Soundproof Apartment Wall

[mangoman007]

We share a wall with another apartment. They are very loud (voices. kid screaming). Looking for a company that can do a "fix" by installing some sound proofing of one wall.

Any suggestions

 

(and please: spare me the cute responses like "have you thought about moving" or "get some earplugs)

 

Thank you

[ubonjoe]

Moved to the housing forum..

[RandomSand]

To stop sound you need two things:

 

1. Make your living space air-tight so sound can't in through the gaps.

2. Sound can still travel through walls. The walls act like speakers; receiving the sound on one side and broadcasting it on the inside. The only solution is to have thick walls. Lead walls would really stop the sound. Lightweight building block is no good.

 

Egg boxes don't work ...they only reduce echo slightly inside a room or recording studio.

 

edit: the best thing you can do without building to spec is:

 

1. Like when you put your fingers in your ears, no sound can get through, you should make your windows / doors airtight.

2. Lay rugs on tile floors and hang rugs on the interior walls. The more furnishing you can put against the walls the better to increase mass and absorb sound.

 

Of course if you do this then you living space will feel like an oven.

 

Sorry! No easy solution.

Edited August 4, 2014 by RandomSand

[Crossy]

I can't help with a contractor but others will want to know where in Thailand you're located.

[jacky54]

Stud wall done properly, with two layers of board on the top and insulated with something like zoundblock. It will not get rid of all the noise but the improvement should be worth it.

[wayned]

If it's an apartment and you are renting anything permanent that you do as suggested above would have to have pre-approval from the owner.

[KittenKong]

If you have the space then any builder can construct a second stud wall and finish it properly, with some insulation in the cavity.

If you dont have much space then using this http://www.greengluecompany.com/ to glue just one layer of (special) plasterboard to the existing wall does work. It isnt complex but it must be done properly to be effective.

A combination of new stud wall + cavity insulation + green glue + special plasterboard will work very well indeed. Again, it must be done properly.
 

[trogers]

Cost in improving sound insulation would probably cost you a year's rent or more.

[jacky54]

I was quoted 10k baht by a falang builder who advertises in the trader for 15 sq meters+ materials. Not had it done yet but I would be very wary of getting a Thai to do it, unless you had a recommendation for a previous customer.They always have their own ideas of how to do things, and the results are not often good. I'm sure there are great Thai builders, just never seen one yet.

[N47HAN]

For 10k give it a try , shouldnt break the bank would it ?

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[KittenKong]

Cost in improving sound insulation would probably cost you a year's rent or more.

 

It shouldn't be that much to do one wall, unless it is a really cheap apartment. One of the solutions I mentioned could be done in just a few hours, even by a DIY-er.

[jayguzz]

what about a stud wall with spray foam and then dry walled


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[jacky54]

Actually I had a double wall built downstairs but the (Thai) builder did not leave a cavity when he agreed to, not bad but sound travels, worth the 7.500 that cost. problem is builders will often use those grey hollow blocks for party walls cos they are so cheap, almost no insulation at all though.

Edited August 4, 2014 by jacky54

[trogers]

Cost in improving sound insulation would probably cost you a year's rent or more.

 
It shouldn't be that much to do one wall, unless it is a really cheap apartment. One of the solutions I mentioned could be done in just a few hours, even by a DIY-er.

The first item in any improvement is to know what the present party wall is made of. And is sound transmission also coming through the balcony next door?

I suspect the insulation needed is more than just placing some soft insulation on the party wall. In fact, doing just this will only insulate sound from your unit to the next door and not from them to yours.

[mangoman007]

It's an apartment so my options are limited to what we can do temporarily. The wall is concrete I think. I see sound proofing sheets that one can hang. Maybe try those

[KittenKong]

The first item in any improvement is to know what the present party wall is made of. And is sound transmission also coming through the balcony next door?

This is true, but from the OP's comments it would seem that the noise is coming through the wall which, in an apartment building/condo, will probably be made of thin brick. Of course if his apartment is very cheap and all his walls are just stud-work and plasterboard then he can probably forget about ever reducing noise effectively at any price.

