Improving Isolation w/o Decreasing Room Size

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 4:13 am

I have a studio that is built into the LA mountains. However, part of the live room sticks out from the mountain, and the neighbor who is about 15 yards up the mountain has had some minor complaints.

The room size is 16 x 9.75 with a 8 foot height. I can currently fit a whole band in there and also record drums with room mics at the opposite corners. If I build a room within a room, I feel that I won't be able to do this with much "roominess". The base of the structure is cement block and I guess there is wood framing on top of it. The room had two windows which we stuffed with layers of plywood and sheetrock on both the interior and exterior, caulking in between each layer. You can see in the pics that there is a cavity going around the upper right side of the room. I feel this is a weak point of sound transmission. There is also a through wall AC which we put acoustical caulk around.

So I am wondering if simply filling in that cavity with framing and once it is level with the rest of the walls, securing another layer around the whole room including ceiling with Auralex Sheetblok followed by some more drywall. Then maybe floating a the floor on U Boats with 2 x 4s to decouple the instruments. Air space and resiliant channeling will cut the room size down too much, let me know if my idea simply won't work. Thanks,
Steven

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:07 am

Ok, I've done my searching and have learned that MLV is not in favor here. But despite the cost, will it have more effectiveness at blocking sound then two layers of drywall back to back?

Steven

Post by **sharward** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:40 am

Welcome to the forum, Steven!

Does LA mean Los Angeles or Louisiana? Either way, please fill in the "location" field in your profile, as per the "before you post" announcement.

I'll wait to see what others (particularly Steve, a.k.a. "knightfly") have to say about your situation. Surely there are things you can do, but you will probably have to sacrifice at least a tiny bit of square footage... A couple of inches perhaps.

It's good that you found the "don't waste your money on MLV" info.

By the way, I'm pleased to know that your band fits in your small space. The room I'm building will actually be a bit smaller than yours and I hope to do the same!

I think the key will be not wasting floorspace on anything that isn't absolutely necessary, with creative seating/storage (i.e., stools, not sofas).

BTW, Green Glue may be a good product for use in your situation. See the "Definitive Word on Green Glue" thread on StudioTips.

--Keith

Post by **sharward** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:48 am

Hey, I just spotted your thread on StudioTips!

You may want to post your photos there as well.

Hopefully between here and there you'll get the information you need.

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:56 am

thats what I'm hoping too. I'm researching Green glue.. the plan as of right now is to frame in the cavity, equal it with the room, then put on two sheets of sheetrock sealed tight over walls and ceiling. I am getting more confident that this will reduce sound transmission enough so that when my neighbor is in her house with the doors closed, she won't hear anything.

I'm in Los Angeles btw and I'll be filling that location out now! Sorry. And the band fits great in there. But no moshing.

Post by **sharward** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:07 am

Roger that -- a rule against attempted moshing in my room will be strictly enforced!

Steven, you'll want to check into your local noise ordinances. I covered this a bit in my "Permits, Codes, Licenses -- and WHY YOU SHOULD CARE!" thread. Bottom line, achieving good isolation to the point of your neighbors not hearing you when they are inside their homes with doors and windows closed may not be (and, in truth, probably isn't) sufficient. The law probably gives them the right to be in their homes with their windows open, or even in their yards, without being bothered by your band rehearsals. Noise ordinances vary widely from place to place, so it is best to get the actual language of the laws that apply in your situation. Don't settle for someone telling you -- get the actual language.

A few weeks ago, my city doubled the fine for repeat noise ordinance offenders from $500 to $1,000 per incident. They mean business!

The reason I point this out is that you don't want to spend big bucks reengineering the room, only to be shut down by the authorities later on because your efforts weren't good enough.

--Keith

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:46 am

Kieth thanks. The lady in the house is quite nice and said "if I can't hear it in my house we're good". If I do a 5/8inch /Green Glue/ 5/8inch sandwich on the walls, I'm hoping that it will reduce noise enough so that she won't hear it even with the windows open. Besides the ceiling and upper right wall cavity, there is dense cement and layered drywall in the walls, not to mention, most of the structure is in the mountain. The ceiling and upper cavity seem to be the real problem. I'll let you all know!
Steven

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:54 am

Ok, Green Glue talk. I would need two cases of Green glue for the ceiling and the two offending walls. Is it worth it? How much more noise reduction would I get if I didn't have any GG at all and simply had my two layers of drywall? Is the 340 dollar extra expense worth it? If so, then I'll do it.

Steven

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:05 am

Steven, check your thread at studiotips; sounds to me like your window needs attention first... Steve

(more in a day or two when I "de-coma"... )

len-morgan · Post by **len-morgan** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:08 am

I think he said he had an in-wall (through a hole?) A/C unit that was calked around. If I'm not mistaken, unless he calks the unit shut, he's got an open hole in his wall to the outside world! Can't you see light through most of those? I'd look to this as being a good starting point.

Also, if this is partially built into a mountain side, is it possible to cover up the rest of it (except for maybe a door) with dirt? It seems like you'd have all the space you need OUTSIDE the room.

Also, isn't there a fairly large TL gain by "plastering" the outside of the cement block walls? That too would not eat into your space.

If the A/C unit turns out to be the weak link, I would think you could build a wooden frame around it (on the inside, calk this well, and then make a "flap" that could be close when you are playing that had a really tight seal all the way around it (maybe using some of those twist locks that you see on road cases to hold it all tight.

len

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:08 am

Steven, before you forget it can you please edit your profile so your location appears alongside each post? Thanks... Steve

Post by **sharward** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:33 am

Steven's been busy! Hopefully he'll have a chance to update his thread here with his progress, including his experience with Green Glue.