Soundproof Insulation exclusively at Soundproofing America

Soundproofing America is now proud to offer our customers the latest in sound batt insulation materials. These sound batts offer a high "R" factor and actually block and absorb sound when placed in joist or stud cavities. These sound batts can be used in conjunction with regular fiberglass insulation. Using these sound batt insulations always turbo charges a standard pink insulation installation. The sound batts actually work at deadening a wood or steel structure and therefore reduces the transmitted structure borne noise that is often associated with floor impact sound from above. These batts are excellent in both wall and ceiling assemblies, not to mention their use in quite floor systems. As you know from reading this blog, deadening the structure adds dramatically to any soundproofing endeavor. The new sound batt insulations are an integral part of any good soundproof floor, ceiling, or wall system.
We carry a full line of bonded acoustical cotton products such as silent panels and green sound insulation panels. Call us for the best pricing on these and many other sound batt insulations.
We are also a dealer for Roxul AFB and Roxul SAFE sound batts. Roxul is the affordable way to soundproof your home theater, professional recording studio or any soundproofing project that requires the very best materials at the lowest price possible. If you know sound absorption, you know Roxul, and if you know soundproofing, you should also know www.soundproofingamerica.com
If you don't see the sound batt insulation you are looking for don't give up!! Instead give us a call toll free @ (877) 530-0139. If we don't have what you are looking for we will find it for you even if we don't make a dime off the deal. That's just the way it is. Thanks for reading and learning about the latest in sound batt insulations.

As Always, Dr. Bob
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing, Sound proofing, Acoustical treatments, basement soundproofing, Cheap soundproofing, Commercial soundproofing, DIY soundproofing, Garage soundproofing, Home soundproofing, Home studio soundproofing, Home theater soundproofing, Industrial soundproofing, Mass loaded vinyl, Noise reduction, Residential soundproofing, Room soundproofingCeiling soundproofing, Soundproof flooring, Studio soundproofing, Wall soundproofing, Construction soundproofing, building soundproofing, soundproof floors, construction soundproofing, Acoustiblok soundproofing, soundproofing materials.

Restaurant Acoustical treatments

Have you ever been in a restaurant where you could clearly hear the people talking 5 tables away, but were unable to hear the person sitting right across from you? This is very common today in restaurants, coffee houses and nite clubs. In an attempt to impress their clientel, these venues will utilize hard faced materials that are aesthetically pleasing such as granite, marble or ceramic tile. These surfaces look very impressive, but they can make speech inteligibility nearly impossible. Hard surfaces can cause your restaurant to have up to a 7 second reverb time. This makes normal conversation nearly impossible and leaves the restaurant customer feeling like he didn't enjoy the meal as much simply because the acoustics were so bad.
The only way to combat a situation like this is to add absorbent materials to the walls and ceilings. Some of the harshness in these areas can be helped with the use of fabric covered chairs and of course carpeting helps to a degree. In essence, due to all the reflective hards surfaces the sound is bouncing around like a beebee in a boxcar. For optimum acoustics you would want to reduce the the reverb times to 1 second or less. This can be accomplished with the use of hanging baffles, absorbent wall treatments such as fiberglass filled fabric covered panels which would be adhered or fastened to the existing wall surfaces. These acoustical treatment products are generally pleasing to the eye and will dramatically cut down the reverb times in larger cavernous type venues that emply hard reflective surfaces.
Hanging baffles are designed to stop the reflective sounds from bouncing off of the ceilings and down to the walls and floors. They act as both defusers and sound absorbers, and can be color coordinated to match the interior of the restaurant. For the most part your customers will not even know that they are there. They will simply be able to enjoy themselves more because of the better acoustics and will then be more apt to return to your restaurant often.
Soundproofing America specializes in designing and implimenting these sound conditioning systems. Every acoustical situation is different and therefore we are able to perform a computer generated acoustical analysis on your restaurant and then recommend the perfect product to solve your sound issues.
Products include Bonded Acoustical cotton panels, Bass traps, hanging baffle systems, fabric covered panels, sail cloth, floating clouds, acoustic suede, as well as a wide array of colorful wall and ceiling treatments.
We carry the same products as the "Big Boy's" do, but without the big price tags.
Soundproofing America also has access to the finest in acoustical curtains and draperies. When you are ready to have your restauant, nite club, or studio acoustically tuned, call the professionals at Soundproofing America, you'll be glad you did. Thanks for reading and learning together.

