I need to build a fence between me and my neighbor, to hopefully block sound from loud radios, and sometimes boom-boxes.
I was thinking that maybe I could attach cement board to the rails, and then cover that on my side with regular fencing. My thought is the cement board, being dense, would do a pretty good job with the low base, and the two differing materials would also help in blocking sound, but I’d like to hear some other ideas for the proper materials to use, and, maybe even for the proper design of a sound barrier wall.
If a wood structure fence can’t do a reasonable job of this, I just might have to go with a block wall.
Tired of these punks ruining my peace and quiet.
Replies
I've got the same problem with my neighbor, but haven't come up with a good solution. The two things you need are mass and damping, and I'm not sure cement board has enough of either to do much good.
One thing you want to do is make sure the far side has an irregular surface so that it will break up the sound waves that hit it.
The most sophisticated sound deadening fence in the world isn't going to help much unless it's 40 or 50 feet tall.
Is there a noise ordinance where you live?
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. What kind of music do you like to listen to? Does it sound good when you play it really loud? I've heard that early in the morning after a big party the night before can be really effective.
No man, these punks are gang banger Wannabees. I call the cops, and I'll get retailated against.
Don't want to stoop to their level either. Don't believe in bothering people. I've tried talking nicely.. tried yelling at em. Even wrote to their landlord to see if he could help .. nada.
Just want to put up a barrier to help with Some of the noise anyway.
Not that it would work for you....
Our largest job this year was for a billionaire in Indianapolis, one of 3 or 4 in the city. It was t&m, cost is no object, not publicized in local construction journals but was the largest job in the state last year. No one knew it but the people on it. There is a pretty busy arterial roadway that runs in front of the 500 acre estate (mid-city) so she had the same problem with noise.
30' high 12" thick concrete walls, formed up & rebarred, with stucco and tile finish. About 2000' worth. There still five different segments of tile up on it in different slopes, etc., for Christine to choose which one she likes. She settled on the stucco she likes.
So maybe a few hundred yards of concrete is all that stands between you & piece and quiet... sounds like you need a big mean dog, preferably a pitbull.
remodeler
How about a dozen Jack Russell Terriers?
You probably have a limit on how high you can build a fence, but block would likely be the best, IMO.
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Foxhounds would be better.
We worked on a stable that had a kennel of Foxhounds out back
they were about 100 yards back in the woods and even with a compressor and a radio we could tell whenever someone pulled in.
If a deer wandered by you could here them in town!
But if these are gang banger wanna-bes the maybe Rottwielers.Mr T
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Life is is never to busy to stop and pet the Doggies!!
I believe it is common for towns to have a 6' limit on fences - that was the case where I lived in California. A study some years back indicated that the tall concrete barricades along freeways weren't all the effective in blocking noise, but better than nothing. Another study showed that planting interspersed trees and bushes was fairly effective in limiting freeway noise. However, that option requires about a 20' wide strip for planting and time for the trees and bushes to grow to fill in the areas. There was a school that had a noise problem, I believe it was in Oakland, CA, and used an active sound suppression system. It was like the system used in noise cancelling headphones that pilots use only on a much larger scale. It used microphones to pick up the noise closest to the source, this was amplified and then fed back through large speakers between the noise source and the school. The sound from the speakers then cancelled out the noise from the source. Reportedly pretty effective. Don't know how expensive it would be, however.
Plantings would probably help with the noise more than a fence would. How about a row of Lombardy Poplars planted on 5' centers? A nice solid wall of foliage, so that you don't have to hear 'em or look at 'em.
I'm with Uncle Dunc. Nothing you can put in your yard will make enough difference to matter. Just recently read an article by an engineer who designs sound reduction berms and fences for cities and developments along the interstates. I may be a little off but as I recall he said that a 30 foot high berm will reduce the sound right next to it by only 10 decibles. By the time you're 160 feet away the sound reduction is zero. a thick hedge of dense bushes would probably work better than any fence.
Encourage fast vines in chain link next to the neighbors. (A mix of honeysuckle, roses, & hollys make for a good, quick-growing mix.) This creates a barrier of multiple reflective surfaces for the offending sound. (Wasps & bees in the honey suckle & sharp holly thorns will help limit loitering near the fence, too--not that I'd actually suggest an un-neighborly thing like that . . . )
If the volume is still getting through, you might could create an "arbor" fence 12-24" 'inside' of the existing fence. Since this is not a privacy fence, you might not run afoul of height restrictions. English ivy, wisteria (friendlier) plantings would go on this structure. Brushy plants can be very quiet, and an air space also helps break up the noise.
Not perfect, but an idea.
The real problem will be finding some way to damp out the bass coming through on ground contact. The low frequency stuff is usually pushed to "felt" sensible levels by the fans of modern "urban" music. These wavelengths find all sorts of natural harmonies to resonate on. Not much cure for that.
Now, 'retaliation' is a realistic thing to consider, especially with neighbors. That does not mean a person couldn't drop a dime on the local "crimestoppers" number at the pay phone at the stop-n-rob on the corner. (Not that I would suggest using valuable municiple resources for personal gain, or for making misrepresentations to the crimestoppers people--that would be wrong, and illegal; like running a gang from a rental house might also be too . . . )