Soundproofing in America

Soundproofing your Aquarium

2008-08-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing an aquarium pump or filter motor is relatively simple. It pretty much parallels the methods for soundproofing a pool pump or any such motor pump assembly, but just on a much smaller scale. If the aquarium pump is installed within the pedestal or the base of the aquarium and happens to be water cooled, then soundproofing is simply a matter of wrapping the pump completely with America mat. You can glue Velcro to the mat and thus make a sound control blanket for the pump. If the aquarium pump needs ventilation, then the procedure will require placing the pump motor within a sound control enclosure lined once again with the America Mat. Now many aquarium enthusiasts do not want to wrap their pumps, but would instead like to soundproof the entire enclosure where the pump is positioned, a good idea since most aquarium pedestals are made of wood, and wood transmits sound 1200 times faster than ambient air. This process is also relatively simple. You would line the inside of the aquarium pedestal with the same America Mat, covering all the walls, the bottom and the underneath area where the fish tank sits. And yes, the double doors if applicable. This will definitely quiet an otherwise noisy pump motor. The more mat you use, the better the soundproofing will be, and you will probably not have neurotic fish. The thickness of the mat is also a factor when soundproofing the entire pedestal area. I have found that the ½" America Mat works superbly for this application.

Soundproofing Your Aquarium Pump Motor

Soundproofing your Aquarium

2006-10-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing an aquarium pump or filter motor is relatively simple. It pretty much parallels the methods for soundproofing a pool pump or any such motor pump assembly, but just on a much smaller scale. If the aquarium pump is installed within the pedestal or the base of the aquarium and happens to be water cooled, then soundproofing is simply a matter of wrapping the pump completely with America mat. You can glue Velcro to the mat and thus make a sound control blanket for the pump. If the aquarium pump needs ventilation, then the procedure will require placing the pump motor within a sound control enclosure lined once again with the America Mat. Now many aquarium enthusiasts do not want to wrap their pumps, but would instead like to soundproof the entire enclosure where the pump is positioned, a good idea since most aquarium pedestals are made of wood, and wood transmits sound 1200 times faster than ambient air. This process is also relatively simple. You would line the inside of the aquarium pedestal with the same America Mat, covering all the walls, the bottom and the underneath area where the fish tank sits. And yes, the double doors if applicable. This will definitely quiet an otherwise noisy pump motor. The more mat you use, the better the soundproofing will be, and you will probably not have neurotic fish. The thickness of the mat is also a factor when soundproofing the entire pedestal area. Though I have found that the ½" America Mat works superbly for this application.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Go to: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/soundproofing-aquarium.asp
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DIY Soundproofing

2006-10-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

An amateur builder or basically anyone handy with tools can easily complete the majority of our soundproofing projects. You don't need to be Bob Vila, or Norm Abram to do a wonderful professional looking soundproofing or sound conditioning project. If you are able to listen and read the detailed instructions provided on this website, you will be able to tackle any noise control project like a pro. Sure, you are bound to have questions, and that's what the professional's at Soundproofing America. Inc. are here for. We offer sound and practical advice to the "do it yourselfer" and professional alike. Believe me, I get my share of calls from contractors who have been in the business for over 30 plus years. If you are willing to learn and to admit that you don't know everything about everything, there is nothing you can't accomplish. I have talked musicians through the framing and construction of their garage and basement studio's or practice rooms. These guys admitted that they didn't have a clue about building or soundproofing a room within a room, now they are actually doing soundproofing projects for their friends and fellow musicians. It's not Rocket Science friends! If you want go for it and really feel you can tackle a soundproofing project, the pros at Soundproofing America will be with you every step of the way. That's a promise! There may be a little trial and error action going on at first due to the fact that all buildings and homes are not built equally, but eventually we will get you to where you need to be soundproofing wise. We always do. We will get you there and you won't have to mortgage your house in the process. That's a promise as well!
DIY Soundproofing
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Alternative Mass loaded vinyl installations

2006-10-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

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 would 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. Shipping on the 2 LB mass loaded vinyl can also be a factor. It is always better to pick up these materials at the source whenever possible. 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 new walls using the staggered stud method, it would be beneficial to actually weave the vinyl in and out of the staggered stud assembly itself. This 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 to 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 also 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 woven on 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 woven 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 article has helped clear up the misconceptions about the installation of MLV.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Go to: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/massloaded.asp
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Soundproofing A Shooting Range

2006-10-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

Many cities and municipalities are looking for more state of the art soundproofing procedures and methods for soundproofing a public, private, or even a home shooting range. The materials used must be impervious to the mist and smoke as well as gunpowder residue and it must be resilient and easy to clean. Some folks feel that convoluted foam mat (basically bedding or egg crate foam) will work in such applications. This is a totally false assumption because convoluted foam is an open celled foam and has no soundproofing qualities whatsoever. Now it does possess the ability to cushion sound and stop it from reflecting off of the firing tunnel walls for example, but mere cushioning does not in any way dissipate or diminish the sound of a firing weapon that generally reflects off the hard concrete or brick range walls. Also keep in mind that common open cell foam is not at all resistant to deterioration or flaking when exposed to water or humidity. So how do you get both absorption and sound blocking from one product, that is impervious to moisture and will stand up the rigors of a live firing range? Many large cities have contacted me desperately looking for just such a material and believe it or not we have exactly what they are looking for. It's the closed cell vinyl nitrile America mat and it has been used in many different ranges throughout the country. It is extremely flame retardant and only absorbs water into the first 6% to 8% of the mat. We have found through real life experience that this absorbed moisture dissipates rapidly and never causes mold, mildew, or deterioration. The America mat is both a blocker and absorber that is extremely resilient and versatile in the shooting environment. The mat comes in thick nesses of ¼" all the way up to 2" thick, but we have found that in most instances the ½" America mat does the job. This foam mat would be adhered directly to the walls and ceiling of the range tunnel and in some cases it would even be adhered to the floor. This will provide complete coverage thus forcing the sound to be absorbed into the mat and with no way out it dissipates rapidly. Major shooting ranges have used this foam mat even on outdoor ranges where the material is exposed to the elements. Now we really don't recommend direct exposure of this material to the elements (especially in the snow), but the feedback we have received in such applications has been favorable indeed. This material has been used in the cities of Boston, New York, Oceanside California, and Kansas City and all the feedback was positive. The thicker the foam, the better the results, but for a basic handgun range, the ½" America mat should be sufficient. There are many other applications for America mat, but one of the most popular is for shooting ranges. It is a phenomenal product. If you have further questions about shooting range soundproofing or about the America mat in general, please feel free to call or e-mail us at your earliest convenience.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Soundproofing America, Inc. toll free @ (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing a Shooting Range

Soundproofing a Garage or Basement for a Rock band

2006-10-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing a Garage or Basement for a Rock band

Soundproofing a garage involves a little more than you might think. In most garages you have certain things that are working against you when attempting to do an effective soundproofing job. One is the garage door, even the insulated metal doors are not soundproof enough to hold in the sound of a garage rock 'n' roll band, especially if they have acoustic drums. The best and most effective way to soundproof your garage is to actually construct a "room within a room". This will require framing and a bit of construction know how, but as I have said time and again, "It is NOT Rocket Science." Framing out the new room should be done with 2 X 6's (if possible) as opposed to 2 X 4's, though a 2 X 4' frame will work effectively. The reason I recommend the 2 X 6' frame out, is because it will allow for more sealed dead air space once the room is completed. After the framing is completed, including a newly joisted out ceiling, then it's time for some good old 5/8" fire code drywall to be installed on the outer studs and joists. We will be doing the actual soundproofing from within the new room. Once the outside walls and ceiling are dry walled, it is time to go inside of the room and begin soundproofing. The first order of business is to adhere a layer of ¼" closed cell foam to the inside joist and stud cavities. Now remember, we are not filling the cavities, only lining them. The closed cell foam mat can be adhered with a good spray adhesive (such as 3M-77 or 3M-80). There are two different sides to the foam mat, one is smooth and the other is pebbly, you want to glue the smooth side down and have the rough side facing the inside of the cavity. The closed cell foam has a 3-fold purpose. First, it will block and absorb sound, secondly it will block and absorb vibration, but third and most importantly, it will seal off the dead air spaces between the studs and joists. Dead air space is nature's soundproofer, provided it is well sealed. Now we come to a crossroads, if you feel that the sound generated from your band are extremely bassey or there is a lot of vibration from the acoustic drums or the bass guitar, you might opt to float the walls and ceiling. To learn more about floating walls and ceilings, please click onto the links below: Soundproofing against a noisy neighbor Soundproofing a Party Wall If you have determined that a float is not necessary, then the next step would be to staple up a layer of mass loaded vinyl directly to the studs and the ceiling joists. I would recommend using the 1lb per sq ft mass loaded vinyl, or our American Mass Loaded Vinyl for this application. Now I personally like putting up a layer of ½" drywall, or Homasote, or even soundboard prior to installing the MLV, that way the vinyl has a nice flat surface to lay out on, and it is much easier to caulk and tape. However, if there are money constraints or space issues, the MLV can be stapled directly to the studs and joists. You will need to over lap the seams in this case unless by some odd chance, your seams all land on studs and joists. This seldom happens, so the over lap is probably in order. Once the MLV is up, you will need to caulk all of the seams as well as the perimeter of the vinyl. The OSI-175 caulk is an excellent choice for this application. After you have liberally caulked these areas it will be necessary to tape the seams of the butted MLV with either a lead foil tape or a quality seam tape. These can be had from Soundproofing America, Inc. Hey, we're almost finished folks! Now that all the soundproofing is up and sealed it is time for the final layer of 5/8" fire code drywall. This will sandwich in the MLV and will add greatly to the over all soundproofing system. After the drywall is up, you simply tape, mud, and paint as usual. This method of soundproofing a garage works well in a basement also. You should experience some remarkable soundproofing results from the room within a room concept. You have now tamed the soundproofing enemies in your garage and have a place to play or practice at 2:30 AM, which is usually when most musicians get inspired. I know it's when I do. I hope this has helped you in your quest for the perfect garage studio. It has worked remarkably for countless musicians throughout the United States and Canada. Thanks for learning about building and soundproofing a garage studio.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Go to: Call Soundproofing America, Inc. toll free @ (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing from a noisy elevator

2006-10-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing an elevator or isolating a wall in your apartment or condo from a noisy elevator shaft can be tricky at best. There are a lot of factors to consider. Is the irritating noise simply the cabling system and the motor, or are you on a top floor near the engine room and are dealing with solenoid (impact noise)? Generally a wall can be treated with a barrier material, something like American mass loaded vinyl. So, if you want the ultimate in quiet then it is highly recommended that you use the ¼" MLV which is 2Lbs per sq ft. This material would be stapled or glued (contact cement or a good construction adhesive) to the existing drywall. If the building is an older one and has lath and plaster walls, then gluing is your only real option. Once the Mass loaded vinyl is adhered to the wall/walls, you must caulk the butted seams with the OSI-175 acoustical caulking, you'll also need to caulk the entire perimeter of the MLV. You want this barrier to be as much of a membrane as possible. The next step is to tape the butted seams with a lead foil tape (best) or a quality seam tape (both are available at Soundproofing America, Inc). Once the barrier is up and the seams and perimeter sealed, then you simply over lay the barrier with a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall, tape, mud, and paint the same, and you are finished and should experience some very effective sound blocking results. Now if you are experiencing impact noise from the elevator motor or the solenoid (the Magnetic switch that engages the motor once a button has been pushed) then the soundproofing procedure may require "floating" the wall adjacent to the elevator shaft. To learn more about floating a wall with sound clips and furring channels, please call us if this is the case toll free (877) 530-0139.
Soundproofing an elevator or isolating a wall in your apartment or condo from a noisy elevator shaft can be tricky at best. There are a lot of factors to consider. Is the irritating noise simply the cabling system and the motor, or are you on a top floor near the engine room and are dealing with solenoid (impact noise)? Generally a wall can be treated with a barrier material, something like American mass loaded vinyl. So, if you want the ultimate in quiet then it is highly recommended that you use the ¼" MLV which is 2Lbs per sq ft. This material would be stapled or glued (contact cement or a good construction adhesive) to the existing drywall. If the building is an older one and has lath and plaster walls, then gluing is your only real option. Once the Mass loaded vinyl is adhered to the wall/walls, you must caulk the butted seams with the OSI-175 acoustical caulking, you'll also need to caulk the entire perimeter of the MLV. You want this barrier to be as much of a membrane as possible. The next step is to tape the butted seams with a lead foil tape (best) or a quality seam tape (both are available at Soundproofing America, Inc). Once the barrier is up and the seams and perimeter sealed, then you simply over lay the barrier with a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall, tape, mud, and paint the same, and you are finished and should experience some very effective sound blocking results. Now if you are experiencing impact noise from the elevator motor or the solenoid (the Magnetic switch that engages the motor once a button has been pushed) then the soundproofing procedure may require "floating" the wall adjacent to the elevator shaft. To learn more about floating a wall with sound clips and furring channels, please call the experts at Soundproofing America toll free @ (877) 530-0139.
If there is a need to soundproof the entire elevator shaft itself, please call one of the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. and they will be happy to help you with this project.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Soundproofing from a noisy elevator
Call Soundproofing America, Inc. Toll free @ (877) 530-0139
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Building a soundproof recording booth

2006-10-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

There hasn't been much written about sound control booths per se, but the need for this type of structure is growing daily. I get questions from people in big cities asking how they can construct or build a sound isolation booth so they can practice an instrument, or sing loudly. They need a place where they can play an electric guitar or a saxophone or even a set of drums and not disturb the neighbors above or below or to the sides of them. There are also professionals who live in condominiums or apartments who need to do voice-overs at home for film production companies. These booths are also great for the growing population of D. J.'s in this country. If you are in an apartment or condo setting, you might want to make your booth portable or easily dis-assembled. That way if you do have to move, the sound isolation booth can go with you. The best way to construct your booth is to basically frame it out with 2'X4's. You don't want the booth to be too heavy, so 2'X4's are a good choice. You'd frame out the 4 walls to the dimensions desired, and then joist out (frame out) a ceiling for the booth. You will require a floor assembly separate from the floor of the condo or apartment, especially if you are in an upstairs unit. The next step would be to add some sort of wallboard to the outside of the booth: drywall, soundboard, OSB, MDF, (medium density fiber board) or Homasote. Any of these materials should work fine, because the major sound isolation will be taking place on the inside of the booth. Once you are framed out and you have placed a wallboard on the outsides as well as the ceiling of the booth, it's time to soundproof. The first step would be to line the inner walls (between the studs) with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat. America Mat is an excellent choice, and the thicker the better. The mat will be glued to the inside of the stud and joist cavities. Now remember, you are Not filling the cavities only lining them. You will see as this project progresses, that the reason for this foam mat is threefold, 1st it blocks and absorbs sound, 2nd it blocks and absorbs vibration, and 3rd and most importantly, it seals off the dead airspace between the studs cavities and joists cavities of the ceiling. Remember, sealed dead airspace is an excellent soundproofer in itself, so we might as well take advantage of nature's soundproofing. The next step would be to staple up a layer of mass loaded vinyl (MLV) directly to the studs and the joists. Chances are the seams will not land directly on a stud or joist every time, so it is necessary to over lap the seams, caulking the over lapped (MLV) and then finally taping the seams with a quality seam tape. The last step would be to layer up a final layer of wallboard, similar to what was used on the outside of the walls and ceiling. I would also recommend a double layer of the mass loaded vinyl (MLV) on the floor of the sound isolation booth, especially if you are in an upstairs unit. Keep in mind that if the final layer of drywall on the inside of the booth is not feasible or takes up too much precious space, then you can forego the interior wallboard and simply paint the MLV with a vinyl or latex paint. There you have it in a nutshell, a quick solution for musicians, singers and D.J 's who live in apartment or condo settings. This booth is also great for violin and cello practice as well. Even though this narrative was a pretty comprehensive describing sound isolation booths, I am sure you will still have questions or will need to order these products, so please call on the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. whenever you have any soundproofing questions. The more you know about soundproofing, the more you need the professionals at Soundproofing America, Inc.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Building a soundproof recording booth
Call Soundproofing America, Inc. toll free @ (877) 530-0139

Building and soundproofing your home theater

2006-10-02T17:03:00.000-07:00

In today's rushed world, most people don't have the time or the money to waste taking the entire family to the movies (up to $50 to $60 per shot) so why not build out a Home Theater in your garage, basement, or spare bedroom? The construction and soundproofing of a Home Theater is much the same as would be used in building a soundproof music studio for practice or recording. The only major difference is that with a Home Theater, you are less concerned with sound coming into the Theater than you would be if you were doing recording or voice-overs for a major studio or movie production company. The most effective method for building your Home Theater is to actually construct a room within a room. Basically this means framing out new walls within the existing room. This is a lot simpler than it sounds. If you possess tool skills and are better with them than "Tim Taylor" on "Tool Time", then you most likely are qualified to undertake this project. You will want to frame out new walls within the existing room, this is pretty easy in a basement situation, where at least 2 of the walls are most likely poured concrete or concrete block, and are generally Earthen backed. They need NO soundproofing whatsoever. By framing out the room within a room, you are taking all of the negatives in the room that were working against your soundproofing endeavor, and now making them more friendly in the form of "dead air space". Dead air space (if it is sealed) is good soundproofer in itself, but you will still need a little more soundproofing horsepower if you plan to watch Star Wars or The Matrix (cranked) in your new Home Theater. Once the new walls are framed out, it is time to soundproof. We have found that good batt insulation such as Roxul AFB or Roxul Safe is very effective when placed in the stud and joist cavities. If you are unable to find the Roxul products, then use a good quality rock wool or mineral wool to fill those cavities. The next step would be to adhere a layer of American Mass Loaded Vinyl directly to the stud structure. Attaching the MLV directly to the studs or joists allows the vinyl to resonate or move with the sound. If the MLV is able to resonate, it will work to it's full potential and will give you the sound blocking required for a well-soundproofed theater. The MLV will be stapled (industrial air drive stapler) or nailed (using roofing nails with the large plastic heads) to the studs or joists. If you are able to over lap the seams that would be great, however, if that is not possible, you will want to butt the seams together tightly and caulk both the butted seams as well as the entire perimeter of the newly installed MLV. You want the MLV to act as a soundproof membrane on your walls and ceilings. Caulking and taping the seams is essential for effective soundproofing. The caulked seams will also need to be taped with a quality MLV sealer tape before installing your new drywall. Now it is time to install the drywall. We recommend using 2 layers of ½" drywall for all of the walls as well as the ceiling. Now if this becomes too costly then a single layer of 5/8" fire code drywall will be sufficient. This should complete the soundproofing portion of your home theater. We also carry a complete line of home theater and studio acoustical treatments, so please call us for more information on those. In rare cases, it may become necessary to float the walls or ceiling of your new Home Theater. If you feel that floating the walls or ceiling are in order, then please call the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. to learn about floating walls and ceilings. It is all about your peace of mind. We know your needs and your concerns, so please don't hesitate to call us. Never forget, the more you know about soundproofing, the more you need Soundproofing America, Inc.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Building and soundproofing your home theater
Call Soundproofing America, Inc. toll free @ (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing for your Rock band

2006-10-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is by far the most asked question at Soundproofing America Inc.: "How do I soundproof my garage, basement, or a bedroom in my single family house or condo so my 4 piece rock band can practice and record and not bother the neighbors?" If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question, I would be in the Bahamas right now, instead of writing this narrative. Many factors need to be considered prior to beginning your studio or practice room-soundproofing project. Some of the questions you should be asking yourself are: what type of amplification will the band be using, are the drums going to be acoustic and miked or are they digital. Are we going to be recording live late at night or are we going to be doing "line in" recording only? These questions and many more need to be considered before the actual construction begins. If live recording and rehearsal are the plan, then maximum soundproofing will be needed. The most effective way to soundproof a garage, basement, or bedroom is to actually construct a room within a room (see www.auralex.com) and download the booklet "Acoustics 101", this is a wonderful resource for the home studio builder. Their ideas are solid and pertinent to any studio soundproofing project. The room within a room concept utilizes the sealed dead air space that is captured between the inner walls and the outer walls to help greatly with the soundproofing endeavor. It is probably easiest to frame the walls on the floor and then tilt them up into place thus making dry walling the outside of the walls much easier. It is also highly recommended that another ceiling be joisted out for the room within a room, however, this is oft times impossible due to space constraints. In this case, the existing ceiling and ceiling joists may be used as the ultimate ceiling for the studio, provide that it is adequately soundproofed with materials such as the American vinyl or a combination of American mat and American vinyl. I will elaborate on these materials, as we get further into this study. Once the walls are framed out and the right amount of "Dead air space" is determined, then it is time to install the soundproofing The first order of business is to consider what needs to be done to the wall cavities prior to installing a barrier and finally the wallboard. I like to line the inside cavities with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat such as American Mat. This mat (generally 1/4" thickness) is adhered to the inside cavity walls as well as the studs and joists (if these areas are opened up) Keep in mind that the American Mat is used to line the cavities only, not to fill them up. If thermal insulation is needed, use products such as rock wool, mineral wool, cut wool fibers, or my favorite, Roxul. Roxul is a great thermal rock wool based bat type insulation that has great soundproofing qualities. If thermal insulation is a requirement for the practice room or studio, then Roxul is the way to go. Now we come to a crossroads, it is time to determine if decoupling the walls using resilient channels or American Sound clips is a necessity. De coupling is used when impact transmission or low frequency noise is a factor. Impact would come primarily from the drums (acoustic type) or the bass amplifier. However, if the band is using Marshall high powered amps (50 watt Plexies with 4 X 12 cabinets for example) along with miked acoustic drums and an Ampeg bass system, then decoupling is most likely necessary. These methods and procedures will be explained in later narratives or can found by calling Soundproofing America on our toll free line. If decoupling were determined to be unnecessary, then the next step would be to find a good barrier material such as American vinyl (which is a high grade mass loaded vinyl barrier). This barrier could be stapled directly to the studwork on a wall assembly or directly to the joists. This is a method that is used if cost or space constraints are factors. If the barrier material is to be stapled directly to the stud or joist framing then it is essential that the seams be over lapped, caulked (using OSI acoustical caulking compound) and taped with either a lead tape or a heavy-duty seam tape. These can also be had from American Soundproofing Inc. Once these areas are treated with the Mass Loaded vinyl (MLV) then it time to decide whether or not it is necessary to float the walls and ceiling to prevent the impact and heavy bass sounds from passing through the solidly barriered walls and ceiling. For more information on ceiling and wall floats, please call the toll free number. The last step for your home studio is to layer over the mass loaded vinyl barrier with a fresh layer of 5/8" fire code drywall or sheet rock. It is always advisable to butter the edges of the last layer of drywall with the acoustical caulk. You'll want to gain every STC (sound transmission class) point you can when trying to make your new studio as quiet as possible. Finally you will tape mud and paint the new drywall. We here at Soundproofing America Inc. are also musicians and we understand the plight of our fellow players. Please feel free to call us anytime for free studio soundproofing advice. We're here to help; it's not about making money off our fellow musician friends.