As Always,

Bob O.
Senior techinical Director
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing, Sound proofing, Acoustical treatments, basement soundproofing, Cheap soundproofing, Commercial soundproofing, DIY soundproofing, Garage soundproofing, Home soundproofing, Home studio soundproofing, Home theater soundproofing, Industrial soundproofing, Mass loaded vinyl, Noise reduction, Residential soundproofing, Room soundproofingCeiling soundproofing, Soundproof flooring, Studio soundproofing, Wall soundproofing, Construction soundproofing, building soundproofing, soundproof floors, construction soundproofing, Acoustiblok soundproofing, soundproofing materials.

Fabric covered panels for home theater and home studio applications

Soundproofing America carries a wide array of high quality fabric covered panels. These are the same panels that are used in commercial movie theater applications. They can be had in most Guilford 701 fabric which gives you have a wide variety of color choices. These panels can be adhered to the walls by mechanical fasteners and impailing clips with adhesive. The will give you professional results in any theater or studio situation. You can look on the Internet and find the name brand products, but these are the same if not better quality and do not have the high priced brand name embossed on the panels.
We also carry many other great selection of sound conditioning materials such as acoustic defusers, bass traps, Pyramid and Wedge panels as well as many other acoustical treatment products. If you don't find what you're looking for on the website, please give us a call toll free at (877) 530-0139 and we will be able to help you with any acoustic treatment application you can think of.
Soundproofing America is not the biggest, but we are the best. We offer personal services and can help you with any soundproofing or sound conditioning needs you may have. We offer state-of-the-art acoustical products at the best prices in the country. When you are looking for professional acoustical products, please keep us in mind as your #1 source on the Internet.
Thanks for reading and learning together.

Bob O.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing, Sound proofing, Acoustical treatments, basement soundproofing, Cheap soundproofing, Commercial soundproofing, DIY soundproofing, Garage soundproofing, Home soundproofing, Home studio soundproofing, Home theater soundproofing, Industrial soundproofing, Mass loaded vinyl, Noise reduction, Residential soundproofing, Room soundproofingCeiling soundproofing, Soundproof flooring, Studio soundproofing, Wall soundproofing, Construction soundproofing, building soundproofing, soundproof floors, construction soundproofing, Acoustiblok soundproofing, soundproofing materials.

Green Glue Soundproofing

It looks like Soundproofing America is ready to get onboard with the "Green Glue." This product will actually revolutionize the soundproofing industry. Instead of the expense of installing heavy materials for sound blocking, Green glue concentrates on deadening the structure and the drywall as opposed to blocking the sound with lead or mass loaded vinyl. Deadening seems to be very effective especially when dealing with impact noise from above. Foot fall noise has always been one of the most difficult noises to combat. They industry standard for impact noise has been to float the ceiling or wall with resilient channels or sound clips and furring channel. The Green Glue saves a lot in labor and installation costs. Basically the Green Glue is a Visco Elastic dampening material that is placed between layers of drywall. The more layer of drywall treated with the glue, the better the soundproofing will be. According to Audio Alloy (makers of the Green Glue) Green glue fairs much better than other soundproofing products such as mass loaded vinyl, lead, and soundproof foams. This we will need to verify, but the latest field tests do prove this products to be a superb sound deadening agent. Structure deadening equates to good soundproofing especially when it comes to impact noise from above.
We look forward to working with the folks at Audio Alloy and plan to make the Green Glue an integral part of our soundproofing arsenal. Thanks for reading and learning about this phenomenal product.

As Always,
Bob O.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139Soundproofing, Sound proofing, Acoustical treatments, basement soundproofing, Cheap soundproofing, Commercial soundproofing, DIY soundproofing, Garage soundproofing, Home soundproofing, Home studio soundproofing, Home theater soundproofing, Industrial soundproofing, Mass loaded vinyl, Noise reduction, Residential soundproofing, Room soundproofingCeiling soundproofing, Soundproof flooring, Studio soundproofing, Wall soundproofing, Construction soundproofing, building soundproofing, soundproof floors, construction soundproofing, Acoustiblok soundproofing, soundproofing materials, Green glue.

