Need help/suggestions for sound proofing a room

[thebunk]

hey all,

I am currently building a music room of sorts in my basement. It is going to be used mostly for listening to music but also for the odd jam and maybe enve a little recording. It is a 15x13 room and so far I only have it framed (2x6) and all electrical has been run. I am nearing the stage where I need to decide what I am going to do for a ceiling and how to soundproof it along withthe ceilings.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[fish]

I think Mal will be able to give you some pointers. He's just nearing completion of a similiar project.

[Malcolm Boyce]

This site has lots of info that can help you get where you want.

http://www.owenscorning.com/quietzone/quietzone.asp

If you need any other more specific advice, you know where we are.

[thebunk]

Thanks for the link though I guess I should been more specific. here are the questions I am currently faced with.

1) Ceiling - the room is directly beneath my kitchen and I want to insulate it (the ceiling as much as possible). I was thinking of just putting strapping on the joists, insulating with regular pink insulation and then putting up drywall. Is this the right method\approach? I am not 100% that this is the best approach. Any suggestions?

2) Door - I know I need at a minimum a solid wood door but have seen some sites suggest that I should buy an outside door and some of even suggest using both. What did you do?

3) Walls - I only have two walls going out into the rest of the basement, the other two are directly against the foundation. As I mentioned, I have 2x6 up, and I am not sure if I should double up on the pink insulation, or use 1 layer of pink, then some sort of accoustical wall material and leave some air space and then put up the drywall. Suggestions?

[Malcolm Boyce]

Thanks for the link though I guess I should been more specific. here are the questions I am currently faced with.

1) Ceiling - the room is directly beneath my kitchen and I want to insulate it (the ceiling as much as possible). I was thinking of just putting strapping on the joists, insulating with regular pink insulation and then putting up drywall. Is this the right method\approach? I am not 100% that this is the best approach. Any suggestions?

"Regular pink" insulation isn't what you want. See on the Owenscorning site: Acoustic Batts insulation. Then construct as you suggest, strapping with drywall. If it's in the budget go with layered 5/8" under 1/2" drywall.

2) Door - I know I need at a minimum a solid wood door but have seen some sites suggest that I should buy an outside door and some of even suggest using both. What did you do?

An outside door will give you more of a seal, including the threshold. A solid interior door is a less ugly option, and can be weather sealed to provide a good barrier. Either way, any door is a sound leak.

3) Walls - I only have two walls going out into the rest of the basement, the other two are directly against the foundation. As I mentioned, I have 2x6 up, and I am not sure if I should double up on the pink insulation, or use 1 layer of pink, then some sort of accoustical wall material and leave some air space and then put up the drywall. Suggestions?

Since you already have the walls up, it's probably too late to suggest staggered studs. This employs twice as many 2x4 studs as a standard wall, on a 2x6 top and bottom plate. The studs only connect to one side of the wall, then the other, to separate the two surfaces acoustically. It is the simplest, and most effective way to separate rooms. Then fill the space with the aforementioned OC Acoustic Batt insulation. If you already have the walls up, use the insulation, and layer drywall as in the ceiling. I would suggest if you only have the budget for one side of the wall, double the drywall on the side where the noise will be generated. Regardless of the wall construction, layered drywall will give you a greater barrier.

If the outside walls are against the foundation, you shouldn't need any special treatment. Standard fiberglass and drywall will be enough over the concrete wall.

Standard fiberglass will not have the acoustic value of the Owens Corning Acoustic product, but it will have some.

The purpose of doubling the drywall is to add mass to the structure, which is the only thing that will impede the low frequency content. In some construction, where cost is no object, they will layer drywall, MDF, and then drywall for an extra heavy barrier.

If you dig into that Owens Corning site it shows lots of info on wall construction like I mentioned. It really is chocked full of good stuff.

[Alain Benoit]

The purpose of doubling the drywall is to add mass to the structure, which is the only thing that will impede the low frequency content.

The purpose of doubling drywall whilst using different thicknesses is to reduce conductance through sympathetic vibrations.

[Malcolm Boyce]

The purpose of doubling drywall whilst using different thicknesses is to reduce conductance through sympathetic vibrations.

Yes. Different thicknesses and different materials are the ticket. Some folks are using "KB" board as an alternative to the inside layer of drywall. This is somewhat effective in decoupling the drywall from the wall structure, but lacks the mass of drywall. The "KB" board is an insulator as well, which is good for exterior walls.

[Alain Benoit]

I know of no better material than Quiet Rock tm.
A single layer of properly installed Quiet Rock QR-545 can achieve an STC of up to 80. The only THX certified drywall, its score, snap and hang ease of use make it prime studio wall construction material.

[Malcolm Boyce]

I know of no better material than Quiet Rock

BIG $$$!!!

[Malcolm Boyce]

Just remembered this thread and thought I'd add in an update.

Installed three Masonite "Safe'n Sound" doors as part of the basement/studio upgrade. http://www.masonite.com/DEMO/template3.asp?df_id=MPANEL

Specs show that the "door" construction has a better STC rating than any of their basic exterior doors by a long shot. This, above and beyond being a more attractive match to the other interior doors. A raised threshold, and sweep installed on the bottom of the doors, as well as some basic weather stripping easily attached, and you have some pretty decent separation for a reasonable cost.

The "Safe'n Sounds" that I bought were just slightly less than double a basic pre hung interior, but as you can imagine, serious heavy duty construction compared to the standard hollow box. The STC is better than a solid pine door as well because of the engineered/layered construction I would presume.

We've not heard back from Bunk, so I don't know what he's done with his project.