Soundproofing with Dave

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Soundproofing your floor with Peacemaker

2009-07-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

In this short video by the company Audimute, they used the product Peacemaker to reduce airborne and impact noise. The 3.2mm product appears to be just mass loaded vinyl also known as MLV and the 6.4mm product appears to be rubber type product, thus it's ability to absorb impact noise

Soundproofing your condo/apartment ceiling

2009-07-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

The first thing you want to do is talk to your neighbors, here is an excellent article on the subject Noisy Nuisances: What are Your Rights? and another Nolo Law Noise FAQ. To sum this article up talk to your neighbor, write a letter to your neighbor, ask for mediation, call the police and finally sue your neighbor. You would probably like to avoid the last two solutions. However, if you would like some information on suing your neighbor, you can read these articles Hardwood Floors Incite Real Estate Riot, and Westcon.

I found it helpful to keep a noise diary of all the noise my neighbor made. I also bought a sound meter of eBay so I could measure the amount of noise they were making, this may be a little extreme. However, I wanted to make sure I was not being overly sensitive.

If your past the love thy neighbor stage you can try a white noise generator or sound conditioner. In my bedroom, I use an air cleaner, it makes plenty of white noise. I learned this trick while attending college, where I bought myself a big window fan and it drowned out everything including the fire alarm (bad).

If you can, try to tackle the noise from above. Offer your neighbor to help pay for new flooring. Of course you will want to lay down some type engineered product(s)to absorb impact noise and block airborne noise. You could try Impact Acoustical Floor Treatments, Ekasonic, Subfloor Plus Foam, Impact Line, Kinetics Sound Rated Floor System, QuietWood, QuietFoam , or Green Glue. The above products are part of a system, so read the fine print, other materials may need to be used to achieve good results. But before you start laying down underlayment, be sure to read this information from SoundProofing America Soundproofing Wood and Tile Floors, flooring information from Super Soundproofing and Dealing With Impact Noise. Also, do not forget high quality thick carpet padding.

If you can, try to tackle the noise from above. Offer your neighbor to help pay for new flooring. Of course you will want to lay down some type engineered product(s)to absorb impact noise and block airborne noise. You could try Impact Acoustical Floor Treatments, Ekasonic, Subfloor Plus Foam, Impact Line, Kinetics Sound Rated Floor System, QuietWood, QuietFoam , or Green Glue. The above products are part of a system, so read the fine print, other materials may need to be used to achieve good results. But before you start laying down underlayment, be sure to read this information from SoundProofing America Soundproofing Wood and Tile Floors, flooring information from Super Soundproofing and Dealing With Impact Noise. Also, do not forget high quality thick carpet padding.

First, some information on structure noise from the Specifications Construction Institute, Noisy Neighbors, and the Institute for Research in Construction.

1. Use Resilient Channel and MLV (Mass Loaded Vinyl). This usually requires that you have open studs. So if you already have an existing ceiling in place this may not be your best choice. More information on this type of soundproofing can be found at the following websites: SuperSoundProofing Company, and Soundproofing America.

2. Your going use Sound Clips/Isolation Mounts and in most cases they will connect to flurring channels. There are several of these types of clips on the market: Aero-Support, Super Sound Clip, and Springers and Hangers. More information on this subject can be found here: SoundProofing America, and SoundClips Vs. Resilient Channels.

3. Soundproofing an existing ceiling with mass loaded vinyl. You will want to attach
flurring strips to the existing ceiling and attach the MLV to the strips as outlined here: Mass Loaded Vinyl Installation.

4. Soundproofing an existing ceiling with mass loaded vinyl backed with foam. More info on this procedure can be found here: Decoupled Mass Loaded Vinyl for walls and ceilings.

6. You can also increase the effectiveness of any above methods by replacing the sheetrock with an engineered pre-dampened sheetrock product. You could either use QuietRock or Supress.

7. The most interesting and promising method of soundproofing your ceiling is using The Green Glue Company's Green Glue. This product is a viscoelastic dampening material, basically it can convert noise and vibration to heat. See my other posts about Green Glue and download the Pratt School of Engineering's paper of QuietRock vs Mass Loaded Vinyl. QuietRock also incorporates an viscoleastic dampening material. You can use Green Glue for existing or new ceilings. This method also requires less labor and is less expensive. Check out these articles Upgrade Existing Floors and Dealing with Impact Noise.

For some additional thoughts and info on Green Glue go here: Green Glue SoundProofing, , The Green Glue Revolution, and check out the Green Glue thread at AVS Forum sign-up required.

