Tips for Successfully Soundproofing your Boutique Fitness Studio
If you find yourself attracted to the idea of operating your own boutique fitness studio, you are not alone, and for good reason.
Boutique fitness studios feel more trendy to consumers because they are able to provide an environment that is more intimate, fun, and specialized than standard gym options. They tend to be smaller (about 800 to 3500 square feet), with spaces designed to feel more posh and attractive than the traditional gym. The boutique fitness customer is happy to pay considerably more per class in exchange for what they feel is a more upscale fitness experience— along with the chance to be social, have a more hands-on experience with instructors and their own fitness journey, and maybe even show off their efforts on Instagram.
However, boutique fitness studio owners need to have a strategy for dealing with one of the most common challenges: unwanted echo and noise complaints.
This means that adequate soundproofing of your boutique fitness studio is one of the crucial components for success.
Fitness studios tend to have environments where it’s inherently easy for vibrations to add up to an unappealing cacophony. Multiple small classes happening with minimal walls between them + custom playlists that are designed to bring classes through an arc + instructors directing class through a sound system and wireless microphone = a big challenge for the class next door that’s at the meditation part of their practice. It’s essential to eliminate unwanted echo as much as possible, which is especially difficult when high ceilings naturally amplify a variety of sounds: gym machinery, the shudder of weights dropping to the ground, the beat of music from a group exercise class, and even conversations between customers and instructors.
The result is often noise complaints– not only from customers who are willing to take their money to a more enjoyable atmosphere but also from nearby businesses who are impacted by the excess noise even a small studio constantly generates. Customers may find it all too easy to seek another studio, while you may find it difficult to cope with rental or lease issues due to unwanted attention from nearby business owners.
Creating an exceptional environment that features the kind of chic ambiance that stands out from the crowd of fitness studios is both an art and science.
This is why we are seeing an increase in demand for soundproofing solutions. Doing everything you can to ensure extraneous vibrations are efficiently absorbed instead of transmitted through the air and into the structure of your building will allow your facility to be able to serve customers who crave high-intensity workouts as well as well as customers who are looking for an escape from mayhem and an environment where they can feel calm and focused.
If you need strategies for reducing echo and unwanted noise in your studio, consider the following tips for reducing echo in your gym and creating the perfect soundproof space that will help make your boutique fitness dream a sound success. Here are some of our favorites for soundproofing your boutique fitness studio.
- Door Seal Kit – You may already know that installing solid core doors is a great step to reducing unwanted noise that can otherwise easily permeate through passageways. Door seal kits are another clever way to add an even bigger impact on noise reduction. Additional perks of door seal kits are that they are they are inexpensive, adjustable, and easy to install.
- AcoustiBlox Quiet Mat – Cost-effective and easy to use, this heavy-duty sound-proofing mat is able to serve as a finished floor surface that can cover an entire gym or studio, or can be placed under individual machines. As an added safety benefit, the textured surface also helps prevent slipping. Soundproofing your boutique fitness studio has never been this easy.
- Green Glue® –Green Glue is great for those who need a sound-absorbing viscoelastic damping compound. This is typically placed between two layers of drywall, wood, or other construction materials for best results.
- AcoustiSealTM – If you need a highly cost-effective solution for noise leakage through joints and edges, consider this professional-series acoustical sealant, which is easily dispensable and exceeds LEEDTM requirements.
- AcoustikTM – An excellent solution for reducing the transfer of vibrations caused by walking, running, and exercise equipment, Acoustik is a floor underlayment made of recycled rubber that is both cost-effective and easy to install.
- Soundproof Doors and Windows – For those who need a way to reduce sound leakage through portal openings, soundproof doors and windows or Climate Seal Window Inserts can be tailored to your studio’s specific requirements.
Although boutique fitness studios are a relatively new niche in the fitness business landscape, their rate of growth has been exponential; these specialized studios now make up 40% of the fitness market. In 2017, boutique brands were up 121%, while big gyms grew by 18%. These studios fill the demand for providing an experience over purchasing a product – they offer a sense of accomplishment alongside meeting fitness goals with a sense of community and social belonging. So follow your bliss to creating a fitness experience that rings true to clients and creates noise about how wonderful your company is…not how noisy the class was.
