soundproofing for urban people

This is an old post from 2010, which I've left here in the blog, but updated it a little. I had run across some videos from the Geek Group , and they were hard at work building a sound studio earlier in 2010. In this video, Chris describes how they affixed drywall to the original cinderblock walls of their space. I don't necessarily agree with some of their processes (didn't they read my multiple blog posts about Green Glue?), but they've been attaching wood strips to the cinderblock with glue, then adding resilient channel strips from Auralex, and then attaching drywall to the strips. However, he confessed that they're not adding insulation behind the wall because of their budget. But they were going to caulk between the pieces of drywall and add a second layer of gypsum (drywall) on top of the the first wall, placing the second layer in the opposite direction so that the seams don't line up. To see the older Geek Group videos, check out the National

Can you block noise by adding mass? That depends on the situation. What kind of noise? How does the noise travel? What materials will you use, and how will you apply them? This 2008 article from " Sound on Sound ," explains that sound "cannot be destroyed: it can only be converted into another form of energy." While some sounds are airborne and can easily be blocked, you might still hear lower-frequency sounds passing through on the other side. This is because the energy from sound waves makes the walls vibrate, and this creates more energy. Does adding mass help? Yes. Will mass solve all your noise issues? Possibly not. You might also need to address other characteristics of the space by adding sound absorption inside the rooms, or by decoupling the floors, ceilings, or walls from the structure to keep the sound (energy) from passing into it. Let's look at a couple of examples. Example 1: Interior doors Many American homes feature hollow-core interi

This video is readily available on YouTube. In my own experience the QuietRock -- on its own, as replacement drywall -- stopped neighbor conversation at normal volumes and muted TV at normal volumes. Even with the best drywall, a loud stereo with lots of bass might produce soft thumps, and direct impact against a neighboring wall (hammering, door slamming, etc.) might still come  through. But the noise is significantly reduced. One thing to consider in some instances: if you only soundproof the wall, but not your ceiling or your floor, some noise might come through in those untreated areas. I agree that most construction -- at least in the USA -- is done cheaply without insulation and by using ordinary gypsum nailed right on the studs. I'm amazed when I see construction sites and see ordinary drywall getting unloaded!

When noise becomes a low frequency vibration... I made this short video with my mobile phone to show how an airborne noise (the buzz from my mobile phone when it's set to "vibrate") becomes a loud, intrusive noise when it makes direct contact with a wood surface. This is the same way that simple impact noises like walking, opening and closing doors and drawers, or even the bass from your stereo or home theatre system can go into the walls and transmit to your neighbors or to other rooms in your home. I placed different materials underneath the phone while it was buzzing on top of the wood table. You can hear how each of them (even the thin sheet of cork) make a difference in reducing the noise transmission through the wood. One point: while I was recording this, I noticed that QuietRock (being the "hardest" of the surfaces) still transmitted a tiny bit of vibration to the wood beneath it, while at the same time dampening the buzz. That's an example of

Create an angle to reduce the "bounce" This short video from eHow  / ExpertVillage Leaf Group shows how to build an effective, soundproof window in a recording studio. You'll learn how angling a surface (rather than using straight, 90-degree connections) helps to reduce sound transmission. Notice how the glass for this studio window is inserted at a slight angle. This is a terrific lesson on sound transmission.

How to apply Green Glue to drywall This YouTube video is from AcoustiGuard  and it demonstrates how to apply Green Glue to drywall. They make an important point: stagger the seams when you add your second layer of drywall (the one with Green Glue on the back of it). Also, as I've said before, if you can get your hands on some QuietRock 510 to use as your second layer of drywall, even better! Otherwise just use 5/8" sheetrock. But if you're not removing the existing sheetrock that's on your walls, you'll get better results if your second layer is soundproof drywall, with a layer of Green Glue in between.

This Matt Risinger video shows the results -- six months later -- of an interior remodeling job. Matt applied soundproofing to a master bedroom that's back-to-back with a bathroom. Result: You can't hear the radio playing in the bathroom, even though it's close to the headboard of the bed on the other side of the wall. NOTE: I think the wall also has insulation and Homasote in it.

If you're interested in learning how to install Genie clips for a decoupled ceiling or a wall with resilient channels, this video shows how to plan for -- and properly install -- the clips. The original video that I embedded in this post must have been taken down, but I found a British video that's equally informative. <

This Green Glue Company video shows how to apply a layer of Green Glue to gypsum board in this video.

Good vibrations? Many of you have probably seen this video already, but I can confirm that even using the Kellett Shake Away pads make a huge difference in reducing the noise from your laundry machine when it goes into the spin cycle. This 2010 video makes the case that the Good Vibrations pads are even more effective than the Kellett pads (which you can easily buy at large retailers like Best Buy). But you should have one or the other under the feet of your laundry machine! It seems crazy that these products aren't better known, or sold automatically as an up-sell with every new machine. Note from 2018: there are newer products on the market that prevent "walking," such as these laundry-machine "pucks" from Green World , which you can find on Amazon.

Resilient channels Some of you might be thinking of installing a suspended (or "floating") ceiling with resilient channels to reduce sound transmission between upstairs and downstairs floors. If you go this route and go to the expense and trouble of demolition and remodeling -- or you're building new construction -- make sure that you affix the channels properly to the wood framing. Improper installation can create a "fail" that continues to allow noise transmission between floors. These illustrations on the UK website "Sound Service" shows a close up of how the resilient channel should be attached to wood floor joists. Attaching them so that they flex away from the wood framing reduces vibration that typically transfers from floor to floor, and this is what's meant by the term "floating." This PDF from Buildsite offers a spec sheet of how to install a resilient channel, but with no illustrations. Added in 2023 : This YouTube video from