Residential sound deadening for walls

[masraum]

Folks, anyone have any experience with trying to block sounds in your home walls, whether from the outside or between rooms or.... We live near a busy road that creates a fair amount of mostly white noise, and would like to make some changes (while we're in there) to isolate the inside of the house from some of that noise. We're going to start when we do/finish the bathroom that we're currently working on.

I've read about a bunch of options. Quietrock is a sound deadening sheetrock. There are roll$$ of stuff that you can put on studs before you attach sheetrock. There is rockwool/insulation with sound deadening properties. I also understand that you can get "green glue" and double layer sheetrock.

My understanding is that among other things you want mass to absorb sound. Most residential sheetrock these days is 1/2" and is "light." I guess the light weight stuff is popular because it's easier to work with. 1/2" is about 40-45#. Then there's 5/8" X/Fire code sheetrock that weighs 70# per sheet. Or 1/2" quietrock also weighs about 70# per 4x8 sheet. The quiet rock is supposed to be more effective than things like doubling up because it's 2 layers with an acoustic dampening layer in between.

The cheap, residential quietrock is $56/4x8 sheet at Lowes, and is supposedly more effective than double stacked drywall.
The green glue (to double up standard sheetrock) is ~$250.
HD has rolles of acoustic material that would get installed between studs and drywall. It's $100/roll and the rolls are 4'x10'.

Has anyone done any sound proofing?

What did you use?

How effective did you think it was?

If you were doing it again, what would you do differently?

Thanks!

[Bill Douglas]

The Rockwool will make a huge difference. And the "soundproof" sheetrock makes a bit of a difference, in my experiance.

[wilnj]

Start with your windows. Spending money on the drywall and insulation won’t help if the windows are allowing the noise through.

[look 171]

Yep, your windows. I think if you use sound board, insulate, and 5/8 drywall will cut out a of white noise but your windows are letting most of the noise through.

[masraum]

Interesting. Good info folks. Windows more than walls. A quick search turns up that you can get acoustic window inserts. The one place that I found shows that they charge $30/sqft for standard inserts and $39/sqft for "performance" inserts. That would put one of the bathroom windows at $370 or $480.

I suppose I can see what it would run to get acoustic IGUs for our frames if that's possible.

[Gogar]

One thing to consider along with the "windows" comments is any spot that lets air freely move.

Think if you made a wall of rockwool and quietrock that was amazing. If you drill a hole the size of a quarter in it it negates all the soundproofing of the wall. Same goes for an amazing wall with a double pane window snd you crack the window a tiny bit. As loud as ever!

Your best bet with windows is creating a good seal. Multi-pane windows with substantial air gaps between the panes will help a lot if you don't already have em.

[Gogar]

In my basement I used to have a storm window/ interior window gap that was about 3 inches and that particularly large air gap was an unintended but very fortunate way to keep noise from transmitting through the windows in either direction.

[cabmandone]

Turn your stereo up in the house

I would think that spray foam insulation would be a good option or the rockwool.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Gogar

One thing to consider along with the "windows" comments is any spot that lets air freely move.

Think if you made a wall of rockwool and quietrock that was amazing. If you drill a hole the size of a quarter in it it negates all the soundproofing of the wall. Same goes for an amazing wall with a double pane window snd you crack the window a tiny bit. As loud as ever!

Your best bet with windows is creating a good seal. Multi-pane windows with substantial air gaps between the panes will help a lot if you don't already have em.

We do have double pane windows. I suppose it depends on what you consider "substantial air gaps" as to whether they are any good.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Gogar

In my basement I used to have a storm window/ interior window gap that was about 3 inches and that particularly large air gap was an unintended but very fortunate way to keep noise from transmitting through the windows in either direction.

That's how the acoustic window inserts seem to work, at least for one of the places that I looked. You have your window of whatever sort installed, and then they send you a pressure/friction fit window to fit the inside of your window opening that you install on the inside. The place that I looked used a single large pane of glass like a windshield, 2 sheets of glass with a sheet of some sort of plastic between them that acted like a extra thick window.