Soundproofing for your rock band
Call Soundproofing America toll free (877) 530-0139
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Soundproofing For Your Speedboat, Yacht, Cabin Cruiser, Or Large Fishing Vessel

2006-10-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

There is nothing worse than being out on the open sea aboard your "pride and joy" (hopefully that would be your boat) and having to put up with excessive marine diesel engine noise, or hull slap as the waves pound at the bow of your craft. Generally it is easiest to treat the problem right at the source, namely the engine compartment or the inner hull area. The best way to do this is to line the walls of the compartment with a mass loaded vinyl (MLV) American vinyl is an excellent choice. You would adhere the vinyl to the engine compartment walls using waterproof contact cement or a quality marine adhesive. It is imperative that all the products used in these areas be waterproof as well as flame retardant. The next step would be to liberally caulk the newly installed vinyl at the seams and around the perimeter. This in itself might be enough soundproofing for most boaters, but for a little extra soundproofing protection, we suggest that you also adhere a layer of the America mat right to the surface of the vinyl. That's right; just glue the America Mat right to the MLV. Sealing the edges and gaps with your waterproof contact cement or marine adhesive. Lastly, always remember to follow the same procedure for the engine hatch or the engine room door (larger vessels). This method of soundproofing can also be used on the inside of the bow below decks. It will minimize the effect of wave slap on the hull areas especially near berthing compartments and crews quarters. That's pretty much the whole story for soundproofing a boat. For further information on Soundproofing a boat, or any other watercraft, please call the Professionals at Soundproofing America Inc toll free. Thanks all, and may you always experience fair winds and calm seas.

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Soundproofing For Your Speedboat, Yacht, Cabin Cruiser, Or Large Fishing Vessel

Soundproofing an Aircraft

2006-10-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot written about soundproofing a light aircraft in recent years, but with all the advances in aircraft engine performance and fuselage aerodynamics little has been done to deaden the noise in these more powerful aircraft. Many times sound issues become a major factorwhen you are actually attempting to enjoy the increased performance in your aircraft. Soundproofing is indeed a science, but it is not "Rocket Science". There are companies out there that claim to make pre-cut, or so called "custom" soundproofing kits for your particular breed of Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft or other light aircraft. These kits are oft times extremely expensive and generally lack the sound attenuation to make your flight as enjoyable as possible. My question is simply this, who knows your airplane better than you, the owner and pilot? Your life hangs in the balance every time you power up at the end of the runway. You had better know that aircraft inside and out. You hear where those annoying noises are coming from better than anyone! My point here being that a costly pre-cut kit is not necessary if you know the hot spots on your aircraft and treat them with America soundproofing mat. This material can be adhered with good quality, waterproof contact cement; one with a fungicide is always preferred. You always glue the smooth side of the mat down and have the pebbly side facing the noise source. This mat prevents a condition common to most light aircraft known as "oil canning". Oil canning is the effect of air turbulence, and engine noise that is transmitted throughout the thin aluminum fuselages in today's modern light aircraft. America mat, generally in the ½" thickness is extremely effective at quelling aluminum transmitted noise and vibration (Oil Canning). It is particularly effective when adhered to the actual outer skin of the craft. In areas that we refer to as hot spots, you can use a combination of America Mat with an inner layer of regular Reynolds aluminum foil and then another layer of the America mat adhered to the foil. The Reynolds wrap acts as a barrier and works in conjunction with the absorbtive qualities of the mat. Weight and balance are always a consideration in any light duty aircraft as well as home builds. A half a roll (25 lineal feet, or 100sq ft.) will do most small aircraft such as a Cessna, Piper, or Beechcraft, but when you are looking to soundproof a Bonanza or King Air for example, perhaps ¾ of a roll will be needed for the best result. You have to ask yourself again, are you are enjoying your aircraft to the fullest extent possible? If not perhaps a noisy cockpit is the reason. Please call us toll free for other effective aircraft soundproofing ideas. All of our soundproofing mats meet the flammability requirements found in the FAR 25.853 (C), and they are all UL rated for use in any commercial aircraft, whether taxi or passenger. These materials are readily available at www.soundproofingAmerica.com, by simply calling our toll free number or our new local New York Number.

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Soundproofing an Aircraft

Soundproofing your pool pump and pool filtering system

2006-10-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

Now I don't claim to be an expert on pool pumps and pool filter motors, but I do feel qualified enough to explain the methods and materials that would most effectively quell a noisy pool pump or pool filter motor. Generally the best way to sound proof a pool pump is to construct an enclosure made of something other than plywood. Plywood should be used only as a last resort as it is inherently a sound transmitter. The enclosure should be constructed of OSB, MDF (medium density fiber board), or even soundboard. In most cases however, whatever material you use, it needs to be waterproof. Varathane might be helpful in the waterproofing department. Next you would line the inside of the enclosure with a very thick sound blocking and sound absorbing material. Soundproofing America's America Mat is an excellent choice. Also, lining the enclosure first with a barrier such as American Mass Loaded vinyl would nearly double your pump's soundproofing. Always keep in mind that with any electro motive device such as a pool pump (unless water cooled) it will require ventilation. Ducting air onto the box using flexible ducting is always the most desired method for providing ventilation to your newly constructed sound control enclosure. I have actually had customers who have wired in a quiet computer fan at the mouth of the ducting to enhance the air flow to the motor, The flexible ducting is always readily available at a Home Depot or Lowe's stores, and if you are reading this over the internet, then you'll also know where to get a quiet computer fan. Lastly, if the pool pump or filter motors are mounted to a cement slab by the use of lag bolts (or some similar method), then it would be a good idea to use Vibration Isolation Pads as washers beneath the feet or skids of the pump or motor. This will isolate the vibrating pool pump motor from transmitting through the concrete slab. Remember, that concrete is a superb soundproofer in itself, but if sound or vibration is transmitted directly into concrete via heavy duty lag bolts the noise and vibration are bound to be transmitted through the slab and virtually to the place where it becomes a nuisance to you and your family. For more information on soundproofing a pool pump or pool filter motor, please feel free to call or e-mail one of the sound control experts at Soundproofing America, Inc, and as usual, they will be more than happy to advise you on which methods and materials are best to use.

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e-mail scott@soundproofingAmerica.com
Call Soundproofing America, Inc (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing your home or commercial air conditioner or HVAC unit

2006-10-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Air conditioner compressors come in all shapes and sizes. Some are the quieter (more expensive) type, but others sound like a C-117 Cargo plane is warming up in your backyard, or worst, in your neighbors backyard. There are many things that can be done to quell a noisy AC or HVAC unit. The most obvious is to purchase a compressor known for it's quiet operation. The RUUD A/C compressor with the Copeland Spool technology is a good example. Yet most people would rather treat the noisy compressor with a soundproofing agent, rather than replace the offending unit. Cost is usually a factor in this decision. It's funny, the older an air-conditioning compressor gets, the noisier it becomes, but it actually never seems to lose much of it's efficiency. Sometimes the older they get the better they work. Try to explain that one. Well, back to the subject at hand. Generally it is best to construct a barricade around the AC unit and try to make the height of the enclosure/barricade at least 8' in height for maximum sound blockage. The sound is much LESS likely to climb over an 8' barrier then it would be to climb a 5 or 6' wall or barrier. The surrounding wall or barrier, needs to form an "L" from the edge of the wall of the house, it should jut out anywhere from 3' to 5' and then travel down the length of the house as far as possible. This wall or barrier needs to be lined on the inside (facing the AC unit) with a sound blocking and sound absorbent material. America Mat is an excellent choice that meets all the requirements for soundproofing in this type of application. You would adhere the America Mat to the inside of the barrier wall with waterproof contact cement or any good quality construction adhesive. The seams would also be adhered together with the waterproof cement, or an acoustical caulk such as OSI-175. Depending on the manufacturers instructions, with regards to the compressor's ventilation requirements, there are other effective AC and HVAC compressor soundproofing methods. Sometimes a complete ventilated enclosure would be the most effective soundproofing method. Please feel free to call the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. if you have any questions or wish to order any of these wonderful soundproofing products. Trust the folks at Soundproofing America for all of your soundproofing needs.

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Soundproofing your car, truck or SUV

2006-10-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

For many of us in this modern day world, their car is like a second home. Often times we are confined to our vehicles for long periods of time driving to work or other places. The time spent in our cars can be made much more enjoyable by lessening the amount of noise that we hear inside the passenger compartment. The upper end car lines such as Cadillac and Mercedes have long pursued the soundproofing of a vehicle. The "Cadillac" sound quality can be achieved in any automobile by following a few easy steps to deal with noise in three areas of your automobile. Installation: Cut America Mat to size by using an electric carving knife (like the one the wife uses on Thanksgiving for the turkey). Remove current hood liner and clean the underside of the hood thoroughly, then spray both America Mat and your hood surface with contact cement. Let both the mat and hood get tacky and then apply material. You will find that you will hear a noticeable difference in the noise reduction in your passenger compartment from this simple, inexpensive sound control solution. The second area of concern is the floorboard area of your vehicle. Often road vibration will transmit up through the floorboards of your car causing excessive noise. Using America's Best Mass Loaded Vinyl, a composite of Mass Loaded Vinyl with a sound absorbent closed cell foam mat, can solve this problem. The Mass Loaded Vinyl acts as a reflective material bouncing sound back towards the road while the closed cell foam absorbs sound before it gets to your passenger area. Application: This materials comes in 54" wide material (4 ½') and can be easily placed under your carpeting and spot glued to stay in place. Remember, the foam must face down towards the floor pan of the vehicle. You then seal this material with acoustical caulk, and then reinstall your carpet kit. The third area of reduction is the door panels and headliner. In both of these areas you should use America Mat usually in 1/4" to 3/4" thicknesses. A lot depends on the amount of space you have between the roof of the car and the headliner. The combination of these three steps will result in a significant reduction of noise within your passenger and engine compartments.

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Soundproofing your backyard

2006-10-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

You don't find too much information on the Internet with regards to fence soundproofing. Here at Soundproofing America we have proven fence soundproofing techniques that are extremely effective at blocking and absorbing outdoor traffic noise as well as loud neighbors. Generally sound control fences are constructed of cedar or redwood so they can withstand the elements. A soundproof fence needs to be at least 8' above the noise source, though 10' would be even better. You'll need to check city and county ordinances to make sure that you can indeed construct a fence of that height. The first order of business will be to sink your 4" X 4" posts into their concrete footings. Once the posts are set in place, you will then nail up cross members (support beams) that support the slats. Now that your fence is completely framed, we recommend stapling or nailing up a layer of the 1Lb American mass loaded vinyl directly to either side of the fence, and stapling it to cross members as well. This will become the soundproof membrane for the new fence; The MLV requires a dead air space so that it is able to resonate. When the MLV is able to move or resonate with the sound it is then allowed to work to its optimum potential. Now that the vinyl is attached to the fence structure you will then need to caulk all of the seams as well as around the entire perimeter with an acoustical caulking compound. After caulking it is advisable to take a little break and let the caulk set up for a bit (about an hour should be enough). After the break you will want to tape directly over top of the caulked seams with a seam sealer tape.
Now you are ready for your last layer of slats. You do have the option of leaving the MLV exposed, but it is always better to slat over top of the vinyl and will protect it from the elements. This type of fence has proven to be extremely effective in most residential and commercial applications where the transmission of noise from one area to another is an issue.
We have had some customers who have also added a layer of the America Mat closed cell foam to the inside plenum in their soundproof fences. The America mat helps to both block and absorb the noise that would easily pass through a common wood fence. The combination of both the MLV and the closed cell foam would make for an excellent soundproof fence; however the combination of the 2 products could become very costly depending on the length of the fence. The mass loaded vinyl will work just fine and will block the majority of the noise that would other wise penetrate a regular fence. A soundproof fence can afford you the privacy you need in a noisy city or urban environment.
Soundproof fences can also be used to stop the roar of loud outdoor HVAC compressor units that often set atop buildings in the city. MLV can be used in conjunction with chain link fences as well as with the wood slat type fences and other barrier type walls. Soundproof fences can be used to stop the sound of that pool pump motor or a pool filter that's disturbing your next-door neighbor. We at soundproofing America will provide you with the materials and the knowledge to build a very effective soundproof fence. As they say in the trade, "It's not Rocket Science".
All of the products referred to above (except for the wood fence itself) can be purchased at discount prices from Soundproofing America 6 days a week. A soundproof fence can make all the difference in the world to someone who needs privacy in his or her backyard. Read more about fence soundproofing or any soundproofing project at: www.soundproofingamerica.com

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The poor mans wall and ceiling float

2006-10-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

When soundproofing your home, cost is always an issue, however doing nothing should never be an option. I'm sure many of you have read the method for ceiling and wall soundproofing using resilient channels or the Americlip and furring channels. These are both great methods for stopping sound transmission from one room to another or from floor to ceiling in a multi level unit. Keep in mind that the sound clips are by far the most effective method, yet they can be costly depending on the amount of area you need to cover. If you are building on a strict budget there is another method that can be used that is not widely known. We here at Soundproofing America call it "The poor man's float" It is a simple method of placing a specialized isolation tape directly onto the face studs or ceiling joists prior to screwing in your drywall. With this method you would not necessarily need to maintain the ¼" gap around the perimeter of your wall or ceiling. Basically this method actually alleviates the direct wall to stud or drywall to joist contact. This procedure, in conjunction with a Roxul (rock wool) or a mineral wool bat sound insulator installed in the wall or ceiling cavity, helps to stop the sound transmission from room to room or from floor to ceiling. The Sound Isolation tape is available from Soundproofing America as are detailed instructions for its installation. This method though not as effective as a full sound clip and furring channel float, it is however still an effective method for soundproofing on a budget. This tape can also be used to give your walls the staggered stud effect, without actually staggering them. Please feel free to call our toll free help line for this and other innovative soundproofing ideas.

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Soundproofing the poor mans float

Soundproofing flooring

2006-10-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

I have been getting a lot of requests of late to discuss soundproofing a wood or tile floor in an upper apartment or condo unit. The solutions are pretty simple if you're installing wall-to-wall carpeting, but things get a little more complicated when you're dealing with hardwoods, ceramic or vinyl flooring. To begin with, when a manufacturers STC (Sound Transmission Class) claims appear to be too high always read the fine print. Generally they mean that you can only reach this high STC value in conjunction with a myriad of other products that must to be added to your floor or ceiling assembly. For example, if you're looking at ¼"cork as a floor underlayment and the manufacturer claims that it will give you 55-57 STC, keep in mind that this value will only be attained with at least 3 inches of gypcrete (light weight concrete) poured overtop of the existing sub-floor and most likely the addition of a couple of layers of cement board (Hardy or Wonder board) will be needed as well. All of the STC values of these products are additive and so the manufacturer makes his claim hoping you Won't read the fine print. Even though these values are additive, there is always the law of diminishing returns to contend with, so you still may not reach your goals even though it says you do on paper. Many times the call out for a floor or ceiling assembly is such that ceiling below must be floated on sound clips and furring channels or resilient channels in order to obtain the 55-57 STC values that some manufacturers claim to get from their product. Basically, no soundproofing product on it's own will give you a 55-57 STC value. If you find one that does, please let me know and I'll get it on the website immediately. There are no magic formulas. What it boils down to is simply this, very few products on the market today can give you an STC value greater than 32 to 35 STC on their own, and thus these high STC claims are very misleading to say the least. I had a customer who told me that a 1/8" cork mat would give him an STC rating of 55- 57 when laid beneath carpet and pad. I smiled and had him show me the cut sheet (spec. sheet) for the cork. The sheet called for the addition of a poured gypcrete sub floor and numerous other items that I can't recall off hand, that were needed in order to meet the 55-57 STC. Needless to say, he was shocked. Its back to that old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it is! That being said, the absolute best way to soundproof an upstairs unit from a lower one is by floating the ceiling in the lower unit using The Americlips and furring channel (hat channel). Click on this link to get more detail on this method of floating a ceiling in a downstairs unit: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/ceiling-soundproofing.asp. There you will find an in-depth guide that gives you detailed information on the proper methods for floating a lower unit ceiling. Another floating method is the use of resilient channel. This is the most common method used by contractors who have done any type soundproofing in their careers. This method, though more economical than the Americlip System, is only about ½ as effective and is generally installed improperly even by the most competent of contractors. The difference in cost for the Americlips is well worth it to effectively soundproof a ceiling from impact or airborne noise from above. Now there are other materials that can be placed over the subfloor above that will help stop impact noise as well as block most airborne noise from below or above. We carry 2 products for this express purpose, one is called American Impact Pro, and the other is called American Impact. These products are specifically designed to be installed beneath hardwood or tile floors and work well under carpet and pad as well. Mass loaded vinyl on it's own is not really good for soundproofing floors, it needs to have a breathing space in order for it to resonate and work to it's optimal best. This can only be accomplished by adding a decoupler to the MLV and that can get costly. When dealing with a hardwood floor, you can also use a product called America's Best, which is a mass loaded vinyl that is bonded to a layer of 1/4" closed cell foam mat. This material will provide a certain amount of floor resilience that's prevents much of the impact noise from traveling downward, however the only way this system will work properly is if the wood planks are at least 6' in length, it is also preferred that planks be interlocking on the sides. The America's Best is a resilient product and will allow the new hardwood floor to actually flex when walked on. This resilience adds to the footfall protection to the ceiling below. Long planked wood floors are the only hard surfaced floors that will work with America's Best vinyl. Other floors such as vinyl or ceramic tile or Pergo floor systems will not work with this product as these surfaces will have a tendency to separate or crack. Finally, if your association board has a call out for IIC (impact isolation coefficient) then you will need to call one the professionals here at Soundproofing America and they will discuss with you the procedures you'll need to follow in order to meet that particular IIC call out. Impact isolation is a whole other chapter in the Soundproofing Bible according to Dr. Bob and will have to wait until next time! Thanks for reading and if you have questions, please give us a call. toll free @ (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing flooring

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Soundproofing windows from traffic and other outdoor noises

2006-10-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

Oh, if I only had a dollar for every time I heard this question, how do I soundproof my windows, from neighbors, traffic, and airplane noise? This is a question that will continue to be asked until engineers, Architects and contractors finally realize that this issue is not going to go away by itself. Lawsuits have been filed due the lack of soundproofing in many newly constructed housing tracts, office buildings, and high-rise apartments. The best way to soundproof a window is to simply replace it with a genuine soundproof window. This is much easier said than done, however there are companies who have specialized in soundproof windows for decades. One of these companies is Milgard. Their Quiet line series of windows is an economical and effective method for adding much needed soundproofing to any new construction. They can also be custom designed and installed into any existing window frame or structure. Another option is to install a window insert from a company called "soundproofwindows.com" Their window is basically a very efficient window insert that requires no real construction or major alterations to install it. They claim from 75 % to 95% efficiency. I personally have heard some very good things about their products. The next best solution is to purchase a ready-made window insert from a company called Magnet Seal windows. The Magnet Seal is also an insert, but it is less costly and can be custom fitted to most window frames. Keep in mind that if there are mini blinds or regular Venetian blinds, they will most likely need to be altered or removed altogether. The Magnet Seal insert is removable for those times when you just have to have an open window, no matter what the noise situation is. It is fitted to the window frame via a magnetic track system. Now the last option is one that will block out the light, but is still very effective as a sound blocker and absorber. It is what is referred to as a window plug (patent pending). This is a plug made with 2" closed cell foam mat (2" America Mat is the perfect choice for window plugs) that is cut to fit completely within the window frame itself. It is necessary that the closed cell foam plug be cut 1" larger than to actually linear measurement of the window frame itself. For example, if the window is 3' X 3', you would cut the window plug 3' 1" X 3' 1" so as to have ½" of extra foam around the perimeter of the plug, making the foam plug fit tightly into the window frame, much the same as a cork fits into a bottle. Remember, that the window plug, though quite effective at sound reduction, is still a black vinyl material that will not pass light. The window plug can easily be removed however to allow the light in during the daytime when sound control issues are not so critical. Most of the time window plugs are used at night in bedrooms to allow folks to sleep despite the noise outdoors. At night when you are asleep, light coming in the window is not an issue. The best way to cut this foam window plug to the proper dimensions is to use an ordinary kitchen type electric meat knife, you know, the kind you got for Christmas back in 1982 and have never used since. Well break it out now, it will pay for itself in only one use, believe me. It cuts the foam mat like butter, does not harm the knife and gives you a nice smooth cut even at corners. No frays or ragged edges! How cool is that? Many professional foam installers actually carry an electric meat knife in a holster on their belts. The pros know.

