Best method for HT ceiling construction?

[MikeSp]

Realizing that I will likely be selling my home in a few years, I do not wish to spend the money to create a soundproof HT room in the basement. My main goal is to substantially reduce the subwoofage from traveling upstairs and bothering SWMBO* who hates my subwoofage.

It is probably not a wise investment in a total package of acoustical caulk, treatment of the HVAC ducts, decoupling the walls (it is in the basement with concrete kneewalls on three sides and insulated studwalls), etc.

What is the best bang for the buck in making the most substantial subwoofage reduction traveling upstairs -- double drywall on ceiling with Green Glue between layers screwed to floor joists; Quietzone insulation between floor joists and single layer of drywall screwed to decoupling channels; mineral-based acoustic ceiling tiles in fire-rated grid with Quietzone insulation above, OR...

Opinions/Suggestions PLEASE!!!!!

*SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed

MikeSp

 

[Sarius]

Honestly.... a new hobby for your wife that'll get her out of the house with 'the girls' a couple of nights a week.

Reading between the lines, it sound like you want to be 'THERE' when the planet blows, or sitting on the bass amp at the Poison Pimpernel concert, and it's not clear that that amount of bass can be contained enough to satisfy a bass hating wife at any reasonable cost- expecially seeing that those costs will most likely be lost in a sale.

So some sort of negotiation might be a more fruitful approach than attempting a technological fix.

 

[bpape]

First of all, if the side wall's aren't decoupled then using something like RSIC-1 clips and hat channel isn't going to be the end all as you'll still have flanking around the walls.

My suggestion would be a combination of a couple of things you mentioned.

Walls and ceiling - insulated cavities (fluffy is fine) coupled with 2 layers of drywall with Green Glue between the layers.

If you haven't done the walls yet, you can do some poor-man's isolation and just use the hat channel (furring channel) without the clips. While not as effective as RSIC and channel, it will help by minimizing the surface contact to the structural elements shared by the rest of the house.

Bryan

 

[jswope]

If you are looking for something to minimize the "subwoofage" that is transfering through your ceiling, I would recommend using a combination of Mass Loaded Vinyl and the RSIC-1 clips and hat channel.

Insulation, standard batting or a denser variety like the Quiet Zone or Quiet Batt from American Micro Industries would both work in conjunction with the other products. I would serve to absorb some of the resonance within the cavity, because neither alone will block any substantial amount of sound.

If you install the insulation, then put the mass loaded vinyl, like Econo Barrier, also from AMI,

http://www.soundprooffoam.com/econo-barrier.html

directly on your studs with roofings, then put the RSIC-1 clips right over that, you can attach your drywall right to the channel and that will serve to both block airborne noise, and isolate your structural vibrations caused by bass.

They have it mapped out for installation on their site, but use Quiet Barrier with it, which is pretty expensive, so you can substitute the Econo Barrier and it will still be effective.

http://www.soundprooffoam.com/soundproofing-a-wall/soundproofing-wall-new-best.html

That says for a wall, but the same setup will work on your ceiling.

 

[MikeSp]

Honestly.... a new hobby for your wife that'll get her out of the house with 'the girls' a couple of nights a week.

Reading between the lines, it sound like you want to be 'THERE' when the planet blows, or sitting on the bass amp at the Poison Pimpernel concert, and it's not clear that that amount of bass can be contained enough to satisfy a bass hating wife at any reasonable cost- expecially seeing that those costs will most likely be lost in a sale.
QUOTE]

VERY perceptive!!!!! LOL

MikeSp

 

[Sarius]

Thanks Mike,

I looked up the prices of the stuff that was recommended and it looks like you'd be looking at $3-5 sq ft if you DIY and maybe as much as $10 if you hire it out. You didn't mention the size of the room, but considering we're talking four walls and the ceiling a budget in the neighborhood of ten grand would, I think, be in the ballpark. Given that you're only planning on being in the home only a few more years, you might want to consider a few things:

-it's unlikely you'll be able to recover much, if any, of these costs in a sale- that is, your home will sell for about the same amount whether you've got this soundproofing or not.

- there is no guarantee that this will work to your wife's satisfaction, so you might end up, after spending a lot of money and aggravation exactly where you are now.

Another approach you might consider, depending on exactly what you listen to and like about bass is to think about looking at one of those 'buttkicker' things on your chair, combined with a sub a lower levels, and maybe earplugs for your wife at the far end of the house might get you where you want to be at a far less cost for what is, really, a temporary situation.

