How To Reduce Road Noise In Backyard?

Noise from road traffic is a major source of local environmental noise in urban areas. It can have adverse effects on people, animals, and sensitive ecosystems. Reducing road noise is therefore an important objective for noise management. Road noise can be reduced by designing, building, and operating roads to reduce their surface friction; implementing measures to reduce tire noise; or introducing sound-absorbing vegetation on the roadside. These actions are often combined with landscaping measures to also improve the visual appearance of the road. This article provides an overview of how you can decrease the amount of road noise in your backyard by reducing its surface friction, introducing measures to reduce tire noise, or implementing sound-absorbing vegetation on the roadside.

How To Reduce Road Noise In Backyard?

1. Plant trees and shrubs:

Trees and shrubs absorb the sound of traffic. The best are evergreens, which can reduce traffic noise by as much as 10 decibels.

2. Add more plants and flowers to your yard:

Plants and flowers also help in absorbing the sound of traffic. According to a local study, an average garden absorbs about 50 percent of traffic noise. So if you already have a garden in your backyard, then you should plant more plants and flowers in order to reduce the sound of cars passing by on the road outside your house.

3. Plant vines:

Vines are very effective in absorbing the sound of traffic too. In fact, they are one of the best evergreen plants for reducing street noise outside your home or office premises.. You can plant vines on fences or walls next to highways as well as on trellises attached to walls or fences facing busy roads.. They will help you reduce road noise by 12 decibels. You can use grapevines for this purpose. They are inexpensive and fast-growing.. Vines such as wisteria, clematis, climbing roses, and honeysuckle can be planted near windows or doors on balconies facing busy streets.. They will help you reduce road noise by 6 decibels per vine per year. These vines will also add beauty to your property without spending much money. All these plants need watering only once a week during summer and once a month during winter.

4. Grow grass:

Grass, when planted in a garden absorbs about 50 percent of street noise. It is one of the best evergreen plants for reducing street noise outside your home or office premises.. The grass is inexpensive and it can be planted in a large area.. Planting grass in your backyard will help you reduce road noise by 12 decibels. You can plant grass on the side of the road facing your house and on other sides of the house that face the busy streets too .

5. Plant bamboo:

Bamboo absorbs sounds in two ways; firstly, its leaves have very thin leaflets which absorb sound, and secondly, they are placed close together creating a barrier that reduces traffic noise by as much as 10 decibels. The best time to plant bamboo is spring because it grows very fast. You can plant bamboo at a distance of about 1 meter apart from each other to reduce road noise by 6 decibels per year. Bamboo also provides a great privacy wall between you and your neighbors . It takes about 2 years for bamboo to grow up to 2 meters tall but after that, it grows fast enough. It requires plenty of water but no fertilizer.

6. Group plants together:

Grouping plants together helps them grow faster and absorb more sound than if they are planted separately. If you have only one tree or bush then group several small trees or shrubs around it so that they look like one big tree or bush

7. Use sound-absorbing materials:

Sound-absorbing materials can be used to reduce road noise from heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses, and heavy construction equipment. The most effective and commonly used sound-absorbing material consists of between 1 and 2 inches of crushed stones or sand. Other materials, such as crushed cork, rubber, or recycled waste materials, are also sometimes used. The road surface is first leveled, and then the sound-absorbing material is laid on top. This method is most effective for reducing road noise from light vehicles such as cars and small trucks.

8. Use blacktop:

Blacktop is a very popular pavement material that absorbs sound waves better than asphalt or concrete pavements do. Its smooth finish makes it a good surface for bicyclists who are trying to avoid scraping their wheels on the surface while they ride along the road surface. Blacktop has a much smoother surface than asphalt or concrete pavements do. It also has much less friction between a vehicle’s tires and the pavement surface than asphalt or concrete pavements do. Blacktop is relatively inexpensive to install compared to other pavement surfaces because it doesn’t need any special equipment to lay down in place of regular asphalt or concrete pavements.. It can be laid by hand using trowels that are similar in size to those used for laying down compacted gravel.. It can also be laid by machinery with specialized equipment called “blacktop rollers”. When blacktop is installed it does not require any additional leveling.

Reduce Road Surface Friction

1. Make sure your asphalt surface is smooth with no cracks or irregularities.
2. Install a rubberized underlayment on the ground to reduce road noise.
3. Use a layer of gravel over your asphalt to reduce road noise.
4. Install a layer of concrete over your asphalt to reduce road noise.
5. Install a layer of porous asphalt over your concrete to reduce road noise.
6. Install porous paving stones for better sound insulation and reduce road noise but this may be expensive, so you will have to consider the cost in choosing this option before you do it!
7. Bury three layers of sand in your backyard, around the perimeter and in the center, then cover this with turf grass like tifturf bermuda (turf will not only serve as a barrier but also help absorb sound). Keep in mind that sand is very heavy and will cause wear and tear on your lawn mower!
8. Install an under-floor heating system or heat-pump system in your house which can be used to insulate the house from unwanted sounds, such as traffic noises and outside noises like barking dogs or loud neighbors’ music systems!
9. If you are planning to install an outdoor pool in your backyard, consider putting a fence around it so that noisy neighbors’ voices would not disturb you while swimming!
10. If you are planning for an outdoor kitchen area, try installing soundproof windows and doors for an enjoyable outdoor living experience!

Sound-Absorbing Vegetation On The Roadside

1. Plant a row of bamboo around the perimeter of your house to absorb sound waves.
2. Plant a row of trees along the sides of your house to absorb sound waves.
3. Add a layer of rock or pea gravel in front of your house for better sound absorption.
4. Install a layer of porous paving stones for better sound absorption and reduce road noise but this may be expensive, so you will have to consider the cost in choosing this option before you do it!
5. If you are planning to install an outdoor pool in your backyard, consider putting a fence around it so that noisy neighbors’ voices would not disturb you while swimming!
6. If you are planning for an outdoor kitchen area, try installing soundproof windows and doors for an enjoyable outdoor living experience!
7. Install porous paving stones on the flooring around the perimeter and in the center, then cover this with turf grass (turf will not only serve as a barrier but also help absorb sound). Keep in mind that sand is very heavy and will cause wear and tear on your lawn mower!
8. If you are planning to install an outdoor kitchen area, try installing a sound-absorbing patio or decking on the flooring around the perimeter, then cover this with turf grass (turf will not only serve as a barrier but also help absorb sound). Keep in mind that sand is very heavy and will cause wear and tear on your lawn mower!
9. Consider using under-floor heating or heat-pump system in your house which can be used to insulate the house from unwanted sounds, such as traffic noises and outside noises like barking dogs or loud neighbors’ music systems!
10. If you are planning to install an outdoor pool in your backyard, consider putting a fence around it so that noisy neighbors’ voices would not disturb you while swimming!

Conclusion

Road noise can be reduced by designing, building, and operating roads to reduce their surface friction; implementing measures to reduce tire noise; or introducing sound-absorbing vegetation on the roadside. These actions are often combined with landscaping measures to also improve the visual appearance of the road. They can be effective in reducing the amount of road noise in your backyard.