Today on the Reno Blog: Soundproofing the Rental
Since the public hallway that leads to the rear garden abuts the rental apartment bedroom, we decided to throw in some sound insulation.
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My general contactor is handling this work. I had an accoustical engineer inspect the house and draw up asoundproofing plan. The GC is implementing that plan. I would add that I’m doing a major reno, so adding this step made sense because we had to take up the original boards anyway.
I have a garden rental also. What I’ve noticed is that where we demo’d the ceiling in the apt and had to install a new sheetrock ceiling, that is where the sound transmission is greatest. However, the old plaster ceiling is much more insulated. My architect did not think insulation would do much for this problem, but I wish I had at least had a second layer of sheetrock put up (I understand from reading that if the second layer is a different thickness than the 1st, it will have some effect).
Fortunately (other than the tenants who decided to have twins), we’ve had relatively quiet tenants. And we do not wear shoes in the house or play the stereo loudly on the parlor floor, so hopefully, they don’t hear us too much. I just try to warn new tenants that we are looking for relatively quiet folks and that we are very respectful of their need for privacy and peace.
To the anon spending $12K, all I can say is: Wow! That’s alotta money. Wish I could afford to do that. But on the off chance that I might break down and do something like that someday, I’d like to know which contractor you are using. Is it a special sound-proofing engineer/contractor???
Between the garden level apt and my main parlor floor, I’m putting in R-30 batt insulation between all the joists and overlaying that with the following “sandwich”: 1/2″ plywood — 1/8″ 1lb per square inch heavy vinyl acoustical sheet — 1/2″ plywood (staggered joints) — original floor boards (as top layer). The perimeter of the plywood-vinyl “sandwich” layers are being sealed with chaulking and any openings between the floors caused by pipes (e.g., heating pipes) are being sealed with fire-proof foam sealer).
We have completed the R-30 and sandwich layers and it already has made a huge difference in keep noise transmission down. Our contractor still has to chaulk the perimeter and lay the original floors. Once that is done, I will hopefully have cut down on most sound transmission between the garden rental and my main parlor floor. One thing that I have noticed, however, is that impact noise transmission has been cut down, but still exists (i.e., when you’re in the garden apartment, you can still hear foot steps above if someone is wearing hard-soled shoes).
As for sound transmission, this has been completely eliminated for everyday sounds, such as people talking on the phone, sound of the TV and music at reasonable levels. If you really crank up the stereo however (and I mean at a level that would be uncomfortable for most people to listen to), you can hear it faintly on the parlor floor.
In all, this investment of $12,000 seems well worth it.
I’ve done many renovations with and without “sound board” and don’t believe that stuff does much, if anything, to reduce sound. Of course, if you built two walls, back to back, with a gap in between, it would make a difference. Why not rent to a deaf tenant if you want absolute silence?
We only spent a couple hundred bucks on it, but you’re right that the noise from hardwood floors above will probably be worse,,
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Nice of you to think of tenant – but doubt money is well spent here.
Noise thru a wall when walking by would be very minimal if any and brief. The noise or vibration of walking thru floor would more likely be heard –
and of course the walking above head on hardwood floors is probably the biggest annoyance.
What surprises me about brownstone living is how well hear people walking up staircase next door-
but that is about only sound that comes thru.
http://www.soundproofing.org suggests many ways to soundproof the house
What does soundproofing entail? What is used? I am in the process of renovating also and would like to look into this.