Shop sound reduction

[Michael Church]

Hello. My first post on the forum. Have been reading and getting great info for some time.
I am planning on building a shop in the near future and have concerns about limiting sound. Don't want to disturb the neighbors too much, atlhough they are all relatives....live in NC mountains on family property. I plan on using 2X4 wall construction with fiberglass insulation. Have not decided on wheather to pour concrete slab or frame for floor. Would sheetrock be better for walls and ceilings or go with plywood?. Sheetrock is cheaper but more work if finished ( also less durable). I don't want to spend a fortune on construction ( doing the construction myself ..have been a carpenter for 30 or so years). Any ideas on how to soundproof without huge expense would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Chuck Durst]

Maybe you could put foam boards up before using the wood on inside. think that drywall is better at sound proofing, worked in insulation for 25yrs so you could go with a 2X6 wall and R-19 in sidewalls then use wood. just a few Ideas for you.

Chuck

[Bill Arnold]

MY shop is 2x4 stud wall construction - 16" centers - fiberglass insulation - HardiPlank exterior. Inside walls are lauan paneling on the bottom 4' with white pegboard for the upper portion. I used pegboard on all but the wall by the stairs to the loft. Ceiling is 3/8" plywood painted white with twelve 2' by 4' light boxes recessed in it.

The closest neighbors are about 80' from the closest corner of my shop building. They don't hear anything unless I'm working with the doors open and they don't complain even then.

[Bas Pluim]

For a good discussion on the subject, as well as some info from local folks, head over to the NC Woodworker web site. Do a search on "soundproofing attached garage". Lots of practical advice.

[Prashun Patel]

From the BASIC research I did on soundproofing, A concrete floor will be denser than a frame floor, so it will absorb sound better. However, it will be colder.

As for the walls, I would finish the frame walls with a layer of drywall. Mud the seams roughly, and then glue plywood on top of that. Even better, you can build a second frame wall and finish that with plywood. The room-inside-a-room concept is great for insulation and sound.

[Bill Arnold]

... The room-inside-a-room concept is great for insulation and sound.
Which might be great in an apartment but isn't it a bit over-the-top for "family property in the mountains"????? :confused:

[Dennis McGarry]

Which might be great in an apartment but isn't it a bit over-the-top for "family property in the mountains"????? :confused:

No over the top would be a room with in a room, decouple all walls from any outside or original frame walls, use sound asorbers in the corners, studio foam all around..

http://prosoundfoam.com/Pro_Sound_Foam_EXTREME_Sound_Control_Studio_Foam_K it-details.aspx

[Bill Arnold]

Hey guys!!! What are we talking about here? A wood shop or a professional sound studio????????????????????????????? :confused::eek::D:eek::confused:

[Brian Kent]

Here is a simple explanation of using offset studs to make a wall sound resistant.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4916019_build-soundproof-wall.html

The basic idea is to alternate 2 x 4 studs on a 2 x 6 base. The odd studs attach the outside wall. The even studs attach to the inside wall, with fiberglass insulation woven back and forth between them.

[Dennis McGarry]

throw in a couple bass traps, some foam around the tools, and float the floor. Nice and quiet..

:)

[Bob Barkto]

The sounds generated by wood working machinery and power tools are high enough in frequency that _almost anything_ that stops air will stop the noise. You don't have to worry about isolation of low frequencies, unless you do a lot of heavy mallet work.;)

R-13 -19 in the walls and ceiling if covered by a seamless surface like taped drywall will be very effective, more than enough.
Most sound will pass through window and door openings. Weatherstrip and seal those areas. Double pane glass in the windows helps.


Hello. My first post on the forum. Have been reading and getting great info for some time.
I am planning on building a shop in the near future and have concerns about limiting sound. Don't want to disturb the neighbors too much, atlhough they are all relatives....live in NC mountains on family property. I plan on using 2X4 wall construction with fiberglass insulation. Have not decided on wheather to pour concrete slab or frame for floor. Would sheetrock be better for walls and ceilings or go with plywood?. Sheetrock is cheaper but more work if finished ( also less durable). I don't want to spend a fortune on construction ( doing the construction myself ..have been a carpenter for 30 or so years). Any ideas on how to soundproof without huge expense would be appreciated.
Thanks

[George Bregar]

Here is a simple explanation of using offset studs to make a wall sound resistant.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4916019_build-soundproof-wall.html

The basic idea is to alternate 2 x 4 studs on a 2 x 6 base. The odd studs attach the outside wall. The even studs attach to the inside wall, with fiberglass insulation woven back and forth between them. This is what I was going to guggest. My buddy did it, barely hear the shop noice inside the house...no way a neighbor would hear it. A cheap but effective solution.

