Your backyard should be the spot where you can do various kinds of joyful activities comfortably and peacefully. From simply having some relaxing cups of tea and a fun BBQ party with your family, the backyard can provide an enjoyable space for everyone.
When you live near the busy street, the joy is not really that exhilarating. You will have to deal with the annoying traffic noise which, of course, disrupt your fun outdoor moment.
Moreover, some researchers even suggest that excessive traffic noise can cause some serious health issues both physically and mentally. It can cause hearing loss, disturbed sleep patterns, lack of concentration, stress, and anxiety.
For sure, the annoying traffic noise is an issue that you have to solve as soon as possible before it’s getting worse. You don’t want to have to yell when you’re having relaxing tea time or, even worse, to have a lack of sleeping time every single day.
There are some ways that you can try to reduce the traffic noise in your backyard. Of course, it’s not about eliminating the whole sound, but still, it really helps you to have a more peaceful outdoor living space that you and your family can enjoy.
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Below, we share a tutorial on how to reduce traffic noise in my backyard that you can add to your home project right away.
How to Reduce Traffic Noise in My Backyard
To reduce the traffic noise, you will need to block the soundwaves to enter your backyard. Therefore, you will need to build something tall around the outdoor space. For that, you will need to check your local building codes before starting the project.
Build a Fence
Of course, when it comes to the efforts of reducing traffic noises, building a fence is always the first notion to keep in mind. Besides providing privacy and border, a fence also helps to block the excessive noise around your property.
But, you have to design it properly so it can work well to reduce the annoying noises. Check these factors when you design your fence:
- Height – The rule of thumb is the fence should be at least 2 meters or 6.5 feet tall. It should be taller than the noise sources.
- Density – The density of the fence is also an important factor in whether it can reduce the noise or not. If it’s not dense enough, the fence can create a vibration which makes another annoying sound.
- No Gaps – Even the smallest gaps of your fence can let the sound waves from the outside to come to your backyard.
- Location – Placing the fence close to the noise source can make it work more effective in reducing the noise.
Determine the Materials
After knowing the essential factors that you have to apply to your fencing design in order to reduce the noise, now it’s time to decide the materials. Each of the options has plus and minus points that you have to consider wisely.
- Brick Fence – The combination of bricks and concrete of this kind of fence makes it has a good density which can reduce noise up to 40dB (50%). However, it’s quite expensive and requires high maintenance.
- Wood Fence – For DIYers, a wood fence is always a good option to choose due to its practicality. However, you will need thicker timbers for maximum performance which means you have to spend more budget.
- Metal Fence – We’re not talking about ornamental metal fence here, but the ones with panels or screens. It can be quite affordable to purchase, but not really work to reduce noise.
- Hedge Fence – This natural fencing is considered the best choice of all. Though it only works to reduce noise by up to 25%, it can give you more benefits like aesthetically pleasing and cleaning the air around. Moreover, it’s not included in the height limitation of a building code.
For the best result, you can combine more than one fences. For instance, planting tall hedges and installing a wood fence can give you a reliable noise reduction system. It’s a good natural way that will enhance both comfort and beauty of your outdoor space.
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Add Water Features
Besides aesthetically pleasing, water features are also known for their ability to create peaceful sound. The splashing water of a fountain and streaming water of a river miniature can reduce the traffic noise from the outside.
You can install one or more water features to compete with the irritating traffic noise. Fountains, waterfalls, and streams are the most recommended options since they can create calming white noise and affordable to buy. If you prefer a more enjoyable water feature, a pond with colorful fishes and a sound-producing aerator system is worth considering.
Smart Landscaping
The plantations of your backyard landscaping also have an important role in reducing traffic noises if you choose them wisely. Plantations with broad leaves and thick branches help to block soundwaves.
Some considerable options include arborvitae, junipers, mountain laurels, and azaleas which are reliable enough for the sound-reducer addition. Moreover, they also look so gorgeous to beautify your outdoor living space. You just need to choose the ones that really suit your needs.
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So those are the steps that you can try to reduce the traffic noise that disrupts your peace to enjoy your outdoor space. Those steps are kinda easy to follow so you can do all of them all by yourself which doesn’t cost you a lot as well. Remember, combining more than one noise reducer is always a much wiser idea to solve this annoying-noise problem.
Well, now you can add the tutorial on How to Reduce Traffic Noise in My Backyard to your DIY home project!
