Let’s be clear from the start: even the best soundproof blind in the world can never 100% soundproof a window.
Don’t stop reading immediately though because blinds can help…significantly, providing you choose the right one.
Honeycomb cell blinds are the best option for soundproofing your windows, insulated blinds and window shutters can also reduce sound by up to 50%.
If you’re in a rush check out our table of the best soundproof blinds below:
Honeycomb Cell Blinds
Honeycomb cell blinds (also known as cellular shades) are blinds that use closed cells to trap air.
They get their name from the hexagon honeycomb-like shape of their tubing.
Typically these cells take the form of collapsible tubing that is sealed at both ends trapping air inside them. When you open them the tubing opens out in the same way that an accordion does.
Adding honeycomb cell blinds to your window can double their R-value (this is a measurement of heat transfer resistance) from 3.5 to 7.
- ✔ CORDLESS & BEST FOR KIDS: Cordless cellular shades are perfect for home with children and pets, and offers them safety.
- ✔ LIGHT FILTERING & PROVIDE PRIVACY: Soft and durable fabric helps window softly filters light, providing natural light but blocking unwanted views from outside. The white backing provides clean...
- ✔ NOISE REDUCTION & INSULATION: The special honeycomb structure design offers noise-absorbing and insulation, keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Cell blinds are a therefore great way to insulate your windows from both heat and sound, some of the best honeycomb cell blinds can reduce sound transfer by over 50%.
However, be aware that they have their limitations stylistically.
Unlike most blinds, cell blinds do not allow you the option of tilting the slats to allow light in, they are either up or they are down.
..the best honeycomb cell blinds can reduce sound transfer by over 50%.
For this reason, some people pair cell blinds with another type of blind…such as a wooden blind.
One of the unique benefits of a cell blind is that it can be drawn up as well as down.
What this means is that instead of pulling the blind up to the top of the window when you want to let light in you can drop it down to the bottom of the window.
This means they are ideal for places such as bathrooms where privacy is required but you still want to let some light in.
Some of the other reasons why you should get a honeycomb cell blind are:
- They keep heat in during winter, helping you stay warmer.
- They keep heat out during summer, helping you stay cooler.
- Typically honeycomb cell blinds use breakaway cords – these are cords which disconnect from the blind if a child or pet gets caught in them. They can then be easily fixed and snapped back into place. This is great for peace of mind if you have young children in the house.
Insulated Blinds
Insulated blinds usually come in the form of roller blinds.
These are extra thick with multiple layers of fabric or may use a special thermal coating.
Insulated blinds are normally sold as blackout blinds, any blind that can block light from a room will also be much more effective than a standard blind at blocking sound too.
Window Shutters
Window shutters can be installed on the outside or inside of any window.
Typically these are used in areas where there is a high risk of dangerous winds however due to their thickness they are very useful for soundproofing a window so could be worth considering in addition to soundproof blinds if you have a serious sound problem.
We recommend you avoid metal shutters as these can make quite a bit of noise themselves – ideally got for wooden or bamboo shutters.
The 6 Best Blinds For Soundproofing:
If you are looking for the best soundproofing blinds available the blinds below are some of the best options we could find online.
1. First Rate Blinds – Cordless Double Cell Blinds
These blinds sold by First Rate Blinds are a great option if you are looking for soundproofing blinds. They feature double cells…this means that there are back to back rows of cells giving you double the insulation that most cell shades offer.
They are available in sizes from 24″ W x 36″H all the way up to 44″ W x 84″ H.
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Available in a wide array of colors including; amber, daylight, dove grey, espresso, ivory, storm, tussah (whatever that is!), vanilla and white…you can be confident that at least one of these should work in your room.
Another important thing about these blinds is that they are cord-free.
Cords can be very dangerous for young children or pets who may enjoy climbing on your furniture or window sills so these blinds are ideal for anyone who has a young family, excitable pets or both.
2. Window Fenetre / Sears – Double Cell, Cordless Shade
Another honeycomb cell blind, these stylish alabaster shades by Sears are a great option for an airy room that gets a lot of sunlight.
Admittedly this particular blind is only available in a size of 24″ W x 72″ H at the time of writing however there are plenty of similar ones available in a wide range of sizes on Amazon if you have a look at the related products.
