Soundproof Windows for an Apartment Building — Highway and Rail Noise
Units facing the freeway or the rail line turn over faster, tenants complain about trucks at night, and the owner wants to know what new windows will actually change.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
Soundproof windows for an apartment building are not fully soundproof, but they cut highway and rail noise in units that face it. JMB Builders orders laminated or sound-control glass where the line offers it, favors casement and awning styles that compress shut, and seals the gap around every frame. Units on the noisy elevation first, across the Twin Cities metro to St. Cloud. Priced per opening. Photo reply within one business day, or a free walkthrough.
- Priced per opening, noisy elevation first
- Sound-control glass where the line offers it
- Every frame gap foamed and sealed
Noise gets into a unit through the glass, through gaps around the frame and sash, and through the walls, vents and wall sleeves. New windows deal with the first two. An old aluminum slider with worn weatherstrip and a gap behind the trim lets in more noise than its glass alone, so a tight install matters as much as the glass.
On the glass side, several lines offer sound options: Andersen lists sound-reducing glass on the 100 Series, Pella lists sound-control glass on Impervia, and laminated glass can be ordered on Andersen's E-Series. On the frame side, casement and awning sash pull tight against the weatherstrip when locked, which usually seals better than a slider. Around every frame we fill the gap with low-expansion foam and seal inside and out.
We do not promise decibel numbers. The manufacturer's sound rating for the ordered unit is on its documentation, and the result in a unit depends on walls and vents too. Before we bid, we check the city's contractor licensing and permit rules for that building.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- Which elevations and units face the noise
- Tenant complaints by unit, if you track them
- Tenant notice and unit access for measure and install
- A decision on painting new interior trim, quoted as its own line
What JMB supplies
- An in-person measure of every opening on the noisy side
- A bid by unit and opening with standard and sound glass priced
- Lines that offer sound-control or laminated glass in each style
- Casement or awning where the opening and egress allow
- Low-expansion foam and sealant around every frame
- Certificate of insurance and W-9 on request
How it is priced: per opening
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Sound-control or laminated glass versus standard Low-E
- Which units and elevations are included
- Style change from slider to casement or awning
- Full frame versus insert at each opening
- Window size and weight of the glass
- Upper floors that need staging
Send photos of the elevation that faces the road or rail, one typical window inside and out, and a list of units with noise complaints.
How long it takes
Lead time depends on the brand and glass and is written on the quote. Once windows arrive, a unit typically takes one to two working days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Soundproof Windows for an Apartment Building — Highway and Rail Noise: questions, answered
Can windows make an apartment soundproof?
No window makes a unit soundproof. New windows with sound-control glass and a sealed install cut the noise that comes through the glass and around the frame. Noise through walls, vents and wall sleeves is a separate path that windows do not fix.
What kind of window glass reduces highway noise?
Laminated glass and the sound-control or sound-reducing glass packages some manufacturers offer. Andersen lists sound-reducing glass on the 100 Series, Pella lists sound-control glass on Impervia, and laminated glass can be ordered on Andersen's E-Series. We price it per opening next to standard glass.
Should we replace windows on the whole building or only the side facing the highway?
Many owners start with the elevation that faces the road or rail, because those units have the complaints. Ordering the noisy side with sound glass and the rest with standard glass in the same line keeps the building looking the same from outside.
Are casement windows quieter than sliders in an apartment?
Usually. A casement or awning sash pulls tight against its weatherstrip when locked, while a slider's sash slides past its seals. Bedroom windows still have to meet egress, so a style change is checked at each opening before it is ordered.
What sound rating will the new apartment windows have?
Ratings are set by the manufacturer for each unit and glass package, and we pass along what is published for the units ordered. We do not promise a decibel drop in a unit, because walls, vents and the building affect the result.
Can you add laminated glass to the existing apartment windows instead?
Most existing sash cannot take a thicker laminated glass unit, and old frames leak around the sash anyway. Replacing the window lets the glass, the sash seal and the frame seal all be done together.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All apartment buildings pages
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