Soundproofing: green glue + drywall or other?

[Rod Gervais]

Before anyone can (really) answer this they would need more information.........

Is this just a jam space - or a recording environment?

Are you going to be practicing with a violin in the space or playing heavy metal at 120dB?

Without understanding your requirements we can't assess your needs.......

Your outer wall layer seems to be missing something - there must be some sort of sheathing behind those shingles - be it boards or plywood... shingles cannot be installed over air - and unless the studs are only inches apart from one another there is nothing behind the shingles to fasten them to based on your description.

Regardless, your contractor's suggestion is a bad one......... you should never leave "little gaps" between layers of mass.

Personally I never use "iso drywall" products - they are too expensive to make the huge additional costs for the materials, versus the small isolation gains they provide, make any sense.

Rod

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Rod Gervais

Before anyone can (really) answer this they would need more information.........

Is this just a jam space - or a recording environment?

Are you going to be practicing with a violin in the space or playing heavy metal at 120dB?

Without understanding your requirements we can't assess your needs.......

Your outer wall layer seems to be missing something - there must be some sort of sheathing behind those shingles - be it boards or plywood... shingles cannot be installed over air - and unless the studs are only inches apart from one another there is nothing behind the shingles to fasten them to based on your description.

Regardless, your contractor's suggestion is a bad one......... you should never leave "little gaps" between layers of mass.

Personally I never use "iso drywall" products - they are too expensive to make the huge additional costs for the materials, versus the small isolation gains they provide, make any sense.

Rod

Rod: thanks so much for the reply and sorry for the lack of specificity.

* I did forget the sheathing, which is ironic since I installed it myself a couple of months ago. The wall is:

cedar shingles -> 2x tar paper -> sheathing or T1-11 siding (it varies) -> cellulose or batts and studs -> drywall -> paint

* Space is for recording, mostly loud electric guitars but also quiet acoustic instruments. No permanent drums, but I do record and monitor drums (loops) fairly loud.

* Band / jam setting should be possible but will be the exception, not the rule.

[Sebg]

Well, it really depends on how much "soundproofing" you need. Is it a quiet neighbourhood? How far is the nearest receiver that could be bothered by noise emission from the room?

Also, it will be necessary to address the roof-ceiling as well, so what height is there and what is the existing construction?

[Rod Gervais]

OK - so the next set of questions would would then be this:

Is the space a room in your house - or an outbuilding located on the property.

If in the house - where in the house, and what space is directly above it?

If an outbuilding - how far from the house?


How far is the space that will house the room from the road - from the property lines, from neighboring properties?

Are you locate in the woods - in the center of a quiet town - in the center of a city that never sleeps?

Rod

[HermanV]

How about the doors and windows? ceiling height?

[rogthefrog]

* Is it a quiet neighbourhood? Are you locate in the woods - in the center of a quiet town - in the center of a city that never sleeps?

Yes, mostly. Residential, but half a block from the town's main street, which gets some traffic. It's still very quiet leafy suburbia, though, so the most noise we get is the occasional Harley Davidson or ambulance. My front yard has 5 huge trees in it, which helps cut down on the noise getting to the house. The studio is in the back yard (so it's street -> trees -> house -> studio).

* How far is the space that will house the room from the road

100+ ft from any road. It's in the far back of the house.

* If an outbuilding - how far from the house?

Separate structure from the house, about 10 feet in the back. Two of the structure's walls are on the property line, with one set of neighbors at the back and one set on the right.

* How far is the nearest receiver that could be bothered by noise emission from the room?

Right wall is on the property line with the neighbor's backyard. Their house is about 30 feet away from the front of the studio.

* The roof-ceiling as well, so what height is there? What is the existing construction?

The ceiling is 10 ft in most of the studio and 9 ft in the entryway. It's drywall on joists. There's no actual roof, just marine plywood with a thin waterproofing coat on it (it used to be a roof deck).

* How about the doors and windows?

Door is 30 x 76 outswing with glass panels. I'm having it replaced with a solid inswing door but could use some suggestions there (I haven't picked the door yet). Two windows, cheap aluminum, 45 x 36 each. I have a quote From Soundproof Windows Inc to install inner windows inside the existing windows and reglaze the current windows.

Thanks for any advice, guys.

[Ted White]

Generally you'll be looking to decouple the framing, and add a lot of damped mass.

Remove drywall, set up a new framing point either by using clips & Channels or a separate stud wall.

Then double 5/8" drywall with a squirt of damping compound.

After you have the bunker built, you'll turn your attention to the holes in the bunker. Outlets, ventilation, doors and windows are most common.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Ted White

Generally you'll be looking to decouple the framing, and add a lot of damped mass.

Remove drywall, set up a new framing point either by using clips & Channels or a separate stud wall.

Then double 5/8" drywall with a squirt of damping compound.

After you have the bunker built, you'll turn your attention to the holes in the bunker. Outlets, ventilation, doors and windows are most common.

Thanks. "A squirt of damping compound" = what exactly? Do you mean Green Glue or something equivalent? I watched their installation videos and it looks like you need a lot more than "a squirt."

I'm new to this so I appreciate the advice.

[Ted White]

Generally people install 1, 2 or 3 tubes of Green Glue per 4x8 sheet. 3 tubes is a waste and I highly recommend not using that much, despite the recommendations of dealers selling it. 2 is plenty