Isolation Techniques in New Studio

Muddy T-Bone

Muddy T-Bone

New member
I'm now in my planning stages to move my studio into a larger room in my house.

The long wall on one side of the studio is not insulated and is 1/2" sheet rock attached to metal 2x4 studs. On the other side of this studio wall, is our TV and stereo and the room is our game room where everyone congregates. So much activity and noisy.

I'm pretty sure that if people were having a conversation in the game room, it could be heard in the new studio. This is not a good situation, and I'm studying isolation techniques.

My first thought to correct this was to install 2" fir strips 2 feet apart, and lay in 703 in the 2' gaps, and then sheet rock over this with 3/4" sheet rock. Now I'm considering a lower cost solution. Having blown-in insulation installed in this wall instead. Would the new sheet rock and 703 be that much more effective than bown-in insulation? Is there a better more cost effective technique that I should consider?

BTW. I will construct bass traps in 4 corners and rear wall/ceiling, as well as diffusion on the side wall, and a cloud above the recording area. Where is the ideal recording area, centered or 1/3 dodwn the length? The room is 14' X 15' X8
 
Sound isolation will not be achieved by either of your ideas - the sound will be transmitted through the sheetrock to the studs to the firring strips to the sheetrock. You may muffle it somewhat by the insulation, but that's it.
 
I was thinking along those lines. Plus it occurred to me that if used the fir strip 703 treatment the wall would be less "lossy", and I would have more low end problems to deal with as compared to simply having blow-in insulation.

Any better suggestion for some isolation of the common wall?
 
Muddy,

I would highly recommend buying my friend Rod's book - Home Recording Studio: Build It Like the Pros: Rod Gervais: 9781435457171: Amazon.com: Books

Too many people throw good money after bad - chasing the 'sound-proof'. As Jame Moir said, "If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong." Acoustics is truly counter-intuitive. If you can afford it, you should hire a pro.
Can you post a drawing of your area (room) and show us what you plan to do IN the room... and how much noise is being created outside the room.. A single number dB reading would be a good start. We'll help as much as we can here.

Cheers,
John
 
John,

Please see the room layout below.

The common wall is the one on the right. I turned on the TV and the measured 45dB C weigthed in the Studio. I could hear the dialog plainly.

The mixing desk will be centered in the room in front of the windows. I will also track in this room as well.
 

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Any ideas on isolating this rooms common wall, other than I'm doomed and nothing will isolate the common wall.

Me thinks the best bang per buck might be to have a company provide blown in insulation.

Suggestions appreciated.
 
How about building a second wall with airgap between it and the existing wall? Insulate the new wall with usual pink stuff. Blown-in insulation into the exisiting wall (as well) would be beneficial. I think that's the best you're going to be able to do.
 
Hmmm,

Decoupling is out of the question?

If you double the mass of the wall, you could get an additional 5 dB isolation. Again, if you were to build another wall with a couple layers of 5/8" drywall (firecode, type X), you might gain 20 or more decibels in isolation. The party wall is very long and creates a large surface (diaphragm) area which will intensify the transmission.

Cheers,
John
 
jhbrandt said:
Hmmm,

Decoupling is out of the question?

If you double the mass of the wall, you could get an additional 5 dB isolation. Again, if you were to build another wall with a couple layers of 5/8" drywall (firecode, type X), you might gain 20 or more decibels in isolation. The party wall is very long and creates a large surface (diaphragm) area which will intensify the transmission.

Cheers,
John
Click to expand...

John,
Your suggestion and MJBPhoto's are what I was concerned with. Probably the best solution.
My consideration at this point is expense, while I'm capable of doing this myself, the costs would be relatively low. Getting the wife to approve is another matter entirely! Ha.
My other concern would be loosing more space in what is already a smallish room. I have to sus that out.

In refrence to doubling the mass, are you suggesting that hanging 2 more sheets of 5/8" over the existing sheetrock on the common wall would provide about 5dB reduction? Should I bother with blown in insulation on the common wall before I had a few layers of sheet rock?
 
Muddy,

Normally I would not recommend blown-in cellulose fiber insulation, however for coupled or standard partitions this type of insulation will have a damping/mass effect similar to sand. (In decoupled partitions this is NOT recommended.)
Therefore the increase in STL would probably be in the range of at least an 8 dB gain. This is something worth doing.. THAT in addition to Green Glue damping between the added sheets of 5/8".

So, if you go the blow-in route, add 2 layers of 5/8", fire-rated (type X) drywall, and Green Glue between layers, you may very well add 15 dB STL - which is nothing to sniff at. - All that for a loss of 1 1/4 inches.

Cheers,
John
 
And add a second wall, spaced maybe 4" off the existing wall, 2x4, with 2 layers of 5/8 on it, for a total of 12" lost to the room - making it 13' x 14'8" - a little less 'square' than you had could not hurt either.
John can answer on what the effective dB drop would be.
 
jhbrandt said:
Muddy,

Normally I would not recommend blown-in cellulose fiber insulation, however for coupled or standard partitions this type of insulation will have a damping/mass effect similar to sand. (In decoupled partitions this is NOT recommended.)
Therefore the increase in STL would probably be in the range of at least an 8 dB gain. This is something worth doing.. THAT in addition to Green Glue damping between the added sheets of 5/8".

So, if you go the blow-in route, add 2 layers of 5/8", fire-rated (type X) drywall, and Green Glue between layers, you may very well add 15 dB STL - which is nothing to sniff at. - All that for a loss of 1 1/4 inches.

Cheers,
John
Click to expand...

Thanks John. I'll glady give up 1.25" for a possible -15dB. Thats huge.
Just curious what are the physics behind NOT adding blown in insulation if the wall were de-coupled? That's counterintuitive.
One further Q about green glue. Should I apply this way-
Existing sheetrock wall, apply green glue, add 1 sheet 5/8", apply green glue, add 1 sheet of 5/8" rock?
 
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