I suspect the insulation needed is more than just placing some soft insulation on the party wall. In fact, doing just this will only insulate sound from your unit to the next door and not from them to yours.

My most suitable recommendation (assuming standard construction) was for (special) plasterboard and green glue, neither of which are soft insulation, and which will reduce noise transmission quite effectively in both directions.

[KittenKong]

The wall is concrete I think.

I think that's unlikely. If it was solid concrete you would not hear talking from the other side. It would also be a very expensive construction method.
Your wall is probably one row of thin clay bricks, or maybe aerated concrete bricks. Both are commonly used here for filling in the gaps between the solid concrete floors.

[yimlitnoy]

I would recommend a double wall with fine sand fill in between like they do in TV studio.  Why don't you go visit a TV studio and see what is their sound barrier?  Only a suggestion...

[burgdawg]

....interesting thread. First off, sprayed or rigid foam has zero sound deadening qualities. I've been there, doesn't work.

You have to turn your thinking cap about 180-derees.

 

I make my living doing construction and building sound proofing walls, floors and ceilings all the time here in the States. You really have to think your entire project through. Please excuse my use of standard measurements. Yes, USA is behind the metric curve. Old habits die hard.

 

I hope you own your unit, if not.....what u do?

Is there a drum maker in your vicinity? If so, pay him a visit to learn his craft. Sounds strange, hang on.

The materials below can be Googled up and then a suitable alternative found in the Kingdom. They exist and yes, you will have to get creative.

 

The various steps proceed as follows: Georgia Pacific makes a Celotex type material called "HushBoard or SoundBoard or Sound Stop." It is a dense fiberboard, half inch thick. Not much structural strength, high density. You can cut this with a knife or utility saw. The material gets glued, screwed on your side of the wall. You can use two layers of this on critical walls, such as yours. You are adding sound deadening mass.

 

Next step is to locate a suitable replacement for "RC Channel." This stands for "resilient sound channel," very inexpensive. I just bought 120 linear feet for about 600b here. On edge, it resembles the letter 'Z.' You attach this horizontally across your wallspan. The open end faces upward and the attachment is at the bottom rail. I'll explain in a bit as to why.

 

You attach the RC channel on 24" spacings. What is your sheetrock or rock lath total length? You need to take this into account as you may have to run twin RC strips adjacent to one another at horizontal seams. If you stepped back to admire your work, you'd have a brown wall with horizontal metal strips. I took a bunch of pics and will see about uploading them. I literally just finished this wall today. A single pic can tell an entire story.

 

The next steps are crucial and often skipped as unnecessary by many. Stay the course and skip the pervasive Tai mentality of tang lodt or  ทางลัด ---short cut.  Get some shims and a scrap piece of 1/2" inch plywood and lay on floor. Now (with a helper, if you are lucky), stand up your sheetock into position. Check the entire perimeter--- your cut piece cannot come in contact with the ceiling, side walls or floor. Yes, you are making a drum skin. Now pull away the sheetrock, you are ready to attach.

 

Using a good quality construction adhesive, apply glue to the RC strips. All of them, work fast. No breaks.

Install the sheetrock and secure to the RC channel using shortie screws. As in what? My sheetrock that I use here in the States is 5/8"s thick. I use 3/4" long screws and battery drill. The screw penetrates the sheetrock easily, spins, then enters the thin metal of the RC channel. I put the screws on 6" centers. If your sheetrock is 8ft long---then you have at least five horizontal strips of RC channel to attach the sheetrock to.

 

Once you have attached the sheetrock to the RC Channel using glue and screws, remove the shims and the base sheet of plywood at the BOTTOM of your sheetrock. The weight of the sheetrock hanging onto the RC Channel opens up. If you look into this nifty 1/2" thick air channel, your attachment screws DO NOT TOUCH the brown Hushboard that you installed. This is crucial.

Dead air space is the best sound insulation.

 

Locate some "backer rod." This is a round foam-type filler that prevents you from using too much caulk. Stuff this into the gap between the sheetrock and floor, sides and ceiling. USG makes a great acoustical sealtant. You gun this into the gap and strike the joint with a putty knife. Detail and feather the edge with a dampened foam brush.