Soundproofing windows
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Call Soundproofing America Inc toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing your bathroom

2006-10-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Now granted, we don't get a lot of calls for bathroom soundproofing, however, there are those of you out there who would rather not hear or deal with (invasive) bathroom noise, especially while trying to sleep. Soundproofing a bathroom is relatively easy due to the fact that it is not really feasible to float walls or ceilings, when bathroom space is so precious. This does not mean though, that you cannot get your bathroom as soundproofed as most 5 star hotels in the world. There are a few simple steps that need to be taken for effective bathroom soundproofing. If the plan calls for the bathroom to be completely gutted, then your have the opportunity to do a great soundproofing job as opposed to a good one. By gutted, I am referring to having the wallboard completely removed to where you are able to get to all the pipes. Once your have stripped the bathroom walls to the bare studs, you will be able to soundproof the pipes with our Ameriwrap pipe wrap. This is a wonderful way to keep unwanted plumbing/toilet sounds from permeating your new bathroom walls. The next step would be to staple up a layer of the American Mass Loaded Vinyl directly to the stud structure. Now if you are dead serious about your bathroom soundproofing, then we highly recommend that you staple up a layer of the ¼" (2 lb per sq. ft.) MLV. This will insure a very quiet bathroom for years to come. Keep in mind, that not even the most expensive or exclusive homes in the United States have this technology, so generally they had to settle for multi-layers of sheetrock, thus taking up more precious bathroom area. The American Mass Loaded Vinyl should be stapled directly to the studs as well as to the ceiling joists (if the ceiling is to be soundproofed also). It will be necessary to over lap the seams and then to caulk in-between the over lapped seam. Once your have caulked all of the over lapped seams, as well as the entire perimeter of the MLV, you will need to tape each seam with either the 5 mil. Lead tape or a quality seam tape. You're doing great so far. Now finally, you'll layer over the MLV with a nice fresh layer of my favorite drywall, 5/8" fire code rock. Here's a little hint, always butter the edge of the drywall with the OSI-175 acoustical caulk, believe me, when you are soundproofing a bathroom, you want every STC point you can get, right? Your last step is to tape, mud, and paint the drywall to match the décor of your bathroom Presto! You now have a state of the art soundproofed bathroom, and will now be the envy of all your neighbors. For more helpful tips on bathroom soundproofing, please call the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc.

Soundproofing your bathroom
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Soundproofing a Teenagers Bedroom

2006-10-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

So what ever happened to kids listening to The Beatles, or the Rolling Stones? Teen's today march to a much different beat than most of us did back in the 60's and 70's. The Rap and Hip-Hop music of today has a much more bass (low frequency) sound and instead of singing the lyrics; these artists speak the lyrics with a rhythmic beat. This music can drive a parent or even an older sibling crazy after listening to it for hours on end. What can you do besides forcing the teen to move out? Perhaps soundproofing the wall between your living area and theirs is the answer, but in my opinion, the best remedy is to completely soundproof the teen's room. That way if the music bothers others in the house, they will get relief as well. One method would be to layer over the existing drywall in the bedroom with a material called mass loaded vinyl. American Mass Loaded vinyl is a superb choice as it has the sound blocking ability and is fire retardant. Note: if you are installing the MLV directly over existing drywall, it will be necessary to install 1" wooden furring strips to the stud structure and then attach the MLV to these furring strips. For a standard 8' high ceiling you will need at least 4 x 1" strips, one at the top, 2 in the middle and one at the bottom. With the MLV attached to the furring strips, it will allow the vinyl to breathe and resonate with the sound. This is only necessary when installing MLV over existing drywall. Once the MLV is installed on the furring strips you will need to liberally caulk all seams as well as the entire perimeter. This will insure that the vinyl becomes a sealed resilient membrane. The MLV can be stapled or nailed (roofing nails with large plastic heads) to the furring strips that are screwed to the bedroom walls. The seams of the MLV are butted together or overlapped if possible, and the seams as well as the perimeter of the newly installed vinyl would be caulked with OSI-175 acoustical caulk. You will then need to tape the caulked seams with a lead tape or a sealer tape. If you have tape to spare, then go ahead and tape the perimeter of the MLV, this will help, but is not essential. What we are looking for is the "membrane effect" in the center of the walls and ceilings. The MLV is a reflective barrier that will keep the music within the confines of the teens' bedroom, and keep your sanity intact. Try to have your teen move the stereo or Boom box away from the walls as best as possible, especially if you feel a vibration in the wall while the music is playing. If the vibration is intense, then a wall float may be necessary, for more information on floating the walls, please click on the link below. How to Soundproof a Party Wall This should give you some great insight on the floated wall system. There you have it, instant relief from the bass and beat of Rap or Hip-Hop music. By the way, these methods will also be effective for Metallica, Megadeath, and most other metal music, so there is hope.

Soundproofing a teenagers bedroom
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
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Soundproofing a party wall (walls between apartments and condos)

2006-10-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing a wall between 2 separate living areas is a pretty straight forward deal. If your main concern is with airborne noise (radios, TV's, voices, or Stereos etc.) then adding a barrier such as American Mass loaded vinyl to your existing wall would be your best and most cost effective option. Of course the American Mass Loaded Vinyl would need to be caulked (with OSI-175) at all of the seams as well as around the entire perimeter of the vinyl. Then all of the seams must be taped with a lead tape or a good quality seam tape. Then finally you would layer over top of the American Mass Loaded Vinyl, with a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall. Note: If you are installing American Mass loaded vinyl over existing drywall, it will be necessary to first install 1" wood furring strips to the existing wall. One at the top, one at the bottom and perhaps 2 in the middle evenly spaced out. The MLV will be attached directly to the wooden furring strips with roofing nails (with large plastic heads), industrial staples, or screws. The reason for the furring strips is to allow the vinyl membrane to resonate and thus work to it's full potential. Once the MLV is attached to the furring strips, you will caulk the seams and also around the entire perimeter with an acoustical caulking. Next you will tape the seams with a sealer tape or lead tape. Once this is complete, you will install a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall to the furring strips and into the studwork. Two layers of ½" drywall would even be better. This would most likely solve your airborne noise problems. Now if you have an older dwelling with lath and plaster walls, or the very rustic "horse hair" plaster, it will most likely be necessary to remove the plaster and work directly from the stud work. Plaster removal can be time consuming and very messy. Now let's say that the problem is not merely "airborne" noise, but is in fact impact noise or extremely low bass frequency sounds coming from the subwoofers of a D.J. or a home theater, or even a very high end stereo system from the unit next door. If any of these factors are present, then it will be necessary to float the walls using either resilient channels (RC-1) or better yet, the Americlip. In order to get a clearer description of this method, I would recommend that you read the the article "Soundproofing from noisy neighbors above".

Soundproofing from noisy neighbors above

Soundproofing a party wall
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Soundproofing America Inc (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing your condo or apartment from a noisy upstairs neighbor

2006-10-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

This is by far the most asked question throughout the entire Soundproofing Industry. It is a question asked by prominent architects, engineers, major developers, and contractors. We are now finding that this is also a major concern of individual homeowners, apartment dwellers, and condo owners alike. How do I soundproof my home from the noisy neighbors above? Many factors need to be considered when assessing an upstairs noise issue. The first question you should ask is simply this, is the problem impact noise, or simply airborne noise (TV's, Stereos, telephones etc.) traveling down from above. Nine times out of ten, impact noise is the main issue. What is impact noise? It is the noise caused by people or animals walking across the floor above (generally hardwood). This type of noise is considered to be structure borne noise and is one of the most difficult noises there is to combat. Impact noise is simply sound that travels directly through the joisting structure of the floor above, directly into the hard mounted ceiling below. Another term for this is known as "foot fall "noise. Impact noise travels through the wooden structure at speeds of over 1200 times faster than the transmission of sound traveling through ambient air. Keep in mind that most home joisting systems as well as studded walls are generally 16 inches on center, so not only do you get the speed of the impact noise heading downward, but the perfectly spaced joists act as tuning forks thus causing the sound to sustain (last longer) compounding the impact problem tremendously. The best and most effective way to stop impact noise from above is to isolate the joist structure and the floor above (which is generally hardwood) from the ceiling below. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The most common is to float (suspend on acoustical clips or resilient channels) the ceiling using either resilient isolation clips and furring channels (hat channel) or the most common method of floating, RC-1 (resilient channel). The good, the bad, and the ugly of both these methods will be discussed in depth. First we have the industry standard, which is RC-1 or resilient channel. This is a flanged material (generally with only one attaching smaller flange for the joists) and a larger flange to support the new floated drywall ceiling. RC-1 can be purchased from a drywall supply company, or a contractors supply house. The resilient channels are usually attached perpendicular to the joists and the rows are evenly spaced approximately 2' to 2 ½' apart. The longer flange (of resilient channels) in a ceiling application will all face the same direction to obtain maximum resilience in the new ceiling assembly. Remember, that the longer flange is the one the drywall screws into. Always use screws when you drywall, never use nails. Once the RC-1 is properly installed across the entire ceiling, you are ready to drywall. The new drywall will be screwed directly through the drywall and into the resilient channel's (longer) 1" flange. You will use 1 to 1 ½" self-tapping drywall screws or in rare cases, sheet metal screws. If the new resilient (floated ceiling) is installed as per manufacturers instructions, there will be approximately a ¼" gap around the entire perimeter of the new floated ceiling. The new ceiling must never make direct contact with the adjoining walls. This is NOT negotiable folks. The ¼" gap will be filled in with an acoustical caulking materials, (OSI 175 is a good caulk for this application) and then finally the new ceiling will be taped, mudded, and painted just like a like a hard attached joist mounted drywall installation. The caulk is the interface between the resilient ceiling and the adjoining walls. There you have it, the common mans floated ceiling. Now for your serious ceiling soundproofers, we have the sound clip and furring channel method of floating. This installation is quite similar to the RC-1 installation, however, the sound clips system will more than double the soundproofing and impact isolation protection of a perfectly installed RC-1 install. Basically you will need one sound clip for every 4 sq ft of ceiling area. For example, if your ceiling is 400 sq. ft. total, you will need 100 sound clips to complete the installation. Check with the manufacturers installations instructions for more detailed installation information. Once your have the sound clips screwed to the joists, you will then snap in the furring channel. We haven't talked much about metal furring channels or "hat" channel, as they are commonly called, so let me briefly describe this material. Furring channel, or hat channel is a galvanized channel that is 7/8" in height and measures 2 3/8" from flange to flange. When using furring channels in conjunction with sound clips, you always want to purchase the 25 gauge channels as opposed to the 20 gauge, which is too stiff for this application. The furring channel will be compressed by hand and will snap perfectly into the joist mounted sound clips. The sound clips/furring channel rows will be spaced from 2' to 3' apart (check installation instructions). The first row will begin about 4" from the adjoining wall and, as stated above, each row will be spaced from 2' to 3' apart. Now comes the fun part! You will screw the drywall directly into the furring channel, keeping the screw as close to the center of the hat channel as possible. If the drywall meets directly in the middle of a channel, make sure to stagger the screws down the length of the drywalls (alternate them one each side of the seam). Now, just like the RC-1 installation, you must maintain a ¼" gap around the perimeter of the newly floated ceiling assembly where the drywall does not touch the adjoining walls. Once again, this area will be sealed with the OSI-175 acoustical caulking material, and you will tape, mud, and paint the ceiling as usual. There we have it folks, professional sound isolation at a fraction of the cost that the "Big Boys" charge. A good analogy of the floated ceiling method is to visualize your ceiling to now be a trampoline. The trampoline must not contact the adjoining walls and thus it is free to do its resilient thing exclusively. Keep in mind that the impact isolation is accomplished at the sound clip and joist connection where there is a thick neoprene rubber grommet on the clip that breaks the circuit between the sub floor above and the newly floated ceiling.
Soundproofing from noisy neighbors above
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
call toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing with Engineers and Architects

2006-10-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you the amount of business we have gotten simply because an Architect's plan or and Engineer's blueprint has called out for our products specifically. However, we want the professional building planners to know that they can call us anytime day or night for practical and timely soundproofing advice, specifications and installation instructions. When professionals deal with other professionals, the learning curve on both ends of the spectrum is satisfied. We at Soundproofing America Inc. thirst for knowledge from the architectural and engineering community. We need that interaction in order to convey real time experiences as well as theoretical concepts to our customers. Soundproofing is a science in itself and most Architects and Engineers don't have the time to pursue every avenue of the soundproofing industry, nor do they know the techniques and materials needed to meet all State or local STC, NRC and IIC standards. That's why we're here. We understand these rating systems and carry the products needed to meet or exceed any call out for soundproofing or sound conditioning in most architectural drawings or blueprints. I challenge the professional community to put Soundproofing America Inc. to the test, see if we don't meet or beat your expectations.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
call toll free (877) 530-0139

Acoustical Treatments for studios and home theaters

2006-10-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

An amateur builder or basically anyone handy with tools can easily complete the majority of our soundproofing projects. You don't need to be Bob Vila, or Norm Abrams to do a wonderful professional looking soundproofing or sound conditioning project. If you are able to listen and read the detailed instructions provided on this website, you will be able to tackle any noise control project like a pro. Sure, you are bound to have questions, and that's what the professional's at Soundproofing America. Inc. are here for. We offer sound and practical advice to the "do it yourselfer" and professional alike. Believe me, I get my share of calls from contractors who have been in the business for over 30 plus years. If you are willing to learn and to admit that you don't know everything about everything, there is nothing you can't accomplish. I have talked musicians through the framing and construction of their garage and basement studio's or practice rooms. These guys admitted that they didn't have a clue about building or soundproofing a room within a room, now they are actually doing soundproofing projects for their friends and fellow musicians. It's not Rocket Science friends! If you want go for it and really feel you can tackle a soundproofing project, the pros at Soundproofing America will be with you every step of the way. That's a promise! There may be a little trial and error action going on at first due to the fact that all buildings and homes are not built equally, but eventually we will get you to where you need to be soundproofing wise. We always do. We will get you there and you won't have to mortgage your house in the process. That's a promise as well!
Acoustical Treatments
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
www.massloadedvinyl.com
Call Toll Free (877) 530-0139

The Green Glue Calculator

2006-10-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

For all you Green Glue fans, there is a new calculator out that tells you exactly how much Green Glue you'll need to complete your job. If you want to use the calculator simply go to: http://www.greengluecompany.com/usageCalculator.html and you can calculate just how much Green Glue you will need for for you project. In other words you will plug in the length, width and the height of a wall or the length and width of your ceiling, and simply plug those numbers into the calculator and it will tell you precisely how much Green Glue you will need to complete your job. This calculator only calculates 50% coverage and 100% coverage. If you need to know how much Green Glue you will need if you are using 3 tubes per sheet of drywall, simply get you complete sq footage and divide that number by 32 which is the sq footage of a sheet of 4' X 8' drywall. Once you have divided the complete sq footage by 32 then multiply that number by 3 which will tell you exactly how many tubes you will need to a 3 tube per sheet application. If you ever need help with your Green Glue application, please call the professionals @ www.soundproofingamerica.com we will be happy to help you calculate the amount of Green Glue you need for you entire project.

www.massloadedvinyl.com
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

More Soundproofing Information from Soundproofing America

2006-10-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Looking for sound proofing materials, advice and resources? You’ve come to the right place. Soundproofing America is your ultimate sound proofing solution. We have a full range of sound proofing products and accessories to fit any need at the lowest prices. No matter what your sound proofing requirements involve, we can help you get the best possible results on almost any budget.
We carry all industry standard sound proofing materials as well as hard to find sound proofing items such as stud and joint isolators, dBA sound diffusion panels and much, much more. Why spend time looking through multiple websites with limited selection when you can find all the sound proofing materials you will ever need at Soundproofing America?
Contact our sound proofing experts for advice on which products will work best for your situation or look through our extensive selection of free online resources that will answer some of the most commonly asked questions. Whether you are building a studio, constructing a recording booth or simply trying to eliminate outside noise, we have the professional products and experience in the sound proofing field that will help you complete your next project.

www.soundproofingamerica.com
call toll free (877) 530-0139
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com

Mass Loaded Vinyl at Soundproofing America

2006-10-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

The day that mass loaded vinyl was introduced to the soundproofing industry was the day that the soundproofing world changed forever. Mass loaded vinyl is one of the highest rated and top selling soundproofing materials on the market today and was developed as a non-toxic replacement for lead sheeting, which had been used for years as a soundproofing agent. American mass loaded vinyl consists of a high-grade vinyl material that is impregnated with barium salts and silica’s (sand) to give it the same characteristics as lead. The secret to the soundproofing qualities of mass loaded vinyl lie in it sheer mass and ability to block unwanted sound transmission through walls and ceilings. Homeowners like the fact that mass loaded vinyl is safe for any room in the house. Mass loaded vinyl took the market by storm when it was first introduced. Lead sheeting was scarce and difficult to obtain in usable quantities for soundproofing, not to mention its toxic nature. Mass loaded vinyl is a completely safe, non-toxic limpid vinyl that is attached directly to studs or joists of walls and ceilings. The mass loaded vinyl is then sealed at the seams and around the perimeter with a quality acoustical caulk and used as a highly effective soundproof reflective barrier. Once the caulk has been applied, it is recommended that you tape the seams of the mass loaded vinyl only in order to maintain the membrane effect. Mass loaded vinyl has given the face of soundproofing a fresh new look and has proven itself to be a most effective sound blocking and reflective barrier material. It is the only real alternative to lead sheeting or fiberglass insulation batting. It has surpassed the standards of other popular soundproofing products and remains an economical and effective sound barrier. Mass loaded vinyl is the perfect soundproofing product for residential and commercial spaces, not to mention all industrial and studio applications. Of equal importance, mass loaded vinyl meets most building codes and is used extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Mass loaded vinyl will block the noise of high traffic areas, train and railroad crossings, aircraft and airport noise as well as a myriad of other unwanted outdoor sounds. The American mass loaded vinyl is one of the most cost effective sound reducing agents on the market today. Compared to the cost of lead sheeting and the labor involved in installing lead, mass loaded vinyl stands at the forefront of the soundproofing industry for both effectiveness and affordability.Mass loaded Vinyl is the perfect solution for noisy neighbors, city and suburban traffic noise, aircraft sounds, loud car stereos as well as a variety of intrusive indoor and outdoor noises. There is no better soundproofing barrier on the market today than American mass loaded vinyl. This product is in stock and ready for immediate delivery throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. If you are looking for the finest in soundproofing barriers, look no further than American mass loaded vinyl. Mass loaded vinyl is available through our online store by calling us toll free at (877) 530-0139 between the hours of 7AM and 6PM PST. There are professional technicians who can help you with all of your soundproofing issues and stand ready to take your soundproofing order and have it shipped the same day. When you are thinking soundproof barriers, think Soundproofing America, your #1 resource for quality noise control materials.

Mass Loaded Vinyl

Soundproofing America, Inc.

2006-10-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing America is your one stop source for the best soundproofing materials available. No matter what your soundproofing needs entail, we have the products that will help you meet your objectives. From acoustic room treatments and mass loaded vinyl barriers to floating floor pads and pyramid panels, our soundproofing selection is second to none.
But don’t be mistaken, soundproofing involves more than just the right products. Soundproofing means knowing which products to buy for your particular situation and knowing how to use them effectively. Soundproofing America offers multiple resources on the latest tips, tricks and theory that will help you determine which products will offer the most cost effective solution for you.
Let our expertise in the soundproofing field help you make the most of your budget. You can reach us by phone from 8am to 6pm Pacific, Monday through Saturday or e-mail us anytime for expert advice that will answer any questions you may have. At Soundproofing America, we are dedicated to offering the soundproofing solutions you need at the lowest possible prices.
Soundproofing America
www.soundproofingamerica.com
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

More good information on Green Glue

2006-10-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing America is your number one source for Green Glue. Green Glue is one of the most cost effective solutions for soundproofing large areas currently on the market. A highly advanced and easy to apply soundproofing material, Green Glue can be applied between layers of standard drywall and requires no demo to use in existing space. Green Glue has been tested in independent laboratories and has proven to be one the most impressive sound proofing products ever invented.
Green Glue works by acting as an elastic dampener between layers of drywall, and therefore allows you to maximize your current space without having to install floating walls or ceilings. Green Glue is sold by the case, and twelve tubes will cover an astonishing 192 square feet! If you’ve been searching for an easy to apply soundproofing agent that won’t break the bank, your search is over.
Soundproofing America’s low price of just $175 per case and the lowest shipping cost of any available soundproofing material makes Green Glue one of the absolute best values in noise elimination. Contact us by phone from 8am to 6pm Pacific, Monday through Saturday or e-mail us anytime for more information on ways to utilize green glue with other soundproofing materials and products for the maximum benefit.
Green Glue
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Green Glue is taking the Nation by Storm.

2006-10-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Green Glue has absolutely revolutionized the soundproofing industry and is fast becoming the best selling soundproofing agent we carry at Soundproofing America. The Green Glue is the best product on the market for soundproofing existing walls in a residential or commerical application. It also works great in and industrial situation as well. No matter what the "so called experts" at America Micro say, Green Glue has be thoroughly tested and the results are phenominal. It blocks more noise than mass loaded vinyl and is great for stopping low frequency bass noise. When you are looking for the best in soundproofing and acoustical treatment products, look no further than the professionals at www.soundproofingamerica.com The Kings of Green Glue!!!

