Sound Proofing?

Question

What is a do-it-yourself way to soundproof a thin wooden wall between two rooms? It is the back of an alcove in one room which is matched by the back of an alcove in the other room. The two rooms are opposite each other, at the top of the stairs, in a two-bed terrace house.Thank you.

Answer 1

Sound insulation works somewhat differently to thermal insulation, so although you could use loft type insulation you might be disappointed with the results. Dense fibre matting is more for sound insulation. It's similar to wall batts, that are placed into cavity walls when houses are built, but much denser. (noisestop systems sell it)You need a dense material, even vehicle sound insulation is a possibility, or thick dense fibrous carpet underlay , maybe use more than one layer. Batten the alcoves in each room and infill with your chosen dense material, then plasterboard over. Be sure to leave no air spaces/gaps/voids, fill every crack/crevice/joint fully.

Answer 2

Depending on the way the alcoves are constructed you could add plasterboard or similar dense sheet material either as a lining, or as a layer between the two timber areas. needs to be carefully fitted and ideally be at least a couple of layers so that the joints can be staggered. This will do two things:

a) increase the mass (weight) of the wall
b) seal any air paths through the construction

Retro fitting sound proofing is notoriously difficult but you should be able to improve matters. You will need to check that the existing structure is capable of carrying the additinal weight.

Answer 3

I would say the two cinder block walls are okay as far as deadening...the other two wooden walls may not be. If they are not sheetrocked and well insulated...I would make sure that happens...Then go to the store and buy these things they used to call egg crates. They are contoured foam that used to be the rage on beds to make them softer and they look like an egg crate. you should be able to cover the walls with those fairly cheap...and they will block the echos from the cinderblock and sheetrock. If there is no carpet in the room I would go buy some cheap carpet to put in there for the same reason. When recording, the last thing you want is some stuipid echo sounds trashing up your recordings. The pros use something similar to the eggcrates in pro recording studios, but the foam isn't really that much different and it would cost a fortune to do a whole wall in it.!!!!

Answer 4

first ..wood is a great transmitter of sound ..so don't use it ...use metal studs ..available from any builders merchants ..set them at 400 mm centres ..infill with rock wool soundproofing bats ,,available from most insulation depots ...look in yellow pages ..then cover in acoustic plasterboards ..this will stop at least 90% of sound ..ensure you leave not a single gap when fitting the rockwool bats ...bats are strips of insulation ..various thicknesses .. very important you get the soundproofing ones

Answer 5

Use tight streched mesh to sound proof it. Does the job (not completly) but a big change without it.

Answer 6

build a stud wall and inset sum fibre glass insulation

Answer 7

Polystirene, either in sheet or on a roll and use it as lining.

Answer 8

You can use loft insulation which is the easiest and cheapest idea.

Answer 9

wear ear muffs when your in bed... problem solved... next question.. .bye