Would Resilient Channel Help

[mr_floam]

Okay, here's the deal. I recently purchased a home with a detached garage. My wife gave me the go-ahead to convert it into my own rehearsal/recording studio. After about 4 months of heavy research (including buying and reading Rod's book) I think I'm finally ready. I start getting ready to draw up and submit a design here when I learn that in my city it is illegal to convert the garage into anything other than parking. I spoke to the planning dept. and was told, very sternly, that converting the garage into a living space, which a studio would amount to, is a very serious offense. So now I'm a little pissed, but resigned. I cannot build a room within a room. Oh well. I am allowed to put up dyrwall and electrical, however. I just can't put a wall in front of the garage door. So my question is: Would hanging the drywall on resilient channel have any effect on the transmission to the outside? I know the sound is going to fly right through the garage door, no helping that. But would the rear and sides of the garage benefit at all? If I can at least lower the level to my rear neighbors I'd like to do that. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[spm_gl]

Can't you cheat with that door? Make it real heavy etc. and have a small additional door. You'd only have to open it if someone actually comes looking.

[tINY]

I'd just play in there - to hell with the neighbors when it's not late.

After a little while, talk to your neighbors and convert it on the down low. Just make sure it's easy to take out...

Or, you could look at industrial sound curtains.



-tINY

[mr_floam]

Originally Posted by tINY

I'd just play in there - to hell with the neighbors when it's not late.

After a little while, talk to your neighbors and convert it on the down low. Just make sure it's easy to take out...

Or, you could look at industrial sound curtains.



-tINY

Fortunately a lot of my neighbors play music, so I'm not too worried. I also don't want to push my luck, so I'm at least going to put up some drywall (it looks hideous without anyway). I don't think I've heard of industrial sound curtains.

[tINY]

Noise Control Barriers, Soundproofing Materials - All Noise Control, The Soundproofing Specialists


Easy up and down - not real cheap, though...



-tINY

[jwl]

Resilient channel will definitely help. It will decouple the drywall from the existing garage structure, creating a 2-leaf setup. Ideally, use 2 layers of drywall with greenglue between, mounted to the channel as described in Rod's book. Use insulation between the drywall and the existing studs of the garage. Seal everything up airtight and you'll have decent performance.

Dietrich Deluxe resilient channel has been getting lots of good hype lately, though I've never worked with it myself.

For even better performance, use RSIC clips with hat channel, as Rod shows in his book.

[spm_gl]

Originally Posted by mr_floam

I don't think I've heard of industrial sound curtains.

The one's I've seen looked like a thick shower curtain cut into overlapping strips. I don't know how cold it gets in your part of the world, you might want some form of insulation on the garage door anyway.

[mr_floam]

Originally Posted by jwl

Resilient channel will definitely help. It will decouple the drywall from the existing garage structure, creating a 2-leaf setup. Ideally, use 2 layers of drywall with greenglue between, mounted to the channel as described in Rod's book. Use insulation between the drywall and the existing studs of the garage. Seal everything up airtight and you'll have decent performance.

Dietrich Deluxe resilient channel has been getting lots of good hype lately, though I've never worked with it myself.

For even better performance, use RSIC clips with hat channel, as Rod shows in his book.

I know it would work if I had 4 walls. My question is if I only have 3 walls, due to the garage door, would it help. I can't make it airtight due to the garage door.

[mr_floam]

Originally Posted by spm_gl

The one's I've seen looked like a thick shower curtain cut into overlapping strips. I don't know how cold it gets in your part of the world, you might want some form of insulation on the garage door anyway.

It doesn't get too cold here in sunny California. It is an interesting idea. drywall on 3 walls and a sound curtain over the garage door. Would that at least lessen the amount of sound going out?

[spm_gl]

It will definitely help somewhat, but it's hard to predict just how much. I'd leave the option for later, first see just how bad your garage door is. If it's terrible, a curtain will help a bit, but perhaps not enough. If it's okay, a curtain will probably be enough. These curtains are intended to make industrial noise tolerable. Oh, and the drywall will help, keeping much of the sound out of the structure. But how's your roof?

[mr_floam]

The roof is in good shape. I was planning on insulating it and putting up a ceiling. I think you're right about leaving the door alone until I know for sure how bad my situation. I mean, you never know, one of my neighbors may end up being the owner of a major record label and he hears my band. History is made! 30 Grammys later, not touching the garage door was the best decision I ever made. Could happen, right?

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by mr_floam

The roof is in good shape. I was planning on insulating it and putting up a ceiling. I think you're right about leaving the door alone until I know for sure how bad my situation. I mean, you never know, one of my neighbors may end up being the owner of a major record label and he hears my band. History is made! 30 Grammys later, not touching the garage door was the best decision I ever made. Could happen, right?

Man, stranger things have *definitely* happened, especially in the music business. Besides, it's rock and roll. Screw the planning department, right?

I'd use the resilient channel...why not? It'll only help, though I agree with spm that the garage door will be the weak link for sure. If you have tolerant neighbors it won't really matter though.

Frank

[mr_floam]

Originally Posted by Weasel9992

Man, stranger things have *definitely* happened, especially in the music business. Besides, it's rock and roll. Screw the planning department, right?

I'd use the resilient channel...why not? It'll only help, though I agree with spm that the garage door will be the weak link for sure. If you have tolerant neighbors it won't really matter though.

Frank

I agree it couldn't hurt, but if it's not going to make a significant difference I'd rather use that money for acoustics. I'll definitely need bass trapping once the drywall goes up.

[jwl]

Yeah, it's def a case of the weakest link. It really depends on how much leakage there is with the door, ie, how much mass the door has, how well it seals up, etc etc.

[spm_gl]

Sealing is an option too. Try making it air-tight with a bit of rubber. Shouldn't cost too much, and will definitely improve isolation.

[mr_floam]

What about using a Drywall-Green Glue-Drywall setup? Instead of using RC, putting the Drywall directly on the studs? Would the Green Glue effectively decouple the 2 layers of drywall? Is that a good option for the walls?

[Tranny-Cap-Tube]

Here's the deal, build a wall just on the inside of the garage door and attach some hinges to it so it then becomes a very thick, heavy gate. it can open in or out, just as long as it can be demonstrated to open far enough for a small car to enter the garage. Once it is up, you can place neoprene, insulation or any foam barrier around it to get it air tight.

Use Z-channel, 2 layers of sheetrock, and lots of caulk on all 3 walls and parts of the gate. And don't forget to keep sound from going out the roof. BTW, stopping any loud low frequencies from getting through the walls is very tough, basicly takes a lot of mass and is not worth addressing in your situation.

Also, you need dampened ventilation/hvac.

When done properly, you should be able to get 60db of attenuation down to about 500hz. Attenuation drops drasticly below that.

[Mojo]

That's a great suggestion, but I doubt you'll need to go that far. Your state can't afford to pay the inspectors it supposedly employs. So long as you don't attempt to install plumbing, (not yet a capital crime, even in California)you should be okay with replacing the garage door with a wall, so long as you have a door wide enough to pass a motorcycle. (all this, presuming your neighbors are either not terribly inquisitive, or as interested as you in keeping the noise level down)