Soundproofing for workshop entry wall

[Kevin Nathanson]

FWIW, I have firsthand experience with the materials you are considering, but with a different purpose.

I have an office in the house we built that is set up as a music studio. The goal was to soundproof it in both directions; don't disturb the rest of the house, and don't let house sounds in to mess up a recording session.

Our solution works wonderfully for both. Staggered stud walls went in first. Insulated with denim-wool insulation (similar to Roxall, etc.), two sheets of 5/8" drywall on the inside walls, with green glue between them as recommended for install.

two things to watch out for. Low frequency vibrations will transfer through the floor; the only way to avoid that is to float the floor, which is non-trivial. Concrete may mitigate that; ours are wood. The other issue is HVAC. Both for noise and dust, the shop system should be completely separate from the home system.

K

[Alan Lightstone]

FWIW, I have firsthand experience with the materials you are considering, but with a different purpose.

I have an office in the house we built that is set up as a music studio. The goal was to soundproof it in both directions; don't disturb the rest of the house, and don't let house sounds in to mess up a recording session.

Our solution works wonderfully for both. Staggered stud walls went in first. Insulated with denim-wool insulation (similar to Roxall, etc.), two sheets of 5/8" drywall on the inside walls, with green glue between them as recommended for install.

two things to watch out for. Low frequency vibrations will transfer through the floor; the only way to avoid that is to float the floor, which is non-trivial. Concrete may mitigate that; ours are wood. The other issue is HVAC. Both for noise and dust, the shop system should be completely separate from the home system.

K

I did the staggered wall setup in my last house with double sheetrock and insulation for the theater. Worked amazingly well, but not in the cards for this 15-1/2' tall wall. I'll have to look up denim-wool insulation. Never heard of that.

[Robert Engel]

How about having them put up a concrete block wall when they do the rest?

I know a contractor that has built several veterinary clinics and this is how they do it. The walls extend up into the attic close to the roof line.