Does anyone have any experience with at sheetrock type product called QuietRock?
http://www.quietsolution.com/Construction_Solutions/construction_solutions.html
Their product is installed just like gypical gypsum sheet rock and they claim it brings the STC of the typical insulated 2×4 wall to 52 (STC of 50 should yield unaudible loud speech and at STC 45 you must strain to hear loud speech). By staggering the wall and installing the QuietRock on 1 side, they claim STC of 58.
According to their information a comparison of the comparable noise reduction methods, Resilient channel would yeild STC of 48, Sound Clips yield STC of 56, Staggered Studs yield STC of 52 and Double Studs yield STC of 58. The 440 SoundBarrier product (Acoustical Wall Panels) yields STC of 45 on standard 2×4 walls when applied to both sides.
Has anyone used this QuietRock and noted its performance? Is it hard to work with? I know it takes a saw to cut it so it will make installation a bit harder. Still, it seems like one of the easiest solutions with the best results I have found if it works as advertised.
Replies
I saw this product on the internet, and asked my local supplier to check availability for me. They never did get back to me. I guess no one here (in Bakersfield Calif.) is using it, but the product looked good to me. Didn't know it had to be cut with a saw, that would definitely impact labor to install in a big way.
It list the STC for different assemblies with the sound control.
But what are the numbers for similar assemblies with stanadard rock.
I think that US gypsum has such information.
A google on - stc sound control- will find some sites.
IE, how much improvement do you get with the sound control.
If you refer to the information presented here http://www.quietsolution.com/Construction_Solutions/construction_solutions.html, it shows the various sound prevention construction techniques and the base STC and the STC with varying amounts and configurations of their product. It is prudent to note that this is their sales information and I have not verified it with other independent sources.
They show ...
Typical 2x4 insulated wall with standard drywall as STC 34 (note at STC 35, Loud speech is audible but not intelligible). One layer (1 side) of their product 5/8 product in place of the sheet rock brings the STC to 52. Their product over both sides brings STC to 54.
Typical staggered demising wall with standard dry wall and insulation is STC 47. Replacing the sheetrock on 1 side with their product brings it to STC 58. Their 5/8 product on both sides brings STC to 60.
Typical double demising wall with standard drywall is STC 58. One layer of their 5/8 product brings it to STC 63 and if used on both sides it is STC 66. 2 layers of their product yields STC 74 and their thicker product can get you to STC 77.
Note that if you look at their chart, there are some inconsitencies in the base or Standard configuration for Typical construction (STC 34), Renovation (STC 36) and High performance(STC 34) catagories. I have no idea why the same base configuration would have a deviation but there clearly seems to be a difference in the Remodel assumptions. Th typical and High performance probably differs in the insulation in the wall or some other detail.
Anyway, I have no idea it these claims or accurate but it is at reasonable cost, It seems quite effective and less effort and more reliable than many other noise control options. I was hoping someone had some experience with it.
The interesting thing is it does have a large improvement on basic walls.But if you are doign staggered studs it is much less effectice.
The effect seems to be deminish after a certain point. For instance if you add 1 sheet you may get a +10 jump to the base configuration but if you add another sheet, you only get another +2.
If it performs as indicated, it would be a great solution. If it really brings a normal wall to STC 52 with application to only one side, no additional material or labor costs, then it sure would be a great option. What I don't understand is that screws are often listed as radiating sound directly into the stud and out the screws on the other side. I see nothing with the installation of this product that suggests that screws are not used and they seem to attach just like typical drywall to the studs. It seems that this system would suffer from the pass through effect.
I am trying to find the cost of the individual material from a local supplier. This product is available through Amarok distrubutors but my local one does not seem to carry it yet. The Quietsolution site shows the est cost of material and installation labor at $5.89 per sq ft ($188.48 per 4x8 sheet). For Comparison they show resilient channel cost at $5.35 per sq ft ($171.20 per 4x8 sheet of drywall) and Staggered Stud construction at $5.92 per sq ft or ($189.44 per sheet). Since the STC of the single side of QuietRock product is 52 and the same as the Staggered wall, it seems like it would be nice to save the few inches of extra space. Still, I have no idea if their claims are true.