What are the best materials for soundproofing interior walls?
Hi, we're would like to use a good system for sound insulation inside our internal walls and ceilings. We found this soundproofing video on your website. Could you maybe provide a list of the materials that are mentioned in this video? (As someone with little construction experience, it would really help me to find and buy the materials)
For the ceilings would you recommend a similiar system? We were wondering if maybe cellulose would be better (and more ecofriendly?) than the rock wool? Since we read about rockwool sometimes being too loose and falling out before adding the gypsum. Any advice for the best (and most ecological) sound proofing option for a first floor ceiling (not an attic) would be very welcome. Finally, how does the costs of a system using rock wool versus cellulose compare?
There are a few ways to soundproof interior division walls, in that video above we used Rockwool batts, resilient channels (metal rails) and double drywall. Here are two pages on our site that can help with sound transmission in specific walls, but also general construction techniques that dampen sound -
Understanding how sound is transmitted in homes
How to reduce sound transmission in homes
A note about materials - those pages were written by Alf Warnock, a researcher at National Research Council Canada, and when touring the facility once i learned a few interesting stats. Rockwool (formerly Roxul) had a specific batt called 'safe and sound' that is marketed for reducing sound, but the difference they found between the two products wasn't much more than a different coloured label. They both worked about the same apparently. So if you can find mineral wool batts locally but not ones that say anything about sound transmission, don't worry you're not missing out on much.