The guy at HD sold me this stuff he called resilient channel to reduce noise transmission through a wall. I can see that it is a kind of stand-off between the drywall and the studs. But he seemed unsure how to install it. So. . . do I nail it vertically on the studs, or horizontally across? And if horizontal, do I drive screws through the channel between studs or into the studs between the channel rows?
A new adventure in my long DIY careers. Thanks to all.
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Replies
To be "resilient" channel it must have perforations down both sides in the sloped sections. If it is solid metal it is not resilient and won't have much sound deadening properties.
It would be installed horizontally. The wide side goes against the studs, fastened with roofing nails or screws. The drywall is screwed to the narrow section with short, fine thread drywall screws. It is important that the screws are not long enough to touch the studs because that will short circuit the sound dampening.
I'm sure there are web sites that have illustrations.
It is important that you caulk all around where the drywall nears the floor with a soft foam caulk. Noise can leak through the tiniest cracks.
The narrow side is fastened top the studding. When installed horizontally, it should be on the bottom so the weight of the drywall will pull the top wider piece away from the wall studs. The drywall screws should be installed away from the studding so that none will accidentally hit a stud and draw the channel/drywall to the stud.
It is important to airseal all penetrations where air can leak through the wall also. Sounds moves through air and hence follows air pathways.
Becareful of "flanking sound". This is sound that moves around the insulation in paths that some would not consider such as up into joist cavities and down into the next room while the walls between rooms are sound insulated and RC channeled.
I was called into a new operational hospital to insulate all the walls around the administration area and the directors office. People could hear conversations in the directors office very clearly. The jobsite engineer/ supervisor carefully marked the walls he wanted done. During the weekend I supervised my men as to how the job was to go but did some other checking in other rooms in the general area. Byulate saturday afternoon, I was quite sure that the sound transmission they were concerned about was not through the walls we were insulating but through the HVAC ducting. We finished the job and two weeks later they were dis-assembling ducts to install "duct liner" sound attentuation in them.
Edited 6/15/2006 9:42 pm ET by experienced
ThumbBanger, Ha! That's a great name!
The pupose of the channel is to reduce the transfer of vibration from the drywall to the studs. The channel is fastened horizontally to the framing and the drywall is screwed to the channel only and not to the studs.
(I find it easier to stand the sheets when using channel)
One of the easiest way to significantly improve the sound resistance of a wall is to add another layer of drywall.
In a house everything is connected. Sound is transfered through walls, floors, ceilings, and especially through holes, like electrical outlets and the gaps around doors.
Improving the wall helps but its only part of the problem.
May neighbors respect You, and troubles neglect You.
Gord
Experienced and I are writing about two different types of channels in our description of how to attach them. See this website, http://www.phillipsmfg.com/products/mcif/channels.htm, and scroll down to compare RC-1 with RC-2 so both our explanations make sense. In both cases the part of the channel with the pre-punched holes goes against the studs.
If the store sold you the DWC style, it won't reduce sound. Take it back.
Here's another site with some useful information. http://soundproofing.org/infopages/channel.htm