That said, the root problem isn't really the bass, it's your wife's reaction to it and thus the real solution lies in negotiation and communication aimed at finding some way that you both can get what you want while neither feels that they're being asked to do something unreasonable.

Technology is not the solution to all problems.

 

[bpape]

Just be very careful. MLV is very overrated in many applications. There are multiple studies showing that 2 layers of drywall on a decoupled furring arrangement are more effective and less expensive than MLV. Add in GG and it's not even close.

MLV can be effective if mounted in a limp fashion ON WALLS directly on the studs prior to any drywall. On the ceiling, 2 layers of drywall with GG over even basic wood furring will absolutely provide better isolation at subwoofer frequencies than MLV.

This is one of those things that in the right application can work well. In others, it's inferior to cheaper solutions.

Bryan

 

[Pyro]

Green Glue may be a cheaper solution than MLV, but GG itself isn't exactly what some would call inexpensive. At $175 a case, that's not exactly a bargin. Especially when you've got to consider the number of tubes you have to use. More often then not, that ends up adding up to 5,6,7 cases or more of GG. Take that times $175 and you wind up with a pretty hefty number. Now that number very well may be alot cheaper then MLV, but it still isn't what I would consider cost effective. In my opinion GG is a rip, it's way over priced. Now I know I myself will get ripped for saying that, for I'm probably in the minority with my way of thinking, but I can't help that. It's the way the numbers add up that draws me to my way of thinking. I mean you get 12 tubes to a case, the fact that one would need 5,6,7 cases is ridiculous. I don't think it would be so bad if you didn't have to use 1.5 to 2 bloody tubes per sheet of drywall like GG recommends. People can promote this stuff all they want, but GG is making a killing and I just don't see GG as a cost effective option considering the amount of GG that is required. I do agree that it is more cost effective then some of the other methods/materials out there, but there are cheaper, more cost effective ways of acomplishing the goal. I should also point out that Mike's goal here, is to reduce sound, not completely soundproof his room.

 

[bpape]

Everything is relative. Is it cheap? No. Is it cheaper than MLV while being more effective? Yes. I guess it's all a matter of your budget and priorities.

Also, if you want to save money on it, you can also just to 50% coverage and cut the cost in half. They even show this as a recommended option when budget is an issue. I have customers who have done this and it's worked out fine for them.

Notice that I didn't necessarily say he HAD to do GG. I said that a decoupled furring solution was superior and cheaper than MLV on the ceiling. Then I said if you ADD GG to that, it wins by even a wider margin.

I'm not shilling for Audio Alloy. I've used their product and found it to work well AS PART OF a properly designed isolation solution. It was the OP who brought up GG as one of the potential less expensive solutions - I was simply commenting on it vs some of the other recommendations given.

Bryan

 

[MikeSp]

Again, considering that my home will likely be sold within a few years and it will not be possible to recoup ANY of the money spent that is hidden behind drywall plus the realization that some compromises must be made -- which would provide the best method of controlling (NOT eliminating) the subwoofage leaking into the upstairs from my basement HT room-- (A) using double layer of of sheetrock with GG on the ceiling, (B) using RISC and hat channel to install a single layer of drywall on the ceiling with Quietzone insulation above it filling the areas between the floor joists or (C) using a suspended ceiling with fire-rated grid, heavy mineral-based and foil-backed acoustic 2x2 ft. tile with clips holding the tile down AND Quietzone insulation between floor joists above the suspended ceiling?

Kindly remember that this is NOT an attempt to soundproof the HT room but to merely control much of the subwoofage that would be felt in the main floor of the house and that a compromise must be made to avoid unnecessary expenditure of money that cannot ever be recouped in the resale value of the house.

decisions, decisions, decisions

 

[bpape]

Cheap and somewhat effective...

Insulate the cavities above.
Use poor Hat Channel without the RSIC-1 clips
Double drywall without the GG.

Bryan

 

[Pyro]

bpape,

For what it's worth, I wasn't trying to criticize or attack your advice. What I was trying to say is that GG isn't a very cost effective option for some people, especially considering what ones circumstances may be. You may not be able to "Soundproof" a room for much cheaper then the GG route, but you can defiantly "Reduce" or what I like to call "Somewhat Soundproof" for lot less then what the GG route will run ya. It's just tricky is all, one really as research and shop wisely.

 

[bpape]

Agreed. No offense taken. Maybe my post came across a bit wrong.

Bryan