# Tree line for sound control



## Chargerman (Sep 15, 2010)

Any advice on a type of tree that could be planted in a long row that will provide good sound deadening from a busy road? Maybe a couple hundred feet need to be covered on my property.

Preferably something that doesn't get too tall or take 20 years to grow. Must be able to take the cold winters so I imagine a conifer of some kind.

Thanks


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## Bobbin (Sep 15, 2010)

I feel your pain.  I live on a seasonally active "tourist drive" and when 10-50 motorcyclists all of whom subscribe to the theory that "loud pipes save lives" drive by my home we (without air conditioning):
1.)  cannot hear the radio or the television set
2.)  cannot carry on a conversation with our friends. 

And it's not just motorcycles... the amount of noise motor vehicles create is really surprising.   But motorcycles are the worst, by far.   

No amount of carefully selected plantings is going to help, I'm afraid (ask me how I know).  You need to change the contour of the land so it deflects the sound waves.  Picture the sound barriers along the national interstates... .  Are you able to berm your plantings sufficiently to deflect the waves of noise?  Probably not.  Opt for a berm, and plant with "bullet-proof" evergreens.  The greater the barrier you're able to plant the better the sound deadening, but the noise is something you'll have to learn to tolerate.  

My sympathies.  I live it and understand it.  AND, I'm a very vocal advocate for strictrer regulations on mufflers, esp. for motorcycles!


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## Adios Pantalones (Sep 15, 2010)

Berms or heavy wall is the #1 option.  A dense evergreen would help some as well- arbor vitae or a fir tree may grow quickly, dense, and be fairly tolerant to abuse.


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## Bobbin (Sep 15, 2010)

It will block view, but it will do virtually nothing to block noise.  Trust me.


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## Delta-T (Sep 15, 2010)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Berms or heavy wall is the #1 option.  A dense evergreen would help some as well- arbor vitae or a fir tree may grow quickly, dense, and be fairly tolerant to abuse.



x2 on the berm, nothing beats an earthen mound for sound deflection, i was also going to suggest arbor vitae. great granite state minds think alike.


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## Chargerman (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks guys.

My house is elevated from the road to some extent at the rear of the property and then contours back to road level. I live on a corner lot with the main road running along the side of my property with a city street in front of the house. While I agree on the motorcycles on the weekends it is also the big rigs at 3am coming through town that I am hoping to "quiet" some. I am already planning new windows to replace the single pane originals. That made a noticeable difference in my previous house.

Would a berm need to be higher than road level or house floor elevation to be most effective? The rear corner of the property is probably 8' above the road grade now. 

I told my wife to let me build a big garage and wood shed out there to cut down on the noise but she isn't buying that argument. LOL 

I also have a 110' setback requirement so what I can and can't do is a question. The house is about 150' from the roadway. Planting is no problem but I don't know about berming due to sight distances at the corner street I live on.


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## Adios Pantalones (Sep 15, 2010)

Bobbin- you may be right on sound.  I planted arbor vitae to block view to the road several years ago, but they're still tiny because they get no light.  I'm estoopido.


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## Delta-T (Sep 15, 2010)

Chargerman said:
			
		

> Thanks guys.
> 
> My house is elevated from the road to some extent at the rear of the property and then contours back to road level. I live on a corner lot with the main road running along the side of my property with a city street in front of the house. While I agree on the motorcycles on the weekends it is also the big rigs at 3am coming through town that I am hoping to "quiet" some. I am already planning new windows to replace the single pane originals. That made a noticeable difference in my previous house.
> 
> ...



you'd probably want the berm to be tall enough to block the line of sight from where you are listening to the point of origin of the sound. IF its mostly tire noise then fairly short would help, but if its engine or exhaust system noise, you'd probably need something tallish. 5 layers of curtains on the windows might be easier, a little tacky, but easier.


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## Highbeam (Sep 15, 2010)

Big rigs emit their exhaust noise at very high heights. High enough to not soot up the front of there 12 foot trailers. The noise source being so high is not good for you.

I just planted arborviate this last weekend. 11 of them. Spacing is 30" on center for 100% screening. They were 13$ each and 5 feet tall. Nice plants that are good to -40 F. Sound reduction is a bonus. 

What kind of fence can you build up by the road?


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## Chargerman (Sep 16, 2010)

I will have to check on the ROW restrictions.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 16, 2010)

Bobbin said:
			
		

> . . .
> And it's not just motorcycles... the amount of noise motor vehicles create is really surprising.   But motorcycles are the worst, by far.
> 
> . . .
> My sympathies.  I live it and understand it.  AND, I'm a very vocal advocate for strictrer regulations on mufflers, esp. for motorcycles!



I'm not a motorcyclist, but I am an avid ATVer and snowmobiler and I run into folks on ATVs and sleds who sometimes think louder is better . . . for some reason they think it is either safer (ludicrous in my opinion) or think it offers better performance (which may be possible to some degree) . . . I hate 'em . . . mainly because one of the big reasons ATV/snowmobile trails get closed in my area are folks who can't stand the noise from the loud exhausts . . . me . . . the quieter the machines are the better . . .


