# Basement Shop Soundproofing idea



## WorkTheWood (Oct 30, 2011)

I am trying to figure out how to best soundproof the ceiling of my basement shop. Here is an idea I am considering (it's probably not an original idea - I imagine somebody else has done this).

I'll try to explain this as good as I can.

In each floor cavity, I am thinking about layering 1/2" drywall (sheetrock). On either side of the cavity, I would install some supports to hold the drywall. Think of these supports almost like they are shelf supports. Think of the drywall like it is the shelf. I have attached a very crude drawing. In each cavity I would:

Leave a 1 inch air gap at the top
Install a "layer" of 1/2" drywall
Caulk/tape all edges to prevent airflow

Leave another 1 inch gap
Install a "layer" of 1/2" drywall
Caulk/tape all edges to prevent airflow

Leave another 1 inch gap
Install a "layer" of 1/2" drywall
Caulk/tape all edges to prevent airflow

And finally, I am going to install a drop ceiling below all of this. I am hoping the sealed air pockets, combined with 1.5 inches of total drywall, and then a drop ceiling will really help to reduce the noise.

What are your thoughts on this idea? Overkill? I am open to any and all ideas!


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Any flat surface will act like a "drumhead", and will vibrate. Irregular surfaces will interfere with sound transfer and reflection. Try to alternate surfaces to create this irregular mode.
Just a thought.
Bill


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## meikou (Jun 12, 2008)

I think you would be better off using rigid foam insulation between the joists and fill in any gaps with expanding foam.

You can buy acoustical ceiling tiles that will help cut down on the noise but it would depend on how you mount the grid as to their efficiency.


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## davidmw (Feb 9, 2011)

Do you have a budget in mind? I've designed sound proof rooms before and there's a range of construction options depending on what you can spend. I've used products from the Green Glue Company, they also have a good tech section to explain the concepts in play.

From looking at your drawing, the main issue I see is that you have a solid connection (joists) between your basement and the floor above it. High frequency noises will pass right through.

http://www.greengluecompany.com/technicallibrary.php
http://www.greengluecompany.com/understandingHowDecouplingWorks.php


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## bbjjj (Jan 7, 2012)

If your heating system is in the basement the duct work will be very difficult to isolate. We have a company here http://www.wavebarriers.com/ they have been building sound proof rooms for years.. They use a laminated drywall/lead that works really well.


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## WorkTheWood (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks for all the quick replies everyone! Some great info!

@David: I don't have a budget in mind, but my wife sure does. The cheaper the better! I am not looking to eliminate all the noise from the shop and make it completely soundproof, just reduce it so that it doesn't overpower the first floor.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Commercial sound proofing panels I have worked with have a common theme. A perforated skin on the noisy side, dense mineral wool insulation in the middle and a solid skin on the opposite side. I think the theory is to let the sound waves in, attenuate them and reflect back anything that makes it to the far side.

Applied to your model, that would be a thick layer of sheetrock (2 layers of 1/2" mortared together?) on the top, sealed around the edges, a densely packed layer of mineral wool (4" to 6") then perforated hardboard to hold the mineral wool in.

I think they make sheetrock specificaly for sound proofing.

Man that's going to be a lot of work if your pockets are as full of crap as mine. Pipes, wires, ducts, bridging braces, etc.

I'm thinking if I was going to hang a suspended ceiling anyway, maybe a layer of mineral wool and a piece of sheetrock on top of each tile might work as well. Not sure, just a theory.

Or, maybe they make special tiles for suspended ceilings.


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## Viking (Aug 26, 2009)

Or …...... buy everyone upstairs a set of Bose noise cancelling headphones?


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## Nighthawk (Dec 13, 2011)

What I will be doing is installing the soud proof pink bats, does the insulation and minimises the sound…


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## WilliamHan (Jun 23, 2010)

I sound proofed my basement using the sound isolation clips that David W mentions. I was in the same boat where I needed to cut down on the noise significantly, but small leaks were ok. i used the quietclip but any sound isolation clip would work.