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
call toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing in New York

2006-08-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

It's a well known fact that New Yorkers know how to live large but in small and confined quarters, and even if that space is underneath a bar or nite club, it's okay cause the rent is cheap. But as time passes that basement apartment or flat begins to grind on your nerves, and you swear if you hear just one more Willy Nelson or even New York Lou Reed ditty from that damned Jukebox, someone's gonna pay. The problem is that usually you are the one who pays with your sleep, or lack there of. This is one of those times when sleep means more than the almighty dollar. It's obvious that a lack of sleep can affect every part of your daily life, especially in New York City. Last June I teamed up with one of the best New Yorkers in the City. He's the Senior Real Estate Columnist for The New York Times, Jay Romano. Jay did a piece on soundproofing in the city and the unique sound issues facing New Yorkers. New York has it all, subway noise, aircraft noise, apartment to apartment noise...Hey, Shaddap Vinny!!!! It is a 7-24 never ending story. I think the only time it stopped was on September 11th, and then it was only for a few minutes. The noise in New York is definitely unique but the methods for treating it are the same. If you are in New York and have soundproofing issues please call the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. They will help you solve your noise problems and not empty your wallet in the process. If there are soundproofing materials at Home Depot or Lowe's that will work for you, we'll tell you about them. With the price of Real Estate these days, the rest of the country is beginning to feel the pinch just like New York has for over 50 years .

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

Confusing Soundproofing websites???

2006-08-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you're tired of ridiculously confusing and hard to navigate soundproofing websites, especially when you are in dire need of quick and concise information and services. That's exactly why we made www.soundproofingamerica.com as simple and easy to navigate as possible. You won't find any silly little animated pointy fingers to direct you to links that have absolutely nothing to do with what you are looking for. No little spies in orange suits prodding you to buy a booklet (that you can download elsewhere for Free). We have been to those websites and frankly we too have walked away dazed and confused, and we're supposedly the experts. It's comical to me that they try to convince the public that they are this huge corporation with thousands of employees and a huge warehouse fully stocked with merchandise. The truth be known, I really don't want to be the one paying the rent on a 100,000 sq. ft. facility every time I make a major purchase. If you have any suggestions, concerns, or comments regarding this website or any of our policies, please e-mail Scott at: scott@soundproofingamerica.com or Dr.Bob at: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com We will listen to your concerns and suggestions, and will do our best to accommodate you. That's my perspective, what is yours?
Dr. Bob O.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing a washer and dryer or your dishwasher

2006-08-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

Generally the biggest problem with a washer dryer combination is dealing with downstairs neighbors in a condo or apartment scenario. There is always a concern about vibration and structure borne noise (especially with an unbalanced load) being transmitted downwards to the neighbor below. The best method for treating this situation is to roll out a layer of American Mass loaded vinyl on the floor (usually the 1 Lb MLV will do) beneath the washer and dryer (provided they are side by side units) and then actually putting both the washer and dryer up on vibration isolation pads. These pads will go under the feet of each machine and will sit on top of the rolled out mass loaded vinyl. Now if the sound of the washer is bothersome to the occupants of the home (airborne sound) where the machines are used, it is always best to soundproof the alcove where the machines are located, using either America mat for the walls and possibly the ceiling, or simply lining the walls and ceiling with the American Mass loaded vinyl. If you use the MLV, it is essential that you caulk the seams as well as the perimeter and then tape the seams with a seam or lead tape. Lastly we always recommend layering over the MLV with a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall. Now if the drywall is not feasible, then you can actually texture the MLV with a latex texture, and paint the MLV with a vinyl or latex paint. Now lets talk a little bit about under the counter dishwashers. The manufacturers of today's dishwashers are very aware of sound control issues with their machines, however, when any mechanical device is enclosed in a wood based structure, there is always the possibility of sound transmission into the structure. The most effective method of soundproofing a dishwasher is to pull it out from the counter and adhere America mat (usually at least ½" thick) to the outside of the unit. It is also a good idea to cover the back of the machine as well, taking care not to block essential ventilation passages. We also advise lining the under counter cavity with the ½" foam mat. This will basically give you twice the soundproofing as well as much needed vibration absorption and dampening. The last thing is to reinstall the machine back under the counter and turn it on and see the remarkable soundproofing results you have achieved. Well, that's it for appliance soundproofing. If you have further questions, always feel free to call the soundproofing experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. Thanks for reading and learning, we all know what Knowledge is by now, right?

Soundproofing your washer and dryer
Dr. Bob
Soundproofing America, Inc
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing your computer

2006-08-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing a computer CPU is not a costly or difficult task. Many of the Macs out there are very loud and could use a good dose of soundproofing as well. Basically our recommendation is to remove the CPU cover and line the inside of the cover with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat. We call this product "America Mat". You will need to glue the America mat to the inside of the CPU cover. The America mat will both block and absorb sound and will stop the cover from vibrating with the frequencies of the fans and the hard drives. If you are able to adhere the America mat to the fan side of the CPU that is also a good idea. I have actually had customers wrap the 1/2" America mat around thier hard drived to quell the noise. Now I do not recommend this as the hard drives need adequate ventilation in order to operate properly. I am just saying that I have had customers actually wrap hard drives in the closed cell foam mat.
Lastly it is always a good idea to construc a small baffle that would direct the exhaust fans airflow down towards the floor. A baffle would be something like louver or a deflector that directs both the air as well as the sound down towards the floor. This baffle should also be lined with the America mat. This will stop much of the fan noise from your computer fans.
The 1/2" America mat is $10 per lineal ft and the 1/4" is $5 per lineal ft. A lineal foot gives you 4 sq ft of material as the rolls of mat are 4' wide. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.
Soundproofing your computer
Dr. Bob
Soundproofing America, Inc
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

We encourage other websites and blogs to link to this blog

2006-08-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

We here at Soundproofing America would love to see more websites and blogs that deal with soundproofing and acoustical treatments to link to this blog or to our website www.soundproofingamerica.com please feel free to submit your request to link to our site or to this blog by e-mailing dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com I hope to be hearing from you soon, the more links we have the higher we climb up the search engines, so I will see you at the top.

Dr. Bob
Senior Technical Director
Soundproofing America Inc
e-mail: scott@soundproofingamerica.com
http://thenoiserebellion.blogspot.com/

Soundproofing With Dave is now called "Noise Rebellion"

2006-08-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to see that Dave from "Soundproofing with Dave" has seen fit to use Soundproofing America as a reference when discusing soundproofing issues. We are also glad to see that he provides a link directly to our website from his blog. We are hear whenever you need us Dave, we are not in business just for the money, we are here to solve soundproofing issues throughout the United States and Canada. Once againwe are proud to be associated with Dave and his new "Noise Rebellion" blog. Thanks Dave.

Dr. Bob
http://thenoiserebellion.blogspot.com/
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing your ceiling from noisy upstairs neighbors

2006-08-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

With more and more people living in multi story condominiums and lofts, noise from above is becoming nearly unbearable. The majority of the irritating noise comes from footfall or walking on a hard wood floor above. This noise is what is known as Impact noise and it is transmitted through the sub floor and into the floor joists, which are generally spaced an even 16 inches apart. This noise is then ultimately transmitted into the ceiling and to the neighbor below. The evenly spaced joists can actually enhance the noise by acting as tuning forks that prolong the noise and can actually amplify to the person living below. Ceiling soundproofing is becoming a very popular upgrade in many condos and loft buildings.
There are many ways to deal with impact noise issues from above; one is to float an entirely new ceiling using sound clips (Americlips) and 7/8” metal furring channels. This system suspends a new drywall ceiling from the ceiling joists and the existing drywall. The floated ceiling is now isolated from the existing ceiling structure above and ultimately breaks the circuit or the path for the impact noise to reach the neighbor below.
This isolation works for both impact and airborne noise, thus preventing both from reaching the ears of the neighbor below.
Many soundproofing companies tell their customers to simply staple or nail up a layer of mass loaded vinyl (mass loaded vinyl is a vinyl designed to emulate lead sheeting) directly to their drywall ceiling and then to drywall over top of it. We have found through experience that this does not work very well especially for impact noise. If the MLV is sandwiched between t hard surfaces it is not able to more or to resonate with the sound and therefore a great amount of it soundproofing ability is compromised.
If you decide to use MLV on a ceiling, then it is best to either remove the old drywall and attach the MLV directly to the ceiling joists or if you want to leave the remaining drywall up, simply attach furring strips to the existing ceiling making sure the screws for the furring strips actually go into the joist. You would then attach the mass loaded vinyl to the furring strips then seals the seams and the perimeter with an acoustical caulk, and then finally tape the seams only with our MLV seam sealer tape. Once this is complete, simply screw up your final layer of drywall directly over top of the MLV membrane and you are done. Now remember, mass loaded vinyl does little or nothing for impact noise, but it is very effective for airborne noise.
Now, there is a final method we recommend for soundproofing a ceiling from both impact noise as well as airborne noise. This method employs a soundproofing product called Green Glue. Pretty simple name for a remarkable product that stops both impact and airborne noise from the floor above. Green glue is a visco elastic dampening compound that is used to dampen the drywall and the structure above. Dampening the ceiling or wall structure helps to soundproof those areas both impact and airborne sound. You simply apply 2 tubes of the Green Glue to each 4’ X 8’ sheet of drywall, then simply screw in the Green Glue treated drywall directly up to the existing drywall ceiling. This will sandwich the Green Glue between the existing ceiling drywall and the new drywall that you are adding to the ceiling. The Green glue both dampens and isolated the drywall sheets and gives the ceiling the same affect as if it were floated on sound clips and furring channels. Green Glue is revolutionizing the soundproofing industry because if it’s effectiveness and ease of installation.
For more information on soundproofing a ceiling from both impact and airborne noise, contact the professionals at www.soundproofignamerica.com they have all of the answers to your soundproofing questions and will always recommend the most effect and economical noise reduction products to meet your individual soundproofing needs.

Dr. Bob O.
Soundproofing a ceiling
Call toll free (877) 530-0139
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
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Free Acoustical Caulk and seam sealer tape with every roll of MLV purchased for the month of August!!

2006-08-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

Here’s a deal you don’t come across everyday, for the month of August and hopefully beyond, with every full roll mass loaded vinyl purchase, you will receive a 29 oz tube of acoustical caulk and a roll of seams sealer tape absolutely free, there will be a nominal amount charged for shipping, but the Acoustical caulk and the tape are free with your full roll of mass loaded vinyl. We are working to make you soundproofing purchases complete and at one price instead of nickel dime’n you to death. If this promotion is successful we want to extend it beyond the month of August. Please call the pros at Soundproofing America, they will help you with your soundproofing problems and will recommend the best products for your soundproofing project. e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com Call us toll free (877) 530-0139

Mass loaded vinyl soundproofing

2006-07-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

The day that mass loaded vinyl was introduced to the soundproofing industry, was the day that the soundproofing world changed forever. Mass loaded vinyl (MLV) is one of the highest rated and top selling soundproofing materials on the market today. MLV was developed as a non-toxic replacement for lead sheeting, which had been used for years as a soundproofing agent. American mass loaded vinyl consists of a high-grade vinyl material that is impregnated with barium salts and silica’s (sand) to give it the same characteristics as lead. The secret of the soundproofing qualities of mass loaded vinyl lie in it sheer mass and ability to block unwanted sound transmission through walls and ceilings. Homeowners like the fact that it is safe for any room in the house. Mass loaded vinyl took the market by storm when it was first introduced. Lead sheeting was scarce and difficult to obtain in usable quantities for soundproofing, not to mention its toxic nature. Mass loaded vinyl is a completely safe, non-toxic limpid vinyl that is attached directly to studs or joists of walls and ceilings. The mass loaded vinyl is then sealed at the seams and around the perimeter with a quality acoustical caulk. Once the caulk has been applied then it is recommended that you tape the seams only in order to maintain the membrane effect. Mass loaded vinyl has given the face of soundproofing a fresh new look and has proven itself to be a most effective sound blocking and reflective barrier material. Mass loaded vinyl is the only real alternative to lead sheeting or fiberglass insulation batts. It has surpassed the standards of other popular soundproofing products and remains an economical and effective sound barrier product. Mass loaded vinyl is the perfect soundproofing product for residential and commercial spaces, not to mention all industrial and studio applications. This product meets most building codes and is used extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Mass loaded vinyl will block the noise of high traffic areas, train and railroad crossings, aircraft and airport noise as well as a myriad of other unwanted outdoor sounds. The American mass loaded vinyl is one of the most cost effective sound reducing agents on the market today. Compared to the cost of lead sheeting and the labor involved in installing lead, mass loaded vinyl stands at the forefront of the soundproofing industry for both effectiveness and affordability.This product is the perfect solution for noisy neighbors, city and suburban traffic noise, aircraft noise, loud car stereos as well as a variety of intrusive indoor and outdoor noises. There is no better soundproofing barrier on the market today than American mass loaded vinyl. This product is in stock and ready for immediate delivery throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. If you are looking for the finest in soundproofing barriers, look no further than American Mass loaded vinyl. American mass loaded is available through our online store by calling us toll free at (877) 530-0139 between the hours of 7AM and 6PM PST. There are professional technicians who can help you with all of your soundproofing issues and stand ready to take your soundproofing order and have it shipped the same day. When you are thinking soundproof barriers, think American Mass loaded vinyl from Soundproofing America.
Mass Loaded Vinyl soundproofing
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
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The Excitement over Green Glue Continues!!

2006-07-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Green Glue is breaking lots of new ground in the soundproofing industry. Some of the largest soundproofing Companies in the country are getting on the Green Glue bandwagon. Green Glue is as effective as many of the standard soundproofing materials such as lead sheeting or mass loaded vinyl and though these products are still great soundproofing agents, they are heavy and at times costly to ship. Green Glue on the other hand is not heavy and comes in cases of 12 tubes (each case covers 192 sq ft) and the cases are easy and cheap to ship. If you are doing new construction or a complete remodel where you are not demoing the walls, then Green Glue is the effective and logical choice for all of your soundproofing needs. If you are in the process of building a garage studio or a home theater, Green Glue gives you a whole new world of soundproofing options. This product is simple and easy to use and gives you superb soundproofing results especially at the lower frequency spectrum.
If you are remodeling a bathroom, don't demo the walls, instead add another layer of sheetrock that is backed with the Green glue. Sandwich the Green Glue between layers of drywall for some excellent sound isolation and structural dampening. It is a well-known fact that a well-dampened stud or joist structure makes for a much quieter wall or ceiling. Remember, Green Glue is great for combating impact noise from above.
The more you know about Green Glue the easier it is for you to add soundproofing to nearly every building project you undertake.
Contractors are learning about this amazing sound dampening product and it is giving them many more options for soundproofing home theaters, studios, and garage or basement practice rooms.
Read about Green Glue at http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/green-glue.asp or go to http://www.audioalloy.com/ and read the specifications on the Green Glue. Now for the best price on Green Glue including great shipping rates, call the professionals at Soundproofing America (877) 530-0139 they can help you with your Green Glue questions and can take your order right over the phone. The learn more about soundproofing come to http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/ where you can e-mail a tech or can call with your questions toll free 6 days a week.
Remember, when peace of mind is all that matters, Soundproofing America.

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e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

DIY Soundproofing

2006-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Any amateur builder or anyone handy with tools can easily complete any of our soundproofing projects. You don't need to be Bob Vila, or Norm Abram to do a wonderful professional looking soundproofing or sound conditioning project. If you are able to listen and read the detailed instructions provided on this website, you will be able to tackle any soundproofing or sound conditioning project like a pro. Sure, you are bound to have questions, and that's what the professional's at Soundproofing America. Inc. are here for. We offer sound and practical advice to the "do it yourselfer" and professional alike. Believe me, I get my share of calls from contractors who have been in the business for over 30 plus years. If you are willing to learn and to admit that you don't know everything about everything, there is nothing you can't accomplish. I have talked musicians through the framing and construction of their garage and basement studio's or practice rooms. These guys admitted that they didn't have a clue about building or soundproofing a room within a room, now they are actually doing soundproofing projects for their friends and fellow musicians. It's not Rocket Science friends! If you want go for it and really feel you can tackle a soundproofing project, the pros at Soundproofing America will be with you every step of the way. That's a promise! There may be a little trial and error action going on at first due to the fact that all buildings and homes are not built equally, but eventually we will get you to where you need to be soundproofing wise. We always do. We will get you there and you won't have to mortgage your house in the process. That's a promise as well!

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e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

American Sound Isolation Tape

2006-07-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

The American sound Isolation tape is a great way to give you new home or addition some good soundproofing without spending a fortune. This sound isolation tape comes I 100 lineal ft rolls and it 1 17/16 “ wide or basically the width of a stud or joist end. You simply peel off the backing and adhere to the Iso tape to all of the studs or the joist prior to screwing in the sheetrock. This will isolate the stud or joist structure from the finished drywall. This isolation helps to reduce airborne sound transmission as well as structure borne transmission through the studs or joists.
There is another method that employs the Iso tape and that is to double layer it one every other stud or joist. If your studs are 16 OC then you will be taping the joists or studs at 32” OC and once you have double taped every other stud, you will screw your drywall into every other stud. This will not only give you the isolation of the wood or steel structure from the outer wallboard, but it will give you the same effect as staggered studs. This method can be employed on both sides of the studs and to the end facings of joists. You can even tape the joists above before installing a sub floor, which will help to isolate the sub floor from the joists and the ceiling below. If you are in the process of new construction or remodeling where you have removed all drywall, taping the studs and joists with the American Isolation tape is essential. For more information on this or any of our quality soundproofing products, please call or e-mail the professionals at Soundproofing America.

e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Mass loaded vinyl Installation Instructions

2006-07-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

This is a quick narrative on the proper Mass loaded vinyl installation instructions.
As you probably already know, MLV is very heavy. Installation is always at least a two man job. Adequate supplies of fasterners, washers or tin caps, Acoustical-Caulk, and MLV sealer seam tape should be on hand. For best results, apply caulk between the MLV and the top and bottom plates, at seams, and around penetrations such as electrical switches and outlets. Sound is air pressure: The more leaks you can eliminate, the better the MLV installation will perform for your customer.
Always install MLV across studs and tresses not parallel with them. This gives you leverage when pulling the material. Since you will be hanging the material horizontally it will take more than one piece to cover from floor to ceiling. We recommend you begin with the lower piece so you can become familiar with the installation process. After you become comfortable working with the material you may choose to start with the top piece and fill in the lower section.
When securing MLV material you have several choices. You can use nails, screws, or staples to secure material to wood studs. Most installers prefer to use an air stapler. Always use washers or roofing "tin caps" to spread weight and prevent tearing of the material. If using air to drive your nails or staples always run your pressure low enough so you do not shoot through your washers. When using screws, countersink into the washer. Remember that anything sticking up will put a dimple in the wall board, so keep material and fasteners as flush as possible. When installing on metal studs the screw method is the only one we recommend. When installing on metal studs, have a spacer available to keep studs in line.
Before you begin, take good notes on where electrical boxes are in the area and any other access openings which should not be covered up. Cut out all of these as you go, so you do not miss any. Seal these openings to prevent sound from penetrating your MLV barrier.

Recommended Installation Procedure:

1. Take a measurement from a corner to your first obstacle (i.e. window/door/wall). The weight of the MLV material determines if this piece would be too large to handle. If so measure back a reasonable size. Check for a stud and correct your measurement accordingly. Roll out and cut the measured piece using your T-square and razor knife. DO NOT unroll the entire roll. The best results are achieved by scoring the MLV material a knife.

2. Roll back the cut piece in the opposite way it came off the roll. This prevents the ends from curling up as you hang the material.

3. First place the cutoff piece into the corner to begin hanging. Be sure to fasten it so the material will unroll level. After securing the first edge at the corner with 5 fasteners, begin to unroll the material across the studs. Unroll the MLV far enough to place it between the studs and pull as necessary to position the material across the studs. DO NOT unroll the entire piece. The rolled up part keeps all the material rigid and prevents it from falling over until you can secure it. Continue fastening with 5 fasteners per stud in the same fashion. Be sure to secure the end of the piece to the stud in such a way that you are able to butt the next piece up to it, like joints in wallboard. Repeat this process until the entire area is covered Please note that ceiling application is the same but will require additional fasteners due to the weight.

4. Check the entire area covered to be sure all MLV material is secured properly, without bubbles or large bumps. Be sure that all fasteners are down flush and check your notes for any electrical receptacles or access panels that may have been covered. Cut out any that are found and add any fasteners to areas that need them.

5. Using tape and acoustical caulk (as recommended), begin to seal all joints and cut out boxes and access points. Be sure to put tape over all corners, seams and ends that are exposed like at window and door openings.

6. Do one final inspection of the entire job to be certain no part of the job was missed and nothing was covered up (i.e. light switches, outlets.) Your installation is now complete.

7. Once the MLV is installed and sealed, you simply screw up another layer of drywall and finish it as usual.
I hope this narrative reaches everyone considering installing mass loaded vinyl

e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll Free (877) 530-0139

Noise control and Noise Reduction.

