Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to hammer something, but didn’t want to make too much noise? If so, then you know that it can be difficult to find the right tool for the job. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best ways to hammer quietly, so that you don’t disturb your neighbors or coworkers. A few experienced carpenters will also provide some tips on how to use the right hammer for these needs.
Why Is Hammering So Noisy?
Hammering is a noisy task because the blow of the hammer against the nail creates a shockwave that travels through the air. This shockwave can be heard up to 100 feet away, depending on the size and type of hammer being used.
Concrete nails were the first form of artificial nails utilized by human beings since they are durable and resilient. They provide a short, sharp impact that generates noise and embeds the nail.
If you mute a hammer, you eliminate its impact but also the amount of noise it creates.
Softening your strikes by limiting the amount of force used and dampening each hit with a cloth, rubber block, and a softer hammer will take longer to drive in a nail.
Pick The Best Time to Nail Quiet Hammering
It’s commendable to be considerate of others around you, and by attempting to hammer a nail quietly, most neighbors will believe you’re a little kinder person. If you must bang on something at night or in a tiny space, these methods can assist you to make less noise while still being considerate of others.
There are times when hammering is unavoidable. If you’re in the middle of a project and need to drive a lot of nails, it’s best to do so when others are not around.
Weekend mornings are usually the best time, as most people are either asleep or getting ready for work.
Evening hours can also be a good time to hammer, as long as there is minimal noise outside. If you live in an apartment complex, try not to hammer during late-night hours when everyone else is trying to sleep!
How To Hammer Quietly: 4 Effective Methods
1) Use A Soft Faced Hammer
Switching to a soft-faced hammer would definitely assist reduce impact noise on nails.
A soft-faced hammer will lessen the force delivered to a nail, resulting in softer and quieter nails.
A rubber mallet may be used as well. You just want to make sure the head of the nail is broad enough because a narrow nail head might shatter it [1].
If you choose this option, make sure that there are no gaps in between your nail heads and wooden surfaces because these will increase noise levels significantly!
The best way around this problem would be using glue sticks instead of nails so they don’t need as much force being applied while still holding up well enough against vibrations caused by loud sounds like construction work nearby or children playing outside all day long.
2) Use A Rubber Bench Block
Rubber bench blocks are used by silversmiths, metalsmiths, watermakers, and other metalworkers. While not intended for hammering in particular, they may be a useful tool to have on hand.
When striking a nail into a wall, place a small rubber bench block between the nail head and your hammer to prevent the nail from bouncing back. This works equally well whether you’re working on a bench or hammering a nail into wood.
A bench block is an especially good idea if you’re pounding on a lot of nails in one go, as it will help to keep the noise down.
3) Use Cloth
If you don’t have access to a rubber bench block, try using a piece of cloth like an old T-shirt instead. Place this between the hammer and nail head when striking.
The more cloth you use, the quieter it will be. Just keep in mind that because cloth (as well as the aforementioned rubber bench block) dampens the power and sound of each hit, you’ll need to hammer the nail harder to get each nail all the way in.
If you’re hammering a lot of nails, this can become tiring. If that’s the case, try using some gloves to do your job so they don’t get sore after just one or two strikes with each nail!
You’ll want them thick enough for protection but not too heavy where it takes longer than usual because there isn’t much force being applied from swinging back and forth in mid-air between each strike (which would cause less impact noise due to lack of vibration).
Cloth works well as long as it is dense enough – thick cotton fabric will dampen more sound than thinner materials such as silk or polyester blends.
The cloth should be at least an inch thick before attempting anything; if it’s thinner than that, the hammer might go right through it and still make a lot of noise.
If using a damp towel placed over your head while he trained, will keep the sound of the impact more consistent all-around your head instead of just coming from one spot where the nail is being hit directly.
This is probably not something you would do on a regular basis but if really need to silence things down, this is an option.