The theory is that you need to decouple a wall from the framing. The quiet clips basically allow a wall to hang off them. When sound hits the drywall ceiling, the ceiling vibrates, but because of the clips, the vibrations don't get passed onto the framing behind it but get absorbed into the clips. sound is just vibrating air. If there isn't any detachment, then the sounds hits the really heavy framing wall and causes the whole wall to vibrate which vibrates the air behind the wall and causes noise on the other side.

1. I filled joists with insulation to absorb sound
2. Screwed clips into joists
3. attached drywall furring strips that can be bought at home depot/lowes in drywall section (basically just metal strips)
4. Screw drywall into the furring strips.
5. I then used sound acoustic caulk around the edges. (theory is that it is vibration dampening flexible caulk that can move as ceiling vibrates to the excessive noise).

I only used 1 layer of drywall, although 2 layers would have been better (theory is that the heavier the decoupled ceiling, the less it vibrates so the less that it passes on). It was painful using that drywall ceilign joist that I rented at home depot to get the drywall on the ceiling by myself.

I encountered problems with the venting. I couldn't figure out a solution so I didn't change the venting. Some noise leaks through the venting to upstairs. I also built a second false non-bearing wall inside the wall of the basement room which was completely separate from the actual true basement wall and drywalled both sides. i could have bought more sound clips but found it was just easier to build a second detached wall. sound hits wall and causes it to vibrate, but because it isn't in contact with outer wall, vibrations don't get passed on.) I also got a heavy solid wood door at one of those stores that recycles building supplies.

You pretty much have to isolate the room. I am a complete amateur. Even a complete amateur woodworker . It was actually not too hard to do, but a fair bit of work. It was fun learning about how sound isolation works and designing the room.


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## WorkTheWood (Oct 30, 2011)

@Nighthawk

Do you have a link to the product you are considering?


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Lou, in commercial construction they use what they call "resilient channel" to help with sound isolation. Basically its a "z" shaped metal channel that attached to the underside of the floor joists and then the drywall is screwed to that channel. That may be the cheapest and most available.

I bet you could rip thin strips of homosote to stuff in the joist bays for sound deadening as well.


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

If it were MY basementI would use spray on foam insulation. The cost is hgiher but you get more benefits than just sound proofing. It is a good way to SEAL up any cracks to prevent dust and odors from going into rest of home. It acts as a 2 sided vapor barrier. Where I live, humidity and mould are a high concern in basements. 
The extra cost of a pro. is worth every penny. Do it yourself KITS are not as efficient as a pro. machine.
I think when you add up the labor, material of any do it yourself idea, spray on will be the answer.
(ps. I DO NOT WORK for a insulation company, I only recommend it because I believe in it very strongly)
After you have insulated wit hthis, I would then use the poly-vinyl material they use in commercial bathrooms. Easy to use,cleanable, & bright for good lighting. This is a workshop where dust is going to happen !


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

I have a friend that is a contractor. He was hired to soundproof a room. The homeowner wanted their son to be able to go in the room and play his music as loud as he desired and they wanted the sound to stay in the room and not bother them. He added sound board to the walls and everything he could come up with. The thing that finally stopped the sound in his case was a solid core door. I think that goes along with several suggestions above. the hollow core door vibrated like a drum head. The solid core door did not vibrate. 
I do know that in church buildings the sound people want to have a zig-zag front on a balcony so the sound goes off in different angles and does not bounce back to the front of the room. Just ideas.


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## Nighthawk (Dec 13, 2011)

To be honest… Not sure if they export to the US??? ... it is a Kiwi (NZ) we don't have a free trade deal with you… It is a product we have been using here for years( a good 40 odd)... they work well and is realitively cheap and you can do your own intallations it is pretty easy. they come in bails cut to size and place in. Its a glass wool.

http://pinkbatts.co.nz/our-products/residential/

But pointless if you can get in the US I guess…


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## WorkTheWood (Oct 30, 2011)

@Canadian

I priced out spray foam, and it was extremely expensive. Tough to justify that cost to the powers that be.


