Replies

1. 
   AaronRosenthal | Sep 14, 2006 08:28am | #1

   Hey WW. welcome to Breaktime. Do us a favour, please fill in your profile so we can know a little about you.

   A soundproofed music room is a lot like a home theatre.

   Let's see. Frame everything with a 2x6 base and top plates, and stagger your 2x4 studs so you can weave mineral wool insulation between them.
   5/8 drywall, and if he can afford it, the new anti-noise stuff (look it up in the USG web site). On the ceiling, use res channel and 5/8 drywall.

   All the joining surfaces should have acoustaseal and use it around the light switches & electrical outlet boxes.

   Solid core doors.

   Go to a home theatre supply outfit, and get the special wall panels. They work well, too.

   Good luck.

   Quality repairs for your home.

   AaronR Construction
   Vancouver, Canada

    

2. 
   BigBill | Sep 14, 2006 09:45am | #2

   Foam the walls.  It is much better than mineral wool at reducing sound.  There are special sound reducing materials that can be used too. 

   Fine Home Building or JLC had an article not too long ago on sound reduction.  Maybe someone here will remember what month it was in.

   Did you google sound proofing yet?

1. 
   Renoun | Sep 15, 2006 09:14am | #8

   JLC June 06, you can buy the article online if your library doesn't subscribe.

3. 
   zift | Sep 14, 2006 02:44pm | #3

   soundsense.com

    

4. 
   highfigh | Sep 14, 2006 05:00pm | #4

   Build a "box inside a box", foam the outer walls separately from the inner walls, double the drywall on the inside, use sound deadening panels in the room, use an insulated exterior door with a threshold and weaterstrip on it. Any air leaks on the door, electrical boxes or anywhere else will let sound get out. This is percussive and not the same as insulating just for the volume level. If possible, use a second door inside the room that seals just as well as the main entry door. This will help with the kick drum. The hard part will be isolating the HVAC from the rest of the house. You can spend hours and a lot of money on the room but if the HVAC is coupled, it's all a waste.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
5. 
   PatchogPhil | Sep 14, 2006 06:08pm | #5

   Put in TWO solid core doors for the entry to the room.   Or if you have the room,  create a small hallway between two doors

   I've always seen that large waffle / eggcrate looking foam pads on the walls of music practice rooms/studios. 

   Fur out the ceiling with perpendicular z-channels or 1x3s.  Then 5/8" drywall.

6. 
   renosteinke | Sep 14, 2006 10:24pm | #6

   The main requirement is, as others have suggested, isolation. I have even seen places where the cement slab was cut, and isolated from, the rest of the foundation! I doubt you need anything that drastic, though.

   More complicated are the acoustic requirements of such a room. Let me explain:
   Sound will either stay in the room, or exit it. Some materials will absorb sounds; others will reflect it. Reflected sounds can reinforce each other, with bad results.

   In terms of what the contractor can do:
   The first factor is the SHAPE of the room. Your typical rectangular room had terrible acoustics, with sounds bouncing off the walls, and interfering each other. So... you might start with panels made of that corrugated fiberglass (or plastic) roof stuff- and having generously curved corners.
   I would drill a series of holes in this material- screw hole will do- and sandwich a layer of fiberglass between the panels, and the frame holding them up.
   The frame itself ought to have as little direct connection to the building as is possible. The feet should rest on carpeting, and the top should have a "cap" that will also support the lights and soundproofing for the ceiling.
   Vents should be connected with flex-duct. Do not make the room so air-tight that it quickly gets hot and stuffy!

   Another thing I suggest is providing a number of stout rods- think really strong shower rods- running near the ceiling, parallel to the walls. These will be used to hang either carpets (for sound absorption) or plywood panels (for sound reflection). Let the customer re-arrange these as he sees fit.... most likely, the plywood will be hung in front of the drummer, with carpet all around.

   Finally, you ought to include some sort of gutter, or trough, through these walls, for the running of cables. Indeed, have two- one for the electric, and one for any low voltage lines.

   As for the doorway, an overlapping series of carpet flaps ought to serve well enough.

   A final tip: your town is sure to have a carpeting contractor who can "serge" (seal the edges) of carpet. This will let you use ordinary carpet without having the stuff fray.

1. 
   WildWillie | Sep 15, 2006 08:49am | #7

   thanks a bunch for all your advise. this site is great. just a new guy on the block and am truly impressed. thanks again