# How to reduce traffic noise in the backyard



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

I have a friend that bought 100 hybrid trees from Colorado that grew really fast and did what he wanted to help buffer adjacent railroad noise.

I think they were called "Austrees".


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## LMPD (Dec 12, 2011)

I've seen this prob on a few DIY shows. A raised burm (unk spelling sorry) is usually built then dense bushes are panted close together to create a screen type affect.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Possible solutions:
Berms(as posted before)
Screen plantings
Fences
Water feature
You might need all, or only one. Depends on the noise level and your desire to muffle the sound.
Are you looking for solutions for the inside or when sitting outside?
My brother lives on a busy road. When we switched out his windows from the original 1910 ones to Andersens, the noise virtually disappeared. He also has a 6 foot high privacy fence between the house and the road.


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## Blondesense (Sep 23, 2008)

How are your windows? A _very_ expensive solution just for noise, but if they are on your to do list you might wait until they are done. You may find they help with this issue too.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

definitly a tall pine and the noise will help them grow real tall check JUNG...Henry Fields....Gurneys websites for trees idea if you have the planting time if new in the house nice spring project..if your planting them go deep when planting cause they will do an easy 30'-40' in 10 yrs ton of evergreen trees shown on the sites


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## dougp23 (Sep 20, 2011)

Trees can take years to give you the noise break you want now.

A fence is probably going to be your quickest solution, IMHO.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

and realize the sound from the roadway will hammer the fencing every 10yrs reworking it


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## pyper (Jul 1, 2009)

Trees and shrubs won't reduce noise, although you might not notice it as much if you can't see it.

Earthen berms and concrete walls are the only things that will seriously reduce noise getting to the house. You can google up various authoritative sources.

Windows are a weak point in most houses, so if it's reducing noise that gets inside you can get special noise reducing windows. They're laminated glass panes that go inside your existing windows. A few hundred $ per opening.


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