New York Soundproofing

The majority of our calls and sales actually come from New York City. In this great city there are many unique soundproofing issues to deal with. There are cramped quarters and small flats or lofts where people are desperate for peace and solitude and escape from the rat race of "Big City Life." Many of the buildings that have been converted to lofts or studio apartments are well over 100 years old. That means that the wood in these structures has aged and is extremely resonant. There are many factors to consider in NYC that are usually not issues in other parts of the country. The wood is just one aspect; another is lathe and plaster walls and ceilings. As a rule, plaster is NOT a good soundproofer and by it very nature it is difficult to soundproof plaster. It is better to remove the old plaster and start from bare studs or joists. I know I know, what a mess it is to remove plaster, but if you are serious about soundproofing your unit, then it is your only real option. Starting from bare studs and joists is always best when soundproofing. It will be more costly, but it will pay dividends in the long run. When working with bare studs and joists, you are able to place much needed sound batt insulation inside of those cavities. These sound deadening materials are essential for deadening the actual wood structure prior to adding soundproof barriers such as mass loaded vinyl or lead sheeting. If these cavity areas are not treated with sound deadening materials, they will tend to act as speaker enclosures and will pretty much amplify the already annoying noises.
The major concerns we deal with in New York and other cities are that of footfall noise (impact noise from walking). This is one of the most difficult noises to combat, as it is structure borne noise and thus the structure must be treated or deadened in order to get even adequate soundproofing in a lower unit.
We A constantly bombarded with calls asking us if any "blown in" products will work to deaden the foot fall noise from above. From our experience, blown in cellulose or other blow in products such as expanding foam have little or no effect when it comes to stopping footfall or impact noise transmission from above. The truth is simply this, there is no mass in these products and it is nearly impossible to get complete coverage when you are punching a few holes into the drywall or plaster and then pumping in cellulose or foam. If these products were indeed effective, all of the regular soundproofing companies would be out of business. Believe me.
Soundproofing properly may cost a little more money, but it will be money well spent over the long haul.
At Soundproofing America our professional staff is there to help you every step of the way. If you are losing sleep because of loud tromping from the unit above, generally money will not be an issue. Getting a good nights sleep is more valuable than gold to many New Yorkers. You need answers and you need them NOW.
That’s where the experts at Soundproofing America can provide you with the advice and the soundproofing products required to soundproof your home, and as a result obtain the peace and solitude you deserve.
For help with any soundproofing issue, please feel free to call the experts at Soundproofing America, we know soundproofing and we have the knowledge and know how to help you complete any soundproofing project. Remember, no job is too large or too small for the pros at Soundproofing America.
Thanks for reading and learning together. We welcome your comments.

As Always,
Bob O.
Senior Technical Advisor
www.massloadedvinyl.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing, Sound proofing, Acoustical treatments, basement soundproofing, Cheap soundproofing, Commercial soundproofing, DIY soundproofing, Garage soundproofing, Home soundproofing, Home studio soundproofing, Home theater soundproofing, Industrial soundproofing, Mass loaded vinyl, Noise reduction, Residential soundproofing, Room soundproofingCeiling soundproofing, Soundproof flooring, Studio soundproofing, Wall soundproofing, Construction soundproofing, building soundproofing, soundproof floors, construction soundproofing, Acoustiblok soundproofing, soundproofing materials.