2006-07-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Noise control and noise reduction are both soundproofing concepts. Noise reduction or noise control is a process that essentially blocks the transmission of sound waves through walls, ceilings, and floors. Noise control is achieved by the use of barriers, dampeners and suspension devices or insulators that isolate the final drywall from the existing wallboard and support structure. Noise control or noise reduction can also be accomplished through sound absorption materials such as the closed cell foam mat. Noise reduction in today’s society is absolutely essential for maintaining our sanity in the hustle and bustle of a very noisy world. Noise reduction procedures are used extensively in residential, commercial and industrial applications. Noise reduction is not necessarily confined to soundproofing. Hard reflective surfaces in a room can warrant the use of noise reduction products in order to stop the bounce and reflection of sound in a given area by increasing the softness of the acoustics in that particular space. Noise reduction as well as noise control and fast becoming integral parts of today’s society. No longer do we live in a 5 bedroom ranch house in the country, but instead we reside in a 1 bedroom flat in New York directly under a bar or nite club. Noise control issues like these demand noise reduction products be put in place by competent professionals. Noise control is becoming more and more of an issue in this country. There are many nations who far out distance us when it comes to noise reduction and noise control. Countries like Australia and New Zealand, not to mention Europe and the UK. They are all the pioneers of the modern soundproofing industry.
It is a known fact that industrialized countries across the globe make use of noise reduction and noise control products and materials in order to manage noise stemming from large manufacturing machinery or heavy equipment on construction sites. Back home in the U.S. people are dealing with noise control issues on a daily basis. Noise reduction has become big business, but here at Soundproofing America, we make sure that you can find the best and most economical noise reduction products on the planet at one place. Fortunately, Soundproofing America is here to help you deal with your most difficult noise control and noise reduction issues. Soundproofing along with noise control and sound reduction are our specialty. We will formulate a soundproofing plan that will meet all of your soundproofing and noise reduction needs and a plan that will stay within you budget. It is not always about money, it is about solving noise issues with a straightforward, simple approach to noise control. We have a large inventory of noise reduction and sound control products ready for immediate delivery. Products like our Green Sound bonded cotton insulation, or our American mass loaded vinyl. Look at our tried and true soundproof flooring products as well as our wealth of sound absorption and acoustical treatment products for the home or professional recording studio.
Noise control is simply making the noise or the sound do what you want it to do. For example, if you have a home theater of course you are going to produce noise, but if you soften the noise using noise control or noise reduction agents, then noise becomes more pleasing to the ear and less of a nuisance. At soundproofing America we carry products that cover ever aspect of noise control and sound conditioning. Our products are specifically designed for easy installation in any home theater or studio application. We are an American Company and take pride in serving the soundproofing needs of our customers throughout the United States without a doubt, greatest country in the world.
All of our noise reduction products offer finest quality and performance available on the market today. Our integrity is our cornerstone and we pride ourselves on being the best soundproofing company bar none in the United States and Canada.
Whether you are purchasing soundproofing or noise reduction products for you home office or industrial space, the professionals at Soundproofing America are your one stop soundproofing resource.
Soundproofing America provides the widest selection of noise control and noise reduction products in the world. We offer soundproof floor underlays for hardwood and ceramic tile floors as well as a vast array of acoustical treatment options for studios and home theaters. We also provide the finest in sound barriers and closed cell foams that are both weather proof and flame retardant. Our selection of bonded cotton noise reduction panels is second to none and our fabric covered FG panels some of the finest acoustical treatment agents available anywhere in the world
When it comes to soundproofing and noise control, the name to remember is Soundproofing America. For service, selection and quality, no one even comes close.
Our noise control products are world famous and rival companies like Sonex, Auralex and Sweetwater for quality and performance at a fraction of the cost.
When you need the best in noise control and noise reduction, trust the professionals at Soundproofing America. We’ll be here when you need us.

e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Free Green Glue

2006-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Free Green Glue?? No, we can't offer you that, but what we can do is guarantee you the best price in the country on this revolutionary soundproofing product. Green Glue is now available in cases as well as individual tubes. The case price is $175.00 plus the flat rate shipping and the individual tubes are $15 each. Green Glue is sweeping the Nation and has become one of the most economical and effective soundproofing agents on the market today. Green Glue visco elastic dampening compound will soon be used in all phases of building especially in condo or co op developments. When you think Green Glue, think Soundproofing America, your #1 Green Glue resource from coast to coast.

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Call toll free (877) 530-0139

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Soundproofing limited time offer on Mass Loaded vinyl for August

2006-07-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

For the month of August 2006 with every full roll purchase of mass loaded vinyl purchased, we will include 1 tube of acoustical caulk and one roll of seam sealer tape with your order.We usually reserve free caulk and tape for orders over 10 rolls but for the month of August all you have to say is "Hey, Gimme my free caulk and tape", when you purchase your mass loaded vinyl. It is that simple. The right caulk and tape is essential with any mass loaded vinyl installation. We want our customers to attain the best soundproofing possible. This special will be announced on the website www.soundproofingamerica.com but in the meantime anyone who reads this blog and is in the market for mass loaded vinyl will now be able to get this complete package deal. Shipping is exactly what it is, we never mark up our shipping costs. Here's the bottom line, we want to be America's Soundproofing Company!! We already beat everyone's price on quality Soundproofing and acoustical treatment products, and now we offer free stuff with the purchase of MLV, what next?? Free Green Glue??? NOT, well maybe, we'll see. Take us up on our free caulk and tape offer, you'll thank us for it when you're relaxing in the peace and quite. Thanks, we hope to be hearing from you soon

www.massloadedvinyl.com
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Acoustical Treatment products from Soundproofing America

2006-07-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing America carries a wide variety of acoustical treatment and sound conditioning products. Many of our products are exclusively sold through Soundproofing America. Our vast array of acoustical treatment products include the Echoless bonded acoustical cotton panels which offer the highest NRC rating of any acoustical treatment product on the market today. These panels are extremely popular with professional studios and home theater companies and are used to reduce reflective noise in large homes and office spaces. These decorative panels can be fabric covered to match any décor or color.
We also carry the American FG fabric cover panels that are covered in the Guilford 701 fabrics and come in a nearly endless array of colors and patterns. These finished look acoustical treatment panels have the absorptive qualities that professional recording studios and theaters demand. They come in a variety of sizes and edge details. You won’t find a better finished-look panel than the American FG fabric covered panels.
Soundproofing America also carries the ever-popular polyurethane Pyramid and Wedge panels for studios and home theaters. These panels are very affordable and would be a welcomed addition to any studio or rehearsal setting.
Acoustical treatment products are not limited to absorptive materials only, the Silent panels give the studio professional both sound absorption as well as sound blocking all in one panel. These polypropylene bead board tiles are weather resistant and are perfect for pool areas and for gyms and other moist areas. These panels are also perfect for gun and shooting ranges as they can be easily cleaned and with a high-pressure wash. They are the choice of many municipal Police and Sheriff’s department training facilities and firing ranges.
The latest and greatest acoustical treatment product is one called the American dBA panel. These panels are tri functional and are the latest innovation in the acoustical treatment arsenal. The dBA panels block, absorb and diffuse sound all in one panels. These sharp looking panels will give any studio or theater that futuristic ultra modern look. These panels are only available from 3 sources in the world and Soundproofing America is one of them. This space age acoustical treatment product is fast becoming the standard treatment for professional recording studios and home theaters due to its tri functional capabilities. This acoustical treatment phenomenon is now available at a great low price from Soundproofing America. Give our professionals a call and ask about the dBA panel, you’ll be glad you did.
We carry many more acoustical treatment products that are displayed on the website so please take a look and then call the experts at Soundproofing America.

e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Soundproof product line Soundproofing America

2006-07-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing America is passionate about soundproofing. Our technical staff is available 6 days a week. We know soundproofing and can deal with all of your soundproofing issues. Our product line includes:

· America mat soundproof foam
· Mass loaded vinyl barriers
· Green Glue dampening compound
· Americlips sound clips
· Acoustical treatment products
· Lead tape
· Acoustical caulks and sealants
· Echoless sound absorption panels
· Silent panel polypropylene bead board tiles
· American Fabric covered panels
· American Pyramid panels
· American Wedge panels
· Bassoak bass traps
· America duct liner
· Greensound cotton batt insulation
· American dBA sound diffusion panels
· Truacoustics professional grade studio windows 45 and 56 STC
· American Sound Blankets
· American Sound Isolation tape (for studs and joists)
· Echoless roll material

We are not the biggest, but we offer better pricing and lower cost shipping than the “Big Boys”. When peace and quiet is all that matters call the Pro’s at Soundproofing America.

Call toll free (877) 530-0139
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com

America Mat Closed cell foam mat for Soundproofing

2006-07-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

One of the most versatile soundproofing materials in the industry is closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat. This foam is weather resistant as well as flame retardant and is used in more outdoor applications than any other soundproofing product. Closed cell foam is used in marine applications to quiet noisy engine rooms where there is a wet bilge to contend with. This foam is virtually indestructible and when used in conjunction with mass loaded vinyl can be a very formidable soundproofing system.
Closed cell foam is often adhered to the back of an HVAC enclosure as a sound blocker and sound-absorbing barrier. The weather resistance of the closed cell foam makes it perfect for any application where soundproofing is needed outside. This product is also used to stop reflective noise that bounces off a normally hard surface such as the exterior wall of a house. Many times reflective noise is the main reason an air conditioning compressor is so annoying to a next-door neighbor.
America mat closed cell foam can be used in automobiles, truck and motor homes to quell the sound of a loud engine or onboard generator. Lining the underside of a cars hood with the 1” closed cell foam can quiet the engine noise from the hood area by deadening the bare hood metal and also by blocking and absorbing the sound of the engine as it tries to escape from the engine compartment. The America Mat can also be used to line the insides of car door panels as well as the trunk and wheel well areas to prevent road noise from entering the passenger cabin.
America mat closed cell foam can be used in the plenum area of a cedar wood fence. The foam would be sandwiched in between to sides of slats on the fence and would seal the seams of the slats to block unwanted noise from penetrating through the fence. This product is also very effective when adhered to a barrier wall in a shooting range or a police training facility. The foam is easily cleaned with a pressure sprayer and will dry out much quicker than regular open cell foam where the water would penetrate all the way through the foam.
America Mat closed cell foam mat has endless possibilities for soundproofing in areas where other products just can’t cut it. From Aircraft to large ocean vessels, America Mat closed cell foam is the choice of people in the know. To learn more about this wonderful product or to learn more about any of our soundproofing products, please feel free to call any of our soundproofing specialists 5 days a week From 7AM to 6PM Pacific Standard time.

www.massloadedvinyl.com
e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Mass loaded vinyl, is it a household name yet??

2006-07-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

The day that mass loaded vinyl was introduced to the soundproofing industry, was the day that the soundproofing world changed forever.
Mass loaded vinyl is one of the highest rated and top selling soundproofing materials on the market today. MLV was developed as a non-toxic replacement for lead sheeting, which had been used for years as a soundproofing agent. American mass loaded vinyl consists of a high-grade vinyl material that is impregnated with barium salts and silica’s (sand) to give it the same characteristics as lead. The secret of the soundproofing qualities of mass loaded vinyl lie in it sheer mass and ability to block unwanted sound transmission through walls and ceilings. Homeowners like the fact that it is safe for any room in the house.
Mass loaded vinyl took the market by storm when it was first introduced. Lead sheeting was scarce and difficult to obtain in usable quantities for soundproofing, not to mention it’s toxic nature. Mass loaded vinyl is a completely safe, non-toxic limpid vinyl that is attached directly to studs or joists of walls and ceilings. The mass loaded vinyl is then sealed at the seams and around the perimeter with a quality acoustical caulk. Once the caulk has been applied then it is recommended that you tape the seams only in order to maintain the membrane effect.
Mass loaded vinyl has given the face of soundproofing a fresh new look and has proven itself to be a most effective sound blocking and reflective barrier material. Mass loaded vinyl is the only real alternative to lead sheeting or fiberglass insulation batts. It has surpassed the standards of other popular soundproofing products and remains an economical and effective sound barrier product. Mass loaded vinyl is the perfect soundproofing product for residential and commercial spaces, not to mention all industrial and studio applications. This product meets most building codes and is used extensively throughout the United States and Canada.
Mass loaded vinyl will block the noise of high traffic areas, train and railroad crossings, aircraft and airport noise as well as a myriad of other unwanted outdoor sounds.
The American mass loaded vinyl is one of the most cost effective sound reducing agents on the market today. Compared to the cost of lead sheeting and the labor involved in installing lead, mass loaded vinyl stands at the forefront of the soundproofing industry for both effectiveness and affordability.
This product is the perfect solution for noisy neighbors, city and suburban traffic noise, aircraft noise, loud car stereos as well as a variety of intrusive indoor and outdoor noises.
There is no better soundproofing barrier on the market today than American mass loaded vinyl. This product is in stock and ready for immediate delivery throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. If you are looking for the finest in soundproofing barriers, look no further than American Mass loaded vinyl.
American mass loaded is available through our online store by calling us toll free at (877) 530-0139 between the hours of 7AM and 6PM PST. There are professional technicians who can help you with all of your soundproofing issues and stand ready to take your soundproofing order and have it shipped the same day. When you’re thinking sound proof barriers, think American Mass loaded vinyl.

www.soundproofingamerica.com

e-mail scott@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

Acoustical Treatments for studios and home theaters.

2006-07-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing America carries a wide variety of acoustical treatment and sound conditioning products. Many of our products are exclusively sold through Soundproofing America. Our vast array of acoustical treatment products include the Echoless bonded acoustical cotton panels which offer the highest NRC rating of any acoustical treatment product on the market today. These panels are extremely popular with professional studios and home theater companies and are used to reduce reflective noise in large homes and office spaces. These decorative panels can be fabric covered to match any décor or color.
We also carry the American FG fabric cover panels that are covered in the Guilford 701 fabrics and come in a nearly endless array of colors and patterns. These finished look acoustical treatment panels have the absorptive qualities that professional recording studios and theaters demand. They come in a variety of sizes and edge details. You won’t find a better finished-look panel than the American FG fabric covered panels.
Soundproofing America also carries the ever-popular polyurethane Pyramid and Wedge panels for studios and home theaters. These panels are very affordable and would be a welcomed addition to any studio or rehearsal setting.
Acoustical treatment products are not limited to absorptive materials only, the Silent panels give the studio professional both sound absorption as well as sound blocking all in one panel. These polypropylene bead board tiles are weather resistant and are perfect for pool areas and for gyms and other moist areas. These panels are also perfect for gun and shooting ranges as they can be easily cleaned and with a high-pressure wash. They are the choice of many municipal Police and Sheriff’s department training facilities and firing ranges.
The latest and greatest acoustical treatment product is one called the American dBA panel. These panels are tri functional and are the latest innovation in the acoustical treatment arsenal. The dBA panels block, absorb and diffuse sound all in one panels. These sharp looking panels will give any studio or theater that futuristic ultra modern look. These panels are only available from 3 sources in the world and Soundproofing America is one of them. This space age acoustical treatment product is fast becoming the standard treatment for professional recording studios and home theaters due to its tri functional capabilities. This acoustical treatment phenomenon is now available at a great low price from Soundproofing America. Give our professionals a call and ask about the dBA panel, you’ll be glad you did.
We carry many more acoustical treatment products that are displayed on the website so please take a look and then call the experts at Soundproofing America.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll Free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing for a new home or office.

2006-07-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing is something that must always be taken into consideration when purchasing a home, office, or industrial space. Good soundproofing does not happen by accident, it is something that is best planned for in the construction phase of any structure. Whether you are dealing with a residential, industrial, or commercial space, soundproofing should always be one of your top priorities. Here at Soundproofing America we deal in the highest quality sound reduction and acoustical treatment products available. In today’s complex world, simple soundproofing solutions are always the most desirable. Homeowners take pride in their homes and part of that pride comes from the efforts they put forth towards soundproofing.
One issue that many homeowners deal with is impact noise from one floor to another. There are now state-of-the-art floor soundproofing underlayments that deal with these impact issues. In these days of smaller living quarters that are oft times nestled within busy cities and high traffic areas, soundproofing becomes as essential as having the electricity turned on. Irritating noise can come for a variety of sources such as busy traffic areas or the neighbors rock n roll band that practices daily in their unsound proofed garage. We know the soundproofing business and we have solutions for all of your soundproofing questions. If we don’t have an immediate answer for you, we have the resources to get you the answer as well as the products and the know how to get the job done right the first time.

Here at Soundproofing America, we take pride in the products we sell. We will work closely with you or your contractor to make certain that you will be able to eliminate both impact and airborne noise issues throughout your entire home. We carry a wide array of the most effective and economical soundproofing products available today. If you live in an apartment or condominium, our products are guaranteed to help deal with the most bothersome and annoying noises common to these dwellings. Our state of the art flooring products will help you quiet an engineered hardwood or ceramic tile floor and will keep your downstairs neighbors happy for many years to come. Top quality sound control products have proven themselves essential to millions of homeowners providing them with sound control and sound absorption that in today’s world is a must. Soundproofing America’s unique approach to noise control focuses on both performance and quality. Because of our commitment to quality at the most affordable prices we carry one of the most extensive inventories of both soundproofing and acoustical treatment products. If you need soundproofing, we are here to help.

Because of our dedicated staff we are able to bring you the finest and most innovative sound control products on the market today. We make soundproofing affordable for the DIY homeowner as well as for the seasoned professional. We guarantee to meet or beat any advertised price on any comparable product we sell. Our materials meet all building codes and in most cases maintain a class A fire rating. So for the best in sound control and sound absorption materials, call the pros at Soundproofing America, we’ll be here when you need us. Come visit our online store and always feel free to call us toll free for your free soundproofing or acoustical treatment consultation.
Remember, Soundproofing America, when peace and quiet is all that matters.

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

The Green Glue Revolution

2006-07-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Green Glue has caused a revolution in the Soundproofing Industry. It is an extremely effective visco-elastic dampening compound that is placed between 2 layers of drywall providing a dampening barrier as well as a very effective isolator. The dampening effect of the Green Glue actually prevents structure borne sound transmission, which in turn prevents unwanted noise flanking.
Green Glue is used in a sandwich between 2 layers of a rigid material such as to layers of drywall or MDF and drywall or even Homasote and drywall. Green Glue can offer up to 100 times the dampening of a single layer of ½” drywall. This is important to know when dealing with Impact noise from above. The greater dampening there is in the structure and the wallboard, the more effectively Impact noise will be alleviated.
Green Glue is one of the most popular soundproofing agents used in homes offices and industrial units where construction is complete. The fact that Green Glue uses the existing drywall as part of it sound dampening ability saved the owner both time and money.
Green Glue is easy to use and is the perfect product for that DIY soundproofing project that you have wanted to do for years.
Green Glue is the perfect addition to a floated wall or ceiling assembly that would be using the sound clips and furring channels or even RC-1 resilient channels. Because of the dampening abilities of the Green Glue, both resilient channel and Sound clips systems will be much more effective.
We have also found that Green Glue works perfectly with premium floor underlays such as the American Impact Standard and the American Impact Pro. You simply apply the Green Glue to the existing sub floor and then lay down the soundproof flooring and then finally your finished floor. The combination of the Flooring and the Green Glue gives the floor assembly a much higher STC rating as well as higher IIC (Impact Isolation Coefficient) numbers. This combination of materials stops both airborne noise as well as impact noise from ever being transmitted into the sub structure or into the ceiling below. Green Glue can also be used as both a dampening and adhesive compound for beneath a double sub floor if that is required for the installation of a ceramic tile or marble floor.
For the best performance in walls we suggest that you construct 2 separate wall assemblies with separate headers and footers and a 2” – 3” gap between the wall assemblies. Next you would screw up a layer of ½” drywall on both sides of the wall with a layer of Green Glue applied to the final layer of drywall. This system will give you the ultimate in wall soundproofing.
The uses for Green Glue seem to be unlimited; it can be used in all wall and ceiling assemblies as well as most types of floor and sub floor applications. Green Glue is great for new construction as well as remodeling or reconstruction projects. One of the greatest advantages of Green Glue is ease of installation and low over all cost of the product itself. Customers rave about the effectiveness of the Green Glue and it is fast becoming a household name. If you want Green Glue at the absolute best price in the nation with low cost flat rate per case shipping, call the professionals at Soundproofing America toll free at (877) 530-0139 and well send out your order that same day guaranteed.

www.massloadedvinyl.com
e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll Free (877) 530-0139

Soundproofing a fence

2006-07-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

You don’t find too much information on the Internet with regards to fence soundproofing. Here at Soundproofing America we have proven fence soundproofing techniques that are extremely effective at blocking and absorbing outdoor traffic noise as well as loud neighbors. Generally sound control fences are constructed of cedar or redwood so they can withstand the elements. A soundproof fence needs to be at least 8’ above the noise source 10’ would be even better. You’ll need to check city and county ordinances to make sure that you can indeed construct a fence of that height.
The first order of business will be to sink your 4”X 4” posts into their concrete footings. Once the posts are set in place, you will then nail up cross members (support beams) that support the slats. Now that your fence is completely framed, we recommend stapling or nailing up a layer of the 1Lb American mass loaded vinyl directly to either side of the fence, and stapling it to cross members as well. This will become the soundproof membrane for the new fence; The MLV requires a dead air space so that it is able to resonate. When the MLV is able to move or resonate with the sound it is then allowed to work to its optimum potential. Now that the vinyl is attached to the fence structure you will then need to caulk all of the seams as well as around the entire perimeter with an acoustical caulking compound. After caulking it is advisable to take a little break and let the caulk set up for a bit. (about an hour should be enough) After the break you will want to tape directly over top of the caulked seams with a seam sealer tape.
Now you are ready for your last layer of slats. You do have the option of leaving the MLV exposed, but it is always better to slat over top of the vinyl and will protect it from the elements. This type of fence has proven to be extremely effective in most residential and commercial applications where the transmission of noise from one area to another is an issue.
We have had some customers who have also added a layer of the America Mat closed cell foam to the inside plenum in their soundproof fences. The America mat helps to both block and absorb the noise that would easily pass through a common wood fence.
The combination of both the MLV and the closed cell foam would make for an excellent soundproof fence, however the combination of the 2 products could become very costly depending on the length of the fence. The mass loaded vinyl will work just fine and will block the majority of the noise that would other wise penetrate a regular fence. A soundproof fence can afford you the privacy you need in a noisy city or urban environment.
Soundproof fences can also be used to stop the roar of loud outdoor HVAC compressor units that often set atop buildings in the city. MLV can be used in conjunction with chain link fences as well as with the wood slat type fences and other barrier type walls. Soundproof fences can be used to stop the sound of that pool pump motor or a pool filter that ‘s disturbing your next-door neighbor.
We at soundproofing America will provide you with the materials and the knowledge to build a very effective soundproof fence. As they say in the trade, “It’s not Rocket Science”.
All the products referred to above (except for the wood fence itself) can be purchased at discount prices from Soundproofing America 6 days a week. A soundproof fence can make all the difference in the world to someone who needs privacy in his or her backyard. Read more about fence soundproofing or any soundproofing project at: www.soundproofingamerica.com

e-mail dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Noise control materials and products

