soundproofing the basement

[archive]

From: "Sean Roberts" <krazydog@x?????xxxx.xxx
Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 3:31 am
Subject: soundproofing the basement

Hellow everyone
I just joined the list,
please forgive me if this has been brought up
a zillion times as I'm sure it has! ;-)

I recently refinished a basement room for my personal project studio.
Well it's more of a songwriting hang out avec VS880.
(dimensions 12X17X6,4)
I'd like to do something about the sound transferring through the ceiling to
the upper level.
As it stands right now, the ceiling is very thin slats of wood (about 1/8")
butted up against
each other. (cracks galore)
Then empty space & hard wood floors above.

I'm thinking just stuffing Roxsull in the gaps & getting some type of decent
acoustic tile for the ceiling.
I'd like to keep it under $500 if possible, rather spend the dough on gear.
My main problem is the bass leakage to the top floor while my wife is
sleeping.
Also if I'm working on stuff while the kids are playing above it really
rattles down through.
If I could tame the ceiling transfer it would make a huge difference.
My house is pretty old & built very solid. The sound doesn't travel as bad
as the newer
homes! Also to my advantage is I don't have furnace ducks which are a
basement musicians
worst nightmare! <G>

Any comments would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks
Sean Roberts

[archive]

From: SRF7@x??x.xxx
Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 5:09 am
Subject: Re: soundproofing the basement

In a message dated 1/5/00 10:34:59 PM Eastern Standard Time,
krazydog@s... writes:

snip happened

>(dimensions 12X17X6,4)
> I'd like to do something about the sound transferring through the ceiling to
> the upper level.
> As it stands right now, the ceiling is very thin slats of wood (about 1/8")
> butted up against
> each other. (cracks galore)
> Then empty space & hard wood floors above.

> I'm thinking just stuffing Roxsull in the gaps & getting some type of decent
> acoustic tile for the ceiling.
> I'd like to keep it under $500 if possible, rather spend the dough on gear.
> My main problem is the bass leakage to the top floor while my wife is
> sleeping.

You budget is about $2.50 per SF and you've got zero head clearance
to work with.

So ...

Rip out enough of the existing ceiling slat boards to allow you to fit cheap
(thin batts) of fiberglass insulation between the floor joists. Then put up
strips of something cushy on 24" centers (like strips of carpet pad).

Cover all that with two sheets of 5/8" drywall.

Get a few tubes of acoustic caulk and caulk every seam and around
the edges. Shoot that caulk around like that ceiling is the bottom of
your life boat.

Cheap, thin, might reduce transfer by 20 dB or more if you caulk it well.

The fiberglass need not be particularly thick its there mainly to fight cavity
resonance. The strips of carpet pad help mechanically decouple the new
ceiling from the existing floor system. The two layers of drywall are to
add mass to the barrier, and the caulk (very important) is to provide a
flexible airtight seal.

If your current budget (and ambition) allows or If you want to beef it up
later when you have more $$$ add resilient channel and a third layer
of DW.

Scott R. Foster

[archive]

From: perrault@x????xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 11:54 pm
Subject: soundproofing the basement

>,,,,I'd like to do something about the sound transferring through the ceiling
to
>the upper level.As it stands right now, the ceiling is very thin slats of wood
(about 1/8")
>butted up against each other. (cracks galore) Then empty space & hard wood
floors above.
>,,,,,,
>Sean Roberts

I think you could put up Resilient Channels, Roxsul between the
joists, 5/8 DW, 3/4 particle board, 5/8 DW for about $600 if you do it
yourself. The tricky part is getting the first two layers into the
RC-1 without getting any screws into the joists. The last layer is
easy. Use lots of silicone and stagger the joints.

The bear of it all is that you may still get some bass into the house
through the walls, which, I'm guessing, you want to leave as-is. The
heavy ceiling will make a big difference, though.

DP

[archive]

From: "Mucha, Kevin S (Kevin)" <kmucha@x???xx.xxxx
Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 5:04 pm
Subject: RE: soundproofing the basement

Will RC hold that much weight, especially on the ceiling?

Kevin S. Mucha
Coerce Recording Services

[archive]

From: "Sean Roberts" <krazydog@x?????xxxx.xxx
Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 6:00 pm
Subject: Re: soundproofing the basement

Where do you get resilient channels & acoustic caulk?
I'm wondering about reflection issues with a DW ceiling?
Should I put something a little absorbent up as well?

