Soundproofing a room

[PrecisionMachinisT]

Jeff,

Just go back to playing with your 'ken' doll....

And do try and be more quiet from now on !!!

[Pompeyfan]

I want to soundproof a room, where my wife can get some peace and quiet from our son, I was thinking of cork tiles, does anyone know whether these absorb much sound?, any alternative suggestions?, we are on a bit of a limited budget. Any replies appreciated.

[Oscar_Lives]

Instead of treating the symptoms of the real problem, why not correct your son's behavior?

[jeffc]

Oh brother, just what we needed.

[Joseph Meehan]

The problem is not your wife, it is the noise. Don't isolate the wife.

If you are unable or unwilling to change the noise from the son, then provide sound proofing of a place for the son to make his noise. How to do that depends on the type of noise and home construction.

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.

[HeyBub]

Earplugs? Fifty cents.

[No]

Point source control of the son!!!! That conjures up some interesting images!!!

[tm]

Skip the cork. Read here for a couple of days.

[Joseph Meehan]

And I can think of plenty that should be used. :-)

[William W. Plummer]

Meehan's info is correct. In the past I have been successful in blocking sound by staggering 2x3 studs on 2x4 plates and weaving pink insulation between them. The idea is to avoid "drum heads" two sheet rock walls on oppposite sides of the same studs.

Note that DoD requires "lead curtains" in the walls of secure work areas. Again the idea is that the mass of the lead prevents coupling of the sound impulses from one side to the other. Not cheap, but very effective.

[jeffc]

Hey SVL, why don't you just bite me?

[Joseph Meehan]

I don't remember if it is pink, but there is a fiberglass insulation available that is also acoustical. It is not all that effective, but it does help some. As I recall it works a little for voice frequencies and little at low frequencies that are often a problem with music or TV sounds. I would not rely on it.

[tm]

[...]

[...]

Indeed. First step, make the room airtight.

Pink insulation woven between is pointless.

[tm]

Again, if you are interested in this sort of thing, the definitive link for sound studio design discussion is here- reading if you are interested in this sort of thing.