Garage Rehearsal Room: Leapt Before I Looked

[dsmithkma]

Hello,

First let me say what an overwhealming wealth of knowledge I've found on thi board...in fact very daunting.

I find myself unsure of my cuurrent direction and hope to find some answers here.

I need a rehearsal space for my country band. Thus far, I recently had a detached garage built specifically for this purpose. The diminsions are 18'X20'X8', 2X4 framed, 3/8" sheathing with vinyl siding and roof trusses. It also has a steel entry door and a 9'X7' garage door.

I've insulated the interior stud cavities with expanding foam (commercial 2-part from tigerfoam), 2" thick. The roof trusses have foamboard on top and a layer of foam underneath.

As a sound dampener, I've added a thick bead of silicone caulk to all the studs and roof trusses prior to attaching a layer of 5/8 sheetrock. I've constructed 'barn doors' on the exterior opening in front of the existing garage door from 2x4s covered with 3/4" plywood, 5/8 sheetrock on the interior of the door and foam insulation.

I also purchased an 18,000BTU A/C window unit that I planned on using by basically cutting a hole in the wall that faces the house (where some sound escaping won't be a problem, as the house is 100+ feet away).

The closest neighbors are about 40 feet from the rear of the garage.

Again, I started this project thinking I knew what I was doing and now am unsure of my attempt and regretful I didn't do more research.

I have a sneaking notion all I've done so far has been for naught. My remaining budget is about $2,000.

If there's a way to salvage what I've started, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Daniel

[sharward]

Greetings and condolences, Daniel.

Before we can advise you in ways to mitigate some of the damage and make the most of what you have and the dollars you have left, it would be really helpful if we had lots, lots, lots of details. The narrative is a good start, but photographs and illustrations will also help, including a top-view layout of your property and the locations of your neighbors.

I think suggesting that you "stop doing" until we all have a full understanding of what's next would be prudent.

Meanwhile, though you probably have already seen it, "become one" with the almighty Reference Area and cram for your "Mass-Air-Mass" exam.

We'll get you through this.

--Keith

[dsmithkma]

Hi Keith,

Thanks a million. Your response is like being stranded on a deserted island and seeing a ship in the distance approaching.

I've included some pics as well as an overview of the land layout and neighbor locations as you requested.

Also, I forgot to mention the trusses used are storage trusses and can hold 40 lbs. per sq. ft.

I know you asked for details and I think a picture is worth a 1000 words. If I was remiss to include anything, please let me know.

Thanks!
Daniel

[sharward]

Thanks a million. Your response is like being stranded on a deserted island and seeing a ship in the distance approaching.

I appreciate the analogy. However, judging from the illustration and the not-too-distant neighbors, i'd say you're on anything but a deserted island!

I've included some pics as well as an overview of the land layout and neighbor locations as you requested.

Super. They look great. We may ask for more at some point, but that should really get the juices flowing here.

. . . the trusses used are storage trusses and can hold 40 lbs. per sq. ft.

That may end up being a very good thing. (It can't possibly be a bad thing!)

At this point, having done my "mere mortal" Wal-Mart style greeter job, I'm going to sit back, like you at this point, and wait to see what the real brainiacs here have to say.

Meanwhile, you may want to just mentally prepare yourself for the prospect of being advised to tear down all your sheetrock. Don't do (or undo) anything yet, of course.

Soon you'll see a light at the end of the tunnel. However, at this point I cannot state whether such light is indeed the end of said tunnel, or whether it may be that of an oncoming train!

Hang in there. Help is on the way.

--Keith

[sharward]

From one of the resident brainiacs (i.e., one of the moderators):

Yeah, saw that this morning about 4 AM, got carpenters here all day so won't get a chance at it before dark. I can really empathize, considering the mess I made of my own room in '82. If you will, let him know (for now) that I'm not ignoring him... Steve

[dsmithkma]

Hey thatns a lot.

I've seen knightfly's posts and he's really informative and knowledgable.

While I want to get this project finished, I want it done right and I'm pretty patient.

Thanks again.

[sharward]

With all due respect, whether you are a "pretty patient" or an "ugly patient" will have no bearing on Dr. Knightfly's diagnosis -- he's an equal opportunity treatment prescriber.

