sometimes, it's unnecessary to invest heavily in soundproofing the entire house or buying a soundproofing cabin just because of a single noise.

This netizen's primary noise issue is related to family education, ensuring that children aren't distracted by small conversations and laughter, which can significantly reduce their homework efficiency. This noise is generally around 60 decibels and is primarily transmitted through the air.

The biggest problem isn't the child, but the mother. A stay-at-home mother, sharing a house, three children, and homeschooling... She's constantly in a state of total commitment. Her own personal life is gradually disappearing, so even the slightest noise can send her over the edge. Similar families are likely to be numerous in Shanghai and other first-tier cities. Suitable soundproofing materials should be readily available, easy to install, and affordable.

Currently, the best solution on the market is soundproof curtain partitions. To accommodate partitions, there are also curtains designed to resemble partition walls. These use sound-absorbing cotton and soundproof curtains layered together to create a closed space, similar to the image below:

1. Installation:

It's also easy to install, requiring no drilling or damage to the existing decor, reducing the stress on renters.

2. Main Noise Issues It Addresses:

The noise issues it addresses are typically more mundane household noise, such as conversation, cooking, and television hum. These noise levels are typically around 60 decibels, but installing soundproof curtains effectively reduces the noise level to around 50 decibels, creating a comfortable environment for studying or working.

4. Sound Insulation Principle:

Partition curtains primarily use a composite of sound-absorbing and sound-insulating fabrics to provide sound insulation.

Sound-Absorbing: The best sound-absorbing materials generally have a porous surface, preventing most sound waves from escaping and being absorbed as they pass through the material, preventing them from retransmitting.

Sound-Insulating: Sound-insulating materials feature a smooth surface, minimizing sound wave reflection. The TPU film used in this fabric is:

TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is currently widely used in footwear, clothing, inflatable toys, aquatic and underwater sports equipment, medical equipment, fitness equipment, car seat materials, umbrellas, luggage, and handbags. While its price is a disadvantage, its smooth surface and high plasticity make it an excellent soundproofing material.

Supplementary Measures: The partition curtains feature a pocket design, which can be filled with sound-absorbing cotton to further enhance their sound absorption.

This partition curtain is 2.37 meters tall, while the average living space is approximately 3 meters high, making it a sufficient height for most homes.

Besides being great for children's homework, this type of workstation is also perfect for use in small offices as a workstation partition. If you have a side hustle that requires recording at home, you can also use it to create a small recording space.