2006-07-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Noise control materials are the backbone of the soundproofing industry. Noise control materials essentially block the transmission of sound waves through walls, ceilings, and floors. Noise control materials are used to achieve soundproofing and sound control with the use of barriers, dampeners and suspension devices or sound isolators that isolate the final layer of drywall from the existing wallboard and support structure. Noise control materials can also be used as both absorbers and blockers with the use of products such as the America Mat closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat. Noise control materials in today’s society are absolutely essential for maintaining your sanity in the hustle and bustle of a very noisy world. Noise reduction and noise control materials are employed extensively in residential, commercial and industrial applications. Noise reduction and noise control materials are not necessarily confined to soundproofing. Hard reflective surfaces in a room can warrant the use of noise reduction products in order to stop the bounce and reflection of sound in a given area by increasing the softness or the acoustical absorption in a particular room or space. Noise reduction as well as noise control materials are fast becoming an integral part of today’s society. No longer do we live in a 5 bedroom ranch house in the country, but instead we reside in a 1 bedroom flat in New York directly under a bar or nite club. Noise control issues like these demand noise control materials to be put in place by competent professionals. Noise control is becoming more and more of an issue in this country. There are many nations who far out distance us when it comes to noise reduction and noise control. Countries like Australia and New Zealand, not to mention Europe and the UK. They are all the pioneers of the modern soundproofing industry.
It is a known fact that industrialized countries across the globe make use of noise reduction and noise control materials in order to manage noise stemming from large manufacturing machinery or heavy equipment on construction sites. Back home in the U.S. people are dealing with noise control issues on a daily basis. Noise reduction has become big business, but here at Soundproofing America, we make sure that you can find the most effective and economical noise control materials on the planet all at one place. Fortunately Soundproofing America is here to help you deal with your most difficult noise control and noise reduction issues. Soundproofing is accomplished with modern state-of- the-art noise control materials and products. Sound reduction and noise control are our specialty. We will formulate a soundproofing plan that will meet all of your soundproofing and noise reduction needs with a plan that will stay within you budget. It is not always about money, it is about solving noise issues with a straightforward, simple approach to noise control. We have a large inventory of noise reduction and sound control materials ready for immediate delivery. Products like our Greensound bonded cotton batt insulation, or our American mass loaded vinyl. Look at our tried and true soundproof flooring products as well as our wealth of sound absorption, acoustical treatment and noise reduction material for the home, office, industrial space or professional recording studio.
Noise control materials simply make the noise or the sound do what you want it to do. For example, if you have a home theater, of course you are going to produce noise, but if you soften the noise using noise reduction and noise control materials, then noise becomes more pleasing to the ear and less harsh within the theater itself. At Soundproofing America we carry products that cover ever aspect of noise control and sound conditioning. Our products are specifically designed for ease of installation in any home theater or studio application. We are an American Company and take pride in serving the soundproofing needs of our customers throughout the United States without a doubt, greatest country in the world.
All of our noise control materials offer finest quality and performance available on the market today. Our integrity is our cornerstone and we pride ourselves in being the best soundproofing company, bar none, in the United States and Canada.
Whether you are purchasing soundproofing or noise control materials for your home, office or industrial space, the professionals at Soundproofing America are your one stop soundproofing resource.
Soundproofing America provides the widest selection of noise reduction and noise control materials in the world. We offer soundproof floor underlays for hardwood and ceramic tile floors as well as a vast array of acoustical treatment options for studios and home theaters. We also provide the best in sound barriers and closed cell foams that are both weather proof and flame retardant. Our selection of bonded cotton noise reduction panels is second to none and our fabric covered FG panels some of the finest acoustical treatment products available anywhere in the world.
When it comes to the best in soundproofing and noise control materials, the name to remember is Soundproofing America. For service, selection and quality, no one even comes close.
Our noise control products are world famous and rival companies like Illbruck SonexÔ, AuralexÔ and SweetwaterÔ for quality and performance at a fraction of the cost.
When you need the finest in noise control materials, trust the professionals at Soundproofing America. We’ll be here when you need us.

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

Soundproofing, a necessity in this day and age!!

2006-07-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Sound proofing is a major part of our business. Sound proofing, in this day and age, is considered an essential element for all residential, commercial, and industrial areas. Because soundproofing issues vary on a case-to-case basis, there is not always an easy fix for every sound proofing situation. We understand the importance of providing our customers with no only the finest in sound proofing products, but to also provide them with the best and most comprehensive product information and easy to installation instructions. Sound proofing is absolutely essential in this noisy world. Without proper sound reduction materials installed, your dream home could easily become your worst nightmare. Noise is a distraction to employees and makes them much productive in the work place. Sound proofing can provide and environment contusive to productive employees. Imagine the peace of mind you will have knowing that your home has the proper sound proofing products professionally since the day it was constructed. Sound proofing can always be added after the construction is complete, but it is always better to add the soundproofing materials during the construction phase of your dream home.

Because of the tremendous need for sound proofing and acoustical treatment products, homeowners and building professionals are turning to Soundproofing America for all of their sound proofing and acoustical treatment needs. Noise causes chaos in any type of work or recreational space. It is difficult to maintain a proper working environment when you are bombarded from every angle with unwanted noise. Soundproofing America is equipped to handle the toughest soundproofing issues and will provide the finest product information and sound proofing strategies known to the industry. We provide the finest in sound proofing and acoustical treatment products and our award winning technical staff will be with your every step of the way. We will always recommend the best and most economical product for your sound proofing and acoustical treatment needs. Our technical staff is always on the cutting edge of the sound proofing industry and will provide you with in depth product information as well as material specs and MSDS reports for every product we sell. We explain installation procedures in easy to understand terms and make sure you know exactly how to install each and every sound proofing product we sell. It is important that you understand the basic concepts of soundproofing, but it is not necessary to flood you with minute details or endless product specifications. Suffice it to say that these sound proofing products do indeed work in most every application. We take a different approach to sound proofing as we look at it as a simple but effective DIY project. We are a customer-oriented company, but if we see you wandering down the wrong sound proofing path, we will be the first to put you back on the right sound proofing. Our main stay product is knowledge, without which we are nothing. Knowledge of soundproofing has made Soundproofing America one of the foremost sound proofing companies in the United States and Canada. We have shed new light on the sound proofing industry and are ever looking for new and innovative methods of noise control for home, office or industrial space.

Soundproofing America is a leader in the soundproofing industry. Our customers know us by reputation and they realize that we posses the knowledge and abilities to help them complete their sound proofing projects in an effective and timely manner. Our friends living in busy cities and urban areas now have a new weapon in the fight against noise pollution. Soundproofing America is your one stop shop for all of your sound proofing and acoustical treatment needs.
We will help you deal with airplane and traffic noise as well as noisy neighbors and intrusive noise from building and construction sites. We all want peace and solitude, and so we feel violated when our peaceful existence is disturbed by unwanted noise and racket from outside noise sources. If you are plagued by noise and need realistic sound proofing solutions, call the professionals at Soundproofing America for a free sound proofing consultation. Soundproofing America, when peace and quiet is all that matters.

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

Who needs soundproofing??

2006-07-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

Who needs soundproofing?? Anyone who is bothered by noise, people who lose sleep because of noise, and those of us who cannot concentrate because of excessive or loud noise. What are some or the noises that bother people? Maybe you live in the flight path of a major airport, or perhaps you’re near a railroad crossing with trains passing by hourly. It could be that the annoying noise that is bothering you is coming from a neighbor above in a condo or coop situation (impact or foot fall noise). No matter what noise issues you are dealing with the professionals at soundproofing have the knowledge and expertise to help you deal with them quickly and effectively. There have always been conflicting theories or so called solutions to noise control and soundproofing issues that have stemmed from lack of knowledge as well as a lack of qualified personnel to deal with these problems. We here at Soundproofing America are here to set the record straight about proper soundproofing in a home office or industrial application. We know how to install our products because we have actually installed them. We know the tricks of the trade and the pit falls of improper installations. When dealing with your most valuable asset, your home, you want to trust it to the professionals at Soundproofing America. We know our products and will always show you the easiest and most effective installation procedures for any of our quality soundproofing materials. Whether you are soundproofing a home, office, recording studio, or industrial space, the experts at Soundproofing America are here to help you Monday thru Friday. Feel free to call us toll free 6 days a week or e-mail us 24 hours a day. We will provide you with expert advice and also provide the highest quality soundproofing materials in the country. When you think Soundproofing, think Soundproofing America.
Soundproofing America, Inc.
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
Call Toll free (877) 530-0139

www.home-soundproofing.com

Whats up with that Green Glue Stuff???

2006-06-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

The Soundproofing Industry is all a buzz about a new soundproofing product called, oddly enough, "Green Glue". Green Glue is a visco elastic dampening compound that isolates one sheet of drywall from the other. Green Glue is applied directly to the back of a new sheet of drywall that will be screwed up to existing drywall that is already up on existing walls and ceilings. No need to demo your walls and ceiling to soundproof. Green glue acts as both an isolator and a dampening material that deadens the joist or stud structure but at the same time isolating the newly installed drywall from the existing drywall and structure assembly. The longer the Green Glue has to cure the better the results you will achieve.
Green Glue can also be used on sub floors for impact protection from hardwood or ceramic tiles floors in upper units. The Green Glue is applied to the floor with a standard large caulk gun and you simply squirt out the Green Glue in an "S” pattern as evenly as possible prior to placing down the second sub floor and then finally installing a wood or tile floor. Green Glue is a superb sound insolator and will stop the majority of both impact noise and airborne noise from traveling down to the unit below. Green Glue is revolutionizing the soundproofing industry and Soundproofing America is proud to be at the fore front of this revolution and please to introduce Green Glue to the public.

As Always,Dr. Bob

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

STC Principals Explained

2006-06-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

The Truth About STC
The best place to start is with a discussion of the ever-present STC system. If you've done some looking into sound isolation, you have probably seen STC ratings for different walls. If you click the Understanding STC link, you will get some discussion of STC - what it is, and more importantly, what it isn't. STC has one huge problem - it completely ignores low frequency performance. As a result, for most applications, STC is not a good indicator of performance, and you shouldn't rely on it. Understanding STC. But before you get started reading about STC, make sure to check out this short page about “Transmission Loss”, and how to read the graphs you see.
The Basic Principals Involved in Sound Isolation / Soundproofing
Rather than looking blindly at STC ratings, this section of our site will look at overall wall performance. And, what better place to start than with some discussion of the Five Basic Principals of Soundproofing / Sound Isolation - the 5 things that can help your walls stop more sound. From there we'll look at the Four Basic Ways to Improve the Performance of a Wall.
Resonance and the Low Frequency Performance of Walls
Often low frequency performance of walls is lost in the shuffle of discussions revolving around STC. We take the most thorough look at the low frequency performance of most common wall types in a careful and systematic way. We believe that the data contained herein is the fruit of the single largest full-range (31.5hz) study on walls to date.Read: Effect of Insulation in the Common Walls
New Construction
If you want to just cut to the chase, and see how different walls perform, or if you want to see those Principals in action, check out this page, which steps you through the performances of different walls that you can opt for in new construction, complete with lab data.
Remodeling and Upgrading an Existing Room
If you have a situation where you want to soundproof an existing wall or ceiling, we will take you through the options available to you in upgrading what already exists, complete (again) with lab data. Working with what you have can save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent tearing down, and replacing, what you already haveRead: Updating Existing Walls SoundproofingRead: Upgrading Existing Floors Soundproofing
No Partition is Better than its Weakest Link
For some situations, the choice of main wall (or floor/ceiling) construction + consideration of flanking noise is enough. However, for partitions that are to include windows or doors, the performance of those items must also be considered. We'll take a look at the impact of these kind of things on overall performance, and step you through how to get the most bang for your buck (or to reach the absolute performance you desire).Read: Tend to the Weakest Link in your Soundproofing Chain
Flanking Noise
While choosing a wall is very important, it’s only part of the process. You also have to deal with noise that, for example, reaches an upstairs room via a path other than the floor/ceiling. Examples of such noise paths would be into the walls and up the structure, through ductwork, etc. Our flanking noise page will let you plan for all of these potential problems.Read: Understanding Flanking Noise
Impact Noise/Footstep Noise
Those ever-annoying upstairs neighbors. Here we take a look at the basic possibilities that exist with respect to taming impact noise.Read: Understanding Impact Noise
That Should Cover it!
We’ve covered the Principals that affect isolation, how they interact in real walls, how to choose a construction to meet your needs, upgrading existing walls, dealing with flanking noise, and how to deal with typical “weak links” like doors and windows. And we’ve taken a one-of-a-kind look at the low frequency performance of walls in a way that has never been done before.
Good luck, and don’t hesitate to write with feedback or specific applications.

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

The Green Glue is here and ready for immediate delivery

2006-06-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Soundproofing America now has the Green Glue in stock and ready for immediate delivery!! This revolutionary product has set the standard for the soundproofing industry. Green Glue is a visco Elastic Dampener that is applied between layers of sheetrock. The glue acts like a resilient barrier and allows the sheetrock to resonate or move much like a floated wall or ceiling. The Green glue also isolates the new layer of drywall from the old drywall and the structure. This isolation is the same, as you would find in a floated ceiling or wall. The Green glue is easier to ship and gives you the same soundproofing as mass loaded vinyl or even lead.
Green glue is also quite effective at blocking low frequency sound. Low frequency sound reduction is what most people are looking for in a soundproofing product. Green Glue is excellent at stopping low frequency noise from passing through walls and ceilings and is also a great product to use on floors in conjunction with to stop both airborne and impact noise from passing through and going down to the neighbor below.
For some outstanding soundproofing call the pros at Soundproofing America and ask them about Green Glue.

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

Soundproofing hardwood and tile floors

2006-03-08T14:53:00.000-08:00

I have been getting a lot of requests of late to discuss soundproofing a wood or tile floor in an upper apartment or condo unit. The solutions are pretty simple if you're installing wall-to-wall carpeting, but things get a little more complicated when you're dealing with hardwoods, ceramic or vinyl flooring. To begin with, when a manufacturers STC (Sound Transmission Class) claims appear to be too high always read the fine print. Generally they mean that you can only reach this high STC value in conjunction with a myriad of other products that must to be added to your floor or ceiling assembly. For example, if you're looking at ¼"cork as a floor underlayment and the manufacturer claims that it will give you 55-57 STC, keep in mind that this value will only be attained with at least 3 inches of gypcrete (light weight concrete) poured overtop of the existing sub-floor and most likely the addition of a couple of layers of cement board (Hardy or Wonder board) will be needed as well. All of the STC values of these products are additive and so the manufacturer makes his claim hoping you Won't read the fine print. Even though these values are additive, there is always the law of diminishing returns to contend with, so you still may not reach your goals even though it says you do on paper. Many times the call out for a floor or ceiling assembly is such that ceiling below must be floated on sound clips and furring channels or resilient channels in order to obtain the 55-57 STC values that some manufacturers claim to get from their product. Basically, no soundproofing product on it's own will give you a 55-57 STC value. If you find one that does, please let me know and I'll get it on the website immediately. There are no magic formulas. What it boils down to is simply this, very few products on the market today can give you an STC value greater than 32 to 35 STC on their own, and thus these high STC claims are very misleading to say the least. I had a customer who told me that a 1/8" cork mat would give him an STC rating of 55- 57 when laid beneath carpet and pad. I smiled and had him show me the cut sheet (spec. sheet) for the cork. The sheet called for the addition of a poured gypcrete sub floor and numerous other items that I can't recall off hand, that were needed in order to meet the 55-57 STC. Needless to say, he was shocked. Its back to that old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it is! That being said, the absolute best way to soundproof an upstairs unit from a lower one is by floating the ceiling in the lower unit using The Americlips and furring channel (hat channel). This method is described in detail if you click this link: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/ceiling_soundproofing.asp. There you will find an in-depth guide that gives you detailed information on the proper methods for floating a lower unit ceiling. Another floating method is the use of resilient channel. This is the most common method used by contractors who have done any type soundproofing in their careers. This method, though more economical than the Americlip System, is only about ½ as effective and is generally installed improperly even by the most competent of contractors. The difference in cost for the Americlips is well worth it to effectively soundproof a ceiling from impact or airborne noise from above. Now there are other materials that can be placed over the subfloor above that will help stop impact noise as well as block most airborne noise from below or above. We carry 2 products for this express purpose, one is called American Impact Pro, and the other is called American Impact. These products are specifically designed to be installed beneath hardwood or tile floors and work well under carpet and pad as well. Mass loaded vinyl on it's own is not really good for soundproofing floors, it needs to have a breathing space in order for it to resonate and work to it's optimal best. This can only be accomplished by adding a decoupler to the MLV and that can get costly. When dealing with a hardwood floor, you can also use a product called America's Best, which is a mass loaded vinyl that is bonded to a layer of ¼" closed cell foam mat. This material will provide a certain amount of floor resilience that's prevents much of the impact noise from traveling downward, however the only way this system will work properly is if the wood planks are at least 6' in length, it is also preferred that planks be interlocking on the sides. The America's Best is a resilient product and will allow the new hardwood floor to actually flex when walked on. This resilience adds to the footfall protection to the ceiling below. Long planked wood floors are the only hard surfaced floors that will work with America's Best vinyl. Other floors such as vinyl or ceramic tile or Pergo floor systems will not work with this product as these surfaces will have a tendency to separate or crack. Finally, if your association board has a call out for IIC (impact isolation coefficient) then you will need to call one the professionals here at Soundproofing America and they will discuss with you the procedures you'll need to follow in order to meet that particular IIC call out. Impact isolation is a whole other chapter in the Soundproofing Bible according to Dr. Bob and will have to wait until next time! Thanks for reading and if you have questions, please give us a call.

As Always, Dr. Bob

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

Soundproofing for your band

2006-03-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

This is by far the most asked question at Soundproofing America Inc. How do I soundproof my garage, basement, or a bedroom in my single family house or condo so my 4 piece rock band can practice and record and not bother the neighbors. If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question, I would be in the Bahamas right now, instead of writing this narrative. Many factors need to be considered prior to beginning your studio or practice room-soundproofing project. Some of the questions you should be asking yourself are, what type of amplification will the band be using, are the drums going to be acoustic and miked or are they digital. Are we going to be recording live late at night or are we going to be doing "line in" recording only? These questions and many more need to be considered before the actual construction begins. If live recording and rehearsal are the plan, then maximum soundproofing will be needed. The most effective way to soundproof a garage, basement, or bedroom is to actually construct a room within a room (see www.auralex.com) and download the booklet "Acoustics 101" this is a wonderful resource for the home studio builder. Their ideas are solid and pertinent to and studio soundproofing project. The room within a room concept utilizes the sealed dead air space that is captured between the inner walls and the outer walls to help greatly with the soundproofing endeavor. It is probably easiest to frame the walls on the floor and then tilt them up into place thus making dry walling the outside of the walls much easier. It is also highly recommended that another ceiling be joisted out for the room within a room, however, this is oft times impossible due to space constraints. In this case, the existing ceiling and ceiling joists may be used as the ultimate ceiling for the studio, provide that it is adequately soundproofed with materials such as the American vinyl or a combination of American mat and American vinyl. I will elaborate on these materials, as we get further into this study. Once the walls are framed out and the right amount of "Dead air space" is determined, then it is time to install the soundproofing The first order of business is to consider what needs to be done to the wall cavities prior to installing a barrier and finally the wallboard. I like to line the inside cavities with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat such as American Mat. This mat (generally ¼" thickness) is adhered to the inside cavity walls as well as the studs and joists (if these areas are opened up) Keep in mind that the American Mat is used to line the cavities only, not to fill them up. If thermal insulation is needed, use products such as rock wool, mineral wool, cut wool fibers, or my favorite, Roxul. Roxul is a great thermal rock wool based bat type insulation that has great soundproofing qualities. If thermal insulation is a requirement for the practice room or studio, then Roxul is the way to go. Now we come to a crossroads, it is time to determine if decoupling the walls using resilient channels or American Sound clips is a necessity. De coupling is used when impact transmission or low frequency noise is a factor. Impact would come primarily from the drums (acoustic type) or the bass amplifier. However, if the band is using Marshall high powered amps (50 watt Plexies with 4 X 12 cabinets for example) along with miked acoustic drums and an Ampeg bass system, then decoupling is most likely necessary. These methods and procedures will be explained in later narratives or can found by calling Soundproofing America on our toll free line. If decoupling were determined to be unnecessary, then the next step would be to find a good barrier material such as American vinyl (which is a high grade mass loaded vinyl barrier). This barrier could be stapled directly to the studwork on a wall assembly or directly to the joists. This is a method that is used if cost or space constraints are factors. If the barrier material is to be stapled directly to the stud or joist framing then it is essential that the seams be over lapped, caulked (using OSI acoustical caulking compound) and taped with either a lead tape or a heavy-duty seam tape. These can also be had from American Soundproofing Inc. Once these areas are treated with the Mass Loaded vinyl (MLV) then it time to decide whether or not it is necessary to float the walls and ceiling to prevent the impact and heavy bass sounds from passing through the solidly barriered walls and ceiling. For more information on ceiling and wall floats, please call the toll free number. The last step for your home studio is to layer over the mass loaded vinyl barrier with a fresh layer of 5/8" fire code drywall or sheet rock. It is always advisable to butter the edges of that last layer of drywall with the acoustical caulk. You'll want to gain every STC (sound transmission class) point you can when trying to make your new studio as quiet as possible. Finally you will tape mud and paint the new drywall. We here at Soundproofing America Inc. are also musicians and we understand the plight of our fellow players. Please feel free to call us anytime for free studio soundproofing advice. We're here to help; it's not about making money off our fellow musician friends.

