drywall and standard studding is not the way to go for soundproofing...
after installing a "pocket door" for my bathroom it surprised me that with minimal damping and no connection from inner to outer wall surface the acoustic damping was greater....
now i have to finish the sidebar project which is to automate it so i have the equivalent of a Star Trek sliding door!
after installing a "pocket door" for my bathroom it surprised me that with minimal damping and no connection from inner to outer wall surface the acoustic damping was greater....
now i have to finish the sidebar project which is to automate it so i have the equivalent of a Star Trek sliding door!
Pano,
I was thinking along the same lines as you. Being that I have a 6 ft. high opening and I'm 6 ft. tall I don't want to put anything on the ceiling if I don't have to.
The roller built into the wall is a good idea I was thinking of some felt pads to keep the door from rubbing on the wall.
As far as the floor guide something like guide for a sliding patio door or teflon furniture sliders on the bottom of the door and a thin piece of aluminum screwed to the floor to keep the bottom of the door from sliding away from the wall..
I'm first going to try hanging 3 or 4 moving blankets and see how that works then decide if I need to build a door.
Thanks for the help,
Scott
What amount of noise reduction are you looking for, and at what frequencies? For example, do you want 30 dB reduction in the typical measurement ranges of 32 Hz to 250 Hz to reduce the rumble of the motors, or do you need 50 dB reduction in that range? Or, are you mostly concerned with the "whoosh" of the furnace fan and air, and the water and clothes in the washer and dryer?
How much noise is coming through the ductwork and the wall? Will a really good door end up redirecting your attention to other noise pathes such as these?
Just Dave,
I'm looking to reduce the operating noise of the washer, dryer and fan noise of the HVAC. If I could reduce noise by 30 db. I would be happy.
The walls will probably have to be addressed at some point they are 2" x 4" with drywall and the laundry room side of the wall is open (no drywall).
I will be insulating the floor joist area above the wall and into the laundry room.
Scott
I'm looking to reduce the operating noise of the washer, dryer and fan noise of the HVAC. If I could reduce noise by 30 db. I would be happy.
The walls will probably have to be addressed at some point they are 2" x 4" with drywall and the laundry room side of the wall is open (no drywall).
I will be insulating the floor joist area above the wall and into the laundry room.
Scott
Can you take some pics? It will be easier to help you.
I have seen only one person mentioning the party wall effect and he called it decoupled walls so I am guessing that’s what he means. If you’ve got a few inches to spare on one side of the wall, this shouldn’t be that difficult. I don’t expect you are going to be successful with just blankets or rockwool. Those will help only with higher frequencies.
Maybe do a plan view sketch as well.
I have seen only one person mentioning the party wall effect and he called it decoupled walls so I am guessing that’s what he means. If you’ve got a few inches to spare on one side of the wall, this shouldn’t be that difficult. I don’t expect you are going to be successful with just blankets or rockwool. Those will help only with higher frequencies.
Maybe do a plan view sketch as well.
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This is good to know. 30 dB broadband isn't unreasonable, although, you might only get about 15 dB at low frequencies (motor rotational "hum") without additional measures, such as addressing the wall and ductwork.
To keep costs within "reason", I would start with a door (of some sort) which will be at least 10dB better than the wall and ductwork, broadband and at low frequencies. I would not obsess over details such as seals around the door - just make them "good". They will be the least of your worries.
Your next task will be to address the wall, which should be fairly easy, given your 30 dB broadband criteria. Don't forget the leakage at the ceiling joists.
So, step one: Install a good door of some sort - sliding, folding, whatever, and don't obsess over seals, but make them good - no open gaps.
I hung 3 moving blankets across the opening tonight and it reduced the level of dryer noise by 5 db on my trusty Radio Shack db meter.
On the left hand side of the photo of the wall you can see the HVAC ductwork. The washer and dryer are behind me in the photos.
Please disregard all the junk on the floor!
Thanks,
Scott
On the left hand side of the photo of the wall you can see the HVAC ductwork. The washer and dryer are behind me in the photos.
Please disregard all the junk on the floor!
Thanks,
Scott
Attachments
Sorry, but have to agree with the naysayers on the heavy blankets / quilts -- it'll take the edge off the top octave, maybe top two, but that's about it.
It's a widely held misunderstanding. Absorptive materials give good attenuation of *reflections* from a solid surface. But to attenuate *transmission* requires mass -- only solid, heavy objects need apply for the job.
I'd be awfully tempted to split the 4½ foot width into 2½ & 2 ft, or 3 & 1½ ft wide, 'regular' hinged doors. Trying to seal a pocket door would be a nightmare. Also, you won't be able to add as much mass, since the whole of it has to be moved to open or close it, and no help from hinges (holding some of the weight), and no 2:1 mechanical advantage to move it.
Cheers
edit: I'll disregard your floor stuff if you'll disregard mine!
(mine's a lot worse!)
It's a widely held misunderstanding. Absorptive materials give good attenuation of *reflections* from a solid surface. But to attenuate *transmission* requires mass -- only solid, heavy objects need apply for the job.
I'd be awfully tempted to split the 4½ foot width into 2½ & 2 ft, or 3 & 1½ ft wide, 'regular' hinged doors. Trying to seal a pocket door would be a nightmare. Also, you won't be able to add as much mass, since the whole of it has to be moved to open or close it, and no help from hinges (holding some of the weight), and no 2:1 mechanical advantage to move it.
Cheers
edit: I'll disregard your floor stuff if you'll disregard mine!
(mine's a lot worse!)
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You would be far better off addressing the main part of the wall by building a 2x2 stick frame with drywall and space it the distance you need to slide your new pocket door into. No green glue, no two layers of drywall, no connection between the new and old wall.
The pocket door can be made from triple layered 1/4" plywood on lathe picture frame separators. So it's plywood, lathe, plywood, lathe, plywood. This is where the green glue comes in. If you fasten only on the picture frame there will be little to no transmission of sound, not even the bass.
What you need to do is take what you have and adapt it as best you can like the pros do it. It's won't be perfect if you want to leave what's existing, but it will be darn good.
The pocket door can be made from triple layered 1/4" plywood on lathe picture frame separators. So it's plywood, lathe, plywood, lathe, plywood. This is where the green glue comes in. If you fasten only on the picture frame there will be little to no transmission of sound, not even the bass.
What you need to do is take what you have and adapt it as best you can like the pros do it. It's won't be perfect if you want to leave what's existing, but it will be darn good.