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## jerkylips (May 13, 2011)

Lou -

dense-packed cellulose could be an option - it does many of the same things that spray foam does, minus being a vapor barrier/retarder. As long as your basement is conditioned, you really shouldn't need a vapor barrier anyway. This stuff is typically installed using netting that's stapled to the studs (when done in vertical walls) and then sprayed in until it hits something like a 3lb density. There are a lot of positives to it - the density is higher than a spray foam & will deaden sound more, and it is MUCH cheaper. It's the normal "recycled newspaper" insulation, just installed in a different/better way.

That said, I'm not sure how well it would work in a horizontal install vs. vertical. It's probably worth looking into, though..


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## JimmyJam (Aug 12, 2011)

I haven't used this but seems to have some good reviews:
http://www.lowes.com/pd305816-1278-RXSS315250_?productId=3394032&Ntt=roxul&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_0__s%3FNtt%3Droxul&facetInfo==


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## WorkTheWood (Oct 30, 2011)

@Jerky,

Our basement is conditioned so that may be a possibility as well. Thanks for the info, I will look into it!


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

I get that it's not in the budget, but spray would be my first choice, too.

Look into QuietRock.

IMHO, worth the incremental cost. Acoustic caulk, and sealing any and all air gaps/leaks is critical, too.


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

May sound funny but broken glass in the ceiling will do it.
I know this guy who has a Power saw shop, lawn tractor, snow machine and he lives upstairs above his shop and it is completely sound proof on the second floor.


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## bob101 (Dec 14, 2008)

roxul safe and sound insulation and metal sound bars all can be had at any home centre , i live in a semi detached home and used this to sound proof my entire house, including a very loud home theatre room and its great.


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## Tomj (Nov 18, 2011)

My whole life I have been into recording music and growing up I always had to come up with ways to keep sound in when recording. I have used carpet nailed to the walls in a closet for a sound proof booth or egg cartons attached to your wall works too (because of the way the cartons are shaped they are similar too sound proofing foam) or a combination of the two. At places like guitar center they sell sound deadening foam but last I checked it's not too cheap. My brother plays a couple of instruments including the drums which he built a separate room for in the back of the garage with sheet rock walls and carpet attached to the walls (it works really well) but carpet in a workshop would capture allot of dust. I have been trying to figure out how to deaden the sound from my dust collector but I'm not sure I want to go the carpet and egg carton route but it does work. maybe something like layers of sheet rock and scrap carpet. Just trying to help. Good luck.


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## lewis62 (Mar 6, 2011)

Your idea will work , only about 50 %.Is also alot of extra work.
Worked for high end automation co., custom home theaters, most wanted no noise up stairs.
Least costly, would be R 11 sound batt in joist spaces, better roc wool, higher density.
Hang ,homosote, made by celotex, it is a high density fiberboard made for sound isolation, to bottom of joist as a cieling.
Then install drop cieling, with good cieling tile, not the cheap plastic covered fiberglass ones, you are looking for density to absorb the sound.
Princapal is drop cieling will absorb most of the sound and dissapate it since it is only attached with wires, no direct sound transfer.
air space slows down what gets through.
homosote absorbs what penatrates cieling, stops some and dissapates it so min. is passed through joist. 
Fiberglass absorbs and dissapates what sounds do penatrate everything else .
Every one wanted to spend less on room and more on equipment, keept all the theater moms happy.
Hope this helps.
There are other ways, lots of money, time, to do.


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## ScottN (Jan 24, 2011)

lewis62 is right on.

I have a theater room in my basement. I only used the R-13 fiberglass insulation in the floor joist. The only time you can here it is when I have the sound turned up and watching an action movie with explosions going off. The Bass shakes the house….I love it.


