Studio built above garage..?

[egcc]

When floating the floor over the garage - how exactly would a cross-section look ? Starting from the floating floor and working down towards the garage ceiling...

-sheeting (top of floating floor)
-2x4 floating joists (insulation laying between them)
-pads for floating
-floor sheeting
-joists (in garage ceiling)
-drywall (garage ceiling)

Could this be built more like a double wall, where the sheeting is only on the garage ceiling and then above the floating floor ? Seems like that would be the best way to keep too much from escaping into the garage below. Of course the joists would need some support between them, or maybe a truss system could be used ? Any comment or thoughts would be appreciated, I'm considering the same situation, adding a room above my garage for use as a studio (home theater if I were to sell sometime).

Eric

[JOHNNYGATE]

Yes thats what I am going to do. Ill call that number and ask for a contractor in that area first. I agree you cant have too much info.... Thanks for all you help! I have some time yet and Im sure Ill have more questions

Yeah, there are other approaches - that's what can get so confusing when building for sound.

But as far as the roof is concerned, I'm still looking at the Panel Deck approach for the OUTSIDE, I'm just not sure what I'm going to do for the INNER leaf of the shell. Probably just attach 6" metal studs direct to the Panel Deck inside, fill with insulation, hang RC on the studs, couple layers of 5/8 drywall.

I don't think you would have a problem finding a contractor that's done this type of construction - even here in Oregon, I've already talked to two contractors that have done this, and I've only talked to two contractors :=) - This weekend there's another Home Show, and there will be at least one mfr of ICF (Insulated Concrete Form) showing. Gonna see what they have that Polysteel doesn't, or "Versey-Vice-a" -

Considering hurricanes, bugs, mold, fire and slimeballs, for construction in Florida I'd be even MORE convinced this method was the way to go. If you have any doubts, you should call that # I posted and ask them about finding contractors in the area you're going - you can NEVER have too much information, it sometimes just SEEMS that way... Steve

[knightfly]

Johnny, you're welcome - and there is no doubt in my cranial cavity that you'll have more questions - it's the ANSWERS that sometimes worry me :=)

Eric, If you're planning only a single room studio I don't think I'd worry about floating the floor at all. You can get about 60 dB isolation between upper and lower floor with the methods shown here -

http://www.saecollege.de/reference_mate ... 0Chart.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for some floor treatments.

If, however, you're planning a separate control room, tracking room, drum booth, vocal booth, etc, then floated floors would improve the isolation between rooms. You would STILL need the base floor construction to keep bleeding into the downstairs garage to a minimum.

Doing a proper job of floating floors for maximum isolation is not a task for the faint-hearted - you would need to find a source of rubber or neoprene (or buy expensive ready-made pieces) then, you need to calculate the ENTIRE weight of everything that will be supported by the rubber (including walls, if they're built ON the floor instead of beside it) All rubber has a degree of hardness, called Durometer - this is the amount of weight per surface area that will result in a certain percentage of compression from the original thickness. If you don't design the floor so that the rubber has the right amount of compression, you lose effectiveness and may as well not even bother floating the floor. You can't have anything restricting the rubber horizontally, or it will change the Durometer by not allowing the rubber to "squish" out.

There are more expensive ways of doing floated floors that utilize proprietary supports offered by several different companies - these companies don't want you to fail (bad for their image) so generally they will help you with enough design parameters to get a good floor. Most of these, however, use CONCRETE floated floors - that and the custom hardware raises the price by quite a bit, but at least you can be pretty sure it will work.

One thing floated floors can help a lot with in a multi-room studio, is flanking noise - since no room has a common wall, floor or ceiling, there is no direct structure-borne noise to travel from room to room, and good partition design becomes a little easier.

If you've not yet discovered the SAE site, here's a bit on floated floors -

http://www.saecollege.de/reference_mate ... floors.htm

and the main site - click on everything and enjoy -

http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/index.html

Later... Steve

[egcc]

Thanks Steve. I guess my question was really geared towards the structural integrity of the floor. I was thinking that maybe if I used trusses as ceiling joists, or 1x12 boards on 12" centers, with some cross bracing to keep them rigid (rather than sheeting over them), I could then put a floating floor on top of that and would have a cross section similar to the most efficient double wall scenario. Probably not necessary, just was wondering if there was an advantage. STC 60 is pretty good I would say, especially when whatever gets through would be radiating into the enclosed garage.

Thanks again.

Eric

[knightfly]

I see where you're coming from, but one of the main things that contributes to the strength of a floor system is that the floor panels are FIRMLY connected to the joists at 90 degrees - the end result is nearly as strong as a SOLID panel the thickness of the (on edge) joists plus the thickness of the sheeting.

If you were to do away with the sheeting, you would lose most of the shear strength of the floor, even though vertical load support capability would be almost as good.

If it weren't for building codes and wind, it might work OK :=)