Technorati Tags: soundproofing, ceiling, footfall, impact noise, sound clips, mass loaded vinyl, upstairs neighbor, sound isolation clips, resilient channels, flurring, green glue

Remodeling Guy: "Using Green Glue To Make Noiseproof Walls"

2009-07-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

The "Remodeling Guy" uses Green Glue to cut the noise down in his master bedroom and living spaces.

"Have you ever wished you could make a wall a little more soundproof?Or, maybe a little more than a little? I’ve come across the question of soundproofing many times over my career and the options have never been great. It’s been “possible” for a long time, but never inexpensive and never easy. I think those days are gone!"

Read the full article at the Remodeling Guy.

QuietRock 500 available exclusively at selected Lowe's

2009-07-04T00:20:00.000-07:00

You can now buy QuietRock 500 1/2" drywall exclusively at selected Lowe's stores. The say that you can "Experience an increase in noise reduction from 25% to 65%, depending on how you use it." There is no other information provided regarding the soundproofing qualities of QuietRock 500. If you follow this link you will find that QuietSolutions does not provide acoustic tests for QuietRock 500. However, they do provide the chart that you see above.

At the price of $29.96, this is the cheapes QuitRock yet. I believe QuitRock 510 is $40 a panel. Visit QuietSolution for a list of stores that carry QuietRock 510.

Soundproofing for existing walls

2009-07-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

A 4 x 8 sheet made from post-recycled products is placed on your existing wall and requires a minimum existing drywall that is at least 3/8 inch thick. You simply hang the product, align the seems, spackle the seams, then finish the wall.

The manufacturer claims that the dB2-4walls can reduce airborne and structural noise up to 75% between rooms. Their acoustical tests show a standard wall with wood Studs 2” x 4”, 16” on center, and with 5/8" drywall went from an STC of 34 to 39 or a reduction of 8db above 200 HZ. Keep mind that these tests are done in a laboratory, so most likely you will not be able to achieve the same results.

You might be saying that 8db is not much, but be aware that each three decibel increment affects a 50% change in sound pressure levels. Thus, a 3 dB drop reduces sound exposure by 50%, while a 6 dB drop reduces exposure by 75%. Though reducing the decibel level produced by a sound source from 80 to 77 may not seem like a major change, it would actually represent a 50% reduction in audible sound.

You can visit the manufacturers site here.

The Green Glue Company relocates

2009-07-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plans to relocate the Green Glue Company from North Dakota to Granville, N.Y. Saint-Gobain will manufacture Green Glue, a high-performance soundproofing material for the construction market, at the company's Granville plant. Saint-Gobain acquired Green Glue in 2008 and will transfer seven jobs associated with the product line.

Soundproofing company Acoustiblok partners with Saudi firm Arabian Plastics Compounds

2009-07-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

Acoustiblok Inc. has signed a 50-year agreement with Arabian Plastics Compounds Co. LTD to produce and market soundproofing products in Saudi Arabia and throughout the Middle East.

Called Acoustiblok Mideast, the new joint venture was two years in the making, a release said.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, but the value of it was said to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Acoustiblok, based in Tampa, manufactures soundproofing material for use new and existing commercial, residential and institutional buildings.

The initial cost of setting up production of Acoustiblok in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is about $30 million. The manufacturing facility will be in operation late this year.

When the agreement was finalized in Saudi Arabia, Acoustiblok introduced Thermablok, an insulation product launched specifically for the Arab climate and now available for use in the United States.

Press Release:Sound Isolation Company Continues Nationwide Expansion

2009-07-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

A leader in soundproofing solutions, Sound Isolation Company is announcing three new distribution locations in San Francisco, New York City and Boston. Sound Isolation Company can now expedite delivery of their products with local availability in these 3 major markets with this increase in distribution capacity. As a part of their strategic growth plan to increase the convenience and accessibility of their sound control products, these additions move Sound Isolation Company forward again.

"Investing in San Francisco, New York City and Boston distributors instantly expands our national presence. This puts us in a great position moving forward. Rather than pulling back and reducing our capacity in a slower economy, we have a commitment to grow and improve our services," said Jody Cook, President of Sound Isolation Company. "We are optimistic that these new locations will be immediately successful. We continue to build on our leadership position in the soundproofing industry and better fulfill builders', developers' and consumers' needs."

