Soundproof Curtains

Soundproof curtains in a 1,200 gsm three-layer panel — 480 gsm cotton velour face, mass-loaded polyester barrier interlining, brushed cotton back — tested at NRC 0.55 hung at 2.5× fullness with a 100 mm air gap. Our soundproof curtains do not stop noise (no curtain does), but they measurably absorb reflected sound and cut room reverberation.

The physics, so nobody sells you a return

Start with the physics, because it determines what you can honestly buy. Sound transmission through a barrier is governed by the mass law: attenuation depends on the mass per unit area of the barrier, and it climbs about 6 dB for every doubling of that mass. A brick wall works because it weighs 250 kg per square metre. The heaviest curtain ever made weighs about 1.5. The arithmetic is not close.

What “soundproof curtains” cannot do

So a curtain cannot stop your neighbour’s television, cannot stop traffic through single glazing, and cannot stop a low-frequency source like a bass line or a lorry — long wavelengths pass through soft material almost untouched. Anything marketed as soundproofing that solves those problems is selling you a return.

What heavy soundproof curtains genuinely do: absorb reflection

What a heavy curtain genuinely does is absorb. Sound that has already entered the room hits hard surfaces — glass, plaster, floorboards — and reflects, and those reflections are what make a room sound harsh, echoey and tiring, and what makes speech hard to follow. A dense, folded, porous textile converts that reflected energy into a trivial amount of heat and removes it. That is measured as an NRC, and this cloth tests at NRC 0.55 hung at 2.5× fullness with a 100 mm air gap from the glass.

The difference in the room, and what to expect

The difference in the room is unmistakable and it is not the difference people expect. The noise level barely drops; the character of the room changes. Voices stop ringing. A television becomes intelligible at a lower volume. A hard-floored room stops sounding like a stairwell. In a home office, a media room, or any room with a lot of glass, that is usually the actual complaint being described as a noise problem.

Construction: 1,200 gsm three-layer

Construction: a 480 gsm cotton velour face, a mass-loaded polyester barrier interlining, and a brushed cotton back — 1,200 gsm total, which is the heaviest panel we make and needs a track rated to 8 kg per metre. Fullness must be 2.5× and the panel must extend at least 300 mm past the reveal on each side; both are absorption-critical, not cosmetic.

Sizes and lead time

Made to measure only, in Ink, Sable, Indigo and Moss. 21 day lead. Dry clean.

Soundproof curtain installation guide

How to care for your soundproof curtains

• Dry clean only — the mass-loaded interlining is not machine-washable
• Vacuum with a brush attachment monthly to remove dust
• Do not steam — the interlining traps moisture

Frequently asked questions

Do soundproof curtains actually soundproof a room?

No — no curtain does. They absorb reflected sound and cut reverberation. Speech becomes intelligible at lower volume, rooms stop echoing.

What is NRC 0.55?

Noise Reduction Coefficient — the standard measure of sound absorption. Ours tests at 0.55 with 2.5× fullness and a 100 mm air gap.

Will soundproof curtains stop traffic noise?

No — low-frequency sound passes through soft material. For traffic noise you need secondary glazing.

Can I wash soundproof curtains?

No — dry clean only. The mass-loaded interlining is not machine-washable.

Complete the acoustic treatment

Layer with velvet blackout curtains as a secondary layer, add rugs and upholstered throw pillows to absorb reflection.