How to create sound insulation walls?. Find answers to your question below. This article is an excerpt from the book called “Stanley Complete DRYWALL” by “Des Moines Iowa”. Thanks to the author.
CREATING SOUND CONTROL AND FIREWALLS
- If you want to limit the amount of sound that escapes from a room, incorporate one or all of these five strategies into wall and ceiling construction.
- Add sound-absorbing material into the stud or joist bays
- Separate the two sides of the wall from each other. One way to do this is by screwing resilient steel channel to the wall or ceiling, then screwing the drywall to the channel. Other methods include staggering 2×4 studs on a 2×6 soleplate, or even framing two walls, then separating them with a 1-inch dead-air space. You’ll gain additional isolation by gluing and screwing the second layer of drywall to the first, not to the framing.
- Increase the mass of the wall or ceiling by using thicker panels and/or installing multiple layers.
- Install a sound-reduction board as the first layer and top it with drywall.
- Seal sound pathways by caulking, gasketing electrical outlets, and we4atherstipping doors.
The irony of successfully decreasing sound transmission is that a room becomes more acoustically reflective. So you’ll probably need to consider adding some sound-absorbing materials such as carpeting and drapes.
Consult with your local building officials before building a firewall to ensure that you utilize the correct materials and framing techniques.
- Install insulation in the stud cavities to dampen sound transmission. For this purpose, sound attenuation fire blankets (SAFB) are superior to fiberglass. The mineral fiber blankets stand up in stud bays without mechanical fastening. For ceiling applications, installing resilient channel first is a good plan.
- Screw resilient steel channels to the walls, spacing them 16 inches on center. You’ll notice that the channel’s design minimizes the amount of direct contact between the studs and the wallboard.
- Install the first layer of drywall vertically, screwing it to the channels. To achieve the best sound control, make each layer of drywall as thick as possible; two applications of 5/8-inch panels produces excellent results. In high-end projects where even greater sound control is needed, you can use a third or even fourth layer.
- Apply adhesive to the back of the second layer and install it horizontally. Drive type G screws into the first drywall layer, avoiding both the studs and resilient channels.
- Using a caulking gun and a special acoustical sealant, fill all cracks around the wall’s perimeter, especially at the bottom of the wall. Also caulk any gaps between the drywall and electrical boxes and heat ducts.
INSTALL A SOUND-REDUCTION BOARD
A special type of wall panel is engineered to serve as the base layer instead of drywall in a two-layer sound-reduction installation.(One brand is Homasote 440 Sound Barrier Panel). Following the manufacturer’s instructions, install the panels vertically to wood or metal studs, using adhesive and screws. Top it with adhesive and No.10×1 ½- inch type G screws driven into the base panel, not the studs.
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