Pegboard / Insulation question

[Prashun Patel]

I'm trying to design the walls for my new 'shop' area in the basement. The area is a big rectangle: 3 walls are concrete poured, one wall is open stud bays and backs to the rest of the basement which is finished with drywall.

My question is how to finish the stud wall. I want storage AND moderate sound absorption for the rest of the house. To that end, I'm thinking to put fiberglass batts in the bays, and then sheathe the wall with 1/4" pegboard. Does anyone have experience with this? Will this be moderately effective?

[Todd Burch]

Bat insulation does work pretty well to cut down on sound.

I would put some other type of sheet good under the pegboard though.

Todd

[Todd Burch]

Homasote is also a good option for sound reduction.

[David Hostetler]

Another vote for Homasote, and THEN the peg board. You can use the little plastic peg board standoffs to get your gap, I framed mine with 1x2 furring strip. That will make your walls a little thicker, but both your thermal, and sound insulation will thank you for it...

If you've got a hollow core door down there, consider filling it with expanding foam, or replacing it with a solid door...

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks, Todd, David.

If you've got a hollow core door down there, consider filling it with expanding foam, or replacing it with a solid door...

Expanding foam?! Hadn't thought of that.

[Jim Kountz]

I did my whole shop with pegboard over insulation. Worked good for me.

[Bill Houghton]

If you've got a hollow core door down there, consider filling it with expanding foam, or replacing it with a solid door...

But make sure to get the low-expansion foam if you do this - the regular foam, when it expands, can distort door jambs, which are 3/4" stock - I can just imagine what it would do to a hollow core door, with a 1/8" plywood skin.

Also, some (most?) hollow core doors have honeycombed cardboard inside, to provide some support to the door skin - you might wind up with very incomplete fill, unless you drill lots of holes, which will leave the door looking...well, kinda shot up.

Finally, the foam, especially the low-expansion kind, can add up in cost pretty fast.

You might want to price solid-core doors at your local home center or, better yet if there's one in your area, Habitat for Humanity ReStore thrift store. If you've got a ReStore in your area, you'll save money AND support Habitat at the same time. You might find a solid-core door cheaper than the foam, and less hassle.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks Bill. Truth told, I might just tack rigid foam insulation to the shopside of the door...

[Thom Sturgill]

Rock wool (or slag wool) insulation is a better sound dampener than fiberglass and is a fire barrier as well. If the ceiling is not finished, I would consider placing it there as well.

[David Hostetler]

Thanks Bill. Truth told, I might just tack rigid foam insulation to the shopside of the door...

Not sure that would afford you much sound insulation there... Have you ever seen Dynamat? It's a soft dense surface that baiscally takes the impact of sound waves instead of allowing them to pass. Not 100% effective, but you get the idea...