4) Use A Rubber Floor Mat
If you are pounding on a bench, resting your bench on a rubber floor mat will dampen vibrations traveling through the bench into the floor. This may make a significant difference to the overall noise when combined with a rubber bench block [2]..
Similar to the bench block, a rubber floor mat will help to absorb vibrations and reduce noise.
A disadvantage of using a rubber floor mat is that it can be difficult to move around if you need to reposition your workbench.
You could also try placing a few towels or rugs on the floor where you’re hammering; this will help to muffle some of the sounds.
One way or another, these methods are very helpful when working with loud noises! And they’re each pretty affordable, so there’s no excuse not to give them ago in order to have a quieter workspace – especially if you live in an apartment!
What You Can Do Without Buying Anything:
1) Use Soft Taps
A nail that is struck softly will make considerably less noise than one that is hit hard. The gentle tapping of a hammer will drive the nail in far more quietly than two or three strong (and extremely noisy) blows.
If you take your time and use light taps, it will also minimize the chances of the nail splitting or breaking.
This is probably the easiest way to hammer quietly – just be patient!
2) Use Space
It’s vital to be aware of your location when working. The echo produced by hammering in a room’s corner or within a tiny space will be greater than that created by hammering outside or in an open area.
If you’re hammering below your children’s bedroom, be cautious not to strike directly beneath them, especially if you’re pounding nails into the walls. If you do this, the vibrations will travel through the walls and enter their bedroom.
The further away you are from your target, the less noise it will make. So if possible, try to move around as you hammer instead of standing in one spot.
This is especially helpful when working with smaller nails – you don’t have to move as far when using a tack hammer or light mallet.
3) Reduce Fall and Falling Noises
The sound of the hammer hitting the nail is not the only noise you need to worry about. The fall of the hammer onto the workbench or floor can also be a significant contributor to overall noise levels.
One way to reduce this sound is by using a bench block. This is a small, rubber-coated block that fits comfortably in your hand and helps to prevent damage to your workbench when driving nails.
A bench block will also help to absorb some of the vibrations created when pounding nails, which will lead to a quieter workspace.
Alternatives to Hammering:
Sound Proofing
Using soundproofing materials can be an effective way to reduce noise. There are a variety of options including:
- mats made from recycled rubber tires or old carpet padding;
- drywall with insulation between the studs;
- acoustic ceiling tiles that absorb and reflect sound waves instead of transmitting them into the air around you (they’re usually used in offices but they could work at home too);
Use Screws Instead
Screws are a far quieter alternative to nails. You can use them in the same applications and they will hold as well, if not better than nails.
The best thing about screws is that they don’t need to be hammered into place; instead, you just turn them with a screwdriver or drill.
You may have to pre-drill the hole for larger screws but this will only take an extra minute or two of your time so it’s worth doing when working in confined spaces where noise could become an issue (or annoying!).
If you’re worried about making too much noise hammering down on something like concrete, then using screws might be your best bet since there’s no way around having some sort of impact when using nails.
So when deciding whether or not screws are right for your project, consider how much noise needs reducing and how long the job may last before taking into account any potential issues with drilling into concrete or masonry (and therefore being unable to remove them).
FAQ
1. How loud is a hammer hitting a nail?
A typical strike from a ball-peen hammer produces about 120 decibels from one meter away – which can be damaging to your hearing.
The sound of that same strike measured inside the ear canal can reach as high as 125 decibels [3].
2. How do you hammer nails without a hammer?
A flat-ish rock can be an ideal tool for a hammerless. Such rocks are easy to grasp and powerful enough to strike objects repeatedly.
Make sure it has at least one flat or slightly rounded side and that you can hold it comfortably. It’s not as simple as it appears to use a rock as a hammer. It is very easy to harm yourself if you do not know what you are doing [4].
