At present, do it yourself products are a fad to many people. This is due to a certain number of factors, such as the persuasion of the internet, cost efficiency and creativity. From clothes, furniture, ornaments, household supplies up to DIY fence systems, many people are now given the privilege to make their own products.

Fencing serves as the primary protective barrier of a property – either a house or other constructions – that secures it. Apart from safety and security, fences and panels can serve as sound barriers that minimize or block of unwanted external sound brought by busy neighbourhood and natural causes.

Noise can be very disturbing. You may find it really affecting your home routine or disrupting your household's activities. Soundproofing your home is the best and most cost efficient way to minimize noise that is uncontrollable.

You can actually make your own soundproofing panels for your home. Provided that you have enough time and knowledge on carpentry, you can come up with a panel as good as the manufactured ones. Simply follow these steps:

1. You need to decide first on the size of your panels. Sound walls or acoustic panels need not have a definite and specific size. The general rule is that soundproofing panels that are thicker and are made with heavy materials will have better sound absorption. These panels can absorb more sound and has the ability to acquire low frequency sound more efficiently. The dimensions of the panel (thickness, height) determine the degree of sound absorption.

2. You will need a frame as a support for your panel. It need not be very complex. The basic frame construction has a measurement of four equal lengths of 2x4s. You can use screws or nails to build your simple frame.

You should attach a backboard that could be made of plywood that is cut to fit your frame. Using screws or nails, fix the plywood to the frame to make it stable. You need to make sure that the screws or names are flushed at the back of your panel to make it easier to mount later on.

3. The frame should be filled with foam or insulation to block off sound from the small gaps and holes. You can use a standard insulation. You can secure the insulation with adhesives or pack it in tight with the frame. Other alternatives to insulation are acoustic foams and egg crates.

4. You will need to cover the panel with sheets of fabric. There is no particular type of fabric required, but you should make sure that the entire panel is covered with it. A thicker sheet of fabric will absorb more sound as compared to thin ones. Using gun tags, staplers or thumb tacks, stretch the fabric so that it is tightly fixed onto the fabric.

Doing your acoustic panels by yourself can be challenging but fun. It entails many advantages both in the ends of you and your neighbour.