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

Building and soundproofing a home theater

2006-03-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

In today's rushed world, most people don't have the time or the money to waste taking the entire family to the movies (up to $50 to $60 per shot) so why not build out a Home Theater in your garage, basement, or spare bedroom? The construction and soundproofing of a Home Theater is much the same as would be used in building a soundproof music studio for practice or recording. The only major difference is that with a Home Theater, you are less concerned with sound coming into the Theater, than you would be if you were doing recording or voice-overs for a major studio or movie production company. The most effective method for building your Home Theater is to actually construct a room within a room. Basically this means framing out new walls within the existing room. This is a lot simpler than it sounds. If you possess tool skills and are better with them than "Tim Taylor" on "Tool Time", then you most likely are qualified to undertake this project. You will want to frame out new walls within the existing room, this is pretty easy in a basement situation, where at least 2 of the walls are most likely poured concrete or concrete block, and are generally Earthen backed. They need NO soundproofing whatsoever. By framing out the room within a room, you are taking all of the negatives in the room that were working against your soundproofing endeavor, and now making them more friendly in the form of "dead air space". Dead air space (if it is sealed) is good soundproofer in itself, but you will still need a little more soundproofing horsepower if you plan to watch Star Wars or The Matrix (cranked) in your new Home Theater. Once the new walls are framed out, it is time to soundproof. We have found that good batt insulation such as Roxul AFB or Roxul Safe is very effective when placed in the stud and joist cavities. If you are unable to find the Roxul products, then use a good quality rock wool or mineral wool to fill those cavities. The next step would be to adhere a layer of American Mass Loaded Vinyl directly to the stud structure. Attaching the MLV directly to the studs or joists allows the vinyl to resonate or move with the sound. If the MLV is able to resonate, it will work to it's full potential and will give you the sound blocking required for a well-soundproofed theater. The MLV will be stapled (industrial air drive stapler) or nailed (using roofing nails with the large plastic heads) to the studs or joists. If you are able to over lap the seams that would be great, however, if that is not possible, you will want to butt the seams together tightly and caulk both the butted seams as well as the entire perimeter of the newly installed MLV. You want the MLV to act as a soundproof membrane on your walls and ceilings. Caulking and taping the seams is essential for effective soundproofing. The caulked seams will also need to be taped with a quality MLV sealer tape before installing your new drywall. Now it is time to install the drywall. We recommend using 2 layers of ½" drywall for all of the walls as well as the ceiling. Now if this becomes too costly then a single layer of 5/8" fire code drywall will be sufficient. This should complete the soundproofing portion of your home theater. We also carry a complete line of home theater and studio acoustical treatments, so please call us for more information on those. In rare cases, it may become necessary to float the walls or ceiling of your new Home Theater. If you feel that floating the walls or ceiling are in order, then please call the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. to learn about floating walls and ceilings. It is all about your peace of mind. We know your needs and your concerns, so please don't hesitate to call us. Never forget, the more you know about soundproofing, the more you need Soundproofing America.

As Always, Bob O.

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

Constructing a sound control booth

2006-03-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

There hasn't been much written about sound control booths per se, but the need for this type of structure is growing daily. I get questions from people in big cities asking how they can construct or build a sound isolation booth so they can practice an instrument, or sing loudly. They need a place where they can play an electric guitar or a saxophone or even a set of drums and not disturb the neighbors above or below or to the sides of them. There are also professionals who live in condominiums or apartments who need to do voice-overs at home for film production companies. These booths are also great for the growing population of D. J.'s in this country. If you are in an apartment or condo setting, you might want to make your booth portable or easily dis-assembled. That way if you do have to move, the sound isolation booth can go with you. The best way to construct your booth is to basically frame it out with 2'X4's. You don't want the booth to be too heavy, so 2'X4's are a good choice. You'd frame out the 4 walls to the dimensions desired, and then joist out (frame out) a ceiling for the booth. You will require a floor assembly separate from the floor of the condo or apartment, especially if you are in an upstairs unit. The next step would be to add some sort of wallboard to the outside of the booth: drywall, soundboard, OSB, MDF, (medium density fiber board) or Homasote. Any of these materials should work fine, because the major sound isolation will be taking place on the inside of the booth. Once you are framed out and you have placed a wallboard on the outsides as well as the ceiling of the booth, it's time to soundproof. The first step would be to line the inner walls (between the studs) with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat. America Mat is an excellent choice, and the thicker the better. The mat will be glued to the inside of the stud and joist cavities. Now remember, you are Not filling the cavities only lining them. You will see as this project progresses, that the reason for this foam mat is threefold, 1st it blocks and absorbs sound, 2nd it blocks and absorbs vibration, and 3rd and most importantly, it seals off the dead airspace between the studs cavities and joists cavities of the ceiling. Remember, sealed dead airspace is an excellent soundproofer in itself, so we might as well take advantage of nature's soundproofing. The next step would be to staple up a layer of mass loaded vinyl (MLV) directly to the studs and the joists. Chances are the seams will not land directly on a stud or joist every time, so it is necessary to over lap the seams, caulking the over lapped (MLV) and then finally taping the seams with a quality seam tape. The last step would be to layer up a final layer of wallboard, similar to what was used on the outside of the walls and ceiling. I would also recommend a double layer of the mass loaded vinyl (MLV) on the floor of the sound isolation booth, especially if you are in an upstairs unit. Keep in mind that if the final layer of drywall on the inside of the booth is not feasible or takes up too much precious space, then you can forego the interior wallboard and simply paint the MLV with a vinyl or latex paint. There you have it in a nutshell, a quick solution for musicians, singers and D.J 's who live in apartment or condo settings. This booth is also great for violin and cello practice as well. Even though this narrative was a pretty comprehensive describing sound isolation booths, I am sure you will still have questions or will need to order these products, so please call on the experts at Soundproofing America, Inc. whenever you have any soundproofing questions. The more you know about soundproofing, the more you need the professionals at Soundproofing America, Inc.

This is Dr. Bob reminding you that Knowledge is Power.

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

Soundproofing your Garage or Basement for band practice

2006-03-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

Soundproofing a garage involves a little more than you might think. In most garages you have certain things that are working against you when attempting to do an effective soundproofing job. One is the garage door, even the insulated metal doors are not soundproof enough to hold in the sound of a garage rock 'n' roll band, especially if they have acoustic drums. The best and most effective way to soundproof your garage is to actually construct a "room within a room". This will require framing and a bit of construction know how, but as I have said time and again, "It is NOT Rocket Science." Framing out the new room should be done with 2 X 6's (if possible) as opposed to 2 X 4's, though a 2 X 4' frame will work effectively. The reason I recommend the 2 X 6' frame out, is because it will allow for more sealed dead air space once the room is completed. After the framing is completed, including a newly joisted out ceiling, then it's time for some good old 5/8" fire code drywall to be installed on the outer studs and joists. We will be doing the actual soundproofing from within the new room. Once the outside walls and ceiling are dry walled, it is time to go inside of the room and begin soundproofing. The first order of business is to adhere a layer of ¼" closed cell foam to the inside joist and stud cavities. Now remember, we are not filling the cavities, only lining them. The closed cell foam mat can be adhered with a good spray adhesive (such as 3M-77 or 3M-80). There are two different sides to the foam mat, one is smooth and the other is pebbly, you want to glue the smooth side down and have the rough side facing the inside of the cavity. The closed cell foam has a 3-fold purpose. First, it will block and absorb sound, secondly it will block and absorb vibration, but third and most importantly, it will seal off the dead air spaces between the studs and joists. Dead air space is nature's soundproofer, provided it is well sealed. Now we come to a crossroads, if you feel that the sound generated from your band are extremely bassey or there is a lot of vibration from the acoustic drums or the bass guitar, you might opt to float the walls and ceiling. To learn more about floating walls and ceilings, please click onto the links below: Soundproofing against a noisy neighbor Soundproofing a Party Wall If you have determined that a float is not necessary, then the next step would be to staple up a layer of mass loaded vinyl directly to the studs and the ceiling joists. I would recommend using the 1lb per sq ft mass loaded vinyl, or our American Mass Loaded Vinyl for this application. Now I personally like putting up a layer of ½" drywall, or Homasote, or even soundboard prior to installing the MLV, that way the vinyl has a nice flat surface to lay out on, and it is much easier to caulk and tape. However, if there are money constraints or space issues, the MLV can be stapled directly to the studs and joists. You will need to over lap the seams in this case unless by some odd chance, your seams all land on studs and joists. This seldom happens, so the over lap is probably in order. Once the MLV is up, you will need to caulk all of the seams as well as the perimeter of the vinyl. The OSI-175 caulk is an excellent choice for this application. After you have liberally caulked these areas it will be necessary to tape the seams of the butted MLV with either a lead foil tape or a quality seam tape. These can be had from Soundproofing America, Inc. Hey, we're almost finished folks! Now that all the soundproofing is up and sealed it is time for the final layer of 5/8" fire code drywall. This will sandwich in the MLV and will add greatly to the over all soundproofing system. After the drywall is up, you simply tape, mud, and paint as usual. This method of soundproofing a garage works well in a basement also. You should experience some remarkable soundproofing results from the room within a room concept. You have now tamed the soundproofing enemies in your garage and have a place to play or practice at 2:30 AM, which is usually when most musicians get inspired. I know it's when I do. I hope this has helped you in your quest for the perfect garage studio. It has worked remarkably for countless musicians throughout the United States and Canada. Thanks for learning about building and soundproofing a garage studio. As

Always, Dr. Bob

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

Shooting Range soundproofing

2006-03-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

Many cities and municipalities are looking for more state of the art soundproofing procedures and methods for soundproofing a public, private, or even a home shooting range. The materials used must be impervious to the mist and smoke as well as gunpowder residue and it must be resilient and easy to clean. Some folks feel that convoluted foam mat (basically bedding or egg crate foam) will work in such applications. This is a totally false assumption because convoluted foam is an open celled foam and has no soundproofing qualities whatsoever. Keep in mind that it does possess the ability to cushion sound and stop it from reflecting off of the firing tunnel walls for example, but mere cushioning does not in any way dissipate or diminish the sound of a firing weapon that generally reflects off the hard concrete or brick range walls. Also keep in mind that common open cell foam is not at all resistant to deterioration or flaking when exposed to water or humidity. So how do you get both absorption and sound blocking from one product, that is impervious to moisture and will stand up the rigors of a live firing range? Many large cities have contacted me desperately looking for just such a material and believe it or not we have exactly what they are looking for. It's the closed cell vinyl nitrile America mat and it has been used in many different ranges throughout the country. It is extremely flame retardant and only absorbs water into the first 6% to 8% of the mat. We have found through real life experience that this absorbed moisture dissipates rapidly and never causes mold, mildew, or deterioration. The America mat is both a blocker and absorber that is extremely resilient and versatile in the shooting environment. The mat comes in thick nesses of ¼" all the way up to 2" thick, but we have found that in most instances the ½" America mat does the job. This foam mat would be adhered directly to the walls and ceiling of the range tunnel and in some cases it would even be adhered to the floor. This will provide complete coverage thus forcing the sound to be absorbed into the mat and with no way out it dissipates rapidly. Major shooting ranges have used this foam mat even on outdoor ranges where the material is exposed to the elements. Now we really don't recommend direct exposure of this material to the elements (especially in the snow), but the feedback we have received in such applications has been favorable indeed. This material has been used in the cities of Boston, New York, Oceanside California, and Kansas City and all the feedback was positive. The thicker the foam, the better the results, but for a basic handgun range, the ½" America mat should be sufficient. There are many other applications for America mat, but one of the most popular is for shooting ranges. It is a phenomenal product. If you have further questions about shooting range soundproofing or about the America mat in general, please feel free to call or e-mail us at your earliest convenience. Thanks for reading about shooting range soundproofing, and remember knowledge is power.

As Always, Dr. Bob

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

Do-it-yourself Soundproofing

2006-03-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

An amateur builder or basically anyone handy with tools can easily complete the majority of our soundproofing projects. You don't need to be Bob Vila, or Norm Abram to do a wonderful professional looking soundproofing or sound conditioning project. If you are able to listen and read the detailed instructions provided on this website www.soundproofingamerica.com, you will be able to tackle any soundproofing or sound conditioning project like a pro. Sure, you are bound to have questions, and that's what the professional's at Soundproofing America. Inc. are here for. We offer sound and practical advice to the "do it yourselfer" and professional alike. Believe me, I get my share of calls from contractors who have been in the business for over 30 plus years. If you are willing to learn and to admit that you don't know everything about everything, there is nothing you can't accomplish. I have talked musicians through the framing and construction of their garage and basement studio's or practice rooms. These guys admitted that they didn't have a clue about building or soundproofing a room within a room, now they are actually doing soundproofing projects for their friends and fellow musicians. It's not Rocket Science friends! If you want go for it and really feel you can tackle a soundproofing project, the pros at Soundproofing America will be with you every step of the way. That's a promise! There may be a little trial and error action going on at first due to the fact that all buildings and homes are not built equally, but eventually we will get you to where you need to be soundproofing wise. We always do. We will get you there and you won't have to mortgage your house in the process. That's a promise as well!

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

What is Mass Loaded Vinyl???

2006-03-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

What exactly is mass loaded vinyl? This is a question that we get quite often from our novice soundproofing friends. Mass loaded vinyl or MLV as it is better known, is a processed vinyl material that is impregnated with barium salts and silica’s, that give it, the same sound blocking characteristics as lead sheeting. Lead to this day is the world’s best soundproof barrier material, however it is heavy and very awkward to work with. MLV on the other hand contains no lead, but offers that same and sometimes better soundproofing than lead sheeting, and is very easy to work with.
MLV is a reflective barrier, meaning that it has no absorptive qualities; it simply blocks or contains the sound and keeps it either inside of a room or prevents outside sounds from entering into the room. The advantage of MLV is that it contains no hazardous materials and in most cases is considered a class C building material. It will also act as a barrier no matter which side of the wall it is installed on. MLV used in conjunction with other soundproofing agents such as sound clips and furring channels, or even multiple layers of drywall which can prove to be a very effective soundproofing system.
MLV adds mass to any wall or ceiling that it is adhered to. The mass helps to block out a lot of the airborne noise (telephones, TV’s, stereo’s and voices). Keep in mind however, that MLV is not very effective on it’s own against impact noise (walking noise or foot fall noise from above). To combat impact noise, you will need a combination of MLV along with a ceiling or wall floated system such as Americlips (sound clips and furring channels) The sound clips system suspends the ceiling or wall and isolates it from the joist or stud structure which breaks the circuit or the path of the impact noise. Impact noise is structure borne noise and can only be stopped by isolating the structure from the newly installed ceiling or wallboard.
MLV is a multi purpose-soundproofing agent that can be used to soundproof a fence, an air conditioning compressor enclosure, studio walls and ceiling as well as many commercial and industrial applications.
Many retailers of MLV would like you to believe that they actually manufacture their own mass loaded vinyl. The truth is that there are only 3 to 4 manufacturers of MLV in the country and the majority of retailers purchase this product from one or more of these manufacturers.
Mass loaded vinyl is reasonably priced and is a great soundproofing agent when installed properly. It is used in professional recording studios, high-end home theaters, radio stations as well as a vast array of residential, industrial, and commercial applications.
When you purchase MLV from Soundproofing America, you are guaranteed to get the best and most effective product on the market today. We provide in-depth product information and expert installation instructions. Count on Soundproofing America for all of your soundproofing and Acoustical treatment needs.

As Always,

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

Pool pump and Filter silencing

2006-02-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

We have fielded a lot of requests asking how to silence a loud pool pump or pool filter. The best method is to construct an enclosure around the pump or filter and then treat the inside of the enclosure with a soundproofing agent. There are a couple of very weather resistant materials that can be used to line the inside of a barrier or enclosure. One is a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat (America Mat) this material can be glues to the inside of a barrier or enclosure and will absorb and block the pump or filter noises and help to silence these devices.
The second material is one called "Silent Panel" these panels are extremely weather resistant and are higly effective for quelling loud pumps and filters. The silent panels are more decorative than the closed cell foam mat and therefore might be the obvious choice if aesthetics are important. The silent panels come in 1" and 2" versions and each panel is 2' X 4'. They are easily cut with a band saw or even a sharp razor knife. These panels come in white or charcoal, but they can also be painted with a light spray. Generally vinyl or latex paints are recommended. The paint will not diminish the soundproofing capabilities of the Silent panels.
If you are interested in either of these wonderful products, please call us toll free for additional information or to order these products. Thanks for reading.

As Always,

Bob Orther
Technical advisor

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

Installing Soundproof flooring

2006-02-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

A lot of our good customers have installed soundproof flooring and have achieved some remarkable results. In todays posting I want to discuss some of the materials and methods for soundproofing an upstairs floor in a condo or even in a single family house. The two flag ship flooring underlays that we carry here at Soundproofing America are Impact Pro and Impact Standard. We will be talking about installing the impact standard soundproof flooring tiles.
Lets assume that we are starting our floor soundproofing project on a bare sub floor made of 3/4" plywood. It is a good idea to make sure the sub floor is clean and oil free before beginning out project.
There is a product that is now on the market called Green glue. If you have been keeping up with this blog, you know I have spoken about it many times. It is an excellent product for dampening structural noise transmission through drywall or other wall boards, but did you know it will work great as a dampening agent as well as an adhesive beneath a wood ot tile floor.
What we have discovered is that the Green glue work perfectly in conjunction with a flooring product such as the Impact Standard tiles. Basically you will need to contact the folks at www.audioalloy.com and find out how much Green glue you will need to cover the square footage you are soundproofing. Generally the Green glue can be applied in a "S" pattern that covers the entire subfloor. Once the Green glue is applied, you will then lay down the 2' X2' Impact Standard tiles. These tiles will go down over top of the Green Glue and will be sealed to the subfloor. The combination of Green Glue and the 5/16" thick flooring tiles makes for an excellent soundproof floor.
Once the Green Glue is applied and the Impact Standard tiles are layed out onto the sub floor, you will tape the seams of the Impact Standard with a sealer tape that is available at Soundproofing America and you will also want to caulk around the perimeter of the tiles. Once you have completed this instalation, you can put down any type flooring you desire, such as engineered hardwood floors, ceramic tile, or carpet and padding. This soundproof floor system work and will greatly reduce the impact as well as the airborne noise from traveling down through the sub floor and down to the neighbor below.
We had a one of our customers in New York install the Impact Standard flooring material using the Green Glue as a dampener/ adhesive for the tiles and as the contractors were nailing down the engineered hardwood flooring, the neighbors below reported that they could not even hear the hammering of the nails into the floor. That is a pretty amazing testimony. The point is that these soundproof flooring products do indeed work. If you need more information on these or any of our state of the art products, please call us toll free @ (877) 530-0139 there will be someone there to answer your call 6 days a week. Thanks for reading and learning about soundproofing your floors.

As Always,

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

Soundproofing in a Restuarant or Cafe

2006-01-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

I am sure most people who have been to an upscale restaurant or cafe have noticed that the acoustics in these areas are the absolute worst. Many times these venues have beautiful marble or ceramic tile or other decorative hard surfaces to give the restaurant a pleasant atmosphere. Unfortunately these hard surfaces cause the sound to reverberate and reflect throughout the entire room. There is a little trick that many of our customers have used to reduce the reverberation in these areas without changing the look of the venue. There is a product that we carry called "Echoless Panels". These panels are made of a bonded acoustical cotton material that the restaurant's are actually adhering to the bottoms of the tables and the chairs to absorb the reflective sound and reduce the reverb while increasing the speech inteligibility in the room.
This method of acoustical treatment in now way changes the decor or the aesthetics of the restaurant, but it does make the dining experience much more pleasurable. The Echoless panels come in many different colors and thickness' so if added absorption is needed they can be used on exposed walls and ceilings and still will not detract from the aviance of the dining area. For more information on this product or any of our state of the art acoustical treatments for restautants, cafes, or nite clubs, please call the professionals at Soundproofing America.

As Always,

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

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Home Theater and Studio Soundproofing

2006-01-26T16:29:00.000-08:00

With winter in full bloom, many home bound folks are thinking about that new basement home theater or music practice studio. The calls for help have been pouring in. Many people know exactly what they need down to the last square inch, others have bare framed out walls and need to know where to go from there. It doesn't matter what level of soundproofing expertise you possess, here at Soundproofing America we are here to help. Sure we are about making a living, but we are also about providing accurate and sound advice (no pun intended).
When you are getting ready to deck out the basement or garage it is always best to consult a professional, especially if the information they provide is free.
Whether you are soundproofing a closet for home voice overs, or you are building a full scale home recording studio, doesn't it make sense to contact an expert before throwing away thousands of dollars on systems that simply don't work?
If we don't have a ready answer for your home soundproofing questions, we have the resources to get that answer for you within a matter of hours. If you need helpful advice as far as soundproofing or acoustical treatments options, whether you buy from us or not, please call the pro's at Soundproofing America your #1 Soundproofing Resource on the Internet.

As Always,

Bob O.
www.soundproofingamerica.com
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

Greensound Cotton Batt Insulation

2006-01-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

With the limited supply of quality sound batt insulations one the market today, we are excited about our "Greensound" cotton batt insulation. This batt insulation provides both sound dampening and sound absorption in any joist or stud cavity. It maintains an R-13 thermal rating for the 3/ 1/2" version and an R-19 for the 5 1/2" variety. This environmentally friendly product is both economical and offers the best in thermal and sound absorption of any product on the market today. It is the perfect batt insulation for your home theater or studio applications. There are no hazardous issues with this product and it is easily installed in any open joist or stud cavity. The Greensound batt insulation comes in 16 " on center as well as 24' on center and will meet all building codes throught the United States. For the best in Thermal and sound reduction, take a look at our Greensound batt insulation material. Greensound is an environmentally friendly product that will offer you years of performance in any application. For more information on Greensound Insulation or any of our quality soundproofing or acoustical treatment products, call on the experts at soundproofing America, Your #1 soundproofing resource on the Internet.