[Sword9]

With all due respect, whether you are a "pretty patient" or an "ugly patient" will have no bearing on Dr. Knightfly's diagnosis -- he's an equal opportunity treatment prescriber.

[looking around] Where's my gong at? That deserves a gong. Or at least some crickets.

[sharward]

Ah, well... You win some and you lose some... ...And now that you've quoted me in your post, I can't destroy the evidence!

[knightfly]

That deserves a gong. Or at least some crickets

I was thinking more along the line of one of those long hooks they used to have back in the old vaudeville days...

Just takin' a quick re-fuel, burnt hot dogs potato salad and a Dew; nature's perfect project food

Daniel, is that kma on the end of your screen name what it sounds like? As in, Kiss My A-- ? If so, by the time you get your fiasco straightened out and useful it may be an impossibility, 'cause you will probably have "worked it off" so nothing left to kiss

Seriously, foam??!? Everywhere??!? Bummer...

Keith may have gotten the "drawings of the year" award, but I think you're up for the "biggest mess to clean up" award -

Hopefully you have a way to post sketches - I need to see a complete floor plan showing any/all doors and windows, plus a detail showing every material and its thickness from the paint you see on the outside wall, right through to the drywall on the inside. Also, is that inner garage door operable? Digital pix of the top inside corners would help.

Forgot to look, have you included ALL the points listed in the "don't even think " topic at the top of the forum? Especially budget.

The more info you can post before I get time to dig into this, the better - Oh, and I need to know how much of what you've already done you are willing/able to rip out - because in case you've not already found out, your neighbors will likely hear every note you play in that space the way it is... Steve

[dsmithkma]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for replying.

The foam used has a Noise Reduction Coeffecient rating of .50 per inch, if that's of any value to your analysis. It's also a very good sealant.

The garage door is still operative.

My thought was to build a "room within a room", of course I also thought I knew what I was doing. My main objective is to deaden the low frequencies. Being a country band, we don't tend to rehearse with everything turned up to 11. My remaining budget is about $2,000.

I have a window A/C unit I'd like to incorporate as well.

Hope this helps.

Thanks again for replying.

[sharward]

Daniel, since I see that you have a 3-foot-wide door on the building in addition to the combo sectional-barn door thing, I'd say you probably should prepare yourself for the possibility of being advised to completely frame in that doorway -- i.e., remove all the doors (including the barn door thing) and literally make a beefy wall out of the large doorway. Again, not direct advice -- just brace yourself for that being in the official long list-o'-recommendations you're going to eventually get.

[dsmithkma]

...the combo sectional-barn door thing.. Too funny!

Unfortunately, codes here are pretty strict and a garage door is requisite and I have to keep it. Plus, I need it to function as a garage...wife said so.

I have to say, what I have isn't that bad, actually. This afternoon, as a test, I pulled my car inside, opened the trunk, closed all the building's doors and cranked the stereo.

I have a sub box with two 12" woofers on a 1000 watt amp and an eq., which I set particularly high from 40 htz-160 htz. It was thumping hard. Outside, next to the building, I could hear it, although not as well as I expected. But when I was about 30 feet or so, it wasn't that noticable. Tomorrow, I'm going to get a sound meter and try to more accurately measure the SPL's both inside and out and see what I've got.

All in all I'm very surprised by this as well as encourged.

[sharward]

All good info, which I'm sure will be relevant to the recommendations forthcoming.

[knightfly]

Unless you have access to a pretty expensive SLM, it probably won't go down low enough to check actual levels at the property line; with a cheap one, such as the Rat Shack versions, one way around that is to have a helper adjust the volume INSIDE the space while you listen at the property line - when you can barely hear it, measure the SPL INSIDE set to "C" weighting, so you'll know how loud you can get before it gets noticed. Do this near EACH neighbor's property line, it will probably vary a bit depending on direction, and also if distances aren't equal - probably louder on the side with the man door.

What are the seals/hinges like on your "CSBDT" - you may want to consider getting some GReen Glue and adding a layer of sheet rock to the inside of the door if the hinges/frame will take the extra weight (about 75 pounds more per side) -

And, if your measurements show you only need maybe another 6 dB at low end, you can get real close to that with 2 more layers of sheet rock all around (ceiling included) - I still need a framing detail for the ceiling/roof though; you may not have enough strength for more rock up there, Flatt and Scruggs may be pure country but just plain FLAT is pure PAIN... Steve