When it comes to purchasing affordable soundproofing, there is a minimal number of options available on the market that will not cost you upwards of several hundred dollars. However, there is a much cheaper alternative that may be able to provide you with the same if not better results in some cases for a much more affordable price point.
The much cheaper alternative is none other than Moving Blankets that are normally used for protecting surfaces and cargo during a move. One of the reasons that these blankets can provide so much soundproofing is the thick layers of cloth that prevents cargo from becoming scratched during transport. Another one of the reasons that these blankets can provide such great layers of protection is due in part to the blankets “S” stitching pattern that stops sound-waves from echoing as much.
Did you know that moving blankets have even been used by music professionals during the early 2000s? As you can see in the video above you can see that even some of the biggest artists to date use moving blankets to improve their sound quality when recording.
When it comes to using moving blankets for soundproofing using moving blankets installation can be absolutely stress-free and done in a matter of minutes. Simply take the moving blankets out of the package and hang them on the wall using velcro, nails, tape, or personal preference to get the blankets hung up on the wall. Ultimately the more blankets you use the more that the blankets will be effective at removing excess sound and those annoying echoes during your recordings.
How to hang up Moving Blankets for Sound Dampening
One of my favorite youtube videos that shows the proper way to hang moving blankets on the wall is from YouTube user Byte My Bits. You can see in the video link above that the best way to hang moving blankets for soundproofing is by using moving blankets on each of the surrounding walls. You will want to make sure that the moving blankets are also hung up in different stitching pattern weaves to provide the ultimate soundproofing. Although there is no way to completely remove all of the excess sounds you can greatly reduce the sound by providing sound dampening.
As seen in the above image taken from the video you will want to ensure that you are hanging the moving blankets one by one over top of each other to prevent any walls from being shown. We also recommend using the heavier moving blankets as more fabric creates more layers of fabric which help to provide even more sound dampening.
How Many Moving Blankets Do I Need for Sound Proofing?
Although this is one of those questions that vary greatly with the size of the recording area that you intend on using you ultimately want to use each of the 72-inch x 80-inch blankets throughout the entire room. Ultimately this boils down to the more moving blankets you use the better the ability to help dampen the sound. This also goes the same for the amount of weight per dozen moving blankets that shows that the more weight of blankets the better the soundproofing.
One of the best ways to save money and make this sound dampening solution even cheaper is by buying bulk moving blankets in bundles. This helps to reduce the cost of shipping for multiple moving blankets as well as making it easier for you to track your order online to prevent blankets from becoming lost. You can view the full selection of our heaviest moving blankets by clicking HERE.
We suggest using at least four moving blankets to provide a decent level of sound protection to upwards of 8 or more blankets to help show a noticeable amount of sound dampening. This is the normal amount of moving blankets that will be needed to cover a 12 feet x 12 feet room in most cases. However, this ultimately comes down to your recording application needs as well and different levels of sound clarity that is needed.
The Best Type of Sound Proofing Blankets
1). Ultimate Cotton & Poly Blankets
2). Premium Moving Blankets
3). Multicolor Pro Blankets
4). Budget Warehouse Pads
5). Household Blankets
Ultimate Cotton & Poly Moving Blankets – These blankets are by far our heaviest types of moving blankets that we offer online and are used normally to protect the most sensitive surfaces during transport from becoming scratched or damaged. As these blankets offer the most protection they offer the most layers of fabric which in return provide the highest amount of sound dampening as well. These blankets are heaviest in physical weight 83-93 lbs per dozen blankets and are made from a cotton-polyester blend. You can view the full selection of Ultimate Cotton Poly Blankets by clicking HERE.
Premium Moving Blankets – Premium Moving Blankets are the category that is slightly under the Ultimate in terms of weight and materials that are used per dozen blankets. These blankets are slightly more affordable than the Ultimate giving you the great sound dampening but for a more affordable price per dozen as an alternative. The weight per dozen of premium moving blankets is approximately 72-82 lbs per dozen blankets and are available in the colors of blue or black & gray. You can view our full selection of Premium Moving Blankets by clicking HERE.
Multicolor Pro Blankets – These blankets are a great in-between of the heavy-duty varieties and the lighter duty and more affordable solutions that we offer. Although these blankets are lighter in weight compared to the ultimate and premium moving blankets they still can make quite the difference in sound quality and dampen abilities. These blankets weigh 65-77 lbs per dozen blankets and are available in multi colors. You can view our full selection of Multicolor Pro Blankets by clicking HERE.
Budget Warehouse Pads – Budget Warehouse Pads are the most affordable moving blankets that we offer but are also the lightest in weight. As these blankets are lighter in weight they use fewer materials and are not as great at getting rid of excess echos and sound dampening. These blankets way approximately 54-64 lbs per dozen blankets and are available in Blue or Black & Gray varieties. You can view our full selection of budget warehouse moving pads by clicking HERE.
Household Blankets – These are the normal household blankets that you may have a few extra of laying around the house. Although these blankets don’t offer the same amount of layers of fabric that the other moving blankets can offer they may still be able to help you improve your sound quality if all other options are out of the equation.
Lightweight vs Heavy Duty Moving Blankets for Sound Proofing
When it comes to picking out the perfect moving blanket for your sound recording purposes this could greatly vary. However, if you are looking for that professional clear sound quality then you will want to go for heavier weight moving blankets to give you a better sound quality. One of the things to note is that even if the budgets are more limited having numerous lighter weight moving blankets over compared to normal household moving blankets can also greatly help reduce the echo in the room.
Although these blankets are great at removing echoes they also have the ability to greatly help in reducing noise pollution from the outside of the room as well as there are more layers for sound to travel into. This helps reduce noise from vehicles passing by, loud neighbors or even birds chirping that could interrupt your recordings. Many of our customers have stated how much of a sound improvement they have had in their homes by covering the windows and other areas that you can greatly hear sound pass into.
Did you know that this also helps eliminate noise pollution inside of the house as well? This can greatly help to reduce noisy appliances for example in the laundry room that can be heard across the house or other areas that may contain a pesky hum. We have heard from several users feedback that it has improved the sound from inside of the house that allowed their babies to remain asleep during their naps as well.
Can Moving Blankets Completely Reduce Excess Sound?
In short, no. Although we would greatly prefer if moving blankets were able to completely remove all excess sound waves and echoes inside the room it is not possible. The goal of using moving blankets is not to remove all of the sounds that are around you, but rather greatly improve the sound quality without spending thousands of dollars on acoustic foam or other sound-absorbing materials. These blankets are great for YouTubers, Twitch Streamers, Music Artists of all sizes, and those who are looking for around house sound-reducing applications.