But I guess there are other places that will sell you what is essentially a second window that goes close to the inside of the house.

[chrismorse]

Hi Steve,
Is this DIY?
Are any walls/ceiling open, that is, uninsulated, open framing? How much noise reduction are you after?

As mentioned, gaps and holes can let a lot of hot/cold air & noise through.

Building material density, layering and physical separation, all impact noise transmission, so, if your walls are insulated with fiberglass/foam or blown in cellulose, It might be cost prohibitive to go back to the framing to improve the noise reduction with HD rock wool, sound board and high density drywall.

I have removed interior trim/finish, screwed sound board and an additional layer of drywall to an existing wall between apartments.

A more effective & costly approach is to build another framed wall, not connected to an adjacent wall, insulating the gap and applying another layer of drywall. This physical seperation of one wall from another is the most effective way to prevent sound from transmitting vibration from one room to another, or from outside to the inside.

I did a major remodel, changing a downstairs basement to a seperate unit for a newly wed son and daughter in law. We removed the basement ceiling and insulation, (previously inhabited with rats), did the necessayr plumbing and wiring changes, then installed R-30 fiberglass in the ceiling joists, placed strips of 1/4 neoprene on the bottom of the joists and strapped, (crosswise) with 1x6 boards. We then installed 1/2 sound board, then 5/8 drywall.

This did a good job muffling the pitter pat of 5 year old feet on the hardwood floor above in the kitchen. The strapping supported the drywall and minimized the transmission of sound. The rubber isolation also helped.

So, how "open" are the walls, What is in there??

chris

[masraum]

Originally Posted by chrismorse

Hi Steve,
Is this DIY?
Are any walls/ceiling open, that is, uninsulated, open framing? How much noise reduction are you after?

As mentioned, gaps and holes can let a lot of hot/cold air & noise through.

Building material density, layering and physical separation, all impact noise transmission, so, if your walls are insulated with fiberglass/foam or blown in cellulose, It might be cost prohibitive to go back to the framing to improve the noise reduction with HD rock wool, sound board and high density drywall.

I have removed interior trim/finish, screwed sound board and an additional layer of drywall to an existing wall between apartments.

A more effective & costly approach is to build another framed wall, not connected to an adjacent wall, insulating the gap and applying another layer of drywall. This physical seperation of one wall from another is the most effective way to prevent sound from transmitting vibration from one room to another, or from outside to the inside.

I did a major remodel, changing a downstairs basement to a seperate unit for a newly wed son and daughter in law. We removed the basement ceiling and insulation, (previously inhabited with rats), did the necessayr plumbing and wiring changes, then installed R-30 fiberglass in the ceiling joists, placed strips of 1/4 neoprene on the bottom of the joists and strapped, (crosswise) with 1x6 boards. We then installed 1/2 sound board, then 5/8 drywall.

This did a good job muffling the pitter pat of 5 year old feet on the hardwood floor above in the kitchen. The strapping supported the drywall and minimized the transmission of sound. The rubber isolation also helped.

So, how "open" are the walls, What is in there??

chris

Yes, this is going to be DIY. We are stripping the bathroom to the studs. The only "problem" is that the drywall is attached to shiplap. In parts of the house, the shiplap appears to be continuous up to about 54". Above that, it's every other board. That shiplap would make it difficult to see everything and do much about the exterior walls.

At some point in the past (~1990, I think), I believe most/all of the house has had insulation added to the outside wall. But there are some gaps. For instance, I've seen several windows with a gap above the window where I can touch the back of the exterior siding.

starts skipping boards @ 54"



continuous floor to ceiling. This is the only place that I've seen this so far. The dark gap above this window is a space with no insulation. The gap is probably a couple of inches between the top of the window frame and the bottom of the window header. The gap between the top of the window frame and the shiplap is about 3/4". This week or next weekend, I'll be pulling all of the remaining drywall in this room in preparation for the plumbers coming to rough in a bunch of stuff and me moving some electrical around.