These shades are made from 100% polyester (excluding the frame) so you can be sure that they will feel light and will be easily manoeuvrable despite the lack of a cord.
3. Shades & Blinds – Made-to-Order Double Cell Shades
Shades & Blinds are perhaps the most appropriately named company in the world, no prizes for guessing what they specialize in!
These made to order double cell blinds are ideal for anyone with a particularly big, or awkwardly sized, window who is struggling to find a set of sound resistant shades- they guarantee that their shades will fit to within 1/8th of an inch.
Available in a bewildering array of colors including apple blossom, bamboo, beechwood, bluegrass, herb garden, honeysuckle, mushroom, porcelain, shady blue, silver birch, star magnolia, sunbeam, thistle, and white azalea.
I couldn’t tell you what most of these colors are however I’m confident the more color savvy amongst you will easily be able to spot a shade that will compliment your room whatever your color scheme.
4. Windows & Garden – Top Down Bottom Up Cellular Shades
These are available in pretty much every conceivable size that you could ever want a blind in so if you have big, tiny or awkwardly sized windows that let in a lot of noise then these would be a good option.
- If the images do not update please refresh your page. Please follow the steps below when ordering. Step 1: Select your color. Step 2: Click on the size drop down and you will see different sizes 62 to...
- Step 4: Hit the “customize now” button on the right side to fill out your custom measurements. Step 6: type “inside” or “outside” mount in the first box. Step 7: Type in your custom...
- For an INSIDE THE WINDOW FRAME MOUNT, fill out the customization form with the exact measurement of the opening to the 1/8th inch and WE will take a 3/8 inch deduction off the exact measurement given...
Their key features are:
- USA made.
- 100% polyester – so they are nice and lightweight.
- Fully customisable (just message the seller with your details).
- They are child safe (cordless).
- Top and bottom rails colour match the shade.
They are available in Amber, Antique Linen, Bay Leaf, Cool Silver, Daylight, Espresso, Ivory Beige, Leaf Gold & White colors.
5. SCHRLING – Thermal Insulated Roller Blind
Available in black, dark grey, ecro and navy blue the SCHRLING thermal insulated roller blind is a good alternative to honeycomb cellular blinds.
It has a thick thermal coating which makes the fabric denser and resistant to heat and also sound.
- NO DRILLING: You can easily hang the shade using the included hooks or stick it on the window frame
- FUNCTIONAL: 98% blackout. The shade has a special thermal coating that block out the light and anti UV efficiently.
- CUSTOMIZED: Make to order for your window. Please contact customer service and ask us about size, fabric color or other information.
The key features are:
- Easy Installation – hooks stick on securely to your frame and the lightweight shade is hung on them so no drilling is required.
- It guarantees 98% blackout – this means it will also be effective at blocking sound.
- Easy to clean – unlike honeycomb cell blinds this is very quick and simple to clean, simply wipe it with a wet cloth, you’ll be done in less than 30 seconds!
It is available in the following sizes:
- 20″ W x 36″ L
- 23″ W x 64″ L
- 36″ W x 64″ L
If you need a different size get in touch with them and they can create one tailored to your needs.
Be aware that this blind does have a cord so may not be best suited to homes with young children.
6. SBARTAR – Room Darkening Honeycomb Shades
These blinds are only single cell so if you have a serious noise problem you are best off going for one of the blinds above. If you just want to turn down the background noise a little bit then these could work for you.
- ღ Easy to install--It can be installed Outside or Inside. All mounting hardware is included.
- ღ Cordless Design--Cordless controls make this shade cleaner in appearance and more safe for children/pets.
- ღ Honeycomb-shaped cells--will block dazzling sunlight and UV rays and help lower your heating or cooling bills all year round.
Available in a wood effect beige as well as white these tidy looking blinds will add a bit of continental style to your home.
- They are made from 100% polyester so are light, and fold up easily.
- The cells are constructed with long-lasting spun lace fabric which forms stylish looking pleats in your blinds.
- They are also cordless so are ideal for homes with young children – to lower the blind all you need to do is gently pull the bottom rail downwards and lift it up to raise the blind – far easier than messing about with cords.
