Recycle Styrofoam
Egg cartons used to be the norm for quick, cheap soundproofing, but now other recyclable materials are more attractive and can offer a substantial insulating quality to your space. Apples, oranges, and other round fruits are often packaged in rigid, lightweight multi-domed Styrofoam pads approximately 14″ by 19″.
Colourful, Attractive, Lightweight
These colourful and attractive pads are much larger than egg cartons, can be easily cut to any shape, and are lighter in weight. Lighter weight dramatically reduces the strength necessary for the holding materials. The pads can be securely attached to the wall and ceiling surfaces with small pieces of mounting tape or thumbtacks with excellent retention and without significant damage.
Add a Second Layer
Extra adhesive material (i.e., more thumbtacks or tape) added to the first layer easily gives it the strength to support the second layer and effectively trap two insulating dead air spaces and two sound absorbing surfaces.
Create Colorful Decor
The Styrofoam pads come in a variety of colours and can add a strong decor element to your wall and ceiling. Let your imagination be your guide.
Reduce Waste
There are no economically feasible means for recycling Styrofoam other than re-use as packing material, so most used Styrofoam goes to a landfill. Your grocer will be glad to set the pads aside for you for pick-up, it reduces his waste costs, but be timely about picking the pads up. Produce back rooms are bustling places and space is at a premium. Create a good relationship with your grocer, and you will soon have more pads than you can use, connect with him (or her) in the early morning before the store gets busy.
Added Bonus — Stay Warmer In Winter
If you live in an extreme environment, hot or cold, you might consider adding the pads to your bedrooms’ exterior walls to be warmer in winter or more refreshing in summer. Remember, soundproofing works in both directions. So if street noise sometimes makes sleeping a problem, you just got two birds with one pad.