soundproofing for urban people

Listen to how Green Glue dampens noise Here's a newer video (very short) that demonstrates the audible difference between a hard material that wasn't dampened with Green Glue versus one that used Green Glue. It does reduce the sharp impact noise quite a bit. The Green Glue side sounds muted, while the non-Green Glue side rings like a chime. Think of how this could make a difference with walls, floors, and ceilings in your home.

Matt Risinger shows how Green Glue, cellulose insulation, and double drywall can make a quieter home in this YouTube video.

If you're having noise problems in your home or business, you can measure the decibel level with inexpensive apps on your iPhone or buy a decibel-reading device. I downloaded a free app from the App Store called "Decibels" and purchased an inexpensive one - with more features -- called "SPL Meter," but there's many to choose from (just search for "spl meter"). Basically these apps help you measure the decibel volume in your home when it's quiet, and again in different noise situations -- your neighbor's TV or stereo, the sound of cars and trucks outside your windows, the sound of barking dogs, crying babies, etc. [update, Dec 2013: see this review of 30 decibel-reader apps.] All rooms have a decibel level, even when you think you're sitting in silence. So let's say the dB level in your home is 40 when it's quiet, but increases to 60 when your adjacent neighbors watch TV on their home theatre system. What does this mean w

I found a new video for a product that seems to only be available in the UK thus far. It's called "QuietFloor Plus," and it combines a layer of foam with a layer of mass-loaded vinyl on either side -- like a sandwich. I can imagine it would indeed by effective under a carpet, if you can get your neighbor to agree to use carpets in the first place. I'd love to hear real-world results about this underlayment. Here's the webpage , for all you UK readers.

I always get excited when I see new YouTube videos about installation practices. If you're interested in going the route of wall clips, here's a new video about using Green Glue clips before installing new drywall. (They recommend, of course, adding a second layer of drywall with Green Glue afterwards). You'll forfeit an additional 1.5 inches of room depth on each side if you use this method. It would be helpful if they supplied before and after specs for room acoustics!

I notice that someone was searching for info on Wi-Fi signals and QuietRock. My Wi-Fi router is in a room and all four walls are covered with QuietRock. I've had no problems. I use the wireless signal in other rooms and stream music from the QuietRock room to stereo speakers in another room. If anyone finds a data sheet on this, please let me know, and I'll link to it here. Meanwhile, since I can't find any videos to illustrate Wi-Fi and soundproof drywall, here's a quick video from Geek Slant on installing double-drywall with Green Glue to block a neighbor's TV noise.

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