Another basement ceiling question

cellardweller

cellardweller

New member
Not sure if anyone remembers my previous thread;

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=261771

As previously posted, I have plenty of 2x4's, which I am going to use between my basement "ceiling"/floor joists, and the drywall which I am going to secure to it. (floor joists-2x4's-drywall...that is.)

Would it decouple/isolate more effectively if I cut the 2x4's, instead of using full 12 ft. lengths?
 
I did a basement studio a year or so ago. I put my drywall directly to the joists because I wasn't looking for true isolation. I packed in the voids between the joists with roll insulation. I did not use the room for drums or amps and never got too loud. Basically, I used it for tracking vocals and acoustic guitars, then for mixing with near field monitors.

In the room above my studio, you can hear the speakers when cranking. I think it would be unacceptable if I ever wanted to play music loud. At normal levels, it was still audible, but acceptable. Didn't bother my family watching tv in the room above me.

With that little bit of history, I think you won't gain any isolation by putting 2x4's under the joists. You will still have a direct connection to the floor above you and low freq's will go right through. Especially drums and bass. The carpeting on the floor above will do nothing to stop the low freq's which are the main offenders.

The trick is to isolate any connection to the stucture of the house. I'm no expert at this and chose a different path, but I believe you will need to mount your drywall on Resilient channels, double drywall and caulk every little airhole.

If you have a lot of 2x4's and enough height, you might be able to build a ceiling that doesn't touch the floor joists at all. Probably the best method.

Just my non-expert opinion.
Cheers.
 
Chili said:
If you have a lot of 2x4's and enough height, you might be able to build a ceiling that doesn't touch the floor joists at all. Probably the best method.
Click to expand...

How? What's he going to nail these 2x4's to? Make it freestanding on posts on the basement floor?
 
Chili said:
If you have a lot of 2x4's and enough height, you might be able to build a ceiling that doesn't touch the floor joists at all.
Click to expand...

Seriously, I'm not trying to be snarky...... I want to soundproof my basement from the ground floor too, so it looks like there's 2 of us looking for ideas..
 
Sorry, I did take your comment the wrong way. Plus I've been traveling and haven't had time to respond.

I haven't done it the way I suggested above, but read about it at John Slayer's site. I think you can build a room within a room where the walls sit on the concrete floor and the ceiling is attached to the walls, not touching the joists above. That is, if the basement has sufficient height. I know the trick is to minimize contact with the house stucture and even the smallest attachment point is enough to transmit energy. The other trick is to make the room airtight. Ventilation is a weak point, but there are work-arounds.

I don't want to come off as a studio design expert. I found most of my answers at this site:

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/index.php


Hope this helps.
Cheers,
 
If you want a bit extra isolation without losing too much space, you can use the poor mans version of channel. Run some 1x firring perpendicular to the joists and attach the drywall to them. It's not phyisically totally decoupled but the 1x's will be less rigid and allow a little more movement of the drywall. You might gain 3-4 pts STC out of this.

Bryan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top