Alternative Mass Loaded Vinyl installation procedures

There is more than one method for installing mass loaded vinyl to obtain maximum effect. The standard of the industry is to install the MLV directly to the stud or joist framing using an industrial stapler or heavy-duty roofing nails that have the large plastic heads. This method is known as the membrane or septum method. The MLV works well when placed on a wall or ceiling in a membrane fashion. It should never be sandwiched between layers of drywall unless you can provide a dead air space where in the MLV can resonate or move with the sound waves. This can be accomplished with the use 1” furring channels that will allow the MLV to resonate between 2 layers of drywall. For more information on installing mass loaded vinyl over existing drywall, please call or e-mail us before you purchase or install this material. You have a choice of 1lb or 2lb mass loaded vinyl. Obviously the 2 Lb will be more effective (32STC) as opposed to (26 STC) for the 1lb, but it is more costly and that extra cost may not be necessary. A lot depends on your soundproofing issues. There is not a lot of information on the Internet in regards to the installation of mass loaded vinyl, hopefully we will be able to separate the fact from fiction . If you are constructing walls using the staggered stud method, it would be beneficial to actually weave the vinyl in an out of the staggered stud assembly itself. The above picture gives you a rough idea of how this would look. The key to weaving MLV (or any barrier material) is to seal the vinyl as best as possible at the seams and around the perimeter. In the case of a horizontal weave (the most common weave) it is best to overlap the seams by at least 1" and seal that overlap with acoustical caulking as well as a quality seam tape. The weaving of MLV also aids in the defusing of sound waves. The weave also allows the vinyl to resonate or move with the sound. As you know, it is important that the MLV be able to resonate in order to work to it’s full potential.You can also use the weave on a standard stud wall provided there is no drywall installed on either side of the studs. (just open studs) This weaving method can be hampered however by stud cross members, so it is best to have only vertically installed studs if you are planning to do the weave. If you weave the MLV on a normally studded wall, there may be problems with the drywall sitting level on the studs. If your studs are 16" on center, then every other stud will have 1/8" of increased width compared to the studs that don't have the MLV weaved a top of them. To keep the drywall even on both sides, a sound isolation tape can be adhered to every other stud that that is not covered with the weaved MLV this will make all of the stud surfaces flat and even and the drywall will rest evenly on the studs. From the feedback of our contractors in the field, we have discovered that the more a wood structure is dampened, the better the soundproofing will be in a wall or ceiling assembly. This is especially true for impact noise from above. There are many ways to dampen a wood frame assembly and some are more effective than others. Some contractors have used blown in cellulose in order to dampen the joist or stud structures, but cellulose has no mass and though it will help to a degree, it is much less effective than using blown in closed cell foam. We have obtained the best results by installing Roxul mineral wool in the stud and joist cavities. Roxul is a mineral wool sound insulation that also maintains the R factor of thermal insulation. The Roxul can be used along with standard fiberglass insulation in order to completely fill the joist or stud cavities. Once the cavities are filled with the mineral wool you are ready to add the mass loaded vinyl. The MLV will be stapled or nailed directly to the studs or joists. The MLV needs to be like a membrane across the stud or joists. Once this is complete you will need to caulk the seams as well as the entire perimeter of the vinyl membrane, and then tape the caulked seams. It is not necessary to tape the perimeter but caulking this area is essential. Once the sealing of the vinyl is complete, all that is left is to install the drywall. For the best soundproofing, we recommend installing 2 layers of ½” drywall. If this is not possible, then 1 layer of 5/8” fire code drywall will suffice. This has been a brief description on alternative methods of installing mass loaded vinyl. I hope this little narrative has helped clear up the misconceptions about the installation of MLV. Thanks for reading and learning. As Always,
Bob O.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Finding the right Soundproofing Company

I received a call this morning from a flooring contractor who only does flooring consulations. He was smart enough to find our website www.soundproofingamerica.com He freely admitted that he knew nothing about soundproofing. That's generally the best way to approach any soundproofing project. Sure, there are plenty of soundproofing companies out there who are further up on the search engines than we are, but what we are finding is that most of these companies do not offer the technical advice and expertise that we offer. The contractor said he had been to many websites, but none had the in depth articles and information that he found on Soundproofing America's website. This is the reason that you need to look further down the search engines to find a company that offers the technical help and advice that you need to get the job done properly the first time. Some Soundproofing Companies are simply concerned about sales and the bottom line. That's not the way we work around here. We are here for the long haul and will not abandon you after the sale. There are people spending thousands of dollars and not getting the right products of the technical assistance needed to perform the installation properly. When you are ready to soundproof your home, office or industrial space, please think about Soundproofing America as your trusted soundproofing resource. Thanks for reading and learning together.

As Always,
Bob O.
Senior Soundproofing technical advisor
www.soundproofingamerica.com
www.massloadedvinyl.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Mass Loaded Vinyl, the worlds best Soundproofer

I suppose anyone who has ever looked into soundproofing has come across a material called "Mass Loaded Vinyl" or MLV for short. Mass loaded vinyl is a limpid vinyl mat that is impregnated with silica's and barium salts, just to name a few. It is designed to emulate lead sheeting and is fast becoming a commonly used building material. Soundproofing is essential in today's stress filled environments. In this fast paced world, people are looking for peace and solitude when they return home from work. With the average price of a condominium selling in the $400K to $700K range it only makes sense that soundproofing would be a high priority in the construction process. Most contractors are unfamiliar with soundproofing methods and materials. It is up to the homebuyer to ask about soundproofing and what measures will be taken to assure a quiet living space.
If you are purchasing a condo or town house and you be on the lower level, soundproofing can mean the difference between getting full nights sleep and spending the night pacing the floor because the neighbors upstairs are too noisy. Take the time to investigate what measures were taken to soundproof the floors above or the ceiling below. Soundproofing issues are even present in multi million dollar units throughout the United States.
Mass Loaded vinyl is a soundproofing agent that can allot you the peace and quiet you are paying for when you purchase a condo or multi family dwelling. When the walls and ceilings are properly treated with this material, you will experience the peace and privacy you deserve.
There are however some misconceptions about mass loaded vinyl and I would like to clear those up now.
MLV is not recommended for use as a floor underlay. MLV needs to have a dead air space, which will allow it to resonate as the sound tries to pass through it. If the vinyl is laid directly atop a sub floor with new flooring installed directly on top of it, there is no space for the vinyl to resonate. Mass loaded vinyl is great for walls and ceilings, but if you are looking to soundproof a floor, you will want to look into materials that do not need to resonate in order to work properly.
There are some excellent recycled rubber products that are excellent at alleviating impact noise as well as airborne sounds from the unit above. There flooring products are mentioned throughout this blog. If you need more information about mass loaded vinyl or any of our soundproofing products, please go to our website: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/ and view the wide array of the finest soundproofing products on the planet.
Thank you for your support.

