Bedroom Door Gap Cover

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gkella Let there be songs to fill the air Thread Starter

I am moving into a condo next month.
The interior doors for bedrooms, den, etc have about a 1/2" to 3/4" space between the bottom of the
door and the floor.
Wondering if there is a good way of sealing this off.
Mostly to keep the wife happy when she is in the next room and I am playing my stereo.
Would it make any noticeable difference?
Thanks Glen
Wow, 3/4" is a substantial gap. Previous occupier must have had serious deep piled carpet. For retrofit at the lower gap end suggest you look at the Norsound Wave.
gkella Let there be songs to fill the air Thread Starter

No, it is a hardwood floor.
look at various sized vinyl or foam "bulb" type weatherstripping material at the home depot (or equal). you would staple this to the bottom of the door.
Often the doors get cut when there is carpet and then when they rip the carpet up to redo the wood floors you are left with short doors. There are a variety of bits you can put on. Most are designed to prevent drafts. Some screw onto the face of the door. Some have a half-round rubber seal between the bottom of the door and the floor. There are also those soft draft stoppers, which might work but would be fussy.
If you have forced-air heating (and cooling if needed in Toronto), the door gap is usually there so air can get back to the return. Sealing the gap will reduce ventilation to your room. However, you might find that acceptable during listening sessions.
There are "drop seals" made that can be bought from acoustics or soundproofing companies. They have a piece that drops when the door is closed and seals the gap. They are only slightly unsightly. If you find them online, you can find out how big a gap they can work with. Often, they are paired with gasketed doors and/or door seals that fit around the other three sides of the door.

Automatic Door Bottom - » for example.

Real soundproofing requires a lot of work -- special construction, insulation, sealing around electrical boxes, and so on. But still, a 1/2" gap is a gaping hole, and sealing it might make a difference.
I suggest not sealing the bottom of interior doors that swing over hardwood. If you do, in short order the finish on the hardwood will be marred by the seal dragging back and forth on the hardwood whenever the door is opened or closed. Besides that, unless the door is insulated (along with insulation in the typically hollow drywall on stud adjoining walls) sealing the bottom of the door(s) is probably not going to do a thing for you.
I agree with what Mike-48 suggested for the most part. Soundproofing that's effective requires a lot of work, mess and money. IMO, sealing the bottom of the door is only going to mar your hardwood. The think that the truly effective solution is a good pair of headphones.
gkella Let there be songs to fill the air Thread Starter

Thanks guys.
I never thought about the ventilation effect.
I am not trying to soundproof.
I know that would be impossible in my situation.
I am concerned about installing something that could
eventually cause wear to the floor.
I am thinking if I got some kind of foam or gasket
cut to fill the gap and I could place it down during listening sessions only.
If she's in the next room, I don't think blocking that gap is going to make any sort of meaningful difference when it come to sound leakage. I mean, experiment -- stuff some towels or one of those sandback draft-stoppers (which are actually made to slide into these door positions and look better) in the doors and see -- but I doubt you're going to have a substantial reduction in sound leakage if you're playing music loud enough to disturb her with the door closed already.
When I still lived at my parent's, I used to open the door and stuff this foam mattress I had cut to fit it. It really was a whole 80cms. wide mattress and the top of another one to get a total seal. Both pieces were stored in the attic when not in use.
It worked like a charm.
The drop seal doesn't cause wear. It is activated by a peg and only seals when the door is closed. But I understand that it may be too involved for what you're trying to do. Good luck!
How about one of these?
They also make "sweep" type seals that go on the bottom of a door. Check Lowes or Home Depot.
That doesn't seem very "soundproof" though.
Try something arts and craft-sy. Those who work with fabrics, folk-art style (like quilters) hold fairs and festivals. You should be able to find door snakes to be firmed up against your gaps, using your foot. Yes it makes your doors difficult to open without moving them aside, but it's quickly accomplished.
All I'm saying is that you could buy a test gap-filler, to see if it helped cut down the sound. Other than that, there must be a use somewhere around a Toronto window or door for a draft blocking stuffed toy.
Make a worm pillow and roll it from behind the door the same width of the door. I think they sell these on amazon
You can get a bean bag door seal at target or Wallmart. Dats what I use to help keep sounds out.