Sound Isolation Company's first expansion was in the Houston, Texas area in early 2005. San Francisco, added in March 2007, was an important step to cover the west coast for Sound Isolation Company and broaden their distribution reach to the Pacific Northwest region. Added next in March 2008, New York City was an immediate success, covering the entire NYC and surrounding areas. And now Boston, added in April of this year, brings the ability to quickly deliver to the greater New England area.

Since starting in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2001, Sound Isolation Company has been engaged in sound solution practices with the goal of providing products quickly; this has motivated their expansion to the four corners of the country. Along with today's announcement, Sound Isolation Company is planning their next locations in Seattle, Nashville and Chicago.

About Sound Isolation Company
Sound Isolation Company is a leader in soundproofing solutions with over a decade of industry experience. Specializing in simple, reliable products to create privacy between spaces, their projects range from multi-family construction, urban re-development to luxury home theaters and recording studios. More than just products, Sound Isolation Company provides design, education and hands-on experience on the consumer, commercial and industrial levels. Sound Isolation Company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with multiple distribution locations in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Florida, Texas, Minnesota, Washington and California, as well as Toronto, Canada.

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2009-06-26T00:00:00-07:00

Green Glue Company soundproofing through isolation.

2009-06-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

The Green Glue Company now has a new soundproofing product on their website. They are calling them "Noiseproofing Clips", other common names for this type product are soundclips and sound isolation clips. These clips will mechanically separate two sides of a wall and can improve sound transmission by allowing one side to vibrate independently from the other. They claim when used in combination with Green Glue , more than 95 percent more noise can be stopped than through conventional construction.

One clip which covers 5 square feet costs $5.25.

Press Release: Sound Isolation Company to Present the Latest Innovations in Noise Reduction at BuildingsNY 2009

2009-06-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

CHARLOTTE, NC, June 11, 2009—Sound Isolation Company, a national supplier of soundproofing products, and their Manhattan distributor, Prince Lumber, will exhibit at BuildingsNY 2009 June 16-17 in the Jacob Javits Center. This will be the second time Sound Isolation Company and Prince Lumber pair up for a New York event.

Staying ahead of the curve with soundproofing trends, Sound Isolation Company and Prince Lumber selected BuildingsNY as an ideal venue for demonstrating the most current noise reduction products and techniques to specialists in the building sector. They will display advancements in the soundproofing industry, such as Green Glue Noise Proofing Compound, Resilmount Sound Isolation Systems and Privacy Ultimate Green Underlayment. With multiple distribution sites nationally, and more on the way, conference attendees from around the country have numerous options available from Sound Isolation Company for quick shipment of soundproofing materials at a lower delivered cost.

Jody Cook, President of Sound Isolation Company, shares his thoughts on BuildingsNY, “This is a one-of-a-kind event that we’re thrilled to contribute to. With businesses looking to save money in this economy, there couldn’t be a better time for us to put forward the most cost-effective noise control options; we are a step ahead in the soundproofing trade. We’ll be spending two days completely submersed in networking with and educating architects, project managers, contractors and building world professionals on the most efficient soundproofing alternatives.”

“By working with Sound Isolation Company, we have gained a valuable resource for reliable noise control products; we stock everything available for immediate pickup or delivery to jobsites in the New York metro area,” says AJ Crespo of Prince Lumber.

BuildingsNY showcases companies that feature the most modern and effective building industry practices for renovation, restoration and maintenance. Professionals throughout construction trades attend the event to learn about the newest valuable methods and products from today’s experts. The show is the country’s biggest regional congregation of professional builders.

About Sound Isolation Company

Sound Isolation Company is a leader in soundproofing solutions with over a decade of industry experience. Specializing in simple, reliable products to create privacy between spaces, their projects range from multi-family construction, urban re-development to luxury home theaters and recording studios. More than just products, Sound Isolation Company provides design, education and hands-on experience on the consumer, commercial and industrial levels. Sound Isolation Company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with multiple distribution locations in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Florida, Texas, Minnesota, Washington and California, as well as Toronto, Canada. For more information visit www.soundisolationcompany.com

About Prince Lumber

Prince Lumber is Sound Isolation Company’s New York metro-area distribution partner. Currently enrolled in the Certified Green Dealer™ program, Prince Lumber is Manhattan’s contractor and do-it-yourself headquarters for quality lumber, hardware, building materials, construction tools and supplies. For more information visit www.princelumber.com

The Oregonian: Soundproofing with wall gardens

2009-06-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Oregonian gives us this piece on a few of Portland's urban wall gardens, and makes a good point in the process: wall gardens are like green roofs that you can see and enjoy. Besides being beautiful, they can be used for soundproofing, well more like reduce some of the street noise. Onter benefits are keeping heat in the winter, insulate walls to keep interiors cool in the summer, and provide "evaporative cooling" if you just happen to be strolling by.

