The problem of noise in a private house today is quite acute. Living in multi-unit residential buildings with poor-quality soundproofing sometimes becomes a huge problem for their residents. And this is especially true for those families in which there are small children or elderly people who definitely need to relax in a calm and quiet environment. 
Why do you need isolation from extraneous sounds?
Noise can enter apartments not only through windows from the street, even if they are modern plastic, but also through main walls adjacent to neighbors. As a result, human comfort is completely disrupted.
That is why sound insulation of walls in an apartment is so relevant today. Modern materials for carrying out this work on the market are presented in a huge variety, so sometimes it can be difficult for a lay person to determine their choice. Of course, you can ask the seller which of the proposed options is the best.
Material for soundproofing the walls must be bought only after the owner of the apartment has already decided on what method or type in the technical plan this work will be carried out. This dilemma is easily solved by professional builders. They, like no one else, know what material to use for soundproofing walls, how to conduct this work cheaply and, most importantly - effectively. 
But what if the owner of the apartment decides to carry out this process on his own, without resorting to the help of masters? To do this, he will need to familiarize himself in advance with what types of sound insulation of the walls exist, what materials are suitable for his particular case, and only after that start work.
All about noise type
By nature and source, they differ from each other. The following varieties exist:
- air;
- acoustic;
- drums;
- structural.
The reason for the first type of sound can be as simple as a loud conversation or screaming, as well as music and even a loudly working tape recorder or television. Acoustic noise or echo, as a rule, is formed in an empty room. It is eliminated by properly arranged furniture and other interior items in the apartment.
Many of us often feel uncomfortable when neighbors hammer a nail into the wall or just walk in shoes that are knocking on parquet. This is a shock type of sound. In turn, structural noise appears due to work in high-rise buildings of an elevator, pump, ventilation or other systems.
It is believed that only from the side of the neighbors can the most effective sound insulation of the walls in the apartment be made. Modern materials that carry out such work have a fairly attractive appearance. But, despite this, it is sometimes quite difficult to agree with the neighbors about such a comprehensive reconstruction in their apartment. Therefore, there remains another option - this is sound insulation for its part. 
To begin with, experts recommend carefully checking the condition of the walls of the apartment, their integrity. The master, who is about to carry out the work on his own, needs to plaster all the cracks, cracks and holes. This is especially true for those who live in panel skyscrapers. And only after that the sound insulation of the walls in the apartment should be carried out. Modern materials make it possible to carry out this work in one of the existing ways effectively and without much labor.
Existing Soundproofing Technologies
A noisy company behind a wall or a neighbor's child - a beginner pianist, from morning to evening learning scales, a TV set behind a nursery wall and much more - all these are good reasons for the apartment owner to start thinking about the soundproofing of his home.
Sound insulation functions are:
- sound absorption;
- soundproofing.
The latter is aimed at ensuring that all noise emanating from a neighboring “source” is reflected from a special coating on the wall and does not reach a person’s ears.
Panacea for comfort
In turn, the reverse process is the insulation of the walls in the apartment. Modern materials, due to their special composition, are capable of absorbing any sounds. 
Today, there are two ways to soundproof walls - frame and frameless. The first option is more time-consuming. In this case, a frame assembled from wooden battens or metal profiles is mounted on the walls. Special anti-vibration pads are also used to isolate from structural noise. Then, between the profiles, a layer of soundproofing material is laid - mineral or glass wool, polyurethane foam, drywall, reed or plates made of coconut coir.
In the case of the frameless version, ready-made panels are used, which have a very light weight and ease of installation. They are provided with end joints of the "groove-spike" type. Due to the existence on the market of a very wide range of textures and colors of such plates, it became possible to create a wall surface for every taste.
Another method has not found wide application, even despite its practicality. It consists in the following: - plates of colored foam are attached to the wall surface using stationery buttons or “hot” glue.
Training
Before the start of “global” sound insulation in apartments, after which it will be possible to enjoy the silence, it will be necessary to carry out some preliminary work. In addition to eliminating all existing wall cracks or holes in the corners, you will need to pay attention to the sockets. Usually in panel buildings, the openings under them were made through at one time, and therefore the neighbors could be aware of everything that happened among those living outside the wall. They will also need to be fenced off with soundproofing material. 
