How do I soundproof a room on the cheap?

[Shopdog]

We have a relativly old (1943) home, this spring I am going to remove the
panelling in the "master bedroom". By pushing on the panelling I believe
that there is nothing behind it, as if the old lathe and plaster had been
removed. It also seems that there is no insulation in the walls. I therefore
am going to remove the panelling, install insulation and sheetrock the room.

My question is this:

I want to soundproof the room as best I can on the cheap.
Adjacent to the bedroom on the left is a bathroom and to the front is the
hall, the other two walls are outer walls. In the past when my dad and I
built an addition to our other house, we had a theater room and to
soundproof this from the main house we installed layers of sheetrock in
between the studs. It worked well and we could enjoy loud movies without
waking anyone in the main house. Although this worked before is there
another way this can be done without all that weight?

I don't want to hear the bathroom and I don't want the kids to hear the
bedroom.


Thanks

Searcher

[HotRdd]

Have a look at home depot for the metal channels that are used to isolate
the drywall from the studs. Buy yourself a solid bedroom door and remember
that if air can move between the rooms so can sound. I've also heard of
people using heavy rugs and egg cartons to soften the room and transfer of
sound.

Post by Shopdog
We have a relativly old (1943) home, this spring I am going to remove the
panelling in the "master bedroom". By pushing on the panelling I believe
that there is nothing behind it, as if the old lathe and plaster had been
removed. It also seems that there is no insulation in the walls. I
therefore am going to remove the panelling, install insulation and
sheetrock the room.
I want to soundproof the room as best I can on the cheap.
Adjacent to the bedroom on the left is a bathroom and to the front is the
hall, the other two walls are outer walls. In the past when my dad and I
built an addition to our other house, we had a theater room and to
soundproof this from the main house we installed layers of sheetrock in
between the studs. It worked well and we could enjoy loud movies without
waking anyone in the main house. Although this worked before is there
another way this can be done without all that weight?
I don't want to hear the bathroom and I don't want the kids to hear the
bedroom.
Thanks
Searcher

[Chris Friesen]

Post by Shopdog
I want to soundproof the room as best I can on the cheap.

Don't know about "on the cheap", but assuming you're in the US, Roxul
sells something called "AFB" that is a dense mineral wool insulation
designed to cut down on sound.

http://www.roxul.com/sw34142.asp

Someone else mentioned metal channels. You want the resiliant channels
specifically designed for sound isolation, not just regular z-channels.

Chris

[h***@aol.com]

Post by Chris Friesen

� � � � � � I want to soundproof the room as best I can on the cheap.

Don't know about "on the cheap", but assuming you're in the US, Roxul
sells something called "AFB" that is a dense mineral wool insulation
designed to cut down on sound.
http://www.roxul.com/sw34142.asp
Someone else mentioned metal channels. �You want the resiliant channels
specifically designed for sound isolation, not just regular z-channels.
Chris

Closed cell foam blown in place seals all the cracks and crevices,
cutting noise a LOT. then add new soundproof drywall, perhas on tracks
to cut sound futher.

[Shopdog]

I sent off an Email to Roxul. Which after looking at it online sounds like a
great idea for insulating around the kids bedrooms.

Thanks for the info


Search

[h***@aol.com]

Post by Shopdog
I sent off an Email to Roxul. Which after looking at it online sounds like a
great idea for insulating around the kids bedrooms.
Thanks for the info
Search

blown in closed cell is the best and at R6 per inch a real winner, to
save energy.

you might try a quieter toilet in the batroom, power flushers sound
like a airplane at take off

[Shopdog]

Well, we replaced the toilet "guts" with the quietest one we could buy. The
problem is that the shower/jacuzzi tub is right next to our bedroom wall.
Thats loud! I was thinking of foaming around the inside of the tub area to
help quiet the pump. I know I can isolate the pump from the floor using a
rubber set up to help a bit. When someone is in the shower you can hear
every creak and step they make in the bedroom.

Isn't there a DIY kit you can buy to spray the foam in bulk, I cannot see me
buying cans and doing it that way. I have heard that hiring a contractor to
do this is quite expensive. I would much rather spray foam so that I know
that every nook and cranny is is filled.