[cabmandone]

Have you considered calling Chip and Joanna?

[chrismorse]

With the trim and drywall removed you can tuck insulation, or if the void is extensive, hire a foam or cellulose blow in artiste to fill all the wall cavities, (after any electrikill or plumbing).

Next, foam around all window gaps.

You may want to consider placing sound board over the interior sheathing before the drywall. This would entail packing out the window and door jambs - no big deal.

Good luck.
chris

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by masraum

.... We live near a busy road...........

Sounds like you have done some good homework on the topic, so I'll go the route not mentioned in the opening post, kill the sound at it's source.

https://www.gabion1.com/gabion_noise_barriers.htm








Look at your zoning ordinances and see what you can do close to the road, the closer the better.

Walls with foundations are one thing ($$), but landscaping (as in berms and as seen in the gabion link) might get around fence and wall restrictions.

Line of sight is the rule, and with most of the noise originating from car/truck tires a landscaping berm of just a few feet may do wonders.

If you post a few pictures and maybe a mortgage survey we will get a better idea of the possibilities. Perhaps just a Google Earth image will do, preferably one dated with the least amount of foliage.

Landscaping, Earth Berms, and Sound Barrier Walls
Should I build an earth berm, add landscaping, or erect a sound wall?
https://www.enoisecontrol.com/landscaping-sound-wall-earth-berm-noise-ordinances/

If you are experiencing outdoor noise problems, you may be wondering if one of the solutions below is right for you.

Earth berm
Landscaping features
Sound Wall

Below we will answer some common questions on this topic.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/120471358756003466/


Noise Problem? Deflect The Noise With Lanscaping.
https://roanokelandscapes.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/noise-problem-deflect-the-noise-with-lanscaping/

A well-built series of small berms between the source of the unwanted noise and your yard is one of the most cost-effective ways of alleviating or diminishing the bothersome sounds

EDIT:

I read about a year ago that 90 percent of the resilient hat channel furring with drywall over it projects fail because the detailing at the intersections and corners is not well executed - just a warning.

If your drive is straight off the noisy road, putting a large "S" in the drive flanked by berms may prevent a shotgun route for the noise.

[LWJ]

Can confirm windows. I was part of a condo job mere feet from an interstate hwy. triple pane with a big airspace solved a huge noise problem.

[Por_sha911]

Landscape bushes and trees can help quite a bit. Heavy drapes drawn at night are an inexpensive way to reduce noise at night.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by chrismorse

With the trim and drywall removed you can tuck insulation, or if the void is extensive, hire a foam or cellulose blow in artiste to fill all the wall cavities, (after any electrikill or plumbing).

Next, foam around all window gaps.

You may want to consider placing sound board over the interior sheathing before the drywall. This would entail packing out the window and door jambs - no big deal.

Good luck.
chris

Thanks

[masraum]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Sounds like you have done some good homework on the topic, so I'll go the route not mentioned in the opening post, kill the sound at it's source.

https://www.gabion1.com/gabion_noise_barriers.htm

Thanks, those are great ideas and we have talked about and looked at them. We live about 3/8 mile from Interstate 10 and about 1/4 mile from highway 90. Most of our noise comes from the Interstate. We are lucky that we do have quite a few trees between us and the interstate, but not enough and they aren't thick enough. I think we'd have to line the front of our property and a large portion of the side of the property as well. We also have an easement in the front for power which would be problematic as it would require a hole in whatever we used to block the sound. And we are 2 stories with the bedrooms upstairs which creates a line of site issue. If we thought we were going to be here long term, I'd be looking at planting cedars along the front and side of the property as those are native to the area and grow thick and tall. I've joked with the missus about spiking the area across the road with bamboo that could run wild.

The gray pin is the location of the house. We also have a dip from a ravine at one point that makes it more difficult to build something up/tall to block sound from that direction.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by LWJ

Can confirm windows. I was part of a condo job mere feet from an interstate hwy. triple pane with a big airspace solved a huge noise problem.

Good to know, thanks!