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## WorkTheWood (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback everyone. You have given me a lot of great info.


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## BobM001 (Jan 8, 2012)

Another product is Acousti Blok At 1/8" thick and flexible it may have some merit. The question is cost?


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## MichaelRiley (May 11, 2012)

Safe and sound 3.5" Roxul batts in floor, Sono pan to underside of joists, steel reslient channel, hang 5/8" drywall….....and good cost effective solution. You can spend way more to get a bit better. Look into "Quiet Rock" drywall if you want to spend more money….

Acoustic curtains UK
Acoustic Foam Paneling
Acoustic Insulation supplies


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

all I can contribute to the conversation is to tell you what doesn't work….

I stuffed pink fiberglass in the joist bays and strapped and sheet rocked as normal….

it's still loud in the room above :^(

If you go with all those multiple layers of sheet rock, I'd keep an eye on how much weight your hanging up there over your head.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

Sheet rock attached directly to the joists or to STRAPPING attached to the joists, just simply won't work. You have to isolate the sheet rock from the joists using "z" channel or "hat channel". Also, fiber glass insulation is not a very good sound proofing material. Roxul would work much better and it's not itchy like fiberglass. To minimize the head room loss of a suspended ceiling you can use ceiling link. ( http://www.kensa.com/ ). You'll only lose about an inch off the joists. MUCH easier to put up as a DIY than sheetrock on the ceiling. And it still isolates ceiling from joists.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I don't know if this has been said, but be sure that you don't trap any moisture in the enclosure. Air needs to move through and around the flooring on both sides. I'd use an insulation with sound deadening properties. Some spray foam companies can do this for you. Nothing better than spray foam for moisture barrier and sound barrier.


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## Brad_Nailor (Jul 26, 2007)

You need to isolate the vibration transmitting structural elements as well as insulate the spaces. "Condo" walls are constructed of 2×6 top and bottom plates with alternating studs on both sides that never touch. Then there is insulation placed in between and then sound proofing sheet rock. So as the insulation techniques will help deaden the sound transmission, you will still get bleed if the vibrations are allowed to flow through the structural members to the flooring above.


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## WoodyG (Sep 17, 2009)

I used to work w/sound prob's alot as a commercial drywall contractor…...the main problem w/sound is blocking the circuitous route it will take to get around any barrier you put in. If you ever have to get back into the ceiling for future mechanical repairs you may wind up sorry for having built such a fine sound block ceiling? Nothing beats 2" thick sound blanket with a layer of sound brd above and below. Sound brd is just 1/4" air entrained sheetrock. Then tape tight the edges or sound caulk around them but remember sound will scoot through a 1/16" wide crack like it is a super highway…....agggggghhhh. I take it you are not creating sound that carries through the wood framing although some of it may get picked up and transmitted but usually not a problem in housing.

I guess this is one of those things that if you do a good job of sound deadening you may be sorry later should you have to access the plumbing or electrical above it. Good Luck my friend


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Batts of insulation, then 3/4 sheetrock on stringers perpendicular to joists to minimize sound bridging through joists. Unless you have an extremely high ceiling, this really cuts down on your head space (and overhead storage of wood scraps) and I would do the spray insulation as well. Two inches of the high density foam does a lot. You can buy the kits and do it yourself.

http://www.sprayfoamdirect.com/


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## joebloe (Feb 13, 2012)

I have seen ceiling's and walls covered with egg crate when a friend was making a place for his band to practice.just a thought and cheap.


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## ruel24 (Feb 14, 2012)

I can tell you that to get quiet walls in buildings, carpenters put unfaced bats of fiberglass insulation between the two sides of drywall and put it in their rather loosely. I'd assume this would also be the best way to get sound deadening between floors. Foam isn't all that good of a sound deadener, IMO. Remember that low frequency sounds are held back best by rigid, hard barriers such as a cement or block wall, or a solid wood door. High frequencies are held back best by soft, fluffy types of material, such as fiberglass insulation, pillows, and such. Just remember that insulating between floors will stop heat/cold travel between floors and possibly cause your work area to be hotter in the summer and cooler in the winter. Of course, ever home is different.