We already installed a new furnace and hot water heater, So far we have
blown through 800.00 worth of oil this year as opposed to the 1500.00 before
the new furnace. I ripped out the panelling in the attic/ finished room. I
insulated with R30 (there was NO insulation) then sheetrocked the walls and
ceiling which I believed helped alot. I insulated the band joist in the
basment. The previous owners had a siding job done and there is insulation
behind the siding (that thin blue foam board stuff). We have new windows and
I replaced the weatherstripping around the two entry doors.

I am trying to keep this house warm without killing myself to pay for
the oil. We added a humidifier and brought the humidity up to 60% which
helps.

Searcher

[Don Phillipson]

Post by Shopdog
Well, we replaced the toilet "guts" with the quietest one we could buy. The
problem is that the shower/jacuzzi tub is right next to our bedroom wall.
Thats loud! I was thinking of foaming around the inside of the tub area to
help quiet the pump.

First investigate how sound moves from one room
to the other -- mainly in two ways:
1 -- transmitted through the empty air between
sheetrock walls (which function like drumheads);
2 -- transmitted through the 2x4 timber framing that
carries the sheetrock. This transmits sound directly
through the mass of the timber.

Then you can reduce the sound:
2 -- by reconstructing the wall so that no part of
the framing is continuous from the bathroom to
the bedroom. This may be complicated or expensive
1 -- filling cavities with material that absorbs sound
vibrations rather than passing it on.

[mm]

Post by Shopdog
We have a relativly old (1943) home, this spring I am going to remove the
panelling in the "master bedroom". By pushing on the panelling I believe
that there is nothing behind it, as if the old lathe and plaster had been
removed. It also seems that there is no insulation in the walls. I therefore
am going to remove the panelling, install insulation and sheetrock the room.

I had a friend with a new loft in SoHo. It takes extra space, unless
there is a clever design, but he and the neighbor built the wall
between them so that it had two sides that didn't touch each other.
Except at the floor and 16 foot ceiling.

[mm]

Post by mm

Post by Shopdog
We have a relativly old (1943) home, this spring I am going to remove the
panelling in the "master bedroom". By pushing on the panelling I believe
that there is nothing behind it, as if the old lathe and plaster had been
removed. It also seems that there is no insulation in the walls. I therefore
am going to remove the panelling, install insulation and sheetrock the room.

I had a friend with a new loft in SoHo. It takes extra space, unless
there is a clever design, but he and the neighbor built the wall
between them so that it had two sides that didn't touch each other.
Except at the floor and 16 foot ceiling.

I should say that my friend was clever and read, but who knows if he
was right or if there aren't better ideas since 1973.

[Joseph Meehan]

Post by Shopdog
I want to soundproof the room as best I can on the cheap.

..

http://www.soundproofing.org/

In general you want to block air exchange. Air caries sound very well.
(Try opening your car's window as a train is going by.)

Next you want weight. Heavy things (drywall lead sheets etc.) block
sound well.

You also want to prevent any direct solid connections. Stagger wall
studs or use special isolation devices to keep the sound from traveling
through the wall (remember the two cans on a string (well wire actuarially
worked) you want to break the wire).

Filling in wall cavities with sound absorbing materials (accustical
fiberglass bats) will do a little.

Point source control (special absorption material) at the source of the
sound will also help.

[3G]

"Shopdog" <***@aol.net> wrote in message news:URUHh.8296$***@trndny05...
| We have a relativly old (1943) home, this spring I am going to remove
the
| panelling in the "master bedroom". By pushing on the panelling I
believe
| that there is nothing behind it, as if the old lathe and plaster had
been
| removed. It also seems that there is no insulation in the walls. I
therefore
| am going to remove the panelling, install insulation and sheetrock the
room.
|
| My question is this:
|
| I want to soundproof the room as best I can on the cheap.


cheapest way
glue cardboard egg cartons to the wall (bottoms facing toward you)
great for acoustics.

or 1/2" x 4ft x 8ft sound board







| Adjacent to the bedroom on the left is a bathroom and to the front is
the
| hall, the other two walls are outer walls. In the past when my dad and
I
| built an addition to our other house, we had a theater room and to
| soundproof this from the main house we installed layers of sheetrock
in
| between the studs. It worked well and we could enjoy loud movies
without
| waking anyone in the main house. Although this worked before is there
| another way this can be done without all that weight?
|
| I don't want to hear the bathroom and I don't want the kids to hear
the
| bedroom.
|
|
| Thanks
|
| Searcher
|
|