As Always,

Bob O.
Senior Technical 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

Coming soon, The New Acoustiwall Track System.

2006-01-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

We will soon be offering the new Acoustiwall sound absorption panels. This system is employs a track system that combines the the absorption of bonded acoustical cotton panels with the finished look of the Guilford 701 fabric covering. The new Acoustiwall system can be easily installed in any auditorium, church sanctuary, or gymnasium to give you the finest in reflective sound reduction. These panels when installed properly can reduce reverb times dramatically in any situation or large venue. They are the answer you have been looking for to reduce unwanted echo and sound reflection while adding a touch of class to any auditorium or indoor stadium situation. This system gives the end user a wide array of color choices and the ease of installation makes this product a must have for any large indoor venue.
Live concerts sound harsh and reflective when the walls are bare and untreated. The Acoustiwall system softens the harsh atmosphere in large auditoriums and makes the live music all that much more enjoyable. I am sure you have been to concerts where your favorite artist sounded like they were playing inside a dumpster. I know I have. That's why we are so excited about offering this product to the public. The acoustiwall is the perfect addition to your restaurant, cafe, nite club, or any area where excess reverberation and reflective noise is a problem.
Please visit us regularly at www.soundproofingamerica.com and watch for the new Acoustiwall track system.

As Always,

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

The New dBA panels are in stock NOW!

2006-01-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

We have finally gotten the new dBA panels in stock and ready for immediate delivery. These amazing studio and home theater panels are tri functional. The block, absorb and diffuse sound all in one unit. They are listed on our website under featured products and are now available from Soundproofing America. Please call us for pricing on this phenominal product. If you stop by the website www.soundproofingamerica.com click on the featured products button and take a look at the newest innovation in acoustical treatments. This panel not only offers outstanding performance in any venue, it is also an aesthetically pleasing addition to any studio or home theater application. It gives your studio that professional look and will provide you with the perfect environment for high end recordings or voice overs. The dBA panels are available in limited quantities, so please call Soundproofing America to reserve yours now. These innovative panels come in white or charcoal, but can be painted with a light spray to match any decor and will not lose their acoustical properties. If you need the very best in studio or home theater acoustical treatments click on this link and see the newest innovation in wall and ceiling treatments go to: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/dBA.pdf There you will find all of the technical data on this wonderful product and then be able to decide if the dBA panel is the right choice for your particular studio or theater application. Trust Soundproofing America with all of your soundproofing and acoustical treatment needs.

As Always,

Bob Orther
Senior Technical Advisor
www.soundproofingamerica.com
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

Installing Mass loaded vinyl on a ceiling

2006-01-17T17:10:00.000-08:00

In recent months we have discovered that many of our customers are having difficulty installing MLV or MLV with the foam decoupler to their ceilings. As a general rule, regular MLV is supposed to be stapled or nailed directly to the open joists. This allows the vinyl to resonate with the sound. However, this is easier said than done as many will attest to.
After talking with one of our major MLV suppliers we have found that by spot gluing the 4 1/2' wide MLV directly to the drywall prior to installing it onto a ceiling makes for a much easier installation. If you are using the 4' wide MLV there is no extra vinyl to overlap so the edges of the drywall must be buttered with the acoustical caulk. The more articulate (anal) you are about sealing the drywall, the better your results will be. If you are installing MLV directly over existing drywall, then you must use the MLV with the de coupler foam adhered to it. There must be a small air space where the MLV can resonate. The foam de coupler also helps to isolate the new drywall from the existing drywall and also from the joist assembly itself. This works to combat a good amount of impact noise from above. If you are putting up drywall with the foam backed MLV adhered to the back of the drywall, it is imperative that you leave at least a 1/8" gap between the new drywall ceiling and the existing walls. This gap will be caulked in with the acoustical caulk and then you will tape mud and paint the new ceiling as you would a regular drywall ceiling.
If you have a drywall lift, this job won't be nearly as labor intensive. You do want to have the MLV overlapped wherever possible. If the MLV seams land directly on the joist, the overlaps will not be possible as the drywall will not sit flush on the joists.
For more indepth information on this application or for any soundproofing issues you may have, please contact the professionals at www.soundproofingamerica.com .

As Always,

Bob Orther
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

TruAcoustics Soundproof Windows exclusively at Soundproofing America, Inc.

2005-12-28T15:06:00.000-08:00

We would like to introduce our new TruAcoustics soundproof windows. These are a commercial grade soundproof window that comes in an interior as well as an exterior version. These windows are a direct replacement for standard residential or commercial units, but will deliver up to a 56 STC (Sound Transmission Class). These units are sealed and hence do not open and close , but they provide some serious soundproofing bang for your buck. If you problem is traffic noise, or loud neighbors or any environmental outdoor sound issue, these windows will provide you with more than enough soundproofing for your peace of mind or simply to get a good nights sleep. The TruAcoustics are designed for commercial use, but are also a great window for residential applications where there is not a requirement for the window to open and close. The TruAcoustics provide from a 45 STC to a 56STC for the dual paned unit and are an economical way to soundproof any home office or industrial space. For more information on the TruAcoustics windows, please call the professionals at Soundproofing America toll free (877) 530-0139 or send us an e-mail at: scott@soundproofingamerica.com

As Always,

Bob Orther
Senior Technical Director
e-mail: dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com
www.soundproofingamerica.com
www.massloadedvinyl.com
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

New Soundproofing Company (Soundproofing America, Inc)

2005-12-20T08:46:00.000-08:00

At Soundproofing America we offer the finest quality soundproofing materials for residential and commercial as well as office and industrial applications.We cover every avenue of soundproofing on our comprehensive website. We cater to DIY soundproofing projects but are capable of dealing with large scale professional installations for commercial and industrial applications.We carry a wide array of soundproofing materials and acoustical treatment products for every project imaginable. Excellent pricing on mass loaded vinyl barriersAmerica Mat™ foam acoustic foam as well as bonded acoustical cotton and sound curtains and blankets. Soundproofing America offers solutions for soundproofing walls floors and ceilings as well as providing the best and most comprehensive installation instructions available in the industry today.View all of our state of the art soundproofing products as well as our entire acoustical treatment line. Soundproofing America is your #1 online resource for the finest quality soundproofing materials and acoustical treatment products.We specialize in commercial soundproofing residential soundproofing retrofit soundproofing home soundproofing as well as most industrial applications. We carry a wide variety of sound blocking barriers and acoustical foams for every application imaginable.On our site you will find in depth articles on soundproofing a home theater to soundproofing an entire home. Mass loaded vinyl is available at the best prices in the country plus we offer same day shipping from any of our outlets throughout the United States.Soundproofing your home office or industrial space does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. We offer cost effective alternatives to the more expensive materials that are available from other companies.We work hard to get you the best and most economical shipping possible and offer customer pickup at our many locations throughout the Continental United States.The professionals at Soundproofing America are experienced in new construction soundproofing as well as retrofit and remodeling applications. We offer cost effective solutions to any soundproofing issues imaginable.We will help you with soundproof flooring issues as well as advising you as to the best methods for soundproofing your ceilings and walls. We offer the soundproofing materials for your boat ; car; or RV and will beat any advertised price for soundproofing and sound dampening products.Soundproofing America is here for the long haul and we will not abandon you after the sale. There are technicians available 6 days a week to help you with the installation of any of our state-of-the-art soundproofing products.We don`t just offer soundproofing and acoustical treatment products; we offer solutions for all of your soundproofing problems. Whether you are soundproofing a noisy air conditioning unit or building a soundproof barrier fence for privacy we will be here for you when you need us.Our product line includes the very best in flame retardant mass loaded vinyl soundproof foams for walls and ceilings a wide array of acoustical treatment products for your home theateror home recording studio. We also offer the finest quality acoustical sound insulation products such as Roxul AFB and Roxul Safe. These sound deadening and absorbing insulations are highly flame retardant and offer both sound blocking and absorbing while still maintaining the R values required to meet all state and local building codes for walls ceilingsand floors. We are geared to the Do-it-yourselfer (DIY) and the professional alike. We know how important your home is to you and how vital it is to have the peace and quiet you deserve.There are many other Soundproofing companies all vying for your business but none offer the service and expert technical information you will get from Soundproofing America.We specialize in residential as well as industrial soundproofing and we ship orders the same day in most cases. We will have your materials on site where and when you need them.We now offer the latest innovations in soundproof flooring materials. Our products are designed to combat impact noise as well as blocking airborne sound transmission from floor to ceiling.These state-of-the-art products are available now and are always in stock for immediate delivery. 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Guilford FR-701 fabrics - Acoustical fabrics - Sound stop curtains - OSHA - FDA - ADA - Acoustical Analysis - Acoustical Design & Consulting - Large Inventory - Fast Shipment - No Project too Large or Small - Major Credit Cards Accepted - Acoustical foam pyramids - Acoustic windows - soundproof windows - soundproof studio windows - Sound blankets - church soundproofing - Roxul sound batt insulation - Church Sanctuary soundproofing - Church Acoustics - Praise and worship room soundproofing - Roxul AFB - Roxul SAFE - sound batt insulation -TruAcoustic Windows - Acoustic fabric - acoustical sound panels - sound curtains - studio windows - studio glass - Acoustical fabrics - Accoustical Treatments - Visco Elastic Dampeners - soundproof dampeners - diffusion panels - Closed cell foam mat - America Mat - American mass loaded vinyl - Wallmate track systems - Wallmate acoustical walls - Soundproof duct liner - HVAC duct soundproofing - stud sound isolators - joist sound isolators - Bass Buster panels - acoustiwall - home studio soundproofing - home theater soundproofing - basement home theater soundproofing - basement studio soundproofing - mass loaded vinyl soundproofing - American soundproofing .

As Always,

Bob Orther
Senior Technical Advisor
www.soundproofingamerica.com
www.massloadedvinyl.com
Call toll free (877) 530-0139

Searching for soundproofing on the Internet.

2005-12-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

When searching for soundproofing materials on the Internet, narrow your search down to exactly what you need. By being specific with your keywords will help you find a company that is sensative to your needs and one that you might not have found by not being as specific. Some of the smaller Companies offer the very best service and prices on quality soundproofing and acoustical treatment products. Always remember that soundproofing professionals are just that experts in soundproofing and acoustical treatments, they are not necessarily Search Engine Optomizers. If you serch specifically for your soundproofing and acoustical treatment needs, you are much more likely to find a company who has the product and support your need to get your project completed in a effecient and timely manner.
Internet sales has changed that way we shop and that way we do business in todays market.
We are proud to be part of this new wave of technology, and hope to be in business for a very long time. Thanks.

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.

Soundproof windows coming soon To Soundproofing America!!!

2005-12-15T12:40:00.000-08:00

Soundproofing America will soon be offering a new soundproof window and window insert. We don't have a lot of details on these new windows, but the manufacturer has a great track record for offering new and innovative products. We are grateful that they allow us first crack at selling them to our loyal customers. The New windows will be competively priced with soundproofwindows.com as well as the Magna Seal window inserts from Petit Industries in Maine. Now you will have a product that is easy to install and remove and will give you upwards of 65 -70 dB sound reduction for each window or window insert. That is pretty amazing. I will provide more details on the new windows as soon as they become available, so keep me in your bookmarks or favorites. Thanks all. Soundproof windows are Cool!!!

Dr. Bob
Senior Technical 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.

Prototype for the dBA sound panels is out NOW!

2005-12-15T12:05:00.000-08:00

I just talked to the manufacturer of the new dBA tri functional panels for studio and home theater use. He says that the new panels look and function fantastically and will be the latest and greatest innovation in the Acoustical Treatment and Soundproofing Industries to date. There is even a dBA panel for drop ceilings as well. The new dBA panels should revolutionize the studio and home theater markets as it offers the best of all worlds in one single unit.
This new product will be offered from http://www.soundproofingamerica.com in early 2006 so please bookmark this blog or the website to find out the release date. We here at Soundproofing America are very excited about the new dBA panels and are preparing to market them strongly in the coming year. Picture in your mind one single awesome looking panel that will work in a "T" bar ceiling, plain drywall or concrete walls, as well as in most ceiling applications. You get soundproofing, sound absorption, and and sound diffusion all in one. No other product can claim to be as multifunctional as the new dBA acoustical panels. I will continue to update all you audiofiles and studio junkies (that's me) as to the exact date of release for this new product, that way you can be the first one on your block to have these panels installed in your home theater or studio. Imagine what it will be like when they come in different colors as well! Does life get any better?
Thanks for reading and learning together.

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.

Soundproofing over existing Drywall

2005-12-14T15:20:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of people out there who want to soundproof walls and ceilings, but do not want to demo (demolish) the existing drywall. There are many ways to get effective soundproofing without removing the existing sheetrock. I will discuss one very effective method in this article.
There is a misconception about mass loaded vinyl being sandwiched between 2 layers of drywall. Basically regular mass loaded vinyl needs to be able to move or resonate as the sound tries to pass. If the MLV is sandwiched between drywall, it is virtually impossible for it to move or resonate, so in essence you will only be experiencing a fraction of the vinyls full soundproofing potential.
That is why we recommend using the mass loaded vinyl with the standard or the premium foam backing. The foam backed MLV can be nailed or screwed directly to existing drywall, hitting the studs and joists as much as possible. The foam backing will face towards the existing drywall and all seams will be caulked liberally with an acoustical caulking. You will also need to caulk the entire perimeter of the newly installed vinyl. The next step is to tape the caulked seams, it is not necessary to tape the perimeter. Now for a few more STC points, it is advisable to have a 1/8" gap where the foam backed MLV does not touch the edges of the adjoining walls, ceiling or floor. This will give the MLV a way to flex or move from side to side as well as allowing it to resonate inwards towards the stud or joist cavities. Now it is time to install the drywall. I would recommend using 5/8" sheetrock or better yet 2 layers of 1/2" drywall with a bead of caulk between each layer. Once again, as you are installing the new drywall, leave your 1/8" gap where the drywall does not contact the adjoining wall, ceiling or floors. Now that the drywall is up, go ahead and caulk in the 1/8" gap around the perimeter of the drywall and that will become the resilient interface between the soundproofed wall or ceiling and the adjoining structures.
This system, according to the manufacturer, is as effective as a floated ceiling assembly using sound clips and furring channel. I know one thing, it is a lot less labor intensive than a full float using sound clips and f-channels.
Now you have the option of soundproofing a wall or an entire room and not demoing the existing drywall. Thanks for reading and learning, fo more information on soundproofing walls ceilings and floors, go to www.soundproofingamerica.com or call the pros at Soundproofing America at the number listed on the website.

As Always,

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

Soundproofing, sound proofing, soundproof, home soundproofing, residential soundproofing, commercial soundproofing, soundproof flooring, Home theater soundproofing, studio soundproofing, garage soundproofing, room soundproofing, car soundproofing.

Soundproofing and Google

2005-12-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

We have been trying for over a year now to be in decent positioning on Google for our keywords. I know, it takes lots of cash to get up on the organic search and that is a sad thing for some of the smaller companies out there who offer great service and an excellent product, but just don't have the budget to be at the top of Google. We have found that Google Adwords are helping, but we have to keep a close eye on our Google Adwords account or we'll be filing for bankruptcy real soon. I am hoping that in 2006 that Google will give more importance to websites with more pertinent information on products and services. I know I have those "End of the Year" whines, but I figured I can vent as well as the next guy and I have a blog in which to whine. Life is good!
I think with the help of Adwords we will do some great business this coming year. Whew, now I feel better. Thanks for reading, and yes I would like a little cheese with my whine.

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

Soundproofing, sound proofing, soundproof, home soundproofing, residential soundproofing, commercial soundproofing, soundproof flooring, Home theater soundproofing, studio soundproofing, garage soundproofing, room soundproofing, car soundproofing.

New dBA sound panels available in 2006 @ Soundproofing America Inc.

2005-12-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

Soon we will be offering the new dBA sound panels. This is an innovative sound treatment panel for both Home Theaters and professional grade commercial studios. No longer will you have to struggle to figure out noise reduction coefficients or calculate the amount of sabins for a given space. All the guesswork will be eliminated. The new dBA panel will offer sound blocking, sound absorption, and sound diffusion all in one unit. This will all be accomplished with our new tri-functional wall and ceiling panel. These panels will have a unique design that not only provides a wide array of acoustical characteristics, but it will be aesthetically pleasing and will give any studio or home theater that polished professional look. As it stands, the new dBA panels will come in white and charcoal only, but as the line expands so will the color choices. Keep in mind that these panels can be painted to match the color of any decor.
The new tri-function dBA panels are not yet available to the general public, but when they are, you will be able to readily find them at : http://www.soundproofingamerica.com We are looking forward to having this product in stock and we feel that it revolutionize the Home Theater and Studio industries. Please check our website or this soundproofing blog regularly for updates and release dates for this phenomenal new product. Thanks for reading and learning together.

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

Soundproofing

2005-12-12T16:22:00.000-08:00

The Soundproofing Industry is looking forward to a banner year in 2006! There are new products coming out on the market nearly everyday. Soundproofing has become an essential commodity in todays housing market. There are more and more multi family units being built than ever before. This is a definite sign that the soundproofing industry will be booming in 2006. There will be city ordinances and requirements for soundproofing in these multi family dwellings and Soundproofing America will be right there to meet the needs of the most strict of guidelines. We look forward to serving the needs of the commercial and industrial communities throughout the continental United States and Canada. Soundproofing America is a growing Company with an ever expanding line of acoustical and soundproofing products, not to mention the finest technical service in the nation. When you need the finest in Soundproofing or Acoustical Treatment products, you won't find a better company for both price and service than Soundproofing America, your #1 online resource.
Soundproofing, home soundproofing, residential soundproofing, commercial soundproofing, soundproof flooring, Home theater soundproofing, studio soundproofing, garage soundproofing, room soundproofing, car soundproofing.

As Always
Bob O.
Senior Technical Advisor
www.soundproofingamerica.com
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.

The New Silent Panels

2005-12-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

We now carry the Silent panel for use in commercial office space, sound studios and areas where the soundproofing doesn't just soundproof, it has to look good as well. The silent panel can be used for ceiling tile replacement, for office partitian inserts, as well as laboratory wall and ceiling treatments. It is an excellent product for clean rooms and computer server rooms. This panel is waterproof and easily cleaned. They can be used indoors or outdoors and are particularly good for around pools and pool houses. These panels are weather resistant and can be hosed down for easy cleaning. The Silent panels are also great for Home theater applications, they are a aesthetically pleasing and help to reduce reverberation and sound reflection. If you completely cover the walls with the Silent panels, you will get both great soundproofing as well as sound conditioning within the room. For more information on the Silent Panels go to http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/Soundproofing_definitions.asp you can look at this product at the bottom of the page. If you need more information on this and other soundproofing materials, please call us toll free @ (877) 530-0139. We have professionals on duty 5 days a week.

As Always,

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.

Soundproofing a Ceiling with existing Drywall

2005-12-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

The most often asked question we receive here at Soundproofing America is "How do I soundproof my ceiling from impact noise (footfalls) and low bass and TV sounds"? If you ask the experts they will all tell you that soundproofing from impact noise is one of the most difficult things to do. I have to agree, but we have found some effective alternatives for soundproofing a ceiling that do not require the use of resilient channels or sound clips.
We all know that you can't just slap up a layer of the standard mass loaded vinyl to your existing sheetrock and simply drywall over top. This would great if it worked, but MLV needs to be able to move or resonate with the sound. This is something we have discovered over time and field tests. There is a very simple method that does indeed work for knocking down up to 75% of the impact noise from above. This method requires the use of a product that was basically designed as a carpet underlay. It is a mass loaded vinyl with a standard or a premium decoupler that is actually bonded to the vinyl itself.
Here's the way it works, you can nail the MLV with decoupler to the ceiling using roofing nails (the ones with the large plastic heads) then caulk the seams as well as the perimeter, you'll then tape the seams with an MLV sealer tape (all available at Soundproofing America).
The manufacturer of this product recommends leaving a 1/8" gap around the perimeter when you install the MLV as well as leaving the same 1/8" gap when you drywall over top of this product. The gap will be caulked in with the acoustical caulking and you will also want to butter all 4 edges of each sheet of drywall before you install it to the ceiling. This will insure that your ceiling is sealed properly but still offers a degree of resilience or movement. Now when install the MLV with the decoupler directly to the ceiling, you will always have the foam backing facing the existing drywall ceiling. You will also be cussing me out every step of the way because this vinyl is a heavy limpid material.
There is another way to install this in 2 easy steps. Purchase the drywall (usually 5/8" thick) and then glue the MLV to the drywall. Make sure you glue the vinyl side to the drywall, leaving the foam exposed. Now it is just a matter of screwing up the MLV backed drywall to the ceiling. It is still important to butter the edges of the drywall with the acoustical caulking, and also imperative that you leave the 1/8" gap around the perimeter so that the drywall and the vinyl do not touch the adjoining walls. This system actually allows the drywall and the vinyl to resonate as the sound comes down from the floor above. This system works well for both airborne and impact noise and is an alternative for sound clips or resilient channels.
I hate giving away trade secrets, but I have found from experience that an informed customer is a good customer. This is not a "cure all" but depending on the structure of your ceiling can afford up to a 75% reduction in Impact and airborne noise.
For more information on this and other soundproofing procedures, please call the Pros at Soundproofing America.
Thanks for reading and learning together.

As Always,

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.

Soundproof Insulation exclusively at Soundproofing America

2005-11-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-25T09:01:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

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?

2005-11-07T15:55:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

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

2005-11-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

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