sound proofing

[Gerald Lamb]

looking for names of good sound proofing for wood frame wall between dance studio and residents.Needs to be cleanable in four by eight sheets . thank you.Tinker

[willshak]

On 12/30/2004 2:17 PM US(ET), Gerald Lamb took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

You probably need that egg crate type that they use in sound recording studios.

[Joseph Meehan]

Funny I had to put one of those up for a dance studio and a movie theater that shared the same wall. I was the dance studio.

I found that the problem was not the wall but the open area above the drop down ceilings. Fixed that with drywall and all was fine.

Here is a place with a lot of good information on soundproofing.

In general you want to block air exchange. Air caries sound very well. (Try opening your car's window as a train is going by.)

Next you want weight. Heavy things (drywall lead sheets etc.) block sound well.

You also want to prevent any direct solid connections. Stagger wall studs or use special isolation devices to keep the sound from traveling through the wall (remember the two cans on a string (well wire actuarially worked) you want to break the wire).

Filling in wall cavities with sound absorbing materials (accustical fiberglass bats) will do a little.

Point source control (special absorption material) at the source of the sound will also help.

[tbasc]

All good advice. May I add that electric outlets, doors, & ducts all fall within "blocking air exchange". TB

[Phisherman]

Sound can travel in many ways. Each side having separate wall framing (with insulation between) helps. Sound can easily travel through cracks, ductwork, wooden beams, pipes, etc. Soundproofing my house (to eliminate neighbor dogs barking during the day when I worked nights) proved to be not very cost effective (it was easier to switch jobs.)