Noise control shrubs
#1
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Noise control shrubs
My home is in PIttsburgh and adjacent to a busy 4-lane street. My lot sits ~10 ft above the road and 20 feet off of the road. I have a 6 ft tall fence.
I'm considering either replacing the fence with an 8 ft fence or replacing with a 6 ft fence and adding shrubs to block the noise. I only seems to find Arbor Vitae that is supposed to grow to 20 ft, which I think is a bit too tall... Can anyone recommend a plant for my space? I also don't have a very big lot on the inside of the fence and I don't want to lose more than 4-5 ft.
I'm considering either replacing the fence with an 8 ft fence or replacing with a 6 ft fence and adding shrubs to block the noise. I only seems to find Arbor Vitae that is supposed to grow to 20 ft, which I think is a bit too tall... Can anyone recommend a plant for my space? I also don't have a very big lot on the inside of the fence and I don't want to lose more than 4-5 ft.
#2
Forum Topic Moderator
You might want to go by a nursery and discuss it with them. They'd know which shrubs would work best for you, might even suggest something not thought of. You can always trim bushes down to the desired height as needed although that does mean more work.
#3
Having lived next to a busy road with a big greenbelt between the road and house I can tell you shrubs and trees are not going to make much of a difference.
Any kind of fence will certainly do more, just like the big walls they install next to freeways!
Any kind of fence will certainly do more, just like the big walls they install next to freeways!
#4
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I agree that there isn't much that shrubbery can do in that short a distance. Your best bet would be a physical barrier similar to what you see lining freeways to contain the noise. A tall solid, substantial fence.
#5
Member
Because you are 10 foot higher than the road......noise may never go away. If you were 10 foot lower.....maybe shrubs or something could help. 4-5 feet of width to plant something.... is not much. Is there a height restriction on fences ?
#6
Member
Another aspect of noise control is to redirect the sound. A flat fence may just pass a lot of the sound along in its original direction. When you look at some interstate fences they will often be built with sections at an angle to the road. That angle can also be pointed up where no one lives and there is nothing to bounce it back down, unless the lord gets tired of the noisy traffic.
Bud
Bud