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Please help! Need to soundproof an existing, common, condo wall from music.

4404 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by luvdriven540i, Mar 3, 2014

luvdriven540i

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2014

Hello all, I live in a condo and our bedroom shares a common wall with our flamboyant, loud music loving neighbor.

I believe in live and let live, but this is insane, although, it doesn't bother me much, my wife has been very cranky lately!

The existing wall, is most likely 1/2 board on 2x4 wood studs with perhaps insulation in between.

Without tearing into the existing wall, what are some recommendations? I was thinking a layer of 5/8 drywall with 2-3 tubes of green glue?........Please help, thx! sleepless in Las Vegas.

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BIGmouthinDC

· #2 · Mar 2, 2014

You first should determone the exact construction, The wall you describe doesn't sound like it would meet current firecode requirements for multi family units. You can add damped mass to your side of the wall but if there is a direct physical pathway for the vibrations on your neighbors side of the wall to set your side in motion you will still hear a fair amount of noise. You can pull an outlet cover and shine a flashlight in and maybe get some insight on the actuall wall construction or see if you can talk to someone connected with the buildings construction.

If you own this unit and plan to stay some time it may be worthwhile to pull your side of the wall off and start over. This time using mechanical isolation techniques to minimze direct vibration transfer. (Clips and channel) then seal up any air gaps in the wall, make sure it is fully insulated, add putty pads to any exposed outlets, then hang two layers of 5/8 drywall with Green Glue. You need to assess whether there are any flanking pathways. again your really need to know the construction design.

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luvdriven540i

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 2, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC /t/1520597/please-help-need-to-soundproof-an-existing-common-condo-wall-from-music#post_24429153

You first should determone the exact construction, The wall you describe doesn't sound like it would meet current firecode requirements for multi family units. You can add damped mass to your side of the wall but if there is a direct physical pathway for the vibrations on your neighbors side of the wall to set your side in motion you will still hear a fair amount of noise. You can pull an outlet cover and shine a flashlight in and maybe get some insight on the actuall wall construction or see if you can talk to someone connected with the buildings construction.

If you own this unit and plan to stay some time it may be worthwhile to pull your side of the wall off and start over. This time using mechanical isolation techniques to minimze direct vibration transfer. (Clips and channel) then seal up any air gaps in the wall, make sure it is fully insulated, add putty pads to any exposed outlets, then hang two layers of 5/8 drywall with Green Glue. You need to assess whether there are any flanking pathways. again your really need to know the construction design.

Thx for the info, BIGmoutninDC, I'm actually away for the weekend, got the call from my wife about the noise escalation. I just want to get a jump on this issue and start thinking about the solution. When I get home, I'll pull a plate from the wall and determine exactly the construct. The condo is ours and was built in 1998. The wall is approx. 8.5' high and 12' in length.

The construction must be extremely poor because it's not only the loud music, we can also hear their conversations, coughing, sneezing, etc, etc. Which of course means that they can hear us as well. I'm afraid to have a personal discussion with my wife in that room.

Approximately how much of a difference would it make in noise reduction between the two scenarios, starting over as you suggest, or applying the 5/8 board with green glue over the existing wall?

I'll repost tomorrow after assessing the wall construction. Thx again!

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rastargate

· #4 · Mar 3, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by luvdriven540i /t/1520597/please-help-need-to-soun...mon-condo-wall-from-music/0_100#post_24429628

Thx for the info, BIGmoutninDC, I'm actually away for the weekend, got the call from my wife about the noise escalation. I just want to get a jump on this issue and start thinking about the solution. When I get home, I'll pull a plate from the wall and determine exactly the construct. The condo is ours and was built in 1998. The wall is approx. 8.5' high and 12' in length.

The construction must be extremely poor because it's not only the loud music, we can also hear their conversations, coughing, sneezing, etc, etc. Which of course means that they can hear us as well. I'm afraid to have a personal discussion with my wife in that room.

Approximately how much of a difference would it make in noise reduction between the two scenarios, starting over as you suggest, or applying the 5/8 board with green glue over the existing wall?

I'll repost tomorrow after assessing the wall construction. Thx again!

Talk to Ted at the soundproofing company. I just went through all of this with my 100 year old loft - actually still going through this as the floors are done and drywall is going up this week.

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BIGmouthinDC

· #5 · Mar 3, 2014

For what it is worth, My first home purchase was a dublex and we lived in one side. It was built in the late 50s and the wall construction between bedrooms was exactly as you describe. 2x4 construction with 1/2 inch of drywall on each side, I'm not certain that there was even insulation. As a newlywed I can tell you that the wife was not interested in providing an erotic audio track for our neighbors listening pleasure. We moved out of town within a year and sold before I learned anything about soundproofing.

The best fix is to open the wall and rebuild it. Your wall is 4 sheets of 9 ft drywall (yes they make it) You could rip it off and place in eight or less contractor clean up bags, seal and carry out of the unit without leaving a dust trail.

If in fact you expose the back side of your neighbors wall (I doubt it) I would add damped mass directly to their wall and apply putty pads to their outlets. then insulate, add clips and channel and rebuild your wall with two layers of 5/8 drywall.

You do need to assess the ceiling and floor structure to determine flanking pathways.

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luvdriven540i

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 3, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC /t/1520597/please-help-need-to-soundproof-an-existing-common-condo-wall-from-music#post_24433353

For what it is worth, My first home purchase was a dublex and we lived in one side. It was built in the late 50s and the wall construction between bedrooms was exactly as you describe. 2x4 construction with 1/2 inch of drywall on each side, I'm not certain that there was even insulation. As a newlywed I can tell you that the wife was not interested in providing an erotic audio track for our neighbors listening pleasure. We moved out of town within a year and sold before I learned anything about soundproofing.

The best fix is to open the wall and rebuild it. Your wall is 4 sheets of 9 ft drywall (yes they make it) You could rip it off and place in eight or less contractor clean up bags, seal and carry out of the unit without leaving a dust trail.

If in fact you expose the back side of your neighbors wall (I doubt it) I would add damped mass directly to their wall and apply putty pads to their outlets. then insulate, add clips and channel and rebuild your wall with two layers of 5/8 drywall.

You do need to assess the ceiling and floor structure to determine flanking pathways.

"erotic audio track for our neighbors listening pleasure." lol! that is funny! the previous tenant who lived in the adjacent unit was a woman who was not at all shy in that area, she was quite vocal! (I didn't mind,(of course I didn't let my wife know that) but, it was a turn off to my wife. Our erotic neighbor ended up walking away from the property when the market crashed, so it was vacant for about 3 yrs until now.

Anyway, I just pulled a plate from the wall, and I was surprised to see that it is actually 2x6 wood studs with 1/2 drywall and rolled fiberglass insulation.

Thank you all for your feedback and anecdotes!

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luvdriven540i

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 3, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by rastargate /t/1520597/please-help-need-to-soundproof-an-existing-common-condo-wall-from-music#post_24432364

Talk to Ted at the soundproofing company. I just went through all of this with my 100 year old loft - actually still going through this as the floors are done and drywall is going up this week.

Thx for chiming in, rastargate. good luck with your project!

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