Ideas on how to sound proof walls.

[Anonymous]

I've been tossing around the idea of building some apartments. Living in one years ago the one thing that I hated most is the thin walls that all the sounds would pass through. Voices, squeaky beds, radio and TV noise and even soft conversations could be heard. It drove me crazy. So if any of you guys have an idea on how to cut down on the sound transfer I'm all ears. OH, it needs to be cost effective.

 

[Horseplay]

Double up the drywall with an air gap between the sheets.

Build a normal wall with studs and insulation. Run 1x2 on the face of the drywall parallel with the studs behind. Add a second layer of drywall. Sound transfers through the continuous materials in a standard wall. The air gap helps to limit a lot of the noise transfer. The second layer of rock also deadens some noise.

In a perfect world you would build a freestanding second wall but that is neither cost effective nor practical (space limitations).

Your other alternative is to use materials specifically designed to kill the sound but that costs $$$.

 

[stangg]

We did a duplex where the common walls are 2x4 construction and seperate with some air space between and insulated with fibeglass bats. It also has full length closets along the common wall in the bedroom.

 

[Jack1966]

What I'm going to try on my next house is to use 2x6 plate, alternate the 2x4 studs, and then weave fiberglass insulation bats in between. On each side of your wall, every other stud would then have a break to stop sound transmission and vibration from the stud to the drywall.

 

[Anonymous]

It seems like that's the most logical way to go. It will cost a couple hundred dollars more per wall but is still only a small percentage of what a shaft wall would cost. Thanks.

 

[70_Fastback]

If you are doing slab on grade builds, isolate the pores. You get sound transmission through the concrete floors as well.