As Always,

Bob O.
http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/
http://www.massloadedvinyl.com/
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Why does one need soundproofing in a commercial space?

Anatomy of a poorly built space or Why soundproofing is important?

As I lay on a traction table in a chiropractor’s office, I ponder how this room could have been sound isolated more during construction. This room’s purpose is to relax a person after having just been adjusted by the chiropractor. Problem is that there is a loud banking office right next door. You can easily hear conversations (though you can’t always make out the words) through these thin, typical, commercial building walls.

First, I think about how this building was likely constructed back in the 70’s. The outside walls are concrete tilt up the inside framing is wood 2’x4’. The walls are likely only as tall as the drop ceiling t-bar and tiles. The walls are also most likely one single layer of half inch drywall each side.

The outside concrete tilt up wall seems to act as a pretty good sound barrier to the constant traffic on the busy street just a few feet below this building.

The inside partition walls and drop ceiling are the problems. If I could re-plan this building, my prevention for the problems in this building would start with building the walls up to the level of the roof. The reason that I would have done this is that the attic or open space above the drop ceiling can easily pass sound. The ceiling tiles are just there for acoustics and not for their sound isolating ability. In other words, the ceiling tiles are simply there to improve the acoustics (reduce echo, increase speech intelligibility) not to stop sound from traveling from office space to office space.

I would have built the walls with a Rocksound mineral wool insulation material in between the studs followed with a layer of Mass Loaded Vinyl (a 1/8” thick, loaded-vinyl sheet material with equivalent sound transmission loss to lead sheeting) on both sides of the partition wall and then a layer or two of 5/8” thick drywall.

Following this plan would have made for a nice sound isolated room to relax and recover from a strenuous chiropractic adjustment. Oh well…one can dream.


Thank you for reading and look for a second article on ways to remoded this space for sound isolation.

Scott Swisher
Sound Isolation Specialist
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Drywall Contractors and soundproofing options

I am always surprised that drywall contractors don't offer soundproofing as an option to their customers. It would be a great way to diversify their business and would give their customers more options to choose from when it comes to remodeling or new construction. Soundproofing contractors are extremely rare in this day and age and the demand for soundproofing in condos, apartments and co-ops is staggering. The majority of our soundproofing products are easy to install and extremely effective at blocking and absorbing unwanted noise from next-door neighbors or from noisy neighbors living in an upper unit.
Soon soundproofing will not be an option but a requirement in all new condo's town homes and apartments. Already many city ordinances require a 50-55 STC rating for all floor to ceiling construction as well as at least a 40 STC rating for party walls. With the proper soundproofing materials, these requirements can indeed be met. There are soundproof flooring options that alone offer 40 to 50 STC's, that added to the STC rating of the floor will usually meet any city or county requirements for sound ratings in these multi family units.
If you are a contractor interested in offering soundproofing as an option to your customers, please call us here at Soundproofing America and we will give you the knowledge and can provide the materials you will need to accomplish your soundproofing goals.
There are state-of- the- art soundproofing materials such as mass loaded vinyl that are ready for immediate delivery. We have distribution points throughout The United States and can even arrange for you to pickup your materials if you are within a 100 mile radius.
As a general rule, it is always best to apply the soundproofing materials during the construction phase where it can be installed prior to dry walling. With the cost of housing skyrocketing it only makes sense that soundproofing should be an integral part of any new construction project. There are many lawsuits filed each year due to sound issues in newly constructed or converted condo or co-op developments. Most people who spend $500K to $1M for a high end condo or town home, definitely don’t want to hear their upstairs neighbors as they walk across their engineered hardwood floor.
Soundproofing is becoming and integral part of all new construction and it will pay in the long run for contractors to become knowledgeable about soundproofing materials and methods. Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox. If you need information on soundproofing materials and installation methods, please call the pro’s at Soundproofing America, we will be glad to help you. Thanks for reading and learning together.