You can fill the screw head holes, allow joint compound to dry. Do a gypsum plaster finish. If you are really into plaster finishes and know your craft, you mix up pigments, add to the top Diamond finish and trowel your final coat on. The color is incredible.

 

Hope this helps.....

How does one add photos?

It used to be a simple process, but I do not see the icon that used to exist....

[jacky54]

Interesting but I doubt if the materials are available here

[dorayme]

Any idea where to get the materials?

[burgdawg]

..another big soundproofing "hole" is single pane glass, a no-no. You want low iron (low-e) double pane glass.

Ceiling insulation is accomplished by working off a scaffold to gain access to attach ribs of "hat channel.:" You can Google this up to find a suitable alternative in the Kingdom. Thailand has just about everything that I have ever needed. One has to scour the yards and combine or alter existing materials.

 

All this stuff used in USA all comes from China, so doubtless there are local suppliers.

 

Celotex is an asphalt-emulsion filled version of Soundboard. Particle board would work as well. This is used in many cabinets.

Many varieties of this stuff. They used particle board for speaker boxes and enclosures.

 

Hat channel is U-shaped with flanges. Looks more like the Tai character chor chang ช

Again, 24" centers on ceiling after sound deadening material applied. New sheetrock skin attached to the hat channels ribs.

Perimeter edges sealed employing the same acoustical sealtant  caulk. Acrylic caulk would work in a pinch.

 

Flooring: sound proofing: a royal pain, yet doable.

Look edgewise the next time you have a box made out of corrugated cardboard on hand. This is the basic design construction behind any flooring sound proofing system. Too bad the corrugations get soggy and warp and flatten when wet. The quarter inch soundproofing air gap is amazing. The sturdier version of this is called "Acousti-Mat" and is made out of woven high-strength polypropylene weave sealed on the top side with a layer of Tyvek. Yes, the corrugations are made out of polypro.

 

Your floor is prepped, you lay the Acoustic-Mat corrugation side DOWN. The Tyvek layer is atop. That is your all-important air gap. Now what? In the States with severe temperature swings, you now lay down your layering of radiant tubes made out of Wirsbo plumbing loops. This is pressure tested and then 1.5" of gypocrete is "shot." Yes, you pour a new floor over your Acosuti Mat and tubing. Gypcrete is a lightweight concrete. It is employed as a fireproofing material, soundproofing mass and a temperature modifier. Yes, it spreads the heat out evenly under your finished flooring material. It also spreads out cooling temps is you are planning to do a refrigerant-cooled floor. I've done them, they are nerve wracking and tedious, but what isn't?

 

Photos in a few hours. I've gotta get back to work......

 

 

 

In cold countr

[jacky54]

look foward to seeing the pics thanks

[brio]

Stud wall done properly, with two layers of board on the top and insulated with something like zoundblock. It will not get rid of all the noise but the improvement should be worth it.

 

yes agree, done this before and worked a treat.

[isawasnake]

Move or get some earplugs. 

[jacky54]

Ear plugs are better than nothing but no real solution, I have them in almost all the time but you can still hear the people next door talking!

[mangoman007]

Move or get some earplugs. 

 

Wow that is a brilliant and insightful suggestion. Solved all my problems.  Thank you so much.

I hope you continue to make suggestions to others as valuable and as helpful as this

[isawasnake]

 

Move or get some earplugs. 

 

Wow that is a brilliant and insightful suggestion. Solved all my problems.  Thank you so much.

I hope you continue to make suggestions to others as valuable and as helpful as this

 

Well, you aint gonna soundproof a wall here, I will tell you that right now. 

[Daffy D]

Seems the secret of sound reduction is having an air gap.

 

How about using rolls of that fiberglass stuff normally used for insulating ceilings or bubble wrap placed in between a secondary panel wall?

 

Big rolls of bubble wrap are available in places like HomePro and Global.

 

 

[isawasnake]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWPVJlyJkbg