06/03/2026
I ignored the biggest soundproofing weakness in the room, and it cost me big time.
When I built my first real home studio, being able to record without interruptions or excessive amounts of noise that I'd have to edit out later was priority number 1, which meant soundproofing was in order.
I tore down the original drywall, sealed the holes and cracks I found inside the wall cavities, put acoustic putty around all the electrical boxes, and added sound insulation. I also hired contractors to install thicker 5/8” drywall, seal the gaps with acoustic caulk, and handle the paint and finish.
All of that made a significant impact on the amount of sound entering and escaping the room. However, there was one major task I knew I still needed to do, but decided to wait on.
I didn’t replace the door.
It was a basic hollow-core door, the kind you’d find in any budget apartment or quick flip house. These doors are basically cardboard, so it was a major weak point for sound. I did add a door sweep and weatherstripping around the door stop, which helped reduce some sound transmission, but it was nowhere near as effective as replacing it with a solid-core door would have been.
Luckily, my roommates didn’t mind the noise I was making, but I still had to deal with faint interruptions from whatever they were doing outside the room. Kitchen noise. Vacuuming. Phone conversations. All sounds that can easily be picked up by sensitive studio microphones.
I lost a lot of time working around those noises and re-recording takes that were ruined by interruptions. And most of that traced back to the weakest part of the room: the door.
Lesson learned: If you’re going through the trouble of soundproofing a space, don’t skip the obvious weak points. A room is only as soundproof as its weakest leak.
I wish this were the only mistake I made building my first home studio. Unfortunately, there were 4 others just as frustrating.
I've highlighted those mistakes and the lessons I learned in my latest article. Check that out here and avoid making the same mistakes in your space:
Building a home studio? Here are 5 costly mistakes I made with soundproofing, acoustics, climate control, workflow, and video so you can plan smarter and avoid expensive headaches.