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## sixstring (Apr 4, 2012)

Hey man, I totally respect the need to keep things quieter for the non-woodworkers in the family. As a musician, I've had a lot of experience and necessity to soundproof, or more accuratelyi, sound deaden a space. The things is, mass is the only real solution, along with decoupling (but this will effectively shrink the space.)

Your idea with the sheetrock will work much better if you can install insulating material. The thicker the better and I highly suggest rockwool if it's available. otherwise, get the highest R rating you can and stuff the bejeezits out of it (compress in other words.) This wont entirely cut out the sound transferrance, but it will greatly absorb it, especially the highest and lowest frequencies which tend to be the culprits anyway.

Look up rockwool as sound insulation and you will see what I mean. Also, do what you can to seal up the doors


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## woodworker59 (May 16, 2012)

I have found the best and least expensive way to sound proof is with egg cartons, You know the flats that come when you buy eggs two dozen at a time. Years ago when I was lead guitar in a blues band, we needed to soundproof the basement where we practiced, the homeowners daughter had her bedroom right over our practice space. She was only five and we were keeping her from sleeping which was not making his wife very happy. We used egg cartons back to back with the air spaces between them, four layers ended up making almost eight inches of barrier.. when we were finished we could crank it to eleven and she would go right to sleep.. if you know any of the local egg farmers, you can pick them up pretty cheaply.. 
the rockwool and insulation added to it can only improve its ability to deaden sound.


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## pcott (Jul 7, 2009)

+1 for roxol safe and sound. Worked great in my house.


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## versa (Oct 27, 2009)

Spray foam won't do much good in sound isolation anyway. Neither will egg cartons (open cell foam, closed cell foam, or paper cartons? doesn't matter). High R value has nothing to do with sound isolation.

Your first idea is a decent one. I would go with that.
A couple of thoughts:
1. Sound is vibration
2. Sound will always try to find a way around an obstruction. If there is a crack or opening that lets the sound directly into the adjoining area this is the first thing that must be fixed.
3. Vibration in the heating ducts needs to be stopped. Best way to correct that is to replace sections with the flexible accordion ducts with insulation around it. Better, make a "man trap" or a Z pattern in it. That will help stop sound but will lower air thru put as well.
4. Density helps block sound, especially high pitched sound.
5. Changes in viscosity helps change sound into heat. In other words, a very hard surface layered with a soft surface layered with a very hard surface does better then 2 hard surfaces or 2 soft surfaces. They make stuff called Green glue that can be used for this, its basically a rubber caulk you put between two layers of drywall. Works great. The hard surface starts vibrating, which tries to vibrate the rubber which jiggles and turns the sound into heat before it reaches the opposite hard surface.
6. Resilient channel is a good idea as well, it helps alleviate the vibration exchange between the two sides.

The best solution, in which money is no problem, is to shoot a thin layer of spray foam into the joists to act as a complete air seal, then layer 4 inches of fiberglass, then a loose lead lined sheet (or MLV, mass loaded vinyl), then resiliant channel clips,connected with a layer of 5/8 drywall, green glue, 5/8 drywall. Then a drop ceiling. With flexible air ducts put in where ever there were ducts before. Then above, add more flooring by installing a second 3/4 inch plywood subfloor screwed into the first subfloor with green glue in between. Then carpeting or cork tiles.
Of course, who can afford to do all that? Any one of those features will help fix the problem, its up to you how much you are willing to do. The cheapest and best return on investment would be the Hvac pipe replacement.


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## SabrinaSabrin (Jul 4, 2012)

You can do a drop ceiling grid, insulate above, and use drywall squares as the 'tiles'. Not perfect certainly but it will help some with the sound getting out to the floor above.
sound insulation


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