As far as the walls go....
I'll probably do something to them after the ceiling.
Right now 2 are the concrete foundation,
1 is a small wall area with double french doors.
& the last is still open on the other side.

sean

[archive]

From: "Mucha, Kevin S (Kevin)" <kmucha@x???xx.xxxx
Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 6:19 pm
Subject: RE: soundproofing the basement

If you are in the States you can get them at any Home Depot, not sure
Internationally. For caulk I usually look for the non-hardening with a 20
or 30 year guarantee. It couldn't hurt putting some absorption but perhaps
dispersion may be better. I'm sure someone on the list knows better than I.
This most likely would run you over your budget though.

Kevin S. Mucha

Coerce Recording Services

[archive]

From: perrault@x????xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Sat Jan 8, 2000 10:33 am
Subject: Re: soundproofing the basement

>Will RC hold that much weight, especially on the ceiling?
>
>Kevin S. Mucha
>Coerce Recording Services

That's a VERY good question.

The designer of my room specified them for this load. Maybe I'm lucky
I didn't do as he specified <g>.

This reccomendation to Sean, though, was based on him having a
somewhat airtight space. With one wall open I don't think this sort
of work makes much sense.

Kevin raises an interesting safety issue with any work done. Imagine
if that ceiling failed at once. If the whole thing came crashing
down... Too heavy. No one checked the numbers.

DP

[archive]

From: Jon Best <jrbest@x???xx.xxxx
Date: Sat Jan 8, 2000 11:59 pm
Subject: Re: soundproofing the basement

I think if you need to do a ceiling, then you may be better off just framing in
a set of 2x6's
for a new ceiling, jutting up in between the old ceiling/first floor joists.

Like this (joists end on);

1st floor floor> ___________________________
|| || || ||
||
|| || || || || || ||
|| ||
|| || || || || || ||
|| ||
New ceiling> ___||______||______||______||_____

Run some insulation in there first, and the whole thing shouldn't lose you more
than a couple of
inches. Best thing to do would be to support it on it's own walls, floated off
the floor with
something like architectural rubber, loaded vinyl, or some such, but it'd also
do some good just
hanging on the existing walls. Compromise might be resting on 2x4's flat
against the existing
wall, but separated from it by something like the above and only liquid nailed.
One layer 3/4"
MDF and one layer thick drywall, IMO. Certainly a better support than
resilient channel, and
more isolated from the next floor to boot.

Jon Best
Sales Weasel From Mars

[archive]

From: Jon Best <jrbest@x???xx.xxxx
Date: Sun Jan 9, 2000 4:13 pm
Subject: Re: soundproofing the basement

Well, that particular diagram didn't work. Sorry.

:)

Jon Best
Sales Weasel From Mars

[archive]

From: Bill Thompson <Bill@x????????xxxxxxx.xxxx
Date: Sun Jan 9, 2000 7:30 pm
Subject: Re: Re: soundproofing the basement

Hi Jon,

I've been wrestling with the sound-proofing of a basement for several months
now, and I was sorta
headed in the direction you described, but just couldn't find a way to do it
without losing too much
height! Your idea is very good!!! I'll still be stuffing the existing spaces
with insulation to try
to kill some airbourne noise, and I'll probably still put some additional mass
between the joists (I
was considering Duroc... until I saw the price tag<G>), but I really like the
offset design you
described to preserve height!

>From previous "experiments" I have found that a new ceiling provides the best
isolation. In the past
I have usually mounted the ceiling firmly to the walls, and floated the walls.
I'm not sure if there
would be an advantage to floating the ceiling as well, but I am going to think
about it.

Thanks,

Bill

[archive]

From: Dan Nelson <dprimary@x??????xxxxx.xxxx
Date: Sun Jan 9, 2000 11:29 pm
Subject: Re: soundproofing the basement

RC is designed to only support 2 sheets of 5/8 inch drywall according to US
gypsum.

It's better to mount the additional layers directly on the joists then attach
the RC and the last 2 layers.

What is Roxsul?

Dan Nelson

[archive]

From: perrault@x????xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Tue Jan 11, 2000 9:18 am
Subject: soundproofing the basement

>What is Roxsul?
>
>Dan Nelson

Sound insulation. That sort of off-green coloured stuff, sometimes
called rock wool. Roxsul is the product name here in Canada

What I don't understand about this stuff is how it has such a low
(almost none) R value.

DP