Bob O.
Soundproofing Specialist
www.soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Acoustical Treatment options for home theaters and studio applications

Soundproofing America is not simply a soundproofing company; we carry a wide variety of the world’s finest acoustical treatments for your home recording studio or that high end home theater you have always dreamed of. Sure, you can purchase acoustical products from Auralex, Sweetwater and Musicians Friend, just to mention a few, but if you want the same quality as the big guy's at a fraction of the cost, you need to think seriously about contacting the acoustics pro's at Soundproofing America. Not all the acoustical treatment products are listed on the website yet, but simply call us toll free and ask about our vast array of acoustical sound conditioning products as well as our wonderful line of soundproof flooring options and our Pro soundproofing materials. We have some of the lowest prices in the country on these professional grade products and we will meet or beat any advertised price. Get a price quote on these materials from the big guy's and then give us a call to see how much you can save. We carry the Echoless bonded cotton panels, Silent panel, Anechoic wedge and pyramid panels, Bassoak panels plus a wide selection of melamine and polyurethane foam wall and ceiling tiles. We also carry a great selection of acoustical hanging baffle panels. Any of these products will give your home theater the look and feel of a real movie theater not to mention the outstanding acoustic effect you will experience. If you need acoustical treatment products and don't need the brand name stamped on them, then call the experts at Soundproofing America. We can do a complete room analysis for your studio or home theater and then recommend the best products for your application. If you don't see what you're looking for on the website, please give us a call, chances are we have exactly what your looking for at a price you can afford. Thanks for reading. As Always,

Bob O.
Acoustical Specialist
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

How to soundproof a room

Soundproofing a room does not have to cost you an arm and a leg, it can be done relatively cheap if you have the knowledge and the skills needed to complete the job. Knowledge is the key; if you don't have the knowledge, find someone who does.
Most constructed walls and ceilings consist of the studs (framing) or joists (rafters, ceiling beams) and if you are lucky the developer added a little R-19 or R-30 insulation before applying the final layer of drywall. This is what we deal with on a daily basis. One of the greatest myths is that common fiberglass insulation is a good soundproofer. This is totally false. Fiberglass insulation is so loosely woven that allows sound to pass readily. Also note that the fibers in the fiberglass insulation can transmit sound much like a wire carries electricity. Now there are batt insulations that have the R-values needed to meet building codes and are also very good soundproofing agents. One of the best batt materials on the market is called Roxul. Roxul is a mineral wool product that is manufactured in Canada. It has proven soundproofing qualities and can be used in conjunction with common fiberglass insulation to fill the joist and stud cavities and provide the sound dampening and sound absorption you need for effective soundproofing. Installing Roxul in ceiling joist cavities is also a great way to get both the thermal and soundproofing benefits you need for your soundproof room. Once you have the Roxul installed in those areas, you will then attach the mass loaded vinyl directly to the studs and joists, it will stretch across the frame structure much like a membrane across the studs. The stud cavities will provide the dead air space needed to allow MLV to resonate properly and give you the soundproofing results you want. It is always best to overlap the seams wherever possible and then you would caulk the seams as well as the perimeter with a good acoustical caulk. Next you would tape your seams with a MLV sealer tape and then the final step would be to install your final layer of drywall, tape, mud, and paint and presto, you are finished.
There are many other methods for soundproofing a room such as floating the walls and ceilings, but the methods explained above are the least labor intensive and will provide your with a very soundproof room.
I hope you have obtained knowledge from this article, please continue to read this weblog for daily updates and postings regarding every aspect of soundproofing.

As Always,
Bob O.
Soundproofing technical advisor
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Decoupled Mass Loaded Vinyl for walls and ceilings