Check out the rest of the article here.

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2009-05-21T00:00:00-07:00

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AC: Options for soundproofing your condo

2009-04-24T08:29:00.001-07:00

"I remember how excited I was to move into my first condo. It had shiny oak wood floors, freshly painted, and renovated kitchen and marble counter tops. The only problem was my neighbors. Upstairs, downstairs and next door, the noise was unbelievable. Between the music bumping, the walking from room to room, barking dogs and parties it was almost impossible for me to get any sleep. That's not even talking about the screaming babies (no fault of their own of course) that went all through the night. How in the world can you live in your condo peacefully while still respecting your neighbors? The key is to insulate your condo."

Read More at Associated Content

Soundproofing your row house

2009-04-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

I came across this question at the Prince of Petworth blog regarding soundproofing in a row house.

"I was wondering if you would mind asking your readers if they ever had insulation put in the walls of their homes to soundproof it from the neighbors. We need to do it to one side of our house and were wondering if anyone out there has done this and what their experiences were.”

Row house's usually have solid walls or minimal space behind the drywall or plaster, so putting insulation in them is out of the question and it would do little for reducing the sound. You could isolate the offending wall by building a 2nd wall, however since row house's are usually narrow, this may not be an option and may not be to code. If you do have the room to add a 2nd wall, this would be your best option.

You can remove your old drywall or plaster and put regular or recycled denim insulation underneath it, then use products such as Quietrock Drywall, Supress Drywall or two layers of regular drywall with Green Glue between. You can also simply put the these products on top of your existing drywall or plaster. The more mass the better your soundproofing will be.

What is STC?

2009-02-25T16:33:00.000-08:00

Almost all soundproofing products have a STC rating.

The Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a single-number rating of a material's or an assembly's ability to resist airborne sound transfer at the frequencies 125-4000 Hz. In general, a higher STC rating blocks more noise from transmitting through a partition. Exciting stuff hugh!

This video explains what STC or Sound Transmission Class is and how it is measured.

Soundproofing Walls - What is STC? - Funny video clips are a click away

Wood and sand combined for eco friendly soundproofing.

2009-02-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

Phonewell is a soundproofing product made from wood and sand and available in Ireland, the UK Netherlands and Germany. It is an "eco-friendly product that is breathable, pollutant free and odourless". It can be used to combat both airborne and impact noise and can be used on floors, walls and ceilings.

Instructables: "Soundproof Your Garage Walls (Using My Cleat Method)"

2008-12-19T11:13:00.001-08:00

Low on funds? How about this article from Instructables on soundproofing on the cheap. The method presented here is similar to using resilient channel to isolate the wall from the outside wall.

This design may not meet building code, since the inner wall seems not to be attached to the outer wall. The author has not yet tested the actual soundproofing effectiveness of the design.

Soundproof Your Garage Walls (Using My Cleat Method) - More DIY How To Projects

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2008-12-28T00:00:00-08:00

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"Audimute Sound Absorption vs. Sound Proofing Explained"

2008-12-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE: Serious Materials Introduces QuietHome THX-Certified Soundproof Doors

2008-10-29T10:41:00.001-07:00

Serious Materials today announced its new line of QuietHome soundproof doors. These new products provide market-leading noise reduction in an attractive, stainable wood, pre-hung door package, and are perfect for high-end home theaters, commercial studios, offices and conference rooms. Unlike most metal acoustic doors, these look like they belong in a high-end home.

The entry-level QuietHome Door features a very high STC rating of 44 and is only 1î thick. The THX-Certified QuietHome Door provides an STC rating of 51 in a 2ºî thick door, and is the only acoustic door in the world to meet the demanding standards required for THX certification*. Typical hollow-core doors have an STC rating of only 15 and solid-core doors about 27. The high performance of QuietHome Doors reduce noise 65-85% compared to a solid core door. For the ultimate in performance in high-end home theaters, two QuietHome Doors may be used back to back, separated by a three-foot air gap, for a total STC rating of over 80.

The suggested price of QuietHome Doors ranges from $1,495 to $2,495, or up to 50% lower than other acoustic doors. QuietHome Doors are available for ordering now through building products dealers and lumberyards nationwide, and online at QuietSolution. Initial products will ship to customers in Q4.

