Soundproofed fencing is often a solution that people will look into if they are experiencing noise from traffic, roads, or even noisy neighbours. There are a variety of companies on the market that claim to offer this type of fence product.
But does it actually work?
Yes, in some cases.
I appreciate that the answer here is not a clear one, as it will very much depend on the location of your home, the angles, distance, and type of noise that is being carried.
Having said that, I am going to look a bit closer into whether or not sound proof fences work. It’s then up to you to make you own mind up if it’s suitable for your home and garden.
Do Acoustic Fence Panels Work?
Acoustic fencing is often something that homeowners living near busy roads will consider. It’s not the only option available, but can work in some scenarios.
The best way in which you can block or absorb sound is with solid, thick, and dense material. Concrete walls are superb for blocking out sound, but they aren’t always that practical or cost-effective – not to mention they can look ugly.
That leaves you with two options:
- Soundproof fencing
- Screening hedge, trees and shrubbery
For the best results, I would advise that you combine both, as the shape and way in which screening hedge is constructed can disrupt how the sound travels before or after it even hits a soundproof fence – giving much better noise reduction.
This still might not work though, as the position of your house, where it lies in the land, and where the source of noise it will have a huge impact on whether or not the acoustic fencing works or not.
Let me give you an example.
If your house sits in a valley, then sound might actually travel over the property. If you sat on a hill though, you are more exposed to the noise pollution, and as such even the tallest soundproofed fence might not make a huge difference.
That’s not even accounting for wind and how a change in direction can also deliver noise pollution to your property from a busy road.
What You Should Do
My advice would be to contact a specialist company who offer acoustic fencing solutions and get them to come out and perform an on-site assessment of your property.
They will be able to give you estimates on how effective any solution would be.
Cheap Acoustic Fence Panels – My Recommendation for a Small Garden
The product that I recommend you try is the Quiet Fence Featuring the Exclusive Hushhh BloX Technology Noise Barrier. It costs under $300 and can be erected in minutes – click the image to see the full product specification and reviews on Amazon.com.
Alternative Solutions to Soundproofed Fences
One solution that you might want to consider is a large water feature. Not only will the sound of running water potentially mask traffic noise, but it’s also a relaxing sound in most people’s opinion.
You could also consider a thick screening hedge. Hedges will be thicker than an acoustic fence, and might actually give you better soundproofing results as well as something that looks better too.
I have seen garden where the owners have built a large embankment of around 1.5 metres high, and then planted hedging and dense shrubbery into it which has worked wonders.
How Do Soundproof Fences Work?
The latest fencing products have one side which is a reflective pane. This side of the fence will deflect sound back to the source.
To find out more, I would recommend reading this excellent resource on the Jackson Fencing website. They are a company based in the UK who offer the product.
