One way to soundproof a ceiling

This video (from Hush Soundproofing in New York) talks about how they soundproof a ceiling. The original video I inserted in this post in 2009 no longer exists, so I've edited this post to include this clear and helpful explanation from 2021.

Their process involves multiple materials and processes for addressing noise. They remove the drywall that's already on the ceiling and spray any gaps they find inside the open cavity to seal them (pipes, etc.). Then they insert two layers of sheetrock between the joists, against the subfloor upstairs, combining it with mass-loaded vinyl (MLV).

Like most soundproofing experts these days, they use Roxul Safe 'N Sound insulation and they also use Rockwool Comfort Board. Then they attach a resilient channel to the joists (to keep the new drywall from touching the joists), and attach a layer of drywall to the resilient channel with more MLV.

I would have used QuietRock drywall instead of regular drywall, because it's already dampened, but I think their use of MLV in multiple layers might make this unnecessary. They must be getting good results, because they've got happy customers in New York, which is a very noisy city!

(edited this post in 2023)

Comments

Two layers of drywall and Green Glue

Another YouTube video: layering drywall I have to admit: I never get tired of seeing other people's soundproofing videos. Here's a video from Acoustical Surfaces that shows two guys building a wall out of 2x4s and insulating them with cotton batts, and then layering two sheets of drywall over each side. They make sure not to overlap the seams between the two layers, and they use two tubes of Green Glue on each 4x8 sheet of drywall. We don't get to hear the results, but if I were them, I might have either staggered the wall studs (since they were building the wall from scratch), or put soundproofing green tape (aka " joist tape ") on every other stud to keep the first layer of drywall from touching the wood (a "fake" staggered wall).

Combining QuietRock and Green Glue together

Two great products work great together. As I've mentioned before, I'm experimenting around with ways to reduce some of the noise problems in my apartment on a tight budget. I think I've found the best combination to date: adding a layer of QuietRock 510 over an existing layer of gypsum drywall with a layer of Green Glue inbetween. This was sort of the best of both worlds: taking a pre-made, sound-dampened drywall and then adding it over a powerful, viscous layer of glue....onto drywall that was already on the wall studs. No demo needed. In this project, I basically added two sound-dampening layers to the original 1950s drywall (one layer in the QuietRock and the other layer created by the Green Glue) to address " flanking noise ": feet, furniture, and shoes pounding on the bare floor of my downstairs neighbors' apartment. The amount of banging, bashing, and foot-stomping sounds coming from their very "wooden" apartment has been severe, and I...

How to measure decibels with the NIOSH sound level meter app

For a quick lesson on how to use the NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) app to measure decibels and noise, check out my latest Soundproofist video. This handy app is free, although only available for iOS devices right now. It's a great app to use if you want to measure average and maximum noise levels with either A-weighted or C-weighted decibels. You can save each measurement as a report. Learn more about measuring noise and about soundproofing from Soundproofist . Download the free NIOSH app from the App Store and learn more about it from this CDC documentation .

soundproofing for urban people

Search This Blog