Setting up shop

[Gary Hoemann]

We are building a new home and the basement will be all mine. About 1800 square feet. I plan on having an office and a seperate finishing room. Right now I am wondering about soundproofing and painting the ceiling.
The ceiling will be 22" open joists , and that will provide for relatively easy running of the ducting for dust collection and light placement. I would like not to put drywall or anything to finish the ceiling and conceal the ducting
However, I would like to do something to deaden any sound moving upstairs and also to get some type of reflective surface on the joists and subfloor.
Homosote attached to the subfloor? paint everything white? Will plain white styrofoam work to deaned noise and provide a reflective surface?
What's your best ideas?

[David DeCristoforo]

Unlikely that any of those solutions will provide enough sound blocking to be worth the time and effort. If you are committed to not covering the ceiling, the "next best thing" would be to apply a layer of sound deadening material to the underside of the subflooring between the joists. "Google" for "sound deadening material" and you will find tons of information on the various materials and techniques available. There are materials you could use to "wrap" the joisting as well. Remember that sound will be transmitted through vibration as well so anything you can do "up front" to isolate the shop floor from the walls will be a great help in reducing the transmission of sound to the living area above.

[Rob Russell]

If you're building a home, why not make the basement a foot or so deeper? That way you can fill all of the joist bays with sound proofing insulation and sheetrock over that. This would allow you to have the soundproofing - and then surface mount all of your ducting and lights. The extra depth means you would't lose any headroom to the lights/ducting.

[Kim Spence]

If you have the "I" style manufactured wood joists, you can cut ceiling tiles to slip between and rest on the bottom lip of the "I". This will allow for easy removal to add/modify ductwork or wiring. But I'm with David, I'm not sure any solution is really going to make a huge difference difference unless its "engineered" into the structure of the house to provide dead space and breaks so the structure itself doesn't transmit the sound.

I've just convinced my wife that any sound she hears coming from the basement is the sound of progress towards a new piece of furniture for the house!

[Al Killian]

I have used 1" insul board on the ceiling and taped all the seams and installed fiberglass batten between the joist. This has made a huge difference in the sound level. Putting rubber mats under your equipment will also help cut down the nosie transfer.

[Scot wolf]

!!NO BASEMENT SHOPS!!

[Gary Keedwell]

!!NO BASEMENT SHOPS!!

What's up with that? I'm on my 3rd basement shop and I think their great.


Gary K.