How to soundproof sliding double doors

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You’ve installed sliding double doors, but noise seems to transfer easily between spaces. This calls for soundproofing. These doors are a great way to open up your space and separate it at ease, but when the doors are closed, you may find you can still hear noise from the adjoining room. While sliding doors are a great way to save space, they can often present soundproofing issues due to the sliding mechanism.

For instance, you can’t completely seal the door and prevent air from escaping between the sliding mechanisms.

And if air can pass through, sound will travel through too.

But how do you resolve this? This guide explains how.

Soundproof sliding doors

JELD-WEN Cottage Unfinished White Oak Internal Sliding Barn Door - Industrial Track

Thanks to improvements in modern technology and design, many sliding doors today have built-in insulation to reduce the movement of sound as much as possible.

However, installing new sliding doors can be costly and time-consuming.

Sliding Door Seals

One option to reduce the amount of sound that passes through your sliding double doors is to install a sliding door acoustic drop seal. These are designed to form a seal in the sliding mechanism to reduce the amount of noise that passes through under the sliding doors.

Alternatively, you can purchase a perimeter seal which will run around the perimeter of the sliding doors, acting as a barrier against sound and air passing through. Most acoustic door seal kits include the seal to go around the sliding door frame, adhesive, and a soundproofing mat to ensure maximum soundproofing.

Soundproof Curtains

Another alternative would be to hang soundproof curtains above sliding doors. Although they do not cancel out all noise, they absorb sound to reduce the level of noise that transfers through.

If you’re looking at soundproofing internal sliding doors, you can hang a pair of soundproofing curtains on each side. This would maximise the levels of noise absorption.

Glazed Sliding Doors

If your sliding doors are glazed, they will offer more opportunities for sound insulation. If you install double or triple glazing, this can massively reduce the amount of noise transfer. This is because each layer of glazing reduces the amount of sound that passes through. Remember, sound does not travel as well through glass.

Additionally, you can purchase double or triple glazing where the panes are of different thicknesses. This means that the sound waves will be altered as they try to pass through the differing thicknesses. It is even more effective at reducing the amount of sound that passes through altogether.

Sliding door seen from a modern living room with an archway, exposed wood beams, and exposed brickwork.

Alternatively, if you do not have double or triple glazing you can create or purchase a window insert. This is a clear pane of glass or plastic that fits over the existing glazing to create a barrier. It works similarly to double glazing.

If you’re not using your sliding doors for access, you could install sound barrier sheets or insulation across the doorway. Just make sure you seal all gaps with a form of caulk. This will help reduce the level of noise transfer significantly.

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