Sound Proofing Needed

3 years ago

Building a new house and need to have a few rooms sound proofed. What is the best product to have builder use to do this? Current house we built supposedly had sound proofing done but you can still hear voices and appliances on the other side of the master bedroom wall.

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worthy

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Use sound dampening drywall available as QuietRock, SilentFX and SoundBreak or add drywall layers with Green Glue, seal all joints with sound-restricting caulk and similarly fit any electrical receptacles in the walls. Use tightly-fitted solid core doors. Undercutting doors for air returns is antique, but I suspect many builders still use it as it's way cheaper.

This will do little for flanking sound penetration but it may be enough for what you need.

These measures are for walls. Floors and ceilings require additional measures.

If you have to tell your builder about these products, don't expect the best installation.

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Comments (8)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years ago
Soundproofing is an art. The more soundproof, the more expensive. It isn't a kit a builder can install like magic.
anj_p
3 years ago
Best way to sound proof is to put closets and bathrooms in between rooms where you want sound separation. If it's too late for that, spec insulation in interior walls. Actual soundproofing (like sound proof booths) are a different story.
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dan1888
3 years ago
You've had experience. Negative results You can use Quiet Rock and Green Glue together. Do the research and test it when you think you're done. Put a boom box in one room.
David Cary
3 years ago
Sound proof is an extreme measure. What you want is sound mitigation. I would first ask what was done with your current situation so you can make sure not to repeat it.

Generally doors are a significant source of sound leakage. Strong mitigation requires something akin to an outside door with weather stripping installed to the master bedroom. Few people are willing to do that just for aesthetic reasons. I find a separate door a really good design and enough for most situations. Using a foyer or hallway and then having another door.

After that, you can work on the glued drywall. And outlet/vent airflow reduction. But a single door can break all of that.
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
3 years ago
I find you get pretty good sound attenuation by sealing penetrations in walls, floors and ceilings, and insulating either the ceiling or walls between adjacent rooms where needed. I've used both mineral wool batts where we insulated only small areas and blown-in cellulose where large areas needed insulation.
functionthenlook
3 years ago
Beside sound proofing you also should consider sound absorption. Soft furniture. carpets, drapes, tapestry. etc.
PRO
User
3 years ago
There is a Cost to every Benefit. And the cost for sound attenuation is high, for low benefit. It has to be designed on the front end, to have very much effectiveness. If it was not, the lowest cost methods to help are double drywall layers on both sides of the wall, spray in foam insulation, solid core doors that are not excessively undercut, and air sealing and insulating any penetrations into the room. The HVAC for the room must have it's own return and supply, and be well insulated beyond the usual insulated flex duct used by the lowest price subs.