soundproofing for urban people

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.