Water and heating pipes also do not need to be ignored, especially those that pass through walls. The places of their entry and exit must be carefully closed using soundproofing sealant. Well let in noise and joints where the walls connect to the floor or ceiling. They also need to be well repaired.
Sound "curtain" with drywall
Dry gypsum plaster alone is rarely used. But with it you can get the best combination of materials for soundproofing the walls. Porous materials such as eco- or mineral wool, as well as cellulose insulation, etc. are combined with drywall. The advantages of such combinations are not only excellent protection against extraneous sounds, but also the creation of additional thermal insulation for exterior walls.
But this method has several disadvantages. First of all, sound insulation with drywall in combination with porous building materials is notable for the complexity of installation and the loss of a significant area in the room, since even the best material for soundproofing the walls of a room has a minimum thickness of twelve centimeters.
Decorative panels
This option to reduce the amount of extraneous sound penetrating from the outside, has become popular relatively recently. This soundproofing material for walls is made of softwood fibers. It is similar to standard wall panels and has grooves and spikes at the ends provided for ease of installation. The surface of this soundproofing material has a decorative coating. This frees the owner of the house from the need to additionally finish the walls after installation. In addition, this soundproofing material for walls is very good to use in relatively large rooms, so it has found great popularity in the fight against extraneous sounds both in offices and in trading floors. Of the disadvantages of decorative panels, the most important is their high cost. 
Polyurethane boards
This option is used even in recording studios. Polyurethane boards have excellent soundproofing characteristics. They are available in standard sizes: sixty to one hundred and twenty centimeters. The thickness of the sheets is not more than fifteen millimeters. The advantage of polyurethane boards is lightness and ease of installation, as well as high efficiency. But they have one significant minus - high cost. Therefore, this option is far from the cheapest sound insulation of walls in an apartment.
Other solutions
Other materials, such as sandwich panels, cork and soundproof membranes, are also priced high, but they have other disadvantages. Along with ease of installation and a beautiful decorative look, their quality characteristics are somewhat lower.
Judging by the reviews of experts, the most effective option is a combined noise isolation. For it, two different materials must be used simultaneously, for example, mineral wool slabs and a soundproof membrane. After this, the obtained two layers are closed with drywall. This technique gives a fairly good effect, however, it significantly increases the repair budget.
Operating procedure
Installation of thin materials glued to the walls will not cause problems for anyone, even for a novice master. The technology for the production of sound insulation of walls in an apartment using modern materials is not very difficult.
Before starting work, it is absolutely necessary to completely turn off the electricity. After that, you should close all the holes in the walls, especially under the outlets. This can be done both with the help of mineral wool, and using other similar materials. In the process, you will need gypsum for putty. It has one big plus: it quickly sets, so you do not need to wait long for it to dry. The same thing must be done with holes from pipes and other utilities.
After that, on the walls, using the building level, it will be necessary to vertically install the guide metal profiles in increments of forty-sixty centimeters. You do not need to attach them directly to the wall. You should step back a little, and so much so that subsequently it would be possible to put soundproofing material under them .
Then between the profiles you need to very tightly lay the "mattresses" of fiberglass, mineral wool or any other material for soundproofing the walls of the room. They should be fastened with special anchors with wide hats. The resulting joints need to be closed with mounting foam or coated with putty. In the process, it is necessary to pay attention to the tightness of the fastening of the guide metal profiles, because if it is small, then the vibration will further increase the noise in the room. 
At the very end of the installation, with the help of self-tapping screws, plasterboard sheets should be fixed on the already finished frame from the profiles. This is the soundproofing of the walls under the wallpaper. If the owner intends to finish the finish with painting or whitewashing, then he will also have putty.
You need to know
If modern panels with a decorative coating were used for sound insulation, then plasterboard trimmings are no longer required. Installation of the guides will not be necessary either, since this soundproofing material is already attached directly to the surface using liquid nails. But if the walls themselves are uneven or have large differences, then you will still have to make a preliminary crate: it is on it that you need to install decorative panels.