Use Ceiling Air Gap for Sound Treatment?

R

RichHead

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Ok folks, I am going to try to ask my question the best I can without drawings (I am at work...shhh). In my small soon-to-be studio, I have a recording room that will be my isolation room (approx 9 by 10). For a little better isolation I am building another ceiling (for the double mass effect) approx 8 inches below my current ceiling, but just on the isolation area. My mixing area will have stock height 8' ceilings.

I plan to use the cavaties in the wall facing the mixing area for sound treatment (yes I plan on doing the same thing on the other side). Basically like the inside-out wall design. I know this will cut down on my isolation between rooms quite a bit, but this does not concern me that much.

The way I am thinking this is going to happen, this 8" gap between the ceilings (with 2 x 6 studs in it) COULD be open to my mixing area as well. Could this 8" by 9' deep cavity serve me any purpose as far as sound treatment? Or should I just wall over it and forget it? I'll try to draw a picture if neccesary.

Thanks for your time - Richard
 
Thanks Michael. I will do just that..


Here's a pict in case anybody is tuning in over here. I had to do this REAL quick-like.
 

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Hello Rich, I'm no expert, but from what I see, this is the same thing as applying 703(or other treatment) to a ceiling. You havn't really accomplished anything other than treatment. So why frame up 2x6 sub joists? Other than to have something to attatch fabric to . Maybe I am viewing this incorrectly. It is hard to read the text, but I believe you are stating this framing is open. So what does it really do besides waste money? You can attatch 703 or other types of absorption directly to furring strips(to create a gap behind the absorption panels). Please correct me if my assumption is out of line. I just hate to see someone spend time and money on something that doesn't really accomplish anything.
fitZ:)
ps. I'll look this over again. Maybe I have missed something.
 
PS. Nice section view. Don't see that often here. Those sort of drawings really help understand your intention. Ok, I looked again and it seems that is exactly what I said.
Is the 2x6 simply an attatching mechanism for fabric? Seems a little heavy for something that could be made much simpler. Now, I can see doing this on an "inside out wall whereby the rear face is sheetrock, or ply or something with an air gap to another wall, but you are not doing this on the ceiling. Or are you? If so, how do you propose to attach panels on the rear face at the existing ceiling. And why? That would be the same as attatching another layer of whatever, to the existing ceiling. No?

fitZ:)
 
The 2 x 6 hold a ceiling below it. That is all. A drop ceiling on a small isolation room. But dropping the ceiling on just the isolation room gives me a gap I could access for possible treatment from the mixing room. Its not really on the ceiling but at ceiling level (or just below it). Does that make sense? Thanks for taking the time Rick. I really appreciate it man.

No, I didn't plan on putting much above the drop ceiling drywall, except maybe some insulation.
 
Rich, glad you posted this here - wasn't sure I was understanding your questions til I saw it. Check your thread on John's site... Steve
 
In my opinion Rich, the area that is NOT dropped allows a flanking path, which actually negates anything the dropped ceiling area will do. Like I said though, I'm no expert. Steve is the guy to really answer this. Your text in the drawing that asks "leave open for treatment?" is what threw me. I couldn't see the panel on the underside of the dropped ceiling. One word of advice for section views. Anything that is beyond the section line, like the wall and doors beyond, should be drawn with LIGHTER line strengths if you can. Eases the confusion of which lines are actually the section lines. Also, be difinitive when attaching notes. Such as the sheetrock. Thin panels in section can be confused as just a line of something beyond. In this case, I thought it was a line of a rim/ledger board of the dropped framing beyond. Not sheetrock.
fitZ:)
 
Rick, ok so if I take out my second lowered ceiling I essentially have only one leaf in an otherwise two leaf system. I think the ceiling is going to be my weakest point. Should I be counting my roof as a leaf? Everything I have read so far says "plywood sucks". Not that I needed it said I found out for myself in the long run.

Wait.....Are you talking about my isolation or treatment? Now I am confused....

Ok, I give up. I am just going to try it and see what happens. Screw it!

Thanks for trying Rick. BTW I like your shack......Thats way cool. I wish I had something besides a suburban street to look out into.
 
rich, your roof is only a "leaf" in this case if it's NOT vented. Fat chance...

Yeah, it's necessary to keep "isolation" and "treatment" as separate issues as much as possible. Less confusing.

If isolation is an issue for you, you need to stick to the 2-leaf model first and "treat" second. If your attic is vented (almost all are) then you need to create a second leaf inside your outer ceiling, so that area should be done with Resilient Channel and a couple layers of drywall. See this thread for most of what I know about that -

http://johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=598

Rick, also answered one of yours there, it's on page 4 (no, that's not how I WANT my space in that pic, just how it IS for now) BTW, the little guy sitting on the roll-around is YOU :=)
 
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