Yikes!!! How do I best soundproof my basement ceiling? Advice help! :)
I am having my basement finished right now. The old ceiling has been removed so that all the HVAC and pipes have been nestled in so I can have 8' foot ceilings throughout the basement for the most part. Yay!
I really need to decide quickly about how best to reduce the amount of noise that comes from people walking on the floors above, so I guess that's impact noise. There are no carpets above, nor will there be, just hardwood floors. The basement "bedroom" is directly below the kitchen where there is a lot of action. It's now or never on need to make the right decision about the "soundproofing" the basement ceiling from the noises from the main floor.
I have suggested to my contractor (who is wonderful) to use Rockwool Safe n Sound (15.25 inch W by 47 inch Long) between the rafters which are about 14 inches apart. He was planning on using Acoustical Surfaces Inc.'s SOUNDBREAK XP, an acoustically enhanced gypsum board https://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/soundbreak/soundbreak.htm. So right now the plan is to use the Rockwool Safe n Sound with the Soundbreak XP.
I read and reread suggestions throughout the web and even on Houzz, but I'm still not sure what to do. The soon to be finished part of the basement is about 850 sq feet. About 1/3 of that space is "bedroom" area. That area I'm most concerned about noise.
- Should I do two layers of Rockwool throughout the entire basement or just where the bedroom is?
- Should I consider another product like Owens Corning Termafiber Fire and Sound Guard Mineral Wool Insulation Batt 15 in. by 47 in. as it's significantly cheaper?
- Should I insist that the contractor use resilient channel in the bedroom area?
- Are these bad ideas?
- Do you have any better ideas?
I'm feeling confused as to how to proceed. The contractor was going to do the insulation a week or two from now, but he'll be starting on Tuesday instead, so I really need to make a decision soon.
Thank you for reading this, and I'd really appreciate some good advice as how to proceed so my contractor can move forward on the project.
Comments (6)
5 years agoRelated Discussions
I need all you GW'ers advice on a budget basement re-do!!!
Comments (21)If you are going to paint with dry-lock the dust issue will be lessened. There is a picture of a poster who did the black paint on the ceiling thing. I haven't seen the finished room but it does disguise the unfinished look. This technique is very popular in restaurants. Once you get living down there the dust issue will be dealt with, with regular cleanings. I like the light paint idea for light better. I am not a fan of dark caves myself. I too would go with scraping and re-painting the floor. I did my laundry room in white and it not only holds up it is easier to sweep. I did mine in Kilz/water lock cement block paint. I would not invest in much if you aren't up for the full job. Three houses tells me no one wants to hang out in what feels like a basement. How old are your kids? Maybe you would be better off to create an indoor play ground down there? Hang a few swings from the rafters, get some toys on wheels let the kids do more gross motor play down there. I also kept all play-dough play downstairs. Without finished walls, warmth, heat source and lots of light, the more natural the better, it just will never be a second family room, in my experience....See MoreSoundproofing basement ceiling
Comments (18)I have been through this with our main floor and loss of a large plastered ceiling 13' x23' due to flooding. dh wanted plaster - due to expediting project, recovering from flood - my research, including lot's of help here - Roxul btwn floor joists (despite poster above opinion - yes this works very well - check SONY studios in Manhattan - that is one of the products used for prof studio) RC channel w/green acoustic tape applied - then screwed into joists - 5/8" sheetrock - Only wish - wish I had done this in the Kit ceiling when it was open - only used fiberglass batt & 5/8" BIG DIFFERENCE. Now to basement refinishing - low ceilings to begin with ~7' 1. Kensa ceiling link/grid system - This is similiar to RC but is flex PVC & applies direct to joist T's & L's - Benefit - only 1" off joists - rather than the 4"-6" of typical drop ceiling 2. Prior to applying grid ROxul btwn joists and in the wall that shared w/Utility side of basement 3. Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) - comes in roll 1/8" thick the difficulty in applying this is it's at least a 2 person job due to the weight of the rolled vinyl 4. Acoustical/fire rated tile - up to 3/4" thickness That should help tremendously with both sound going up to first floor and sound from first floor going down. now I need to find a good looking 32" door to go on the utility side. Good luck...See Moreceiling advice for basement... getting ready to build
Comments (4)How bad are the cobwebs/dust? Depends how many spiders you have....? I don't understand the logic, but we were told the insulation was not optional You are right it doesnt make sense. I don't agree that it has to be insulated, considering it is going to be conditioned space you don't need to insulate between two conditioned spaces. The only reason to do it is to help with soundproofing a bit, however the sound would be better mitigated with two layers of drywall....See MoreSound-Proofing Basement Bedroom?
Comments (5)Depends on how much you want to spend and how "Sound Proof" you would like it to be. Here is a good link explaining STC and to what level you are trying to accomplish. http://www.soundproofingcompany.com/soundproofing101/understanding-stc/ Most of our clients, we end up insulating the wall, installing sound board, and two layers of sheetrock with a sound channel. the small details in this are important also. Such as if there is a door in the wall, etc....See MoreRelated Professionals
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