It is a common myth that simply installing plain mass loaded vinyl directly to a drywall ceiling or wall will give you maximum soundproofing. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the MLV does not have a dead air space in order to resonate, it will not perform to it's maximum. MLV always works best when it is nailed or stapled directly to the open studs on a wall or the joist of a ceiling.
Now if you already have drywall up and need a product to adhere directly to it, you can use a mass loaded vinyl that has a decoupling foam attached to it. This decoupling foam will actually allow the MLV to resonate even when layered over with another sheet of drywall.
We have discovered that this method if sealed properly is very effective at blocking airborne noise and will even help some with impact noise from above. As you know from other articles on this blog, floating a ceiling or walls using sound clips and furring channels is always the most effective way to alleviate footfall noise from the floor above.
Now there are 2 varieties of the MLV with decoupler, one has an open cell foam mat bonded directly to the MLV and the other has a closed cell foam bonded to it. Both products are effective, but the one with the closed cell foam is the better material as the foam will both decouple and block sound. The open cell foam in itself has no soundproofing qualities; it is strictly used for decoupling and giving the MLV a little bit of dead air space in which to resonate.
The professionals at Soundproofing America can help you pick the right materials for any soundproofing project you may have. It doesn't matter if your soundproofing 10 Sq ft or 10,000 sq ft, we have knowledge and products to help you get the job done right. If you are in the construction phase of your new home and know you need soundproofing in certain areas, please give us a call, we will advise you on which product will work best for your situation, and will have the materials there when and where you need them. Thanks for learning about decoupled mass loaded vinyl.

Sincerely,

Bob O.
Soundproofing Technical advisor
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproof Carpet Underlay's

In past articles we have talked extensively about soundproofing underlay's for hardwood flooring and tile. This article will deal with soundproof carpet underlay's. Many people think that simply rolling out a layer of mass loaded vinyl onto the subfloor and then installing your carpet and pad will protect the neighbors downstairs from hearing the impact (footfall noise) coming from the unit above. Unfortunately this is not the case. MLV needs to maintain a dead air space between the sub floor and the the vinyl itself in order to resonate with the sounds thus canceling it out. The MLV's ability to resonate will give you the STC numbers you desire and it will work to it's full potential.
We have discovered that it is better to use a carpet underlay that does not need to resonate in order to give you maximum soundproofing. There are a variety of carpet underlays that fit this bill, one is known as American Impact Pro. It is the exact same product that is used for impact protection under hardwood and tile floors. American Impact Pro and it's brother American Impact Standard are both proven state-of-the-art underlays for almost any floor covering available. The only exception is marble flooring. There are other soundproofing underlay's specifically designed for marble and are available through this website: www.soundproofingamerica.com
There is also an economical alternative to the more costly Impact Pro and Impact Standard which is simply called "Impactless". It does not offer the same impact protection that you'd get from Impact Pro and Impact Standard, but for the budget minded it is a very realistic alternative and is much less costly to purchase and to ship. We have gotten some good feedback on all of these products. When you are thinking about carpet underlay products, look no further than the professionals at Soundproofing America. We have the industrial strength materials to soundproof any floor. Thanks for reading and learning.

For more information on carpet underlays, please call a professional at (877) 530-0139 Thank you.

As Always,

Bob O.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Southern California Soundproofing Contractor Available

This is a first, our Southern California Soundproofing Contractor, John Granahan actually has some openings in his busy schedule. Soundproofing contractors are a rare breed indeed and so it is rare to find one with openings in his schedule. If you are in need of a great Soundproofing contractor who covers the area from Santa Barbara County to the Mexican border, please call Soundproofing America toll free or simply go to John's website and contact him directly. Go to: http://www.granahanconstruction.com/ here you can see the step by step processes that John and his team of soundproofing experts perform on most every soundproofing project they do. Haven't you been living with those noisy upstairs neighbor long enough? What about the loud next door neighbor who thinks the Ozzie Ozbourne is considered to be classical music and everyone should enjoy it? Isn't it time to call the professionals at Soundproofing America to schedule and appointment with John and his elete team of experts? Remember, that no matter if you are soundproofing an airconditioning compressor or doing a complete remodel including soundproofing and acoustical treatments, at Granahan Construction, no job is to large or too small. Thanks for reading and learning together.
As Always, Dr. Bob

www.granahanconstruction.com
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing your home Studio

