When I moved my work from home set up to the backyard I felt a great sense of relief. No more distractions! At least that was the theory.
As it turns out there are plenty of noises in the backyard as well.
There are natural noises, neighbor noises and plenty of potential for family noise.
You can’t stop the birds from chirping, the neighbor from building that patio addition or the family from using the pool.
The question is just what do you do about all that unwanted background sound so you can actually get some productive work done?
If you want to eliminate noise distractions when working in a backyard office you need to soundproof your space by focusing on window upgrades, blocking noise through your door, adding soundproofing materials in your office and adding white noise in the background.
Here are 15 Things You Can Do to Reduce Noise in Your Home Office
1| Soundproof Acoustic Panels Can Help Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
The walls of your shed office are bound to be a little thinner than inside your home. It doesn’t matter whether you’re working in a wooden structure or one made out of a vinyl or resin material.
Adding sound proof foam acoustic panels to your walls can make a big difference. The foam effectively absorbs sound.
Also, it’s a nice lightweight material so it can work well in a shed where you may not have the option of adding heavy panels.
2| Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office With Solid Core Doors
It’s not usually possible to change the door on a prefab vinyl shed, but you can upgrade the door if you’re working out of a wooden backyard office.
If your current door is thin or made with a hollow core design, consider replacing it with a solid door. A thick and heavy door will absorb more sound and keep the natural sounds outside your office.
3| Add a Door Sweep and Weather Stripping to Soften Noise
Sometimes you’re left with gaps around your door no matter how thick it is. That means you’ll still have a fair bit of noise seeping through those cracks.
You can address these issues by adding a door sweep at the bottom and weather stripping around the edges of your door.
The idea is to close all of the space around your door so less noise from outside can get in.
4| Seal All Cracks Around Walls and Windows to Block Noise
Your shed door isn’t usually the only place with gaps that need to be sealed. Even if you built your shed office yourself and you’re a brilliant carpenter, it probably still has a lot more openings than your home for sound to enter from.
When it comes to blocking up all of the openings in the corners of your shed, the panels and around your windows you have a couple of great options.
Window sealants work well, but you can also look for acoustic tape which can be just as effective in keeping noise out.
5| Sound Absorbing Office Furniture Can Help Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
Now that you’ve soundproofed your door, walls and windows you’ll notice a big difference. There’s more work to be done though.
Sound will easily carry through thin walls. Even with those soundproof acoustic panels.
While it may not make a huge difference, choosing a thick padded office chair instead of a hard plastic one is better. The cushioned chair will absorb some sound and as an added bonus it will be a lot more comfortable as well!
6| Don’t Forget the Roof When Looking to Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
One area that’s often overlooked when it comes to soundproofing a shed is the roof. Heavy insulation panels may be out of the question due to the extra weight, but lightweight styrofoam panels can provide some sound proofing and some insulation as well.
When it comes to soundproofing a small office every little tool you can use will add up to help make the quietest space possible.
7| Add a Rug for Softer Sounds to Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
If you’ve ever been inside a library (no judgment here), you’ll know that every little sound seems to be amplified no matter how hard you try to be quiet. That often has a lot to do with the hardwood floors, open spaces and hard surfaces all around.
There’s nothing to absorb the sounds so it bounces off one thing and moves on to the next. If you don’t want your office to echo like your local library add a rug.
Rug’s do a much better job of Absorbing sound than a hard wood or concrete floor will.
8| Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office With Soundproof Curtains for Windows
At this stage you’re looking at small incremental differences. A soundproof curtain is a great example.
They aren’t really soundproof, but they do help to soften the sounds that enter your space and reduce echo.
The noise that bounces off a curtain will be less annoying than sound reverberating off the hard surface of your windows.
9| Thick Quilts on Walls Help to Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
Adding a thick quilt as a wall decoration can add a touch of style to your space and soften sound just like that curtain.
Wall quilts can help by adding a bit of extra insulation in your space as well. If you don’t have a permanent heating source every little bit counts.
10| Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office By Switching from to Double Pane Windows
If you don’t mind tapping into your savings, a bit of an upgrade to your garden shed office windows can make a big difference.
Most old sheds have single pane windows that don’t do a good job of absorbing sound.
Replacing your windows with double pane glass can make a big difference in blocking noise from your neighbors or family while you work.
11| Set Ground Rules with Family for Office Hours to Reduce Distractions
Sometimes the best approach to noise reduction is to tell people to stay away from your backyard office! In the nicest possible way of course!
Set some ground rules with the family. Make it clear what your office hours are and ask them to stay clear during those hours.
Spend time with them on breaks and at lunch time. That will make the hours apart shorter and easier to accept.
12| Use White Noise to Help Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
As a kid I used to love the sound of the rain in the background to drown all other noises out.
Background or white noise that you control is a great way to keep distracting noises out.
There are lots of options including dedicated white noise machines or even just your favorite music streaming service.
I use my Google mini to play white noise while I work.
It works like a charm.
The background noise fades away and I can stay focused on the day’s tasks.
13| Soothing Instrumental Music Helps You Focus and Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
Music can work the same way background noise does.
If you prefer a bit of rhythm by all means crank the tunes to drown out everything else.
I prefer Instrumental music because I find the words distracting, but choose whichever type works for you.
The main point is to use your favorite focus music to eliminate all other noise around you.
14| Noise Canceling Headphones and Earbuds Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
If you find the noise is still filtering over top of your whitenoise or background music, consider noise canceling headphones or earbuds.
A good pair may be a bit pricey, but remember it’s an investment in your peace of mind.
15| Add Some Plants for Atmosphere and to Help Eliminate Noise Distractions When Working in a Backyard Office
One other option to consider is the addition of some plants.
They won’t make a major difference, but they will absorb a bit of sound.
If used along with some of the other ideas we’ve already talked about, your plants can be one more piece of the puzzle to eliminate noise distractions when working in a backyard office. It doesn’t hurt that they make it look great as well!
