When it comes to blocking noise from bleeding through a common wall, there are a few tricks of the trade known in the acoustics industry that we will share here for those who need help. It has to do with your drywall.
Tip #1: Start with MLV. Mass loaded vinyl should layer up to your common surface first, whether the starting point is a new framed wall, or existing finished drywall. dB-Bloc is a famous form of MLV that has been combating sound bleed for more than 25 years. This is a thin, dense material designed to impede vibrations and force the decay in sound bleeding through your wall. Then layer your drywall over this material.
Tip #2: Frame your wall for disconnection. Do not hang drywall on both sides of a common set of studs. If you do, the studs become the vibration point through which sound travels, much like a string pulled tight between two coffee cans. instead, build a double wall, or build a staggered stud wall, or simply add horizontal furring strips to your existing structure to help life and separate your final drywall layer from the frame.
Tip #3: Do not double up on your drywall with the same thickness a second time. Instead, vary the thickness of the second layer. By doing so, each layer of drywall will carry a different density and attack a different “peak” frequency, producing a better overall value for you.
Tip #4: Layer your material. Do not embed the density into the existing drywall, commonly known as pre-engineered drywall. Much like combating cold weather with layered clothing, you are better to extract the density from the drywall and layer it up separate, as in Tip #1. Go with dB-Bloc as your thin MLV layer, then your furring strips, then your drywall. If you simply rely on the density in the pre-engineered drywall, you will lose some of your STC value. Separate your layering.
Tip #5: For those that do double drywall, apply a bead of Green Glue between your drywall layers. This damping compound reduces the vibration points between the layers, helping to further force the collapse of the transmitting sound wave.
Questions? Call the help desk at NetWell Noise Control. 1-800-638-9355. Happy hanging!
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