Anyone know a good way to reduce sound transmission through floor. This is remodel… current floor/ceiling is only 2×6 T&G dougfir over 6×8 rdwd beams @32inches oc. From below, beam bay is already less than 8 ft ,but I could drop it at most 1 1/2 inches. I can raise floor above at most 2 inches. I am going to put 3/8 plywood on top of the t&g decking for shear value but other than that , what kind of ”sandwich” using what materials might give me the best results? Right now you can hear a person talking on the phone . Thanks.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Fine Homebuilding's editorial director has some fun news to share.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Since the width between the members is wider than standard fiberglass insulation, you might try that sprayed in foam. That's supposed to work good for quieting things down. I would do that first and see if it is sufficient. It might be expensive, but I bet it comes out to less in the long run compared to going out to buy a whole bunch of different materials and attaching layer after layer.
If you insulate and you still get too much noise, or if you just decide you don't want to call in a contractor, you can do some good by floating your walls and floor on sill seal and sill-seal like sheet materials. You can't screw or nail anywhere or it negates the fix. Silicone caulk is your only fastener. And you should still insulate like crazy with the dense sound proof variety of fiberglass and install extra dense drywall. That's how you make a soundproof room.
I think the insulation in the floor by itself would be way more practical, though. Just keep going until you get adequate results.
Insulate floor, add layers of drywall below the insulation, add finished floor above, put down carpet and area rugs, get lots of padded heavy furniture, put big pillows on the floor, install home theater system with cranking speakers and lots of watts, install intercom system to transmit doorbell throughout house because you won't know when the pizza arrives once you retire into your isolation booth.
I worked in a post/beram house that used about three layers of homasote in between the t&g cieling and the upper subfloor. Seemed to work Ok.
Try the serach here too for sound transmittion and acoustics.
Every time I run into this situation, I place a layer of sod on the upper floor. Then I test it by firing a .50 caliber machine gun in the upper room and, I assure you, I can't hear that in the lower room. So it must work.
Of course, you will have to be careful about watering the second floor lawn elsewise you may experience water damage if you hydrate too much. But I've never heard of complaints about sound leakage after someone has planted a lawn on the second floor.
-Peter