Need advice - floating room in a room.

[adamski]

Hi

I'm currently in the process of building a studio. The design is a room within an existing room (drywall), which has an upstairs mezzanine floor (upstairs is my bedroom, studio below) - therefore there is a gap of about 2 feet between the existing wall that holds the door and the inner room, to allow for the stairs. I have also used a ratio of 1.0x1.5x1.6, with actual dimensions: height=2m, width=3.2m length=3m.

Currently I have a floating floor made with 2x4 joists resting on auralex U-boats with 22mm floorboards on top. I am now in the process of constructing the frames for my walls.

Now - I was initially given the advice that it is better to have drywall (2 layers) only on the inside of the frame, so that the main walls go like this: 2xdrywall - frame + rockwool - air gap - existing wall.

Now I have been given conflicting advice that it would be better (if I can afford it) to also have an outer layer of drywall on the outside of the frame:
2xdrywall - frame + rockwool - drywall - air gap - existing wall

There will be an outer layer on the front wall anyway, so might it be better to extend this all the way round?

Thanks!

[sharward]

I'm concerned that you may end up with three leaves with your original plan, and four leaves with your "conflicting advice" plan. Neither is good.

Check out these wall constructions:



Notice how the third method ("Double Insulated Stud") has four leaves with a total of four plasterboards, whereas the last method ("Add Two Outside Plasterboards") uses the same materials with significantly better performance. In fact, you'll see that removing one or two plasterboards actually improves performance -- this demonstrates the importance of following the "two leaf rule," each leaf being a "mass" with "air" (and/or insulation) in between.

Please review the "Please, PLEASE, THINK about reading this before you post" announcement, which includes a link to the alimighty "Reference Section" announcement.

Slow down and set aside a few hours of study time with this stuff, and you'll be rewarded with knowledge that will prevent you from making critical mistakes that will be virtually impossible to undo.

[adamski]

Thanks.

It seems, as often I do, I have rushed into this, mainly because I have labels awaiting my music and so I'm eager to get the room finished so I can get on with making music.

I will study the information!