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So you finally bought that condo you’ve been dreaming about for years. But the problem is, your neighbors make so much noise. Upstairs, downstairs and across the wall, they’re yelling, stomping, turning up their music to hear it over the barking dog. Or maybe it’s you that likes to make noise, practicing the sax at 2 a.m. or watching late night movies with extra base on the surround sound. What are you going to do so that the neighbors and you can both enjoy some sanity? Insulate!

There are actually some very viable sound-proofing options, and if the people who built your condo were smarter, they would have used them from the get-go. But it appears they didn’t, so it’s all up to you.

Once you’ve gotten permission, go out and buy some mass-loaded vinyl, Quiet Rock or acoustic foam. These are the soundproofing materials of choice for most homeowners.

Mass-loaded vinyl is just that, vinyl siding that is extra dense, making it a superior sound proofed. Quiet Rock is a gypsum product that incorporates a layer of elastic polymer that actually turns sound vibrations into heat that is easily dispersed into the gypsum. Acoustic foam usually textured to resemble an egg carton, and is the most visible, yet least permanent method of soundproofing. All of these can be installed against any wall, including ceilings.