At THX, we believe great sound and picture is achieved through the right mix of audio-video components, room design, sound isolation and acoustic performance,î said John Dahl, director of education at THX. For maximum enjoyment of your favorite movies and music, you have to keep the noise out and the sound in. THX-Certified QuietHome Doors along with THX-Certified QuietRock help deliver that great listening experience.

Leveraging more than 25 years of cinema and professional studio design expertise, THX partnered with Serious Materials to develop a portfolio of acoustic materials for the professional building community. The THX Certified QuietHome Door and QuietRock soundproof drywall provide designers and architects a means to meet the sound isolation demands of commercial cinemas, recording studios and home theaters.

Serious Materials' advanced-technology Quiet-brand products are recognized as the leader in noise reduction for construction projects, and have been used in over 35,000 projects. Its QuietRock soundproof drywall delivers noise reduction at the lowest total cost, has over 90% market share in the category, and includes the only THX-Certified soundproof drywall, QuietRock 545 THX, with STC ratings up to 80. The new QuietHome Doors incorporate Serious' proprietary viscoelastic polymer-based constrained layer damped system, a multi-layer design and advanced seals throughout the door edge.

PRESS RELEASE: The Makers Of Green Glue Have Been Acquired

2008-10-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

The makers of everybody's favorite soundproofing product has been acquired by Saint-Gobain.

Saint-Gobain Acquires Soundproofing Plastics Manufacturer

AURORA, Ohio, Oct 13, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (SGPPL) today announced that it has acquired the assets of The Green Glue Company of West Fargo, North Dakota, a privately owned manufacturer of visco-elastic soundproofing technology. Visco-elastic materials combine the properties of viscosity and elasticity to provide performance characteristics ideal for special acoustical insulation. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

From its manufacturing location in West Fargo, Green Glue supplies products to global construction customers specializing in sound control. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plans to integrate the Green Glue business into its Foams business unit. "We are pleased to welcome The Green Glue Company to Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics," says Tom Kinisky, President of SGPPL. "The Green Glue product line complements our Norseal(R), Normount(R) and Thermalbond(R) product lines which we supply to the commercial and residential construction markets. This transaction will allow Saint-Gobain to strengthen our offerings to these important markets."

The Green Glue products will continue to be marketed under the Green Glue brand. ( www.greengluecompany.com)Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, part of Saint-Gobain's High-Performance Materials Sector, is headquartered in Aurora, Ohio, and employs 4,800 people in 15 countries. It is a world leader in high-performance plastics including flexible tubing applications, seals, coated fabrics, films, foams, polymer products, and bearings.

About Saint-Gobain:

Headquartered in Paris, Saint-Gobain is a leading international producer of construction products, high-performance materials such as abrasives, high-performance plastics, industrial ceramics and reinforcements, flat glass and, packaging (glass bottles). The company is also a leading distributor of building materials. In 2007 Saint-Gobain had worldwide sales of $59 billion, and has 207,000 employees in 57 countries.
For more information, go to http://www.plastics.saint-gobain.com/

Contact: Bill Seiberlich, Saint-Gobain Communications,
William.seiberlich@saint-gobain.com, 484-433-2096/610-341-7187

SOURCE Saint-Gobain
http://www.plastics.saint-gobain.com

Marketplace.com: "Soundproofing the noisy kids upstairs"

2008-08-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

This is the downstairs neighbors worst nightmare!

"The loudest noises in big city apartments often come from the smallest culprits --- the kids upstairs. That's giving acoustic consultants good business. Ashley Milne-Tyte hears them out."

Read The Full Article at Marketplace.com

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2008-12-17T00:00:00-08:00

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Soundproofing your condo/apartment ceiling from your upstairs neighbor.

2008-08-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here is posting by Dr. Bob on soundproofing your apartment/condo from upstairs neighbors. Nothing new, just isolate the ceiling with soundclips and add a layer of green glue if you have the space.

How do I soundproof my condo or apartment from my noisy neighbors upstairs?

"This is by far the most asked question I hear on a daily basis. It is a question asked by prominent architects, engineers, major developers, and contractors. We are now finding that this is also of major concern of individual homeowners who rent part of their house to tenants. Many factors need to be considered when assessing an upstairs noise issue. The first question you should ask is simply this, is the problem impact noise, or airborne noise (TV's, Stereos, telephones etc.) coming down from above. Nine times out of ten, impact noise is the main concern."