With the rising costs of commercial studio recording times, it only makes sense that having a professional grade home studio would be a realistic and cost effective alternative. Constructing a home studio in a garage, basement or bedroom is not really as complicated as you might think. The most effective home studios are the room within a room design. In essence, this consists of constructing an entirely new room within the walls of an existing room or space. The room within a room concept takes advantage of the dead air spaces between the new walls and the existing walls. Dead air is natures soundproofer where sounds coming from the studio are blocked to the outside and also the noise from the outside is blocked from entering the studio. This is critical for high-end recording. Keep in mind that a well-constructed home studio can also double as a home theater. The room within a room does take up precious studio space so for the budget and space minded there are other options. Basements as a rule have concrete earthen walls which in an of themselves are good soundproofers, so if you are building a recording studio in your basement chances are you will only have to construct 2 walls and soundproof them as well as the basement ceiling.
In a basement or garage studio situation always keep in mind that windows can be a major breach to any soundproofing endeavor. Short of replacing a garage or basement window, you have the option of adding a window plug to the well windows in a basement or to your existing garage windows. These plugs are made with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat called America mat. If the window is say 3' X 3' you would cut the foam to a 3'1" X 3'1" block. This will give you enough extra material to help the plug fit snuggly into the window frame. Generally for windows with one dimension greater than 4' you will need a backer board to glue the America mat to. You want a lightweight material such as Luaan or common wood paneling. The addition of a couple of kitchen handles to the backer board makes for easy insertion and removal of the window plug. Another breach in a garage studio is obviously the garage door. Trying to soundproof a garage door is a major undertaking and is usually not very effective. It is always best to construct a demising or false wall to block noise from entering or leaving the studio.
Now comes the fun part, soundproofing the studio walls and ceilings. A lot depends on the kind of recording you will be doing as well as the decibel level of the bands or the music you are recording. When it comes to soundproofing, more is always better. (There is no such thing as over kill in soundproofing) However, there can be over kill to your wallet. We have the products and expertise to get you the right materials at the right price to soundproof any home recording facility.
One of the best products for soundproofing studio walls and ceilings is American mass loaded vinyl. MLV for short is a state-of-the-art soundproofing reflective barrier that is applied to the stud structure for walls and to the ceiling joists. Generally MLV is used with high quality sound batt insulation such as Roxul AFB or Roxul SAFE. The batt insulation would be friction fit into the stud and joist cavities and most insulation companies cut these batts to fit both 16 on center or 24 O.C. Once the batt insulation is installed, you would then stretch the MLV across the studs or joists to give the walls and ceilings membrane effect. The seams and the perimeter of the vinyl would be caulked with an acoustical caulk and the caulked seams would also be taped with a 2" wide sealer tape.
Now we're ready to drywall the interior of the studio. I like using a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall as my finished wall. This drywall would be screwed into the studs and joists directly through the MLV. If you are concerned about piercing holes in the vinyl, dip you screws in the acoustical caulk prior to screwing them in. Just a quick note, a lot of the home studio builders use 2 layers of 1/2" drywall instead of the single 5/8" variety, if you do this, run a bead of caulk in an "X" pattern between the layers to give some additional dead air space. This will also change the resonant frequency of the drywall and provide a little extra sound blocking.
Keep in mind that MLV is a heavy material that comes in both a 1# per sq ft and 2# per sq ft variety. Both are excellent soundproofing materials.
Next time we will be talking about the acoustical treatments you will need inside of your new home studio. Thanks for reading and learning together.

As Always,

Bob O.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Residential Soundproofing

Residential soundproofing is for the most part the bread and butter of the soundproofing industry. Over 90% of our clientele are residential soundproofing customers. Always keep in mind that soundproofing should never be done as a last resort especially if you are living in a multi family dwelling such as a condo, townhouse or a co-op conversion. We have found that many residential soundproofing customers are dealing with upstairs neighbors who have engineered hardwood floors and the impact noise that is transmitted to the downstairs neighbors is astounding. Noise from an upstairs unit is by far the most common problem for our customers. There are many solutions to these issues, and some are actually quite affordable. Others such as installing a floated ceiling can be very labor intensive. Before embarking on such a project it is always best to consult a soundproofing expert. The professionals at Soundproofing America are experts and deal with these issues on a daily basis. They will always recommend the most effective products for your individual soundproofing needs. If a less expensive product will meet your needs, we will tell you so right up front. When our customers get the results they are looking for and save time and money in the process, they have a tendency to tell their friends and neighbors. This is especially true in a condo or apartment situation as generally all of the downstairs neighbors are dealing with the same soundproofing issues.
Many of our customers are not contractors and they feel that to attain the results the want, they need to hire a contractor in this particular field of expertise. Soundproofing contractors are few and far between. As a general rule, we have found that any competent contractor can install our product and obtain some remarkable results. Keep in mind that the word "soundproofing" is a misleading term. What you are actually looking for is to reduce the noise to a tolerable level. Keep your expectations realistic and you will always be happy with your results.
There are many other residential soundproofing issues that will be discussed at a later time. If you need immediate soundproofing help, please do not hesitate to call one of the pro’s at Soundproofing America. Thank you for reading and learning.

As Always,

Bob O.
Soundproofing technical advisor
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
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