Materials For Soundproofing Room!

[pluto_manibo]

I am in the process of finishing a 40m2 room which will be a recording/rehearsal room in the back of my house. The walls are up (Q-con blocks) then I am using some insulation material sandwiched in between the second internal q-con blocks wall. My question which is the best material to use for insulation?...I have looked at PU foam, which is useless for the walls....I used it for the roof..it is ok for that purpose. I have also looked at 150mmthick rolls of "Stay cool" rolls but I am not sure it does much in terms of soundproofing? I also looked at 50 mm glassfiber boards with aluminium foil on one side....I don't think they will do the job. Does anyone know which is the best material to sandwich within the walls? Loud music will be played at odd hours of the night...therefore it is essential to have a fully soundproofed room. Thanks for the tips!

[Beardog]

Back in the U.S. we used Egg crates & carpet the carpet goes over the egg crates & creates a great barrier for the sound of drums & bass, which are probably the loudest instruments. Good luck on sound dampening!

[pluto_manibo]

Thanks beardog. I am looking to insulate the space between the walls first. I think poly urethane and then one roll of 150mm fiberglass wrapped in foil

would be the easiest although not the cheapest.

Edited August 8, 2008 by pluto_manibo

[Cuban]

The inter-wall insulation will be less important acoustical than the internal walls, roof and celling surfaces.

The use of carboard egg boxes is an ideal cheap and cheerful solution that you could use in the first instance to deaden the room, the next cheapest method used by professional recording locations would be thick full length curtains. Typically floors are wooden on concrete, or nylon hard wearing 'industrial' carpet/tiles. The amount of sound absorption will depend on how dead/live you want the room. Being too effective on deadening the room makes it uncomfortable to be there, although 40m² does sound quite tight. I would experiment with sections of egg boxes and curtains on two of the walls to start with, having the curtain cover the door into the room. You mention a double thickness wall - are you having two doors to isolate the room from the outside world? I have found doors sold in Thailand to be nothing more than a cardboard latice bonding together two facing sheets, depenant on cost, filling such a door with expanding foam would improve it's acoustic quaility. Making a felt seal around the door's edge would prevent some leakage, likewise along the top and bottom edges.

Avoid windows and consider mounting your air-con outside and ducting it in; air-con noise is a bugger when doing recording. You might not be considering that now - but as a possible thing to do later planning for it now is cheaper. However - when making this 'music box' consider that it will not be air conditioned all the time - so having some natural or forced ventilation will be important to avoid mildew and musty smells. Easy to wash curtains that fill 'normal' washing machines is wise. Also allows you to move the curtains from high traffic areas to places where they will not be moved every day. Consider the curtain across the door will wear out before the others - so get the curtains made to the same size. Depending on the nature of the music you are playing a supply of fresh air might be important - likewise consider your smoking policy.

I would guess that you have a low ceiling (?) supended tiles will vibrate as will light fittings, if you need to treat the ceiling again curtains would be a good starting point.

If you are getting trouble with the bass notes looking at some acoustic absorping bins, probably home made slightly off square boxes filled with glassfibre wadding (Rockwool is made in Thailand) can be tried. There are designs I've seen online. (Google. sounfproofing, music , DIY, bins etc.)

HTH

[jackr]

Need to try and separate the inside surfaces from the outside as much as possible via some sort of rubber mounting system for soundproofing. While you're at it, don't forget the acoustics: loads of base traps on all corners and all around listening position (for mixing), which should incidentally be either 38% of room length in from the back or front wall, plus equilateral triangulated listening spot for stereo imaging. Egg boxes have certain diffusing properties but do zip for soundproofing

[pluto_manibo]

Thanks for all the worthy replies guys. I am at the soundproofing stage at the moment not the acoustic treatment yet. But all the comments are correct...bass traps..wooden floors, double doors, solid doors etc....

[soundman]

Mass stops/absorbs/reflects sound transmission. (Stop the sound from travelling away from the source)

Non reflecive ie absorbant materials such as foam/paper/felt used for under carpets and car interiors & un equal angular surfaces lessen/deaden sound reflection & room resonance. (Reverberation within the room)

Two different types of mass eg brick / plaster / air gap wall help eleminate resonance / standing wave transmission. (Small band fequencies that appear amplified well away from the source)

Cheers,

Soundman.

[Cuban]

Cars: Yes - wish I remembered before - the thick felt sold in car repair shops is useful (I was thinking of using such felt for a padded door liner.)

Not sure the Thai bricks are ideal - but I used to use two house bricks slapped together to test the response of a room, quicker that the 'propper' way. But a long time since I used to do this stuff.

[archthai]

Cars: Yes - wish I remembered before - the thick felt sold in car repair shops is useful (I was thinking of using such felt for a padded door liner.)

Not sure the Thai bricks are ideal - but I used to use two house bricks slapped together to test the response of a room, quicker that the 'proper' way. But a long time since I used to do this stuff.

Look up "home theater building" they use other materials for sound control. I would like to know what is available for sound control here in Thailand as I'm planing a home theater soon.

[MaximumSecurity]

I understand the best serious sound insulation is mass loaded vinyl with 60mm (1/4") closed cell foam bonded to it. Should cost about THB 1,000 per square meter. But I don't know where to buy it in Thailand, so I apologize if this isn't much help.