Sound proofing.

It will help, but probably not by an easily-measurable amount. Uou can build a (stud) wall alongside existing, which will be much better, but you'll lose a bit of space.

Do a google search for "camden partition". Basically, you need to structurally isolate your house from their's (not totally possible of course), by having an air gap and then more mass, e.g. 2 sheets of plasterboard. Deisgn of semi affects this, i..e larger semis often have joists running lenghways ontol a sleep wall in the middle of the house, whereas smallers one often have joists into the party wall, meaning that more sound is transmitted. Simon.

The studs must not be touching the wall.

That's right. You've got it!

A new stud wall needs to be isolated from the party wall and fixed only around its edges, to prevent transmission of vibration. The studding doesn't need to be very big, eg 2"x2" with a couple of layers of plasterboard will do, though building regs. might not be complied with.

john2

The easiest way is to add a stud wall spaced from the main one with 25mm plasterboard on it. Done properly you'll get near perfect sound insulation. Unless it's a disco next door.

How old a house? If modern and the party wall is dry-lined with plasterboard on dabs, get this stripped off and the wall wet-plastered.

If it's already plastered or timber framed then you'll need to do something else.

Best put high density Rockwool between the studs.

Also of note is that you can buy acoustically reducing plasterboard for not much more, price wise, than regular plasterboard.

It will, as the others respondents state but some sound frequencies may be able to get through unimpeded. The only sure fire way to do it is dense shielding. And that is usually too far out of reach for most situations.

Presumably you just want to stop the neighbours' gossip/laughter affecting your love live? What you might find is that under the floor there is too little separating you from them: bricks missing around joists etc. Are you able to take the floor up to see?

If there is a problem there (you should be able to tell quite easily by just listening for the best accoustics) you can get rid of a lot of it with a can of resin foam spray.

I meant to add that in recording studios, a lot of the reverberation is cut out by sticking irregular shapes all over the walls in them.

Unless you want to put a layer of egg box trays on there, that is a little difficult to do. Perhaps some shelving or furniture?

Thanks for the tips.

Its for a friends house not ours. I will pass these ideas on.

I think most of the sound is carried under the suspended floor so I think certainly a look at the party wall joists is in order.

Thanks, Matthew

If the gaps beween the joists are foamed, it will make a remendous saving on the heating bills next winter. So he should treat the job it as an investment.

The egg boxes would only be of use if you installed them next door :-)

Those, are you say, are to modify the reverberation characteristics of the room. They make a tiny difference to the sound insulation. That's done first by adding mass.

Best put high density Rockwool between the studs

I have just put one up a stud wall on one of the bedroom walls, using High density rockwool and soundsheild plaster board all bought from Wickes. I used small timbers 45mm square i think, with a slight gap to the party wall. The HD rockwool is simple to use, just cut to size with a stanle knife. Don't know end results yet, as carpet is being fitted today. Simo

-- SimonST