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## billb3 (Sep 16, 2010)

I've planted  rows of arborvitae and hemlock and neither help very much with loud noise.

Privacy, dust and a way around a 6 foot fence height  limitation.


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## oldspark (Sep 16, 2010)

This might help a little.
http://www.agroforestry.net/overstory/overstory60.html


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## gpcollen1 (Sep 16, 2010)

Hemlocks grow pretty dense and are shade tolerant - way better than arborvitae.  You can top them at some point too and they will make a nice dense row.


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## benjamin (Sep 16, 2010)

Blue spruce or black hills spruce will usually grow faster and fuller than arbor vitae, and they're more drought tolerant.  Kinda depends on your soil and site, but I'd look into those.  I could give you an example to look at if you're near LaCrosse.


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## Delta-T (Sep 16, 2010)

looks like you have a challenge on your hands....if all else fails, put a toll booth out there on the street, collect $1 for each vehicle until the traffic finds a new route, then get one of those "weight limit 2 tons" signs and set that up. Problem solved. Good luck.


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## Jack Straw (Sep 16, 2010)

I don't think planting anything will help as much as you want, but  maybe its your only option. You need to plant something that will agree with your soil type. I have heavy wet clay and I have to plant trees that can grow in it (white pine seems to do well). Arborvities are good, but deer really like to eat them.


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## Chargerman (Sep 16, 2010)

I sat down last night outside admiring the woodpile and listened to the traffic noise trying to determine where most of the "noise" is. 

The exhaust actually seemed to be off in the distance to the back of the property more so than I thought. Probably not much going to stop that.

However, the tire noise right to the side of the house fades noticeably once the cars pass by where the property is elevated. The berm idea probably would be the best but it would be quite an undertaking and not very mower friendly or visually appealing. 

I think the windows will come first and then see how it goes. The bedrooms are the biggest issue at night with the old windows. The family room and living areas are pretty quiet overall because they adjoin the attached garage and lack windows on the highway side.


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## Highbeam (Sep 17, 2010)

I live beside a two lane road with a couple of deep and sharp dips that people love to speed through. Especially at night. Probably drunk. Damn kids. 

Anyway, the house had loose single pane windows when I moved in and the noise was pretty bad. I changed them all to modern double paned windows and the sound inside is very very reduced. We used to be able to hear the frogs croaking outside, not anymore. Now the only thing that we hear is the refrigerator. Partly you get used to the noise of the road, but the windows will help a lot.


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## Chargerman (Sep 18, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> I live beside a two lane road with a couple of deep and sharp dips that people love to speed through. Especially at night. Probably drunk. Damn kids.
> 
> Anyway, the house had loose single pane windows when I moved in and the noise was pretty bad. I changed them all to modern double paned windows and the sound inside is very very reduced. We used to be able to hear the frogs croaking outside, not anymore. Now the only thing that we hear is the refrigerator. Partly you get used to the noise of the road, but the windows will help a lot.



I think that is a lot of the problem. I can here crickets chirping and the next door neighbors talking outside with the windows shut. They are 40 year old single pane casement windows so they leave a lot to be desired.


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## Bobbin (Sep 18, 2010)

Arborvitae are wonderful plants and perfect screening candidates.  But, they require full sun for best growth and they are on the menu of deer.  Two varieties to look for in particular are:  Dark American and Technie; Emerald Green maintains a very columnar silhouette and will not fill in to provide a thick, bushy screen the way the first two varieties will.  They can be planted closely and trimmed/"hedged" or farther apart for a more natural look.  We've used Dark American as screening, opting for the more "natural" look... birds love them for the dense cover they provide.  Also, the more natural shape is more resistant to heavy, wet snow thrown back by passing snowplows. 

Hemlock is another great screening plant, it can be sheared and more formally hedged; they are tolerant of wetter sites and shade as mentioned above.  But, and this is a biggie in New England, they are now under seige by the Hemlock Woolly adelgid.  Infested trees succumb within a few years of infestation as it's difficult to contain, let alone eradicate.  Telltales signs are cotton-like patches on the boughs.  This pest is very, very bad news for this elegant tree.  

You can also use White Pine very effectively.  Like Hemlocks, they can be topped, sheared and trimmed to form a very pleasant screen/hedge without shading out adjacent plantings.  (and they smell great!).


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## EatenByLimestone (Sep 19, 2010)

Jack Straw said:
			
		

> I don't think planting anything will help as much as you want, but  maybe its your only option. You need to plant something that will agree with your soil type. I have heavy wet clay and I have to plant trees that can grow in it (white pine seems to do well). Arborvities are good, but deer really like to eat them.





There is nothing like a nice fresh row of Eastern White Cedar to bring in the deer.   

Matt


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