Link

Soundproofing Servers

2008-08-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

A room is built to enclose servers, the walls are covered with Peacemaker Sound Insulation which is flexible rubber sheeting.

Flanking 101

2008-06-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

What is Flanking Noise?

When we’re discussing a soundproofing issue with a customer, we generally spend quite a bit of time describing the phenomenon of flanking sound. This is at the heart of solving many noise problems.

So what exactly is Flanking Noise? Let’s imagine for a moment that you have a wave of water approaching your house. You run outside and install a sandbag wall that is exactly as wide as your property. No water should get through that wall. Next thing you notice that you are up your ankles in floodwater. Why? Because the water simply went around your wall. The water flanked your wall.

This is similar to what might be experienced in a soundproofing strategy. Suppose you share a common wall with a neighbor and he keeps you up at all hours. Perhaps you have an upstairs neighbor that sharpens his bowling skills after midnight. Let’s further suppose that you install 12” of lead on that wall or that ceiling. That should solve the problem, eh?

If you think of our floodwater analogy, it might not come as a surprise that you may continue to hear that noisy neighbor even after a soundproofing treatment. Like our floodwater, some of the sound simply flanked around the 12” of imaginary lead.

Sound will move from one room to another through both direct and indirect paths. Some amount of energy will travel through or around a wall or ceiling.

You might wonder if you should even bother treating just

the wall or just the ceiling at all. Well while every structure is different, treating only the one main “direct” pathway will most often prove satisfactory for most people. This tactic generally reduces the sound to a tolerable level, but will usually not eliminate 100% of it.

It is important to understand that while sound can travel through air pockets like ductwork, stud and ceiling joist cavities, it can also be conducted along studs, joists, pipes, concrete and glass. Like your voice on a string between two orange juice cans. The string is a conductor just like a stud or joist.

A common myth is that if you don’t treat every surface, all of your soundproofing efforts will have been in vain. This is simply not the case at all. If you significantly reduce the sound passing through the one main wall, for example, that’s great. What remains will likely be flanking noise coming through side walls, the floor or some other untreated surface.

MAJOR FLANKING PATHS

Through the floor framing system under the wall. In some construction there is a joist system that travels under the offending wall. The floor systems on either side of the wall is connected, so while there is no open air path from his side to yours, the floor framing itself can conduct the vibration from his side to yours. This may or may not be a significant flanking pathway.

Through the ceiling joist system. There are times when an attic area is common to both rooms. Vibration from the offending room are transmitted via airborne path or conducted through the joists themselves.
Through side walls. Walls in your unit are usually directly connected to the next door unit.

MINOR FLANKING PATHS

Through the Ductwork. How many times have you been able to listen to a conversation going on in another room by sticking your ear by the air vent? Standard ductwork is metal, and therefore very conductive. Ductwork has smooth, hard surfaces and can therefore bounce sound inside from one room to another. Try lining the rigid ducts with a 1” compressed duct liner, generally available through any Heating & Air Conditioning distributor.

Doors. Whether residential or commercial, most doors are poor isolators of airborne sound. Two main reasons for the poor performance. Poor seals and lack of mass. Try a heavy exterior door. It has mass and weatherstrip to seal it up.

Seal up the holes. Outlets and gaps are all holes that can transmit sound, especially high frequencies. Use a caulk where the drywall meets the floor behind the base molding.

Seal the outside surface of the outlet box with a heavy putty pad or use a plastic electrical box designed for use in vapor barriers (they’re sealed).

Seal the junction of the drywall and electrical box with caulk or a foam energy-saving gasket.
Make sure the wall in insulated and that the insulation is tucked in behind the electrical box.
By considering the less obvious pathways that sound can travel, you will have a better ability to stop it. If the situation becomes too much to deal with, you could consider contacting a professional Acoustical Consultant.

Soundproofing Company, Inc

Green Glue Application Video

2008-06-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Watch as Green Glue is applied to the back of drywall and then secured to wall for soundproofing.

Breaking! Your soundproofing woes are over! Well maybe in the future

2008-06-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

A 'cloak of silence' for your home may bring relief from noisy neighbors in the future. Scientists have a blueprint to create this cloak and make your home impervious to sound. So they know how this can be accomplished, however they lack the materials to produce this soundproof miracle.

Spanish scientists believe the key to accomplishing this is a new type of composite made out of "sonic crystals". It would work by directing sound waves around an object.

Read

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