You can use such rocks instead of hammers:
- Flat rocks. A flat edge on a rock is more useful for pounding nails into wood, constructing furniture, and employing a chisel;
- Long flat rocks. If you don’t have the reach, this sort of rock is ideal. Hanging a huge picture or tacking pins into the wall to support fairy lights are examples of this;
- Rounded rocks. The circular stone is ideal for displaying photographs; the rounded edges prevent your gripping hand from getting trapped between the wall and the rock;
3. What do you do if you don’t have a hammer?
If you don’t have a hammer, you can use a rubber mallet or a wooden block to hammer nails without making much noise. If you don’t have either of those, you can also try using your hand or another object to apply pressure to the nail head. Just be careful not to hit your fingers!
4. How loud is 1000db?
1000db is the equivalent of a jet engine. It can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss [5].
5. How do you make a homemade hammer?
Follow these steps to make a homemade hammer:
- Get a solid piece of wood and cut it down to the desired size;
- Use sandpaper or another tool to smooth out any rough edges on the wood;
- Cut two pieces of cardboard into squares that are just large enough for you to wrap around either end of the wooden stick. Wrapping them tightly is ideal, but not required. You could also use duct tape if you don’t have cardboard. If you’re using duct tape, do this before cutting the nails so they’ll fit inside their holes better! The next step will be determined by whether or not there’s enough room in between your two pieces of cardboard (or whatever material) so both nails can fit into their holes;
- If there’s enough space, wrap them up in duct tape and you’re finished with this step! If not, use a hammer (or something harder) to push the nails into their holes before wrapping them tightly;
- You can now attach your homemade hammer to anything that requires it;
6. How do you pull a nail out of a wall without a hammer?
One way is to use a chisel and screwdriver. Another way is to use pliers:
- Place the pliers over the top of the nail so that the jaws cover it completely;
- Apply pressure with one hand on top of the pliers and grip the handle tightly with your other hand;
- Use force to pull the pliers away from the nail so that the pliers do not slip off. If you are using a hammer, use it to tap against the head of the nail;
Continue applying force with one hand on top of the pliers and griping tightly with your other hand until all that remains is a small piece sticking out from underneath where they were previously attached.
7. What can you use instead of a rubber mallet?
A rubber mallet is a kind of hammer that has a head made out of rubber. It’s typically used to tap things instead of driving nails into them like other hammers.
However, there are some instances where you might want something softer than wood or metal – such as when working with delicate materials (like glass) and plastics.
You can use anything from an old shoe sole to a piece:
- An old shoe sole can be used instead of a rubber mallet. If it’s thick enough, then it will work just fine for tapping on things without damaging them;
- If you don’t have one handy but do have any type of plastic container lying around your house, then try using that! Just make sure that it’s sturdy enough so as not to break when tapped against an object. If you’re using something really hard as metal or wood then maybe try using a thick piece of cloth instead;
You might also want to consider using your hand if there aren’t any other options available because sometimes people prefer this method over others – especially when working with delicate materials such as glass.
The only downside here is that it’ll probably hurt more than anything else on the list but hey, at least no one gets mad at you for breaking things!
If none of these methods work out then don’t worry too much about it because there are plenty more ways to hammer nails without making noise in general (like hitting them into concrete). Just remember that these are just suggestions so feel free to experiment!
8. What is a soft hammer made of?
Mallets with soft-faced or dead-blow heads are made of polymers such as nylon, natural rubber, or tightly wound rawhide, as well as soft metals like copper, aluminum, brass, and lead.
The goal of the material used in the face is to minimize damage to the struck surface [6].
Useful Video: How to Hammer Nails Properly
References:
- https://soundproofpanda.com/how-to-hammer-quietly
- https://silenthomehub.net/how-to-hammer-quietly
- https://hearing.health.mil/Prevention/Causes-of-Injury/High-Decibel-Levels
- https://www.fantastichandyman.co.uk/blog/what-to-use-if-you-dont-have-a-hammer
- https://www.audiomasterclass.com/blog/1000-db-how-loud-is-that
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft-faced_hammer