[Chuck Isaacson]

Another thing that helps with two things is blown cellulose insulation. Not only is it more sound deadening, but it is a green source of EXCELLENT insulation. I did my whole shop with it. Really does a good job of keeping things quite and warm.

Chuck

[Joe Wiliams]

Here is a simple explanation of using offset studs to make a wall sound resistant.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4916019_build-soundproof-wall.html

The basic idea is to alternate 2 x 4 studs on a 2 x 6 base. The odd studs attach the outside wall. The even studs attach to the inside wall, with fiberglass insulation woven back and forth between them.
I've been considering method similar to this for a future project but wasn't sure how to space the studs. Is there any concern having the stud centers at 32" for each face? I was thinking 24" centers for each face so so you could use standard size insulation and the sheetrock and siding would land on more traditional numbers with cuts and seams.

Make sense?:o

[Sam Layton]

Michael, first of all welcome to the creek.

I had the same concerns as you when I built my shop. I did not want to disturb my neighbors. I built my shop with 2X4 walls studs on 16 centers. I stuccoed the outside. I used R 15 insulation, installed 1/2" sound board, (not expensive) and 5/8" dry wall.

I don't worry about my neighbors. If my doors are shut it is very quiet outside.

Sam

[Chuck Durst]

One other thing to think about, he may have to sleep in there a few times after buying that extra machine he needs. So it should have some of the comforts of home he may need them ??? Don't worry Mike we all have done it before and will do it again, leave room for a cot in a corner.

Chuck

[Mitchell Andrus]

No over the top would be a room with in a room, decouple all walls from any outside or original frame walls, use sound asorbers in the corners, studio foam all around..


WAYYYYY over the top..... Holodeck.
.

[Chris Damm]

My walls are insulated with 3.5" of fiberglass, 1.5" of foam and 7/16" OSB. I can run my planer and dust collector and you can hardly hear it outside the wall let alone 20" away.

[Kent A Bathurst]

This is what I was going to guggest. My buddy did it, barely hear the shop noice inside the house...no way a neighbor would hear it. A cheap but effective solution.

FWIW - this is also adds some benefits for insulating/heat retention.

[Prashun Patel]

Which might be great in an apartment but isn't it a bit over-the-top for "family property in the mountains"????? :confused:

Personally, if I lived in the mountains, I'd leave the doors wide open for dust to escape, but he said he wanted to reduce sound. Starting from scratch, room-in-room isn't that much harder than single frame wall.

[Wayne Cannon]

There are three things which help:


Mass -- e.g., double-thicknesses of sheet rock, concrete, etc.
Isolation -- e.g., separate inner and outer walls, sound clips to isolate the mechanical sound motion of sheet rock from the studs to which they are attached, etc.
Absorption -- i.e., converting mechanical sound energy into heat, i.e., via friction in the material, such as through dense sound-absorbing foam rubber. "Acoustic" tile helps some, but not as much as other materials.
Getting rid or alternate paths, such as passageways, heating ducts, etc.

Gauzy stuff, like fiberglass, etc., helps a little, but not much.

[Michael Church]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I will do some research and do some cost estimates on various methods. The space for a cot idea sounds like a must....have been purchasing used machinery for shop already and the cost discussions are sometimes lively.
Thanks again. I'm sure I will be seeking more advice in the future.

[Sarit Sotangkur]

If you have the money, you can try QuietRock (http://www.quietsolution.com/html/quietrock.html). This is maybe your easiest solution since you just use it like any drywall.

I think another product called Green Glue (http://www.greengluecompany.com/index.php) is a cheap alternative which allows you to make your own version of QuietRock.

If you need even more sound proofing you can use those w/ resilient channel and sound clips. Then you'll have to make sure all your electrical boxes are covered w/ an acoustic mat. Then you'll need a isolating layer for your floors (unless ur on a concrete slab), etc, etc, etc.

You can easily go overboard trying to "silence" your workshop when you really only need to reduce the noise you hear outside to a non-disturbing level. If it were me, I would build and insulate it as you normally would and just be sure to have extra slack to all your electrical connections. Then if you need more sound proofing, use the green glue to add another layer of drywall. Need more? Build a room within a room. Need more? buy quieter equipment ;)