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I have an interior door over a hardwood floor. The door lets in a lot of sound through the gap between the door and the floor. How do I soundproof the gap between the door and the floor?

a door with a gap under it

I tried adding a "draft stopper" strip like this last year. It helps significantly with the sound, but degrades a little over time, so I'm looking for a more robust solution. Is there some better version of "weatherstripping" I can use?

Adding to the complication, the door isn't hung at exactly 90 degrees, so the gap is slightly larger when the door is shut than when it's open. (Anything used to cover the gap needs to be flexible.) In my case, the gap is rather large - 1.5 in.

Mast
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mkasberg
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6 Answers6

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If you really want to go for it, make sure you have a solid core door and install an automatic drop down door seal.

An example (no endorsement — I’d try to find something from Pemco): https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Bottom-Fully-Mortised-Neoprene/dp/B00MEHON4G

Aloysius Defenestrate
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There is another type of draft stopper. It is essentially two pieces of foam tube aka pipe insulation. They are sewn into a cloth sleeve. It slides under the door. One piece of foam on either side of the door. It slides across the floor when the door moves.

mikes
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Take off the door, and screw a strip of wood the same dimensions as the bottom of said door, so it just misses the floor at its smallest gap - maybe >1". Then, the remaining gap can have a draught strip - maybe both sides - to cover a much smaller gap.

Tim
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Honestly any high-ish density foam preferably brick shaped. It just needs to be sliced to shape and attached with something similar to rubber cement, maybe slightly stronger but not much. And the part that makes this work is a peace of slick flat plastic, like an old screen protector or something similar attached to the foam side touching the floor. that way you have a tight seal, but the slick plastic allows for acceptable pressure equilibrium. it can easily be painted to match the door if desired.

therestartprince
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This one worked for me. Put it on a pocket door and had do a little work on it for that type of door. Helps with sound attenuation and still allows for air to get through with its offset flaps. Vibration and air that allows sound to travel has to go through the rubber flaps, reducing the noise significantly. A bit pricey, though.

https://www.dkhardware.com/legacy-manufacturing-co-7283wp-air-7283-mortised-door-sweep36-product-5382104.html

Tim
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Rob
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'Sound proofing' is not a thing. The closest you will ever get is a total vacuum, and that's not practical, maybe not even possible.

I suggest, the most common method for reducing sound transmission, an air gap, as used in double-glazing. In your case, that would be a tight-fitting rubber seal either side of the door's bottom edge. PS, I have 40 plus years experience as a sound engineer, but my carpentry skills are a bit rusty (pun not intended).

FredGenius
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