- They can be fitted either inside or outside the window frame (we recommend fitting them inside the window frame for sound reduction purposes).
Because these blinds are only single cell they are very slim profile making them ideal for using in partnership with other window coverings such as curtains or a wooden slat blind.
It is available in the following sizes:
- 27″x64″
- 29″x64″
- 34″x64″
- 35″x64″
- 36″x64″
We recommend pairing them up for large windows.
How To Soundproof A Room Effectively Using Blinds
To soundproof your windows effectively using blinds there are a couple of things you need to do to ensure that you get the most out of them.
Get Double Cell Blinds
We’ve already mentioned this but it’s worth mentioning again…if you’re looking for the most effective blind soundproofing solution then make sure that you get honeycomb cell blinds which use double cells i.e two layers of cells back to back.
This doubles up the insulation meaning they will have a far more noticeable impact when it comes to heat insulation and sound resistance.
Make Sure They Fit Well
Measure, measure and measure again.
Ensuring that your blinds fit snugly inside your window frame is vital in helping reduce sound transfer as much as possible.
If the blind fits loosely with large gaps between it and your window frame then sound won’t have much trouble sneaking through.
If it is not possible to fit your blind inside the window frame then it can still be effective if it is hung over the frame. Just ensure that the blind covers the entire frame and has at least a couple of inches overlap all the way around for the best results.
There you have it, your blinds are set up and you should already notice a difference in the amount of sound getting into your room….however don’t stop yet.
There are a few more things you can do to help soundproof your room before you finish:
Pair Your Blinds With Curtains
Pairing your blinds with curtains may sound like overkill (how many window coverings does one window need!?), but it is a great way of not only adding character and style to your room but it will also help to muffle any sound that makes it through your blinds.
Using a soundproof curtain is a good option if you have a very serious noise problem however there’s no need to spend a lot of money on one, so long as you use a thick curtain with at least a couple of fabric layers then you should notice a significant difference.
Use Weather Stripping
Weather stripping is one of my favorite soundproofing materials to use in pretty much any soundproofing project, it’s super cheap (you can pick up a roll of it for less than $10) and extremely effective.
If you have an old window with a damaged frame you may notice that when you close the window it doesn’t close completely flush with the frame. If this is the case with your window then weather stripping can help.
Simply peel off the sticky back and stick it inside your window frame where the window will meet the frame when closed.
That’s it – when you close your window any sounds that were getting through small gaps in the frame will be significantly muffled!
Add Acrylic Panels To Your Windows
Acrylic panels are an effective solution to window soundproofing.
All you need to do is:
- Measure your window (including about an inch of the frame).
- Head to your local hardware store and get an acrylic panel cut to size.
- Fix this securely onto your window frame using a strong acoustic sealant.
The reason that this will help improve your window’s sound resistance is that it creates an additional air pocket in your window which helps to further muffle sound and dissipate energy before the vibrations make it into your room.
This is a good low close solution which is highly effective when paired with a soundproof blind.
Rearrange The Furniture
Rearranging the furniture can make a surprisingly big difference to your acoustics.
In fact this is one of our favorite cheap methods of soundproofing a room.
Simple changes to your feng shui (the positions of your furniture) can dampen incoming sounds.
For example, if you have a big fabric sofa then try positioning it with it’s back to your window – this will help absorb incoming sound vibrations.
If you have a tiled or paneled floor putting a thick rug down will help further muffle any sound vibrations that make it through your window and travel through the walls into your floor.
Fit Some Soundproofing Film
Window soundproofing film is a plastic film which sticks to your window giving it a bit of extra padding against noise. While it won’t completely stop noise coming through it can help dull background noises.
A Summary Of Soundproof Blinds
No blind is ever going to guarantee complete silence but the ones we have listed on this page will do as good a job as any, especially if you are willing to pair them with a thick curtain, move your furniture around a bit and aren’t afraid to try your hand at a bit of weather stripping and acrylic panel installation.
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I am looking for the best quality noise reducing blinds for 4 small windows of approx 100cm x 45cm each.
Could you please advise what you sell and recommend
Hi Steve, we don’t actually sell any soundproof blinds but if you read the article there are a few that we recommend in there, top